To be clear, at this point the allegations against Angela Theriault are just that– allegations (see page 1). Until they have been proved in a court of law, or admitted by the defendant, our system gives the accused the benefit of the doubt.
    However, the two investigations into Theriault's conduct with juvenile male residents incarcerated at Long Creek Development Center in South Portland raise some troubling questions, not only about the actions of a single woman, but the policies and procedures of the entire facility.
    Why was a woman suspected of possible criminal behavior with residents allowed to continue interacting with those residents? After being investigated once (with some persuasive if not definitive evidence of inappropriate contact), how long was the facility going to allow the same woman to develop further relationships with other youths? After all, the second report into the second set of allegations refers to the woman spending what sounds like an inordinate amount of time with a single resident, including entire shifts.
    How many times is a female employee witnessed wrestling with adolescent boys being held for what can generally be described as a failure to demonstrate good judgement before action is taken? Why is a 25-year old woman supervising teenage boys taking showers?
    We attempted to get answers to some of these questions from people who work at Long Creek, but have so far been unsuccessful. We were told that to understand the policies and procedures at the facility it is helpful to see them in action first hand. We hope that invitation still stands and if so, look forward to sharing what we find.                           –Ward Peck