ANNSVILLE, ONEIDA COUNTY -- Two central New York legislators are looking into claims workers at a juvenile detention center in Oneida County are being injured by out of control inmates.
Senator Joe Griffo and Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney toured the Taberg Residential Center in northern Oneida County this morning. They met with staff and administrators. The visit follows reports from the Civil Service Employees Association that the situation at the center is so violent that 18 staff members suffered injuries, including 3 broken bones, a concussion, and dislocated shoulder during confrontations with inmates.
After the tour, Senator Griffo told reporters, "It appears the administration is sensitive to the needs of the staff." He says they will continue to monitor progress at the facility, but it appears "they're moving in the right direction."
CSEA Mark Kotzin says, "This is systematic." He says the Office of Children & Family Services recently instituted a "sanctuary model" at all of its youth detention facilities, which requires staff to lessen restraints on the inmates. Kotzin says, while the CSEA is supportive of the sanctuary model, the Office of Children & Family Services has not supplied personnel training or resources to prevent employees from being attacked or assaulted.
Kotzin says the CSEA is calling for the dismissal of Commissioner Gladys Carrion. He says, "The workers feel they're losing control of these facilities, statewide." He says there have been reports of violent and dangerous individuals and uprisings at youth detentions facilities throughout the state. Kotzin says the union has filed a complaint with the State Department of Labor claiming the situation at Taberg Residential Center violates the Workplace Violence Prevention Act.
Late Wednesday afternoon, the Office of Children and Family Services issued a statement which confirmed there's been a shakeup at the facility along with significant changes. The statement reads:
"OCFS appreciates the legislators' interest in the safety of staff and residents and welcomes today's visit. Taberg recently transitioned from a boys to a girls facility. OCFS has taken significant steps toward stabilization and safety such as new facility leadership, the hiring of an additional twelve support staff and increased staff training in de-escalation techniques to encourage non-violent solutions to crisis management and limiting physical encounters. OCFS will continue to provide training and support to protect the health and well-being of residents and staff."
