Category Archives: Confinement

Justice for Jane – CTDCF Admits No Policy To Justify Turning Away Potential Adoptive Families

In response to a recent FOIA request for processes, eligibility criteria or other methods for determining no adoptive parents would be permitted to adopt a specific child, Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families admitted yesterday afternoon that it had no documents responsive to the question, meaning no such policy exists.  That raises the question: if there’s no policy allowing CTDCF to turn away all prospective adoptive parents, on what basis are they doing exactly that when it comes to Jane Doe?

This new response again demonstrates that CTDCF is ignoring the rights of Jane Doe and is acting outside of the law to keep her imprisoned in a facility for male juvenile delinquents despite the fact that she is neither accused of nor convicted of any crime.

Background:  http://justice4jane.tumblr.com/post/97677265739/update-this-morning-jane-escaped-police-custody

FOIA Response for CTDCF Records - Children Categorically Ineligible for Adoption

 

 

Justice for Jane – How does CTDCF Render a Child Ineligible for Adoption

Jane Doe has been imprisoned by CTDCF because they claim there is no home for her, while ignoring requests from families who would welcome her into their homes.  This FOIA request asks how CTDCF came to the conclusion that Jane wasn’t eligible for foster care or adoption, as it seems they do not see any family as fit for Jane.

Background:  http://justice4jane.tumblr.com/post/97677265739/update-this-morning-jane-escaped-police-custody

CTDCF FOIA3 - Eligibility for Adoption (redacted) CTDCF FOIA3 - Eligibility for Adoption (redacted) 2

Justice for Jane: Connecticut Admits No Policy to Justify Solitary Confinement

Jane Doe of Connecticut has been placed in solitary confinement at a facility for male juvenile delinquents on parole, despite neither being male nor adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent.  I contacted CTDCF and formally requested any records of policies or procedures to determine when a girl under their care should be placed in a male facility, how such a girl should be protected, and procedures on solitary confinement generally.

The official response from CTDCF was that the agency has “no responsive records.”  This constitutes a legal admission by CTDCF that no written policies or procedures exist.  As was widely suspected, CTDCF is inventing policy in order to warehouse Jane in a male facility.

It is important to remember that in response to a prior records request, CTDCF formally acknowledged that it has never housed a cisgender girl in a male facility.  The question thus remains:  why does CTDCF treat transgender children in a different and more punitive manner than cisgender children?  Why is the governor continuing to allow this violation of state and Federal laws banning government discrimination on the basis of gender identity?

Justice for Jane: Another FOIA to CTDCF

Today I filed another FOIA to the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, this time focusing on processes and procedures for determining when placing a girl in a male-designated facility is appropriate (the answer should be never, but CTDCF feels differently), what steps are taken to provide safety, and policies and procedures for placing a child under the care of CTDCF in solitary confinement.