Youth Aides Taking a Beating

[dgriffin]

Here's an example of the kind of things that happen as New York State goes broke.




Youth Aides Taking a Beating in State Facilities 18 of 33 Workers at Oneida County Facility out Due to Injuries Suffered in Attacks


ALBANY, NY (01/10/2012)(readMedia)-- The head of New York's largest public employee union said workers in state juvenile detention facilities are literally taking a beating at the hands of youths assigned to their care.

CSEA President Danny Donohue warned about increasingly dangerous conditions in the facilities, including one where 19 staff, including the facility director, have recently been victims of violent attacks by youths in their care. The union leader said the workers are also victims of a complete lack of support or concern for their safety from officials at the state Office of Children and Family Services, which runs the facilities.

"For years, CSEA has consistently and loudly warned about the danger front line workers at OCFS face and it's time someone listens before anyone else gets hurt," Donohue said.

Continue at:
mohawkvalleyindependent.com/youth-aides-taking-a-beating-in-state-facilities-of-workers-at-oneida-p692-1.htm

[virgilgal]

This is so true! I have known a lot of people who worked in this field and suffer permanent injuries after many years of the work. My ex ran and was the only staff for the recreation and Phys Ed program at McCormack Secure Center for over 25 years before he was promoted to 2nd in command and then retired. It was the only place in the building the youth were able to cut loose and he got pounded so many times his shoulders, knees and back were destroyed! Other staff had to jump in to break up brawls using only approved techniques of restraint and he was considered a "floater" who got called to assist in breaking those up too. At one point they housed the most dangerous youth criminals in the state; some who were facing life sentences but had to be held in youth facilities until either age 18 or 21. Many of the inmates were half again the size of the largest staff and some of them had nothing to lose. For anyone working in these facilities it's only a question of when and how often they will get knocked silly, not if. Cooks, teachers, maintenance folks all got it eventually. And there are injuries to the youth as well and those are often highly publicized and heads roll, sometimes that's warranted and sometimes it's truly self defense. The article mentions a change in dynamics when females were housed in the facility. NO kidding!!!! I have heard the females are even worse in many respects but together??? Double shifts are the norm around here. In the winter or during times of great illness, etc. I have heard of staff who were not allowed to leave for 3 or 4 shifts.
My ex took this job when he could not get a teaching position after he graduated. I watched him turn from a caring and concerned individual into a heartless nasty man! I begged him to leave for years and he refused because the money and benefits were exceptional. The decision to stay there cost him his wife, his health and his personality. He's got a heck of a retirement now but is not physically capable of doing any of the things he loved to do and was so good at...