Judge: Juvenile center not safe for girls

A St. Joseph County judge has stopped sending female offenders to the Indianapolis Juvenile Correctional Facility, claiming the state-run detention center is understaffed and lacks adequate rehabilitative and educational services.

Judge Peter Nemeth also said he has received reports of sexual activity between inmates and between inmates and staff.

"I have decided it is neither safe nor productive" to continue sending female juveniles to the Department of Correction facility on Girls School Road, Nemeth said in a letter he sent Monday to Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Nemeth said he was appealing directly to the governor after attempts to work out problems with DOC Commissioner J. David Donahue were unsuccessful.

The judge said his decision to stop placing youths at the state facility was the result of his court-ordered review of the facility conducted in October. His letter said that review turned up numerous deficiencies, including:

• Inadequate staffing to maintain a safe environment.
• Classroom settings that "can only be described as nonproductive at best."

The lack of vocational programs.

The failure by the facility psychiatrist in many cases to adequately explain to inmates why they have been placed on psychotropic drugs, to justify their continued use and to provide a monthly follow-up.

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