THE POINT WAS MISSED DURING WNPR INTERVIEW

Department of Children and Family Commissioner Joette Katz and Deputy DCF Commissioner Fernando Muniz were interviewed December 22, 2016 on WNPR radio at 9:00am. The first segment of this interview focused on the handling of clients within the care of DCF, mishandled cases, and systemic concerns. Then the interview shifted to discussing closing Connecticut Juvenile Training School in 2018. This facility houses adjudicated male residents in a secure locked down facility. Severe criticism about how CJTS Youth Service Officers handle restraining residents, high costs of maintaining the facility, and offering more therapeutic services to residents were offered as reasons for closing CJTS. Oh by the way all this chatter came from lawmakers over the last year or so.

However all of the chatter on WNPR missed the point. Both DCF Commissioners danced around real issues about CJTS and why it is closing. It is interesting how Deputy Commissioner Muniz answered questions about CJTS. I guess his commentary about a facility with mostly residents of color incarcerated gave the show authenticity. Muniz stayed on message by citing how  financial savings in closing CJTS might be transferred to other service agencies [ even though legislators will make that decision not DCF ], he then stated the need to change CJTS from a punitive facility to a more therapeutic one. Muniz did not discuss how  CJTS management ran a dysfunctional facility for years. Nor did this blog writer hear anything about allegations of racism at CJTS from employees of color that roiled that facility and led to a class action lawsuit, public protests outside that facility... not to mention unfavorable media attention. For some strange reason Joette Katz and Fernando Muniz are ignoring the obvious i.e. within DCF as an agency dysfunctional behavior is overlooked. Now Katz and Muniz will retort that their agency has taken steps to deal with instances of incompetent workers. Yet that same standard is not applied to the KeyStone Cops management that ran CJTS literally into the ground. It will make no difference if CJTS is moved to another area or there are more therapeutic services made available for residents in the future. When you have management that by their silence condones racial animus, embraces mistreatment of Youth Services Officers, allows overtime to be handed out to favored employees ... there will always be problems. When you have all white top management at CJTS turning away from honest dialogue about issues with employees .. there will always be problems.

It is noted how CJTS closing was discussed during the last segment of WNPR and people called to complain about their personal issues about child care. CJTS is a textbook example of how not to run a facility while maintaining the same top management for years.

And the band played on.

THE ALL SEEING EYE

This is dedicated to the Unit Leader who sees everything but reports only what white management wants to hear.

Like Argus in Greek mythology you are never asleep,
One eye remains open at all times roving.
You see injustices that occur but never speak up,
Instead you run to Cap' boss for another biscuit
and piece of chicken.

Does the eye see how Youth Service Officers suffer?
Will the eye take an honest critique of white management?
Can the eye continue to guide you up the stairs to Cap' boss
office where you grin like Sambo,
Or dance up and down the stairs like Bogangles Robinson.

Yes the all seeing eye goes up to heaven and down to earth.
Yet that eye blots out truth while embracing deception,
Wash away your hatred of black people.
Pour into that eye the liquid that Harriet Tubman used
Maybe then you will develop enough backbone
And not strut around like a plantation Mammy.

EMPLOYEE FROM UNIT 5D AT THE FRONT DESK/ CRITIQUE OF UNIT LEADER UNIT 6B/ INTAKE PROCESS HALTED FOR RESIDENTS

The story appeared on this blog within the last two weeks or so about how a resident on Unit 5D called 911 on a staff cell phone. After sneaking into the staff office a resident said on the phone "I have a gun and will shoot people at Connecticut Juvenile Training School." Police and Swat Team came to CJTS and entered the Unit 5D with guns drawn. Police departed after discovering what really happened. However the Youth Service Officer on duty at the time did not see anything suspicious while the resident slithered into the staff office. Now management in their infinite wisdom is trying to ascertain what the YSO -now under investigation for the incident- was doing during the time this cell phone was used. The Unit is set-up with a control panel in the middle of the floor and all should be visible to any YSO awake, alert, and not distracted. Well. At this juncture management has the YSO under investigation,  and sitting at the front desk where visitors and guests come in. Just hope this YSO took No Doze while the investigation is being completed.

There are rumors circulating around CJTS about the lack of clear cut and decisive leadership from supervisors on Unit 6B. This is nothing new, this has been reported repeatedly on this blog. However our story takes a different route due to an employee critique. A YSO mentioned to management at CJTS how there is no consistency on Unit 6B in terms of following policies or procedures. Residents are allowed to do certain things one week and not so the following week. Disciplinary measures are handed out willy- nilly confusing YSOs and residents. When a YSO offered critique to the Assistant Supervisor things started to change for the YSO. This particular employee submitted weeks in advance requests for time off during the holiday season. Now -after the employee critique- this second in command superintendent et al. slowed down the employee's request for time off. I mean slowed it down to snail pace. This kind of punishment is not uncommon on the plantation, management always seems to personalize critiques, suggestions or differences of opinion from employees.

Finally management at CJTS decided to stop the intake process of new male residents. In the past whenever residents were committed to CJTS staff read the rules to residents, told them about expectations and then placed them on Units. From what i'm hearing it is now just placing residents on Units with peers their age. What kind of logic dictates placing residents in unfamiliar environments without clear expectations for following rules and regulations. Oh yeah, it is reported the idea is to let residents tell incoming youth what to do. Have mercy... the blind leading the blind.

INVESTIGATION OF STAFF CONCERNING SWAT TEAM INCIDENT/ WHERE ARE THE VOICES NOW?/ DID RESIDENTS RECEIVE ANY COUNSELING AFTER POLICE VISIT UNIT 5D?

The rumors at Connecticut Juvenile Training School are swirling about how Swat Team / State Police / and other law enforcement officials bum-rushed Unit 5D with guns drawn last week. It is reported that a resident somehow got into the staff office, secured an employee cell phone. Then called 911 threatening to shoot people at CJTS. Now the drama is shifting to the staff that were on duty when the resident crept into the staff office. Sources report that an investigation is under way regarding those staff on duty i.e. where were Unit 5D staff and what the hell were they doing? This writer hopes any staff working on that Unit during this event has a lawyer and Union representation.

Where are those loud voices from the media, Childs Advocate Office, and lawmakers over the latest incident at CJTS? Let me be clear. When Youth Service Officer Dupree restrained a resident during a mini riot, all hell broke loose. State Lawmakers et al. were running around in a fit of spasms denouncing YSOs and Dupree especially for acting like thugs with incarcerated male residents because of physically restraining them during fights ... disruptive behavior etc. However when State Police / Swat Team members stormed Unit 5D with guns drawn - there are no voices crying out in anguish as if souls in Purgatory. You hollered against Dupree.


After the big fiasco on Unit 5D with the police did the residents get counseling? It is reported that several residents living on Unit 5D were traumatized about police with guns on their Unit. At this juncture no public word has been issued from CJTS about the residents mental status. The majority of residents at CJTS are youth of color. So, if CJTS administrators [ 95% white] do not get residents trauma counseling what does it mean? Well you could extrapolate and say this, white management do not consider counseling necessary-because those youth of color are use to police... guns... in urban America. I am just saying!!!!