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US judge receives 28-year jail term for his role in kids-for-cash kickbacks

poweRob

poweRob

USMC 1988-1996
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Private prisons... here is a glaring example of what it gets us. Time for the for-profit privite prison system to go the way of the dodo.

US judge receives 28-year jail term for his role in kids-for-cash kickbacks

An American judge known for his harsh and autocratic courtroom manner was jailed for 28 years for conspiring with private prisons to hand young offenders maximum sentences in return for kickbacks amounting to millions of dollars.

Mark Ciavarella Jnr was ordered to pay $1.2m (£770,000) in restitution after he was found to be a “figurehead” in the conspiracy that saw thousands of children unjustly punished in the name of profit in the case that became known as “kids for cash”.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has overturned some 4,000 convictions issued by the former Luzerne County judge between 2003 and 2008, claiming he violated the constitutional rights of the juveniles – including the right to legal counsel and the right to intelligently enter a plea. Ciavarella Jnr, 61, was tried and convicted of racketeering charges earlier this year but his lawyers had asked for a “reasonable” sentence, claiming that he had already been punished enough.

Federal prosecutors accused Ciavarella Jnr and a second judge, Michael Conahan, of taking more than $2m in bribes from the builder of the PA Child Care and Western PA Child Care detention centres and extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the facilities’ co-owner. Ciavarella Jnr filled the beds of the private prisons with children as young as 10, many of them first-time offenders convicted minor crimes.​
 
IIRC, CNN did an expose on the private prison-judge connection some time ago. It sounded then that people in positions of authority needed to do time. I'm glad that there's been a conviction... hopefully it'll convince other judges to do only their jobs.
 
The profit motive has its place. The judicial system is not that place.
 
Not that I am complaining about the minor sentence he got for destroying over 4000 lives, but what is going on with the corporate rich guys who paid this asshole? I do certainly hope that they will enjoy the hospitality of the prison system along with the judge. After all, i am sure being the ones who made the prisons they certainly paid a lot of attentions to the comfort and well being of it's prisoners. Of course, they make money imprisoning themselves in that case. It is a win win for everyone.
 
"Punished enough"? No. We couldn't punish them enough for what they've done and still be able to sleep at night.

But at least we've sent a message.
 
Criminals should be sent to prison and handed lengthy sentences because they deserve them, not because some judge was getting a kickback.I do hope the scum that judge conspired with also get lengthy sentences,after all it takes two to tango.
 
poweRob said:
US judge receives 28-year jail term for his role in kids-for-cash kickbacks
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The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has overturned some 4,000 convictions issued by the former Luzerne County judge between 2003 and 2008, claiming he violated the constitutional rights of the juveniles – including the right to legal counsel and the right to intelligently enter a plea. Ciavarella Jnr, 61, was tried and convicted of racketeering charges earlier this year but his lawyers had asked for a “reasonable” sentence, claiming that he had already been punished enough.
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Twenty-eight years seems far too mild, for the scale of the abuse of which he appears to be guilty. That seems to me like possibly an appropriate sentence for one violation, of which he appears to be possibly guilty of thousands.

The bright spot in this story is that at 61 years of age, he'd be 88 by the time he completes a twenty-eight-year sentence, meaning that there's a very good chance that he'll die in prison, without ever again tasting freedom.

I have a vague memory of hearing of some ancient society, in which a judge sat on a stool that was upholstered with the skin of the last person to hold that same position, and to abuse it. I like that idea, of a public servant having so near and tangible a reminder of the importance of not abusing his power to the detriment of those he is suppose to serve.
 
Bob Blaylock said:
Twenty-eight years seems far too mild, for the scale of the abuse of which he appears to be guilty. That seems to me like possibly an appropriate sentence for one violation, of which he appears to be possibly guilty of thousands.

The bright spot in this story is that at 61 years of age, he'd be 88 by the time he completes a twenty-eight-year sentence, meaning that there's a very good chance that he'll die in prison, without ever again tasting freedom.

I have a vague memory of hearing of some ancient society, in which a judge sat on a stool that was upholstered with the skin of the last person to hold that same position, and to abuse it. I like that idea, of a public servant having so near and tangible a reminder of the importance of not abusing his power to the detriment of those he is suppose to serve.
Click to expand...

I am thinking that may be a tradition to bring back. Some times old school is the best school.
 
poweRob said:
Private prisons... here is a glaring example of what it gets us. Time for the for-profit privite prison system to go the way of the dodo.

US judge receives 28-year jail term for his role in kids-for-cash kickbacks

An American judge known for his harsh and autocratic courtroom manner was jailed for 28 years for conspiring with private prisons to hand young offenders maximum sentences in return for kickbacks amounting to millions of dollars.

Mark Ciavarella Jnr was ordered to pay $1.2m (£770,000) in restitution after he was found to be a “figurehead” in the conspiracy that saw thousands of children unjustly punished in the name of profit in the case that became known as “kids for cash”.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has overturned some 4,000 convictions issued by the former Luzerne County judge between 2003 and 2008, claiming he violated the constitutional rights of the juveniles – including the right to legal counsel and the right to intelligently enter a plea. Ciavarella Jnr, 61, was tried and convicted of racketeering charges earlier this year but his lawyers had asked for a “reasonable” sentence, claiming that he had already been punished enough.

Federal prosecutors accused Ciavarella Jnr and a second judge, Michael Conahan, of taking more than $2m in bribes from the builder of the PA Child Care and Western PA Child Care detention centres and extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the facilities’ co-owner. Ciavarella Jnr filled the beds of the private prisons with children as young as 10, many of them first-time offenders convicted minor crimes.​
Click to expand...

Hopefully, this bozo ends up in one of his own private prisons. Now that would be ironic poetry and justice. LOL.
 
How in the world did he get away with this for 5 years?? Judges and prosecutors simply have way too much power.
 
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