Lycoming News

State Representative Jamie Flick of Lycoming/Union Counties has voiced his dissatisfaction following President Joe Biden's commutation of the prison sentence for Michael Conahan, the former Luzerne County judge involved in the "kids-for-cash" scandal. Conahan's sentence was commuted along with more than 1,500 others. Flick, known for his advocacy in justice reform, expressed concern, stating that it sends a negative message about accountability, especially for grave criminal actions.

The "kids-for-cash" scheme, which was exposed in 2009, involved Conahan and his associate, Mark Ciavarella, who arranged for juveniles to be sent to for-profit detention centers in exchange for $2.8 million in kickbacks. Many of the affected minors were first-time offenders charged with minor offenses such as truancy or jaywalking.

Rep. Flick, who serves on the Children and Youth and Human Services committees, remarked, “When crimes involve kids, I get really angry.” He emphasized the long-term damage wrongful youth convictions can cause, as well as the erosion of public trust in the justice system. Flick criticized the judicial system for permitting Conahan to remain on house arrest during the pandemic, noting that Conahan was released to home confinement in 2020 over health concerns. Flick commented, “I’m upset that he was not sent back to prison after COVID concerns eased.”

Conahan had been sentenced to 17.5 years in 2011 but was released early and had 20 months remaining in his sentence. As a result of their actions, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned more than 4,000 convictions impacting over 2,300 youth, leading to significant reforms in juvenile justice.

The Biden administration stated that the commutation was part of a clemency initiative benefiting more than 1,500 individuals deemed to have reintegrated successfully into society after home confinement. A federal judge had denied Conahan's prior request for shortened sentencing due to the serious repercussions of his actions. Regarding the commutation, Flick commented, “It would be interesting to follow the money in this case, both for the lawyers who advocated on Conahan’s behalf, and family and friends’ campaign donations.”

Meanwhile, Mark Ciavarella, known for enforcing a strict policy to maintain high occupancy in private facilities, remains incarcerated, serving a 28-year sentence in a North Carolina prison.