Children's advocacy group says shelters must be reformed

ATLANTA - A child advocacy group has asked a federal court to force two Georgia counties to pour more money into their children&#39;s shelters - the state&#39;s only government-run shelters. <br> <br> The New York-based Children&#39;s Rights organization, which sued the state in June, told a federal judge Thursday that the shelters in Fulton and DeKalb counties are so dangerous they need to be reformed immediately. The shelters house some of the area&#39;s most troubled children. <br> <br> ``Conditions at these shelters are causing immediate and irreparable harm to children and violating their rights,&#39;&#39; said Ira Ledbetter, an attorney for the group. <br> <br> Children&#39;s Rights filed a motion Thursday asking the court to order the DeKalb shelter closed by January, and the Fulton shelter to close by December 2003. <br> <br> Both are scheduled to close next year, but the demand came because ``things are so bad in there,&#39;&#39; said Jane Okrasinski, a lawyer in the case. She said she doubts the two counties can meet their closing schedules without additional pressure. <br> <br> State officials declined to comment on the suit, but a spokeswoman for the agency overseeing the shelters said Thursday&#39;s motion ``was anticipated.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Experts hired by Children&#39;s Rights had visited the shelters earlier this year and reviewed internal memos and e-mails. The group said dozens of children have run away from the shelters. Some were raped near the shelters, and others were beaten by gang members inside the shelters.

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