- Originally published by 2theAdvocate.com on 9/28/2004 [here ]
Prison officials cite abuse in guard firings
By BRETT TROXLER
btroxler@wbrz.com
2theadvocate.com staff
State officials announced Wednesday 30 juvenile prison guards have been
fired for physically abusing inmates. Officials said the guards are
from Jetson Correctional in Baton Rouge, Bridge City and Swanson
Correctional Facility in Monroe.
Thirty guards have been fired from three juvenile correctional
facilities around the state in an effort to end physical abuse of
inmates. Prison officials said the abuse is a problem that has
been on the rise over the last few years. The abuse resulted in
everything from bruises to broken bones, officials said.
"We've trained our staff to use force appropriately," said Simon
Gonsoulin of Louisiana Youth Development. "There are times of course
when using force is an appropriate approach to handling a situation."
Officials with the Department of Corrections said that on at least 30
occasions the use of force was inappropriate. As a result of the
incidents, DOC has fired 30 guards from the three state facilities in
the last eight months.
"The problem is not the injuries," Gonsoulin said. "The problem is the rule violation."
The DOC has had specific rules in place against abuse of inmates for
years. These rules include corporal punishment -- using physical pain
as punishment -- along with unnecessary and excessive force.
"This to me is a very proactive stance on the part of this agency to
get rid of these people who are not going to fall in line with what the
vision is," Gonsoulin said.
Corrections officials said they have identified the dorms where more
violence takes place and have added more guards. Officials report
violence has gone down in those areas at Jetson by 25 percent.
Attorney Cleo Fields said he is working with several victims who were
inmates at Jetson, and he is planning to file lawsuits for the abuses.
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