Teens who resist are often told, 'We can do this the easy way or the hard way.' They might be restrained with handcuffs or zip ties. They could be blindfolded or hooded.
By JIM SALTER, Associated Press ST. LOUIS — Within what's known as the secure transport industry, it's called"gooning." Brawny men show up under the cover of darkness and force a teenager into a vehicle, taking them against their will to a boarding school, foster home or treatment center.
Thousands of American teenagers end up annually in some form of congregate care facility or program aimed at dealing with issues ranging from behavioral problems to drug or alcohol abuse and crime. "My goal to your child is to start this transition with 100% honesty and integrity," Julio Sandoval of Safe, Sound, Secure Youth Ministries in Missouri posts on his site."I am not of the ideology of necessarily making your child happy. Happiness will eventually arise when he finds himself growing as a young man and not a threat to himself and society."
Other states may follow suit. Utah state Sen. Mike McKell, a Republican, and Missouri state Rep. Keri Ingle, a Democrat, plan to introduce legislation next session regulating the secure transport industry in their states. But advocates say that because so many children are picked up in one state and taken to another, federal legislation is vital."You have a host of jurisdictional issues," McKell said."You pick up a kid in California and he ends up in Missouri.
On Father's Day 2002, two men showed up at the Pattersons' California home around 4 a.m. and rousted him out of bed. They displayed the handcuffs they'd use if he didn't get into a taxi, which took the trio to the airport for the flight to Missouri. Within hours, Patterson was at Agape, where he spent about a year.
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