Juvenile justice group sues judges

The Philadelphia-based Juvenile Law Center has filed a class-action lawsuit in connection with a scam to send thousands of teenagers to detention facilities in exchange for bribes.

The Philadelphia-based Juvenile Law Center has filed a class-action lawsuit in connection with a scam to send thousands of teenagers to detention facilities in exchange for bribes.

The suit targets two former Luzerne County judges, along with a developer and a former owner of two detention facilities.

Juvenile Law Center Deputy Director Marsha Levick says the teens and their families should get compensation for monetary costs associated with the ordeals – and for alleged emotional damage.

Levick: Many of the children tell us about trauma that they felt psychological and emotional fear and anxiety that they experienced being placed in facilities away from their homes, their schools, their friends. We have acknowledged in our complaint where we were able to – specific amounts of money that parents paid out – it’s hard of course to place a dollar figure on the emotional damages that these kids suffered.

The former Judges also face criminal allegations of racketeering, fraud, and bribery.