Restraints for violent juveniles to be focus of meeting Politics Guide

Sep 23

Restraints for violent juveniles to be focus of meeting

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Board of Juvenile Affairs has called a special meeting for 2 p.m. Thursday to discuss added ways to restrain juveniles involved in altercations at its facilities. The Oklahoma City meeting comes after a second outbreak of violence last week at the Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Tecumseh. The board will discuss seeking changes to a landmark court case, the so-called Terry D. Case, which governs the use of mechanical restraints on juveniles. The federal lawsuit alleged abusive practices, unconstitutional use of isolation and restraints, untrained staff members and the mingling of offenders with nonoffenders. The case was dismissed in 1996. Rules governing the use of mechanical restraints were written for an age group and population that the agency no longer serves, said Paula Christiansen, an Office of Juvenile Affairs spokeswoman. The agenda for the meeting indicates the agency may ask the Attorney General’s Office to seek modification of the Terry D. order of dismissal to broaden the permitted use of mechanical restraints. The board will also discuss the potential use of chemical spray and stun guns. Hastings Siegfried, chairman of the Board of Juvenile Affairs, said state law allows the use of chemical spray and stun guns, but the board has not developed rules governing their use. The board in the past has been divided on the issue. “Some of the board members were in favor, and some were not,” Siegfried said. The agenda includes a discussion about creating a facility within another secure facility, such as a jail, to place violent youths temporarily. The board is also set to discuss the hiring of armed law enforcement officers to patrol the institutions. Office of Juvenile Affairs Director Gene Christian said in a news release: “It is very telling that we allow armed police officers in our public schools, but we limit their presence in our secure juvenile institutions due to our policies. This needs to change.” Christian was not available for comment Monday. The Office of Juvenile Affairs recently closed the L.E. Rader Center in Sand Springs, transferring its offenders to other facilities, including the Tecumseh center and the Southwestern Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Manitou. The Rader Center was the only maximum-security facility in the state for juveniles. Siegfried said the recent outbreaks of violence are not related to the closing of Rader but rather an increase in gang violence. Thursday’s meeting will be held in Oklahoma City.

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