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Report says employees violated staffing regulations when they fled from riot.
PITTSTON TWP. – A state review of the staff’s response to a riot at the Pa Child Care juvenile detention center in June determined employees violated state regulations when they fled an area to seek safe haven from the out-of-control youths.
The report, prepared by the state Department of Public Welfare, also faults employees of Mid-Atlantic Youth Services, which operates the center for Luzerne County, for the improper use of restraints on the juvenile charged with causing the disturbance – an incident DPW said led to the uprising.
DPW conducted a special inspection of the center after the June 17 riot that police say was started by Craig Hickson, 16, of Wilkes-Barre, and Robert Richards, 19, of Philadelphia.
According to an arrest affidavit, Hickson, who has been charged as an adult with aggravated assault and other offenses, struck center worker Justin Lambert with a chair after refusing Lambert’s orders to return to his dorm room. Several staff members attempted to control Hickson and were attacked by him and other juveniles.
The confrontation escalated, and the staff members, fearful for their safety, locked themselves in a room to await the arrival of police, according to police reports at the time.
DPW inspectors said that action resulted in the staff “essentially leaving the residents without supervision,” which is a violation of staffing regulations that require one staff member be present for every six juveniles.
In a written response, Jeffrey Giovino, president of Mid Atlantic Youth Services, said the responsibility to maintain staff ratios has been “reaffirmed” with employees. He noted staff has been given permission to seek a safe haven in a unit office should another incident occur, but only “as a last resort and only when absolutely necessary to avoid serious injury.”
“This will enable them to maintain oversight of the youth while waiting for additional manpower to ensure that control can be re-established with the maximum level of safety,” Giovino said.
DPW inspectors also determined the disturbance was “directly connected” to the staff’s use of restraints on Hickson the day before the riot.
Inspectors said Hickson (identified in the report only as C.H.) was restrained for an about three hours and then left shackled in his room during sleeping hours.
That violated regulations that say shackles cannot be utilized for more than four hours. The center also failed to have the shackles removed every 10 minutes as required, and failed to have a policy in place regarding the use of restraints, the report said.
A plan of correction submitted by Giovino says a policy regarding the use of restraints has since been created. In addition, staff from a detention center Mid Atlantic operates in Butler County has been brought in to provide additional training to the Luzerne County staff.
The plan of correction, submitted Aug. 27, has been approved by DPW. In a Sept. 26 letter to Giovino, Edward Coleman, a supervisor in DPW’s Office of Children, Youth and Families, said Giovino had addressed each of DPW’s concerns “in a thorough and thought-out manner.”