THE PUEBLO GIRLS FACILITY AND CODE BLUE

The call went out at Connecticut Juvenile Training School on April 18, 2015 for Code Blue. The term refers to help that is needed to handle situations that are out of control at either CJTS or the Pueblo Girls Unit next door. The former houses male residents while the latter is designated for girls. Let me not get to far ahead in this narrative because all details of the story are important.

Pueblo Unit officially opened in March 2014 as a locked facility for girls in need of incarceration. Reports from informed sources describe an operation not well planned or carried out in providing adequate services for troubled girls. Take April 18, 2015 as an example of extreme dysfunctional activity at Pueblo by Key Stone Cop management. Several girls decided to not obey staff directives and Code Blue was given; this caused one YSO and Unit Leader from CJTS to answer the distress call. When they reached Pueblo Unit total chaos greeted the eyes of these two men. After several attempts to counsel residents back in their rooms further action was needed. The girls were restrained by Code Blue responders and placed in - supposedly- secure rooms that would lock when doors shut.

Several questions must be asked at this juncture (1) why did staff working at Pueblo not go hands on and place those girls in their rooms ? (2) why is there no supervisor working on site during the weekend at Pueblo Unit ?, (3) if decisions must be made about critical situations is the only recourse to call Code Blue and have Unit Leaders come from CJTS, (4) when the girls were placed in their rooms how did they get out by merely kicking the door ? At least twice these girls departed from their rooms by just kicking doors, which then popped open, (5) sources indicate staff working at the time this incident occurred, were hesitant to go hands on or restrain these girls. Management playing Monday Morning quarterback after incidents occur [ viewing the incident and then disciplining YSOs] makes it difficult to follow policy in situations where girls refuse staff directives.

In the final analysis there are areas of concern at Pueblo Unit that need to be addressed and quickly. Lack of adequate supervision on site during weekends is negligence at best or incompetence at worst.