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Stories

Activists Rally Against Koch Brothers

By Kyle Swenson
Miami Won't Be Hosting Super Bowl L

By Chris Joseph
Charges Against Kaitlyn Hunt Won't Be Dropped

By Chris Joseph
Men Cannonball Onto Manatees, Post It On YouTube

By Chris Joseph
Hollywood Madam to the Stars Crashes & Burns...

By Terrence McCoy
Jason Leon Slays Giant Python Monster In Woods

By Terrence McCoy
Media Creates Fake Feud Between LeBron, Pacers...

By Chris Joseph
Chad Johnson Taken Into Custody For Probation...

By Chris Joseph
Florida Teen Expelled From School For Gay...

By Chris Joseph
National Enquirer Heir Arrested for Stalking

By Kyle Swenson

For the Kids

South Florida-Based Charity Planting Peace Loses Funding for Haitian Orphanage

By Erica K. Landau Tue., May 14 2013 at 3:21 AM

Categories: For the Kids, Haiti

via plantingpeace.org

Aaron Jackson, South Florida's most lovable do-gooder, whose non-profit Planting Peace helps house and feed homeless children throughout the developing world and in March took on the Westboro Baptist Church bigots with its rainbow-colored Equality House, needs help.

Planting Peace is looking for sponsors for one of its Haitian orphanages after a foundation that had promised funding failed to follow up or send any money. Instead of chasing down the foundation, Jackson is moving on. "I'm not in the business of collection," he said from the organization's Equality House in Topeka.

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For the Kids

Kids in Hot Cars: State Senators Want Alarms Mandatory in Daycare Vans

By Deirdra Funcheon Thu., Jan. 31 2013 at 9:54 AM

Categories: For the Kids

Brockington

Last week, state Rep. Lori Berman, D-Lantana, filed a bill that would make it mandatory for vehicles to have safety alarms if they are designed to carry more than six children. She called it the "Haile Brockington Act," after a Delray Beach toddler who died after being left in a hot daycare van.

The alarms would remind drivers to check for all children who are supposed to be present. In a statement, Berman said, "We should not have to wait until innocent children die to realize the urgency; these deaths are preventable."

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For the Kids

Batman Pays a Visit to Joe DiMaggio's Children's Hospital

By Chris Joseph Fri., Dec. 28 2012 at 4:18 PM

Categories: For the Kids

Here's a nice little news item to warm your cockles before kicking off the last weekend of 2012:

Batman visited the kids at Joe DiMaggio's Children's Hospital on Friday morning.

The Dark Knight came complete with costume, the Bat Mobile and, of course, Robin, to lift the spirits of some special kids.

Tags:

Batman, Joe DiMaggio's Children's Hospital

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For the Kids

State Says Move to Close Thompson Academy "Had Nothing to Do With" Complaints of Abuse

By Stefan Kamph Fri., Sep. 28 2012 at 5:54 AM

Categories: For the Kids

The state has decided not to renew its contract to house juvenile convicts at the privately run Thompson Academy. But officials from the Department of Juvenile Justice insist the move has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Thompson has seen abuse complaints, shifts in administration, judicial review, lawsuits, haunting 911 calls, and years of scrutiny from this newspaper.

See also: this week's post about the shutdown;
our Thompson Academy cover story

In fact, the DJJ says, the closure is part of a systemwide push to move young offenders to smaller residential facilities. Spokesman CJ Drake says Thompson's operator, Youth Services International, is "certainly eligible to bid on the new programs we're rolling out."

So much for a reaction to criticism.
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Tags:

CJ Drake, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Thompson Academy, Youth Services International

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For the Kids

Thompson Academy, Controversial Private Boys' Lockup, to Shut Down in January

By Stefan Kamph Wed., Sep. 26 2012 at 5:17 PM

Categories: For the Kids

Looks like the scrutiny and tales of abuse were too much for Youth Services International's Thompson Academy, a private boys' jail under contract with Florida's Department of Juvenile Justice. After a New Times cover story, the departure of an embattled administrator, and an unprecedented review by a judicial panel, the DJJ announced this week that the facility will be closing on January 4.

"Admissions have been frozen and the department will be conducting reviews on each resident in the facility. The results of this review will determine which youth will be transferred to another facility that will best meet his service needs," wrote DJJ regional director Lois Salton in a letter announcing the decision.

Tags:

Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Gordon Weekes, Thompson Academy, Youth Services International

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For the Kids

911 Calls from Boys' Lockup Thompson Academy Claim Child Abuse, Broken Bones, Assault

By Stefan Kamph Fri., Aug. 10 2012 at 7:45 AM

Categories: For the Kids

DJJ

Cover story: Kids claim abuse at juvenile lockup

It's hard to tell what goes on behind the walls of Thompson Academy, a Pembroke Pines "residential facility" for boys who are criminal offenders, but there sure have been a lot of nasty 911 calls coming out of the facility since the beginning of 2011.

Records show calls for assault, dehydration, choking, stomach pains, seizure, vomiting, child abuse (both deliberate and "involuntary"), people being Baker Acted, and more. Youth Services International, the private company that runs the facility, has taken heat for claims of abuse.

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Tags:

911 calls, Department of Juvenile Justice, Thompson Academy, Youth Services International

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Law & Order

Following the Money Part 2: Juvie Prison Operator Has Ten Tallahassee Lobbyists

By Lisa Rab Wed., Jun. 6 2012 at 7:00 AM

Categories: For the Kids, Law & Order, Politics

Ever wonder why Florida has outsourced the care of hundreds of troubled kids to private companies? Yesterday, we reported that prison operator Youth Services International donated $88,000 to Florida politicians in the past five years. The Sarasota company's donations have greased the wheels for roughly $82 million in taxpayer-funded contracts to run eight juvenile lockups -- including the scandal-ridden Thompson Academy in Pembroke Pines.

A big chunk of the company's campaign dough went to influential Republican politicians, including state Senate President Mike Haridopolos and

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Tags:

juvenile prisons, Pembroke Pines, prison privatization, Thompson Academy, Youth Services International

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For the Kids

Department of Juvenile Justice Sends New Times' Records to TV Station

By Lisa Rab Thu., May 31 2012 at 6:07 AM

Categories: For the Kids, Journalismo

The state Department of Juvenile Justice does not have a stellar track record of competency or efficiency. When a prison guard was twice accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy at a Pembroke Pines juvie lockup, DJJ didn't hear about the incidents until months after they allegedly occurred. Next, supervisors at a juvenile jail in West Palm Beach allowed an 18-year-old inmate with head injuries to die slowly and painfully while guards refused to call 911.

Yes, when it comes to the abuse of troubled kids, it seems the state of Florida does little more than shrug. Want to understand why? Try asking DJJ to handle some paperwork.

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Tags:

Department of Juvenile Justice, juvenile delinquency, private prisons, public records, Sunshine Law

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Media

Circumcision and AIDS: Harvard Doctors Respond to Criticism

By Deirdra Funcheon Mon., Feb. 20 2012 at 6:41 AM

Categories: Fear-Mongering, For the Kids, Health, Journalismo, Media, Science

Could a whole coalition of highly accomplished, super educated doctors and researchers -- the ones who work at and advise the Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Harvard School of Public Health -- all be wrong?

Or are their critics hindering them from saving lives?

As described in our recent feature story about circumcision, three studies conducted in

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Tags:

AIDS, circumcision

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Because It's Nice

Palm Beach County's Cops-in-Schools Program Leads to a Love Story on This American Life

By Stefan Kamph Mon., Feb. 13 2012 at 10:33 AM

Categories: Because It's Nice, For the Kids, Oops

Last year, Palm Beach County school district police sent rookie officers into schools to pose as students, eventually busting 30 kids, mostly for selling small amounts of drugs. The kids faced expulsion, and most were over 18 and would be charged as adults. There go the hopes and dreams. Thanks, drug war and questionable policing ethics!

The cops' deceptions had some real human fallout -- 25-year-olds posing as high school kids is a dangerous proposition.

Atlanta-based reporter Robbie Brown, working for the public radio show This American Life, found a love story in the chaos.