DCF Commissioner Joette Katz gets castigated by a group of Judges, probation officers and child advocates

Meanwhile trans Latina 16yo Jane Doe languishes in solitary confinment at a boys jail.

Meanwhile trans Latina 16yo Jane Doe languishes in solitary confinment at a boys jail.

Criticized previously by a judge for “withholding extraordinary exculpatory information”, DCF Commissioner Katz gets taken to task by another group of child welfare professionals.

Jane was remanded to a boy’s juvenile detention facility after four girls jumped her at a girl’s facility.

In an unheralded action, Jane’s transfer to the oppisite gendered facility and charges against her was announced by commisioner Katz in a press release.

The charges filed by Katz against Jane were later dropped by the prosecutor.

None of the other girls in the fight were prosecuted, moved or had press releases issued about their involvement in the altercation.

Jane remains in protective custody (solitary) in a boy’s jail even though she has committed no crime.

It has been established that placing children in solitary, a practice discontinued by most agencies, is cruel and inhuman treatment, which causes severe emotional trauma.

To a group of judges it is also clear that Katz has singled out this transgender youth.

The Equity Project Advisory Committee, a group of lawyers, judges, advocates, medical and mental health experts, researchers, and juvenile justice system administrators. They have joined the fight for Justice for Jane.

In an open letter they wrote to Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy they said that they are “deeply troubled by the Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) ongoing egregious mistreatment of Jane Doe”, a sixteen year-old transgender girl, and we ask that Malloy immediately intervene on her behalf. We know one member of our Board, the Chief of a large county probation department designated as one of two model sites nationally for the treatment of LGBT youth in the juvenile justice system, had reached out to DCF to express deep concern over the treatment of Jane, and offered to provide assistance with this case.

We would be happy to help connect DCF with experts and consultants who can assist in identifying, planning, and implementing a new treatment plan for Jane

The letter in full:

Advisory Board Letter to CT Governor Malloy

Duplicitous CT DCF promotes “Spirit Day” while @Justice4JaneCT ‘s spirit is demolished in solitary at a boys jail. HOW DARE YOU @CTDCF — planetransgender (@kellibusey) October 10, 2014

Ivy, a trans* 16-year-old: “I was abused by a state program too. My case never went through because of DCF.” #justiceforjane — Justice for Jane (@Justice4JaneCT) September 27, 2014

Ivy, 16: “My mom saw my scars and I told her, the institution IS that bad.” #justiceforjane — Justice for Jane (@Justice4JaneCT) September 27, 2014

One of Jane’s assailants is now working at CJTS, where Jane is being held. @CTDCF @GovMalloyOffice this is UNACCEPTABLE. #JusticeForJane — Justice for Jane (@Justice4JaneCT) October 6, 2014

About 50 people came out today to demand #justiceforjane! Please stay tuned for more actions and keep up the pressure pic.twitter.com/FfKgynRM1M — Justice for Jane (@Justice4JaneCT) September 27, 2014

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