Social Worker jailed as result of state's lack of resources

[get the red out]

Faced with conflicting court appearances on the same day in late June, state social worker Aaron Jackson said he followed a supervisor's directive to attend family court in Jefferson County and notify Bullitt County court officials that he'd miss a child-welfare hearing there.

So Jackson, 29, a two-year worker with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said he was stunned to wind up in jail a week later — after an angry Bullitt County judge jailed him for 24 hours for contempt of court.

He said he was equally shocked to get no immediate legal help or support from his agency. Supervisors advised of the judge's intentions initially advised Jackson to "turn yourself in," and afterward told him he had to use vacation hours to cover his time in jail.

(continuation of story at the link below)
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009907180347


We need to take a close look at whether we value the services of the people that help keep children safe and provide services to families, or if we would rather just fund nothing to help our society and then pound our fists when things go terribly wrong. I doubt Kentucky is alone in the need to wake up, or the lack of funding.

[sasquatch]

1. Somebody needs to be fired over this

[northernlights]

7. you need to be very specific with such recommendations

otherwise the social worker could end up fired for being in jail. (shakes head sadly and walks away)

[sasquatch]

8. The boss and the judge both

[BlooInBloo]

2. (facepalm)

[LaurenG]

3. So this judge made a whacked out judgment out of frustration.

I find it ridiculous that this was taken so far. What a joke the system is; put a social worker in jail because the g.d. system is broken rather than address the problems within the system.

I don't blame Jackson for quitting!

[abumbyanyothername]

4. And lawyers are supposed to be making a living

influencing the insane . . . I mean the judiciary.

Oy.

[truedelphi]

5. Become a social worker. Imperil your life by visiting homes

In bad neighborhoods, work with clients who are depressed, or manic, and unappreciative, and have your heart broken again and again by connecting with children whose lives are hell.

Now this - get jailed when the system screws up.

I have several friends who are social workers - and they love their jobs and their clients.

It is a tragedy to have this happen to one of them.

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. Unbelievable.