Luzerne County: (Big Scandal==>Press==>Desired Legal Changes)

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This is Luzerne County bleeding over into Lackawanna County.  Why?  Nonprofits know no county borders -- they have a national agenda.  In the case of NACC etc. it is to put more counsels for children on the job.

I started this thread over on "Regional" At Scranton Political Times after catching the Juvenile Law Center's posting of two news releases -- legislative changes in the aftermath of this embarrassing publicity for Pennsylvania.

Don't ever believe everything you read in a newspaper, particularly not a MSM one.   I'm keeping my eye on this particular nonprofit.

Rest of thread over there, including the 990s.  If you want to read a whole bunch of other children's rights groups (and their nonprofit 990s), I also just slapped up a few over at "The Family Court Franchise System" today (04-21-2012).  There's a link on the comment below here (which is mine):


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(See also info on "GAL schematics" under main message board.  This all ties together. Remember, a group called NACC has a policy promoting put a chicken in every pot (just kiddin') and a Children's Rights' attorney in almost every child's life.  Public can pay for this, OK?) The 3 areas of practice (NACC) are:   Juvenile Justice, Child Welfare, and Child Custody If you work with children as an attorney, judge, administrator, care provider, physician, therapist, social worker, teacher, law enforcement office, or are simply a concerned citizen and want to improve your effectiveness while improving the system, the NACC is your organization. Membership in the NACC is $100 annually. As a member, you will have access to NACC services and member only areas of our website and your dues will support a cause you believe in. To join, click NACC Membership on the menu to begin the registration process. For more information, contact the NACC office by calling toll free 888-828-NACC or advocate@naccchildlaw.org.  Click here to view the NACC's 2012-2017 Strategic Plan Adopted NACC Board of Directors, August 24, 2011 Candace Barr John Ciccolella Robert Fellmeth  (SAN DIEGO) Gerard Glynn Leslie Starr Heimov H.D. Kirkpatrick Stephanie Ledesma Jane Okrasinski Erik Pitchal Henry J. Plum Robert Redfearn Janet Sherwood Tamara Steckler John Stuemky Sonia Velasquez Linda Weinerman Christopher Wu  (SF) Read this: APRIL 09, 2012 Governor Corbett signs new laws in aftermath of kids-for-cash Dave Bohman, WNEP The so-called kids for cash scandal tarnished the Luzerne County courthouse, and Monday Governor Tom Corbett attempted to lift a little of the stain left behind by the corruption by signing two new bills into law. He did it in the courthouse in Wilkes-Barre where two former judges ran their kids for cash scheme for several years. We are taking action, you are taking action to prevent injustice to our children, the governor told a group of about 70 people gathered in the Luzerne County Courthouses main atrium. The governor believes the new laws will help erase the stain of a sordid chapter in Pennsylvania`s legal history. The kids for cash scandal involved former Luzerne County judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella who took kickbacks for sentencing juveniles to private lockups. Its unfortunate we got to this situation, said the governor. {{SURE -- it was just misfortune and not negligence or pervasive corruption that set up the situation}} He came to the courthouse in Wilkes-Barre to sign into law two bills that put checks and balances on juvenile courts across the state. {{WHO TooK them Out to stART WITH?? ARE THEY PROBLEM-SOLVING COURTS THAT TEND TO DO DIVERSIONARY SERVICES WITH SOMETIMES CONFLICT-OF INTEREST IN THE DIVERSIONARY SERVICE PROVIDERS ONLY IN LUZERNE?}} One mandates judges state on-the-record the reasons for terms of the sentence The other requires most juveniles to have legal representation at detention hearings. SOUNDS TO ME THAT THE PROBLEM WITH LUZERNE IS THAT THERE WERE NO CHECKS AND BALANCES TO PREVENT RICO, AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW RICO DEVELOPS, ETC. That's the NACC (etc. ) agenda -- more representation will solve the problem.  I have a problem with that because in Luzerne, Walter Griffiths had to clean up double-billing from a court-appointed attorney (Angela Stevens) for indigent population. Anything "Indigent" is too much below the radar-- do the indigent get to track where funding for their own services went, or know how to?  We're talking federal funding flow.... Does putting a law on the books ENFORCE the law on the books?  Does having a court-appointed attorney ensure vigorous representation?    then read this: APRIL 11, 2012 Kids-for-cash saga far from complete Op-ed, Wilkes-Barre Times Leader LEARN MORE > (Both posted at the Juvenile Justice Law Center), and scan this: Schematic-- A Handful of Children's Rights Networks, and Their 990s This comment transmigrated from a thread over at Scranton Political Times.  I'm trying to explain that their local problems stem from nationwide networks.  Interesting learning for all. CAI / NACC // FIRST STAR -- etc.  How will people hear children's actual voices over the din of groups speaking for them? Also, while I note that many of these surely are necessary and doing the right thing -- so kids in foster care have at least some one to help -- merging family court cases into this as a category (which NACC) does is just WRONG. The First Star & Child Advocacy Institute association is troubling.  Both groups actually started out more as anti-trust in the energy business (Wm. Fellmeth -- San Diego / / Sherry Quirk, D.C.  For more on Sherry Quirk, I believe Liz Richards (of NAFCJ.net, you can contact) may have met her personally and have some insight on where this all plays out when it comes to "Children's Rights." I also note that the group "CRC" (Children's Rights Council) has a real bad rap among protective mothers, as they are running the insistence on access and visitation with abusers, no matter what, and known to have affiliations in overlapping family court-driving organizations (like AFCC, etc.). I am starting to wonder why, with all the specialized "rights" groups, the BILL of RIghts in the US Constitution wasn't good enough to spell things out? And how much of the real purpose of these groups is to collaborate on moving wealth around.  AND maybe keep your eye on the Juvenile Justice Institute and its affiliations. People should comment on the news articles linked above.  They're promo pieces for the institutions involved. __________________ Wanna Talk Turkey, not Gobble Up Time? 990finder,  Lackawana Family Court Federal:  More Links~Less BS and "RICO in a Nutshell"   "Disqus" Comments & Forum Gadget (scroll down, jump in if you want)...**> AFCC in 1987 <**