Juvenile detention workers file suit

BOISE – Seven employees with the Idaho Department of Juvenile Correction have filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the agency, contending that a Nampa detention center is understaffed, has security policies that are dangerous to staffers and kids, that some employees are committing fraud and wasting public money, and that those who speak out against misdeeds are harassed and skipped over for promotions.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Boise on Monday.

The workers are asking the court to order Idaho Department of Juvenile Correction leaders to change the practices at the detention center and to order the Idaho Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney for Idaho to begin investigating the department for allegedly violating state and federal laws.

In the 24-page lawsuit, the employees claim the department is rife with problems that put juveniles at risk.

The workers contend that in at least one case, the department violated the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act by failing to prevent one juvenile offender from inappropriately touching other juveniles. They also contend that department leaders intentionally hid incidents in which juveniles were injured in an apparent effort to boost the facility’s safety record.

The workers also say the Nampa Juvenile Detention Center isn’t adequately staffed, and that too few of the staffers are trained in the use of force against juveniles, resulting in injuries to both juveniles and staffers.