Judges Plead Guilty in Scheme to Jail Youths for Profit

the judge, Mark A. Ciavarella Jr., and a colleague, Michael T. Conahan, appeared in federal court in Scranton, Pa., to plead guilty to wire fraud and income tax fraud for taking more than $2.6 million in kickbacks to send teenagers to two privately run youth detention centers run by PA Child Care and a sister company, Western PA Child Care. Full Story »

Posted by Dwight Rousu

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Review

Dwight Rousu
4.4
by Dwight Rousu - Feb. 14, 2009

The article presents a story of judicial corruption, one that is unusually affective because it fed on the vulnerability of juvenile delinquents. The story raises a lot of related issues and concerns.

Why did others in the juvenile court system not raise their voices earlier? Why are prisons privatized to for-profit corporations rather than being run by the public? When are the prison owners going to be charged? Who financed the election of these corrupt judges, and other judges? Why are not all judicial elections publicly financed?

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Dwight's Rating

Overall
4.4

Good
from 13 answers
Quality
4.4
Facts
5.0
Fairness
5.0
Information
5.0
Sourcing
4.0
Style
4.0
Context
4.0
Depth
3.0
Enterprise
4.0
Popularity
4.5
Recommendation
5.0
Credibility
4.0
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