Four New York Juvenile Detention Centers Use Excessive Force and Restraints, Concludes U.S. Department of Justice
A report of the Civil Rights Division of the Civil Rights Divisions investigation of conditions at four Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) facilities found conditions violate constitutional standards in the areas of protection from harm and mental health care. The investigation revealed that: 1) staff resort quickly to a high degree of force that is disproportionate to the level of the youths infraction; and 2) the technique employed to restrain a youth results in an excessive number of injuries, including concussions, broken or knocked-out teeth, and spiral fractures. There was even one death. In November 2006, a 15-year-old resident at Tryon Boys died following a prone restraint. The youth allegedly pushed a staff member and was then pinned facedown on the floor and handcuffed by two staff. The youth stopped breathing only minutes later, and then died at a nearby hospital. His death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner. Despite this death