D.C. Teen Inmate's Escape Probed

Cookout Incident Put Official on Spot

A 17-year-old being held at the District's Oak Hill juvenile detention facility in Laurel escaped while attending a Memorial Day cookout at the Columbia Heights home of Vincent Schiraldi, the director of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services.

The youth was among seven teenagers -- three from Oak Hill -- in the agency's custody who were being feted for being in a Shakespeare troupe that performed "Julius Caesar." They were transported to Schiraldi's home in shackles, the agency said. As required by regulations, two staff members were on hand for each young person. Still, the teenager slipped out a basement door and eluded authorities until he was arrested and charged as an adult June 17 with cocaine distribution.

The teenager, Darius Hodge, turned 18 on June 1.

The incident is under investigation by the city's inspector general, and its revelation comes a week after two D.C. Council members submitted legislation that would prohibit any juvenile awaiting trial as an adult from being housed in the D.C. jail. Supervision would transfer to the youth agency, which oversees minors charged with juvenile offenses.

Juvenile justice advocates say the move would reduce recidivism and prevent abuse of youths by adults. But there are a host of critics -- judges, prosecutors and corrections workers -- who regularly say that Schiraldi is too lax on youths who commit crimes.

Hodge's escape shows the potential pitfalls of one of Schiraldi's biggest initiatives: to keep fewer youths locked up and to get them outside the gates as often as possible.

Youths have camped in the wilderness, rebuilt homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and, locally, planted trees and fed the homeless. The agency had a similar cookout at Schiraldi's house last year, without incident.

"This time it went wrong," he said. "I take responsibility for what happened."

Council members Phil Mendelson and Tommy Wells, who sponsored the legislation, said they are concerned about Hodge's escape but not about the department's direction.

Mendelson (D-At Large) said the incident at Schiraldi's home was isolated and should have no bearing on the legislation, which is meant to reduce recidivism among youths by pulling them out of an adult facility where two-thirds of inmates are likely to return.

"The difficult thing about the facts of this case is that a good penal system has a graduation of privileges and penalties," Mendelson said. "There's always a risk that a youth with privileges will take advantage. . . . In hindsight, it's clear that DYRS made a mistake."

Schiraldi, who had been the executive director of a local juvenile justice think tank, was brought in more than three years ago to clean up the troubled agency. Before his arrival, 26 percent of the youths in custody of what was then known as the Youth Services Agency had walked away from detention facilities or not returned from weekend passes, according to statistics provided by the agency.

This year, the average number missing has hovered at 5 percent, and there is one youth missing. There were two missing until Hodge was arrested.

Schiraldi is part of a national movement of juvenile workers who argue that there is too much incarceration of young people and that imprisonment often can leave youth worse off. His team contracted with the Northwest-based Alliance for Concerned Men to round up runaways, established a stronger relationship with the police department and put other measures in place to prevent escapes.

And there is a new emphasis on programs outside the Oak Hill walls.

The Shakespeare project was so successful last year that the troupe was in demand, which meant more practice and what Schiraldi said he saw as a need for a reward.

"I said: 'I owe you guys. What do you guys want?' They said, 'Can we come to your house?' " he recalled.

Schiraldi said he decided to make it a more educational outing by timing it with Shakespearean performances at nearby Carter Barron Amphitheatre.

Hodge had already been on "home pass" status, which gave him the privilege of going home unsupervised with approval, Schiraldi said.

At Schiraldi's home, Hodge went to the basement. "While he was downstairs, ostensibly looking for something, he ran out. This kid just managed to trick us," Schiraldi said.

There will be more football games, theater performances and even cookouts at his house, Schiraldi said, though he added, "We have to make sure every kid has an eyeball on him."

Wells (D-Ward 6) said he stands behind allowing the department to supervise youth charged as adults but awaiting trial, as called for in the newly introduced legislation. Twenty-three youths younger than 18 are housed in the D.C. jail, city officials said. Historically, half of the youths charged as adults are not convicted but are exposed to the ills and influences of an adult jail for an average of more than three months, Wells said.

Hodge is now in jail again, this time as an adult. Jon S. Pascale said he represents Hodge in the drug case but will defend him on juvenile charges if necessary. Hodge has a status hearing Monday.