Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice Report
May 1, 2010 In this report is the comprehensive account of what occurred in the courtrooms of Luzerne County regarding the "kids for cash scheme." The scheme, commonly known as "kids for cash," sent 25% of juvenile defendants in Luzerne County to out-of-home placements from 2002 to 2006. Michael Conahan forced one county-owned juvenile detention center to close, and made an agreement with a for-profit facility in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania where he sent youth offenders. Judge Ciavarella allegedly sent youth offenders to PA Child Care LLC and a facility in western Pennsylvania in exchange for payments . . .
