CYFD, ACLU settle lawsuit

Posted at: 09/04/2009 6:54 PM By: Eyewitness News 4

A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit from 2005 between the ACLU and Children Youth and Families Department.

The lawsuit stemmed from problems at the CYFD center in Springer, where fights constantly broke out between detainees�and sometimes the guards even got involved.

The ACLU filed the suit, saying CYFD wasn't doing enough to make sure detainees were safe and getting the help that they needed.

The agreement will mean better behavioral care at all of New Mexico's juvenile facilities.

"I think both agencies, both entities have the interests of the kids in mind and really want to see the facilities turn from places where kids may stagnate to places where kids have a genuine opportunity to reconstruct their lives and set themselves on a better path," ACLU of New Mexico President Peter Simonson said Friday.

The settlement limits how many detainees can live in one unit, and creates a way for abuse and problems to be investigated.

The lawsuit has been dismissed, but CYFD will have to fork over $500,000 to pay for the ACLU's attorneys' fees.

Print Story