countrygal
12-16-2004, 12:28 PM
:blah: YOUTH PRISONS
Ex-director finds job in adult system
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Alan Johnson
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Geno Natalucci-Persichetti, who was told to leave his job as head of the embattled Ohio Department of Youth Services at Gov. Bob Taft’s direction, has a new position with the adult prison system.
He will become a senior policy analyst with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction in January, said prisons chief Reginald A. Wilkinson, who hired him.
Natalucci-Persichetti, 60, was earning $108,000 annually as head of the agency overseeing eight juvenile prisons, 1,200 inmates and a $200 million budget. His new salary and job duties were not immediately disclosed.
Taft spokesman Orest Holubec said Natalucci-Persichetti was not fired but resigned by agreement with the governor.
"We said at the time that we would work with Geno and that if there was an appropriate place in the administration, the governor would be amenable to that," Holubec said.
Natalucci-Persichetti, who was named head of the youthservices agency in 1987 by former Democratic Gov. Richard F. Celeste, agreed to step down during a Nov. 30 meeting with Jon Allison, Taft’s chief of staff.
Taft’s office at the time said that the governor was thankful for the director’s years of service, but Taft had decided that it was "time for new leadership."
The action followed numerous allegations about sexual abuse and mistreatment of inmates in the juvenile prison system.
Earlier this month, five men who had worked as guards at a facility in Delaware, Ohio, were indicted by a grand jury on charges of abusing and endangering inmates. Other investigations are pending.
State Sen. Mark L. Mallory, DCincinnati, head of the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee, questioned the hiring.
"It was my understanding that he was asked to leave by the governor . . . I think there may be some questions considering we’re still talking about corrections. The central issue will be what kind of job he will be performing."
Mallory, who is sponsoring legislation to bring the youthservices agency under the umbrella of his legislative inspection panel, said the issues persist regardless of what happens with Natalucci-Persichetti.
"We have a real responsibility to make sure that the juveniles in our custody are not abused in any way."
Thomas J. Stickrath, 50, the No. 2 man at the adult prison system, was appointed by Taft as interim director of the juvenile agency.
ajohnson@dispatch.com
CALL or EMAIL
Gov Bob Taft
Governor.Taft@das.state.oh.us
Phone 614-466-3555
Ken Blackwell Director of Prisons
General Telephone Number (Toll Free): 1-877-767-6446
State Sen. Mark L. Mallory, DCincinnati
head of the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee
614/466-5980
SenatorMallory@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Ex-director finds job in adult system
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Alan Johnson
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Geno Natalucci-Persichetti, who was told to leave his job as head of the embattled Ohio Department of Youth Services at Gov. Bob Taft’s direction, has a new position with the adult prison system.
He will become a senior policy analyst with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction in January, said prisons chief Reginald A. Wilkinson, who hired him.
Natalucci-Persichetti, 60, was earning $108,000 annually as head of the agency overseeing eight juvenile prisons, 1,200 inmates and a $200 million budget. His new salary and job duties were not immediately disclosed.
Taft spokesman Orest Holubec said Natalucci-Persichetti was not fired but resigned by agreement with the governor.
"We said at the time that we would work with Geno and that if there was an appropriate place in the administration, the governor would be amenable to that," Holubec said.
Natalucci-Persichetti, who was named head of the youthservices agency in 1987 by former Democratic Gov. Richard F. Celeste, agreed to step down during a Nov. 30 meeting with Jon Allison, Taft’s chief of staff.
Taft’s office at the time said that the governor was thankful for the director’s years of service, but Taft had decided that it was "time for new leadership."
The action followed numerous allegations about sexual abuse and mistreatment of inmates in the juvenile prison system.
Earlier this month, five men who had worked as guards at a facility in Delaware, Ohio, were indicted by a grand jury on charges of abusing and endangering inmates. Other investigations are pending.
State Sen. Mark L. Mallory, DCincinnati, head of the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee, questioned the hiring.
"It was my understanding that he was asked to leave by the governor . . . I think there may be some questions considering we’re still talking about corrections. The central issue will be what kind of job he will be performing."
Mallory, who is sponsoring legislation to bring the youthservices agency under the umbrella of his legislative inspection panel, said the issues persist regardless of what happens with Natalucci-Persichetti.
"We have a real responsibility to make sure that the juveniles in our custody are not abused in any way."
Thomas J. Stickrath, 50, the No. 2 man at the adult prison system, was appointed by Taft as interim director of the juvenile agency.
ajohnson@dispatch.com
CALL or EMAIL
Gov Bob Taft
Governor.Taft@das.state.oh.us
Phone 614-466-3555
Ken Blackwell Director of Prisons
General Telephone Number (Toll Free): 1-877-767-6446
State Sen. Mark L. Mallory, DCincinnati
head of the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee
614/466-5980
SenatorMallory@maild.sen.state.oh.us