Inquirer Editorial: After getting convicted of racketeering and other charges, former Luzerne County Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. tried to claim victory, since the jury acquitted him of other serious charges…
Ciavarella’s scheme – hatched with another corrupt judge – involved taking nearly $1 million in illegal payments from a juvenile detention center’s builder and not reporting it. In turn, he sent juveniles to the facility, often for petty violations. Ciavarella said his acquittal on extortion and bribery charges showed he didn’t take cash for kids, as prosecutors alleged…
Regardless, his conviction highlighted a weakness in the judicial system whereby juveniles often do not receive adequate legal representation, and can get sent to prison for minor infractions. It also underscored a broader pattern of corruption in Luzerne County that needs rooting out… (more)
