It seems that for years I have been threatening my kids with "you will go to Shuman!". When the behavior became so bad that the threats became a reality I found that I was very unprepared for what would happen while my child was there. These are my comments, tips and insights about surviving Shuman left as a future "heads up" for other parents. Please feel free to share your own experiences in the comments.
Details
Shuman Juvenile Detention Center
(412) 661-6806
7150 Highland Dr
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
I received several useful documents from Shuman after my child was no longer there. I have attached them as a pdf file for your review. Click here to download the file.
Visiting
You can visit your child from 7 PM to 8 PM every day. Leave everything you don't need locked in the car. Be inside the main doors about 6:50. Have a drivers license. They will give you a locker for your coat, keys and anything else that won't go through the metal detector. Be prepared to meet the other parents. Take about $4 worth of change if you want to buy your child a soft drink and a candy bar from the vending machines. Everyone goes through the metal detector, gives there name and is escorted though two locked doors to sit at a table in a common area. The children are allowed down to see you between 7:10 and as late as 7:20. At 7:57 you are warned that time is about up and at 8:00 PM sharp the children are called to line up and you are asked to remain in your seat. They count them, line them up and take them away. Then you are allowed to leave.
You can bring a deck of cards. Sometimes that helps to pass the time or when there is nothing to say.
You can bring a bible and leave it.
Be prepared to see scratches or bruises on the face. My child was in a fight both times she was there.
Be prepared to see your child in an orange prison style jump suit.
Be prepared for crying and all kind of horror stories about the guards.
Be prepared for your child to be a little jittery and nervous if they were heavy smokers.
Be prepared for collect phone calls. They can only call a land line phone, no cell phones. There is a pre-recorded announcement telling you the call is from Shuman.
Be prepared that your child may have done something so that you cannot visit. You will most likely find out when you get there.
Medicine
My experience with medicine is that you have to take it in the original prescription bottle. Ask to see someone from the nurses department and hand it to them directly. Call the nurses department the next day and ask if your child received their medication. If not, find out why and be persistent.
Positive Things
I knew my child was safe and did not have access to drugs.
They put my child in school by the second day she was there.
My child got excellent mental health support while she was there.
A lot of rehab facilitates will interview your child at Shuman and provide direct transportation to their facility if accepted.
Consider
You are not required to visit.
You are not required to accept the collect call.
Surviving Shuman
Posted by:Ken Sutton--Monday, June 25, 2007
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1 comment:
Thanks Ken. This is a helpful description. Now I can send parents to this blog to see what to expect at Shuman.
Also, the tempature is usually kept on the cool side at Shuman. You may want to bring a sweater or long sleeve shirt for youself no matter what the temp is outside. If your child says he is cold he can usually ask for an extra shirt.
Only Parents and Grandparents with photo ID can visit unless someone else is listed as a guardian or unless other special arrangements are made in advance with the Probation Officer. Most requests for special visitors are denied.
At shuman children do not wear their own clothes. One exception to this is shoes. Tennis Shoes or shoes with soft soles can be worn at Shuman; however, very expensive shoes are some times a problem because other residents may be jealous and may even attempt to steal them.
Nevertheless, you may wish to bring clothes to your child at Shuman so that he can take them with him into Court placement or so that he can wear his own clothes to a Court appearance.
Clothes are only accepted at Shuman on Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, or from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Shuman is very strict about these rules although if your child is leaving for placment, with your Probation Officer's help, the Shuman Staff might accept one bag of clothes the night before he leaves.
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