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Chronic Troubles At Youth Jails Haunt Campaign
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Problems persist at the new Baltimore facility, as well, according to the Justice Department.
"We find that children confined at the Justice Center suffer significant harm and risk of harm from the facility's failure to: (i) adequately protect children from youth violence; (ii) adequately safeguard youths against suicide; and (iii) adequately provide behavioral youth services," the department said in an August report.
Montague said he disagrees with the findings. "There were no systemic constitutional violations there" last year, he said, "and there are none now."
And problems sank the Ehrlich administration's brief flirtation with a military-style camp.
After the Lower Shore DRILL Academy opened in Salisbury in late 2003, under the management of the Wicomico County Sheriff's Department, the state began referring young offenders there, including Phil Sisler of Elkton, then 16, who had gotten into trouble for fighting.
His mother, Monica Sisler, hoped the place would give her son positive male role models and a sense of discipline. Then allegations of abuse started to circulate. Phil said boys were regularly forced to drink until they vomited and were lined up to vomit upon one another. His mother became alarmed and fought to bring him home.
After five months there, the department removed him and other students. The academy was closed down and has not reopened.
Montague said the state acted swiftly once the problems came to light. "As soon as we knew what was happening, we took our kids out."
