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Kids for cash scandal

For the documentary, see Kids for Cash.
An image showing the large domed Luzerne County Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre as seen from across the Susquehanna River
Luzerne County Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

The kids for cash scandal centered on judicial kickbacks to two judges at the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, US.[1] In 2008, judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella were convicted of accepting money in return for imposing harsh adjudications on juveniles to increase occupancy at a private prison operated by PA Child Care.[2]

Ciavarella disposed thousands of children to extended stays in youth centers for offenses as trivial as mocking an assistant principal on Myspace or trespassing in a vacant building.[3] After a judge rejected an initial plea agreement in 2009,[4][5] a federal grand jury returned a 48-count indictment.[6] In 2010, Conahan pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy and was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison.[7] Ciavarella opted to go to trial the following year. He was convicted on 12 of 39 counts and sentenced to 28 years in federal prison.[8]

In the wake of the scandal, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania overturned hundreds of adjudications of delinquency in Luzerne County.[9] The Juvenile Law Center filed a class action lawsuit against the judges and numerous other parties,[10] and the Pennsylvania state legislature created a commission to investigate juvenile justice problems in the county.[11]

  1. ^ Urbina, Ian (March 27, 2009). "Despite Red Flags, Judges Ran Kickback Scheme for Years". The New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  2. ^ "United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit No. 11-3277: United States of America v. Mark Ciavarella, Jr., Appellant" (PDF). United States Courts. May 24, 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  3. ^ Chen, Stephanie (February 23, 2009). "Pennsylvania rocked by 'jailing kids for cash' scandal". CNN. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  4. ^ "Federal Officials Announce the Filing of Federal Fraud and Tax Charges Against Two Luzerne County Common Pleas Courts Judges in an On-going Public Corruption Probe". U.S. Department of Justice. January 26, 2009. Archived from the original on September 1, 2009. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  5. ^ Kosik, Edwin (July 30, 2009). "Memorandum and Order, United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  6. ^ Morgan-Besecker, Terrie (September 10, 2009). "Ex-judges hit with 48 counts". Times Leader. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  7. ^ "Former Luzerne judge Conahan sentenced to 17.5 years". The Scranton Times-Tribune. September 23, 2011. Archived from the original on September 25, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  8. ^ "Pennsylvania judge gets 28 years in 'kids for cash' case". NBC News. August 11, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  9. ^ "Court Tosses Convictions of Corrupt Judge". CBS News. Associated Press. March 26, 2009. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  10. ^ "H.T. et al. v. Mark A. Ciavarella, Jr., et al". Juvenile Law Center. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  11. ^ "Governor Rendell Signs Bill Creating Commission to Probe Juvenile Justice System". PR Newswire. August 7, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-09-02. Retrieved January 25, 2018.

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