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An
Advocate for Juvenile
Justice
Saturday, February 18,
2006
People across the state
are talking about a
videotape showing guards
at a Panama City
juvenile detention boot
camp restraining a
14-year-old just prior
to his death.
The Florida Department
of Law Enforcement tape,
which was released
Friday, shows Martin
Anderson surrounded by
several guards. Some
people believe the
guards struck Anderson,
possibly contributing to
his death, but a county
medical examiner
concluded Anderson died
from a pre-existing
medical condition.
 When Dianna Matthews saw
the video, her thoughts
turned to her son.
"Seeing my son all over
again and worse,"
Matthews said.
In May of 2003,
17-year-old Danny
Matthews was being held
at the Pinellas Regional
Juvenile Detention
Center. According to an
internal investigation,
a trainee detention
worker mistakenly opened
Matthews and another
inmate's cells. Once
out, the two boys fought
and Matthews was killed.
Since her son's death,
Matthews has become an
advocate for juvenile
detention center reform.
"We don't have enough
staff, " Matthews said.
"We don't have enough
blankets, we don't have
enough mental health. We
don't have enough
training."
Matthews is working
closely with
justiceforkids.org, an
advocate for youth and
parents who have to deal
with any aspect of the
juvenile system.
"They put these staff
out to be handling these
kids when they are not
completely trained for
all aspects of the
duty," volunteer Cathy
Corry said.
 Corry and Matthews are
applauding the
Department of Justice
for investigating
Anderson's death. As a
mother still recovering
from her son's death,
Matthew's heart is going
out to Anderson's
mother.
"She doesn't even know,"
Matthews said. "She
hasn't even felt the
pain that is going to
hit her."
The Florida Department
of Juvenile Justice's
response to the boot
camp said, "The law
enforcement
investigation is ongoing
and DJJ continues to
fully support their
efforts. The videotape
and medical examiner
report will be
thoroughly reviewed by
DJJ staff and will be
used as a part of DJJ's
ongoing inspector
investigation into our
boot camp programs."
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