Justice Department Inspectors Tour Rader Center For Lawsuit

Saturday, July 21st 2007, 2:04 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- U.S. Department of Justice inspectors have been touring the L.E. Rader Center in Sand Springs to gather evidence in a federal lawsuit against the state of Oklahoma and its handling of juvenile detainees there.

About 15 people are conducting a physical inspection of the facility and are interviewing staff and juvenile offenders. The inspectors' reports could appear in court filings as early as October or November, said Gene Christian, executive director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs.

Christian told the agency's board of directors of the inspections Friday during a regular meeting.

The lawsuit alleges juveniles were physically abused, were involved in inappropriate sexual relationships and were abused drugs at the facility. Another inspection is scheduled Aug. 6.

An earlier investigation, detailed in a letter from the Justice Department in 2005, found instances of Rader Center staff using excessive force to restrain juveniles and other cases where juveniles were allowed to fight while staff stood by and watched.

The probe also revealed evidence that juveniles were engaging in inappropriate sexual relationships with staff and with each other. There also were multiple suicide attempts and abuse of prescription drugs at the center.

The Justice Department in 2005 threatened the state with legal action in a letter to Gov. Brad Henry and filed the lawsuit in December 2006, alleging the state had not been cooperative in rectifying the situation.

In other action, the agency also announced it will not renew a contract with Hugo-based Little Dixie Community Action Agency to oversee a restitution program for victims of crimes carried out by juveniles.

Randall Erwin, a former legislator who serves as executive director for the agency, pleaded with the juvenile affairs board to reinstate the contract.

"They (Little Dixie) started this program and breathed life into it and kept it alive for 30 years," Erwin told the board.

The agency makes restitution payments to crime victims collected from wages earned by juvenile offenders who are ordered to work off their debt.

Christian said the decision not to renew the contract was "purely a monetary issue" and should save his agency about $60,000 per year in administrative costs.