Plaintiffs allege detention center blocks advocates from meeting with young clients

http://t.co/x2QUO0I via @Youth_Justice

JACKSON, Miss. — Advocates for youth offenders say that a detention center in Hinds County is blocking access to legal clients.
Last week, the Southern Poverty Law Center and Disability Rights Mississippi sued the Henley-Young Juvenile Justice Detention Center. The lawsuit claims that inmates are denied mental health services, verbally abused and isolated for up to 23 hours a day.
An emergency appeal filed Tuesday says the center is now blocking access to the youth.
Plaintiffs say the county has repeatedly rejected or ignored requests to reinstate access to the detention center. They say the county is violating the children's right to attorney, as well as the groups' right to monitor and enforce the rights of children with disabilities.
County Administrator Carmen Davis disagreed, saying Hinds is following the proper procedures.