The Nassau County Legislature last week released a report containing various recommendations on how to improve conditions at the county-run Juvenile Detention Center (JDC). The report, which is pending review by the county executive, is in response to a public hearing held last month with JDC officials regarding how to improve conditions and staffing at the Westbury-based facility.

The hearing was called after an undercover investigation by the Nassau County District Attorney's Office led to the arrest of two men, employed at the center as group work aides, for allegedly extorting more than $20,000 in protection money from the parents of a 15-year-old juvenile offender incarcerated at the facility. The men were fired and have since pleaded guilty on lesser charges. In addition, the parents have filed a lawsuit against Nassau County.

Legislator Joseph Scannell, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, and Legislator Roger Corbin, chairman of Health and Social Service and in whose district the center lies, called the hearing to gather testimonies from JDC officials, including Robert Sherman, commissioner of the Nassau County Department of Social Services, John Blatny, director of the center, and John Maguire, under-sheriff. The legislature's report pertains to staffing as well as the facility's condition and operation as a whole and allows for the quick and cost-effective implementation of the following:

Currently employees working at the JDC receive 40 hours of "on the job" training as well as additional training through the nationwide organization's Handle With Care internal refresher course.

The legislature, however, has deemed the Handle With Care Program insufficient since it only addresses physical restrain and crisis intervention. "Those who are handling the kids do not have sufficient enough training," said Corbin.

In the report, the legislature stated that "all employees should be required to complete training courses in first aid, security, anger management, report writing and suicide prevention" and should receive specialized training from mental health professionals on how to deal with troubled children. Such training is available for JDC employees through the Nassau County Correctional Center. Utilizing such services will provide the county with cost-effective training at no additional cost to taxpayers.

Currently, JDC employees must be qualified civil service applicants who undergo a basic criminal background check.

"Our recommendation is that the Nassau County Police Department do a full investigation check like they do on all their officers, District Attorney's office employees and corrections officers," said Scannell. "It is important to do a detailed background check to weed out some employees like those who committed acts such as the shakedowns."

Included in the comprehensive background check would be complete with a local, state and FBI report on all prospective candidates as well as fingerprinting, drug screening, an extensive resume review including call references, contacting previous employers and verifying accuracy of reported information.

"We need to start screening the workers," said Corbin. "We have to pay very close attention to the kinds of individuals the county hires in regard to this facility. It is very clear, based on what has happened, of what could happen."

At the May 14 hearing, the legislature listened to testimonies stating the compensation package offered to employees is one of the center's weakest links. Currently, entry-level group aides, who may be responsible for up to eight children at any one time, make less than $20,000 annually.

As a result, the legislature has proposed increasing the starting salary for entry-level aides from $19,925 to $22,500. Scannell said the $2,575 increase is possible without having a major financial impact on either the center's or the county's budget since only three of the center's 20 employees currently fall within that category. The increase would cost less than $9,000 more a year.

At the same time, the report states that a salary increase will make employees less likely to act improperly in an attempt to garner additional money. "Raising the compensation was important because a lot of these employees work two jobs," said Scannell. "Paying them more will hopefully hold them more accountable and increase morale." He also said that offering higher salaries may enable the center to hire more qualified employees.

Corbin agreed, saying, "Salary should be a non-factor. We need to keep our best people working there."

The center is currently patrolled by private security guards. In addition, children are locked in their rooms at night, visitors must check in at the front desk and a barbed wire fence surrounds the property. Many employees, however, have access to the center's keys.

In an effort to increase security, the legislature has suggested that the center take an inventory of all keys and who has access. At the same time, access to those keys should be limited. In addition, employee shifts should be conducted on a rotating basis so employees do not come in contact with the same employees, supervisors and visitors all the time. The legislature anticipates that changes will act as deterrents to improve conduct by employees, visitors and children.

The legislature also recommended that the facility be equipped with a full video surveillance system in the hallways, main lobby, front entrance, visitors' room, gym, back gate and school area. They also suggested that the JDC assess the cost of the private guards and consider hiring county employees.

Currently the JDC does not utilize its full kitchen and relies on meals that are prepared at the correctional facility, delivered to the detention center, reheated and served. At the May 14 hearing, JDC officials testified that the food is bland and unappealing, the variety is limited and the snacks are not geared toward an adolescent appetite. The cost of the meals is $12 per child per day.

According to the report, an outside food vendor has agreed to supply the center with meals at a price of $9 per child per day. The legislature has suggested that the county submit a proposal from outside food service vendors. The lowest bid price should then be compared to the price of utilizing the center's kitchen. Both alternatives will provide less expensive, better quality and more varied food choices for the children.

In the children's defense, Corbin stated "We've got young kids here. We are not trying to say that these kids committed a crime and now they are going to get all this great stuff, but we are trying to make it so that it is comparable to their level."

At the present time, there is no direct line of communication between the children or their parents and the director of the center. The legislature, however, has proposed that children and their parents fill out and return confidential questionnaires to the director. The questionnaires will allow both parties to address various issues and express concerns.

"Through the questionnaires, parents and children will have a direct line of contact with the director," said Scannell. "Parents may be a little intimidated. This way a confidential questionnaire comes directly to them as opposed to going through the chain of commands. If someone is bothering them or they have an issue it can get over and through to the director."

In addition to the above mentioned concerns, the legislature has also recommended that the center provide a better communication system between the children while in their room with the group work aides, as well as making the parking lot brighter and inspecting the facilities to determine the capital expenditures required to fix the center's current heating and ventilation systems.

Since the JDC is a standalone facility, the county executive is currently reviewing all county property in an effort to determine which real estate holdings can be consolidated. Although a suggestion to relocate the facility to a building on the grounds of the Nassau County jail was proposed several years ago, that is not an option.

"I was adamantly opposed and I am still opposed to that," stated Corbin in a previous article. ""[By doing that] you would actually, in a sense, be putting these youngsters in jail. Even though they would not be with the grown-ups, just going into that environment itself [would not] lend for any kind of hope to rehabilitate these kids and try and get them on the right track."

Overall, both Corbin and Scannell believe that, if implemented, the recommendations put forth will provide a safer environment for the children and a better working environment for employees at the center.

In addition to the legislature's report, the Department of Social Services must also submit a list of recommendations for the center. Both reports will then be reviewed by County Executive Thomas Suozzi and voted on by the legislature.