At State-Run Homes, Abuse and Impunity - developmentally disabled

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*/At State-Run Homes, Abuse and Impunity/*

By DANNY HAKIM

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/nyregion/13homes.html

Nearly 40 years after New York emptied its scandal-ridden warehouses for

the developmentally disabled, the far-flung network of small group homes

that replaced them operates with scant oversight and few consequences

for employees who abuse the vulnerable population.

A New York Times investigation over the past year has found widespread

problems in the more than 2,000 state-run homes. In hundreds of cases

reviewed by The Times, employees who sexually abused, beat or taunted

residents were rarely fired, even after repeated offenses, and in many

cases, were simply transferred to other group homes run by the state.

And, despite a state law requiring that incidents in which a crime may

have been committed be reported to law enforcement, such referrals are

rare....

If you have information about abuse occurring in homes for the mentally

disabled that you would like to share with The Times, e-mail

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