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A26 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 28 april 2020
Riots, escapes and fear as coronavirus hits juvenile centers

Continued from Page 25 a fight broke out in Cross- cy concerns, have refused symptoms was not tested of guards, wardens and
roads about two weeks to release even basic infor- and another whose swab other correctional facility
As of Sunday, 150 juveniles ago. “They are in self-pre- mation, including the num- came back positive was administrators go in and
and 283 staff had tested servation mode.” ber of people infected. never examined by a out every day, potentially
positive for COVID-19 at The city’s Administration for Virginia’s Department of doctor. Deane also al- carrying the virus home to
facilities nationwide, ac- Children’s Services provi- Juvenile Justice initially leged that the depart- their families and commu-
cording to an unofficial log ded few details about the didn’t release figures. But ment wasn’t communi- nities.
being kept by Josh Rovner brawl, but said some staff on April 17, it revealed cating with parents when The juvenile population be-
at the Washington, D.C.- suffered minor injuries, in- that more than two dozen their kids became infected hind bars has been decre-
based nonprofit The Sen- cluding one who needed kids had tested positive at and that some clients had asing over the past couple
tencing Project. He said offsite medical treatment. the Bon Air Juvenile Cor- been denied access to of decades and stood at
because testing has been A similar situation occur- rectional Center outside counseling for weeks. She around 43,000 in 2017, the
so limited, it’s likely the real red at two branches of Richmond, accounting for charged that legal rights last available count. Rou-
numbers are “much, much the Swanson Center for a quarter of all reported were also being violated. ghly 70% were accused of
higher.” Youth in Louisiana. Its faci- cases at youth facilities na- “Our clients report they are low-level crimes.
New York is one of the few lity in Columbia had been tionwide at that time, ac- kept in their rooms for at It’s unclear exactly how
cities that operates two ju- designated for healthy cording to The Sentencing least 23 hours per day. Alt- many kids have been re-
venile facilities. At the first youths, while its Monroe Project. On Monday, the hough they are supposed leased due to the corona-
sign of illness there, the site was reserved for the Tennessee Department of to receive one hour per virus, but a new survey by
city agency that oversees infected, resulting in kids Children’s Services said 26 day outside their rooms, the Baltimore-based An-
the sites decided to put being transferred back youths have tested posi- this is not always honored,” nie E. Casey Foundation
healthy kids at the Cross- and forth. So far, at least tive at the Memphis Cen- the letter said. “Even when looked at a snapshot of
roads Juvenile Center in 17 have tested positive for ter for Success and Inde- their free hour is made juvenile justice agencies
Brooklyn, while moving all the coronavirus in the two pendence. available, residents are so- in 30 states housing more
of the infected residents to facilities, according to The No severe cases were re- metimes forced to choose than 3,700 youths. The sur-
the Horizon Juvenile Cen- Sentencing Project. In ad- ported at Bon Air, and the between using it for essen- vey found the number of
ter in the Bronx. dition, two escapes occur- majority were asymptoma- tial activities, like taking a young people in local se-
Fernando Cabrera, a Bronx red this month at Monroe tic, according to a state- shower, instead of exercise cure detention centers —
council member, said he involving 13 youths, accor- ment from Christopher and recreation.” where they are held until
saw the potential danger ding to a statement from Moon, the department’s More than 2.2 million peop- a court decides whether
of suddenly ripping kids the Louisiana Office of Ju- chief physician. le are incarcerated in the to confine them until their
away from familiar staff venile Justice. But Rachael Deane, of the United States — more than hearings or allow them to
and routines, especially One of the main obstacles Legal Aid Justice Center’s anywhere in the world. But wait at home — dropped
during a time of crisis. to monitoring the spread Just Children Program, ac- the threat posed by CO- 24% from March to April,
“You transfer all these kids of the coronavirus in youth cused the department in VID-19 extends well bey- mostly due to fewer admis-
to another borough, they lockups is that so few tests a letter of not providing ond the prison walls. Even sions. However, the data
are going to be anxious,” are being administered. In proper medical care to though most personal vi- only represents about one-
he said after dozens of addition, some juvenile jus- kids housed at Bon Air. sits have been stopped, tenth of counties nation-
police responded when tice agencies, citing priva- She said one client with hundreds of thousands wide. q

Film festivals team up to offer free global fest on YouTube

By JAKE COYLE val or still planned ones like
AP Film Writer September's Toronto Film
NEW YORK (AP) — Film fes- Festival. Organizers said
tivals worldwide are team- programming will include
ing up to launch "We Are movies, shorts, documen-
One: A Global Film Festival," taries, music, comedy and
which will play out over 10 conversations.
days and be available for "We hope that everyone
free on YouTube. gets a taste of what makes
Tribeca Enterprises, the each festival so unique and
company behind the Tribe- appreciates the art and
ca Film Festival, and You- power of film," said Jane
Tube announced the on- Rosenthal, chief executive
line festival Monday. Other of Tribeca Enterprises, in a
festivals will also contribute statement.
curated programming, in- Some festivals have ex-
cluding the Cannes Film perimented with virtual
Festival, the Sundance Film editions. Amazon Prime is
Festival, the Venice Film currently hosting a modest
Festival and those in Berlin, online version of the Texas-
Tokyo and New York. based South by Southwest
The festival will benefit the for both subscribers and
World Health Organization non-subscribers. The Tribe-
and local relief organiza- ca Film Festival hosted a
tions, and encourage view- This April 20, 2011 file photo shows a view of the outdoor screening area at the Tribeca Film Festival non-public exhibition of
ers to donate to COVID-19 in New York. some of its films for the film
relief efforts. Associated Press. industry and press.
Tribeca Enterprises de- would be included but "We feature prominent feature miere at canceled festivals "We Are the One" will begin
clined to say what movies Are One" isn't expected to films that were set to pre- like May's Cannes Film Festi- May 29 on YouTube.q