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Two PA Judges Plead Guilty To Taking Bribes For Placing Youths in Privately Owned Jails (Video)


Pennsylvania-(ENEWSPF)- Ripped from Law and Order: SVU, an unprecedented case of judicial corruption is unfolding in Pennsylvania. Several hundred families have filed a class-action lawsuit against two former judges whove pleaded guilty to taking bribes in return for placing youths in privately owned jails. Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan are said to have received $2.6 million for ensuring juvenile suspects were jailed in prisons operated by the companies PA Child Care and a sister company, Western PA Child Care.

Some of the youths were jailed over the objections of their probation officers.

An estimated 5,000 juveniles have been sentenced by Ciavarella since the scheme started in 2002.

Democracy Now speaks with two youths sentenced by Ciavarella and to Bob Schwartz of the Juvenile Law Center.


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