BATON ROUGE — The co-creator of a rehabilitation program for young criminal offenders testified in federal court Monday that recent violence at a temporary youth center at Angola — including bloodshed and broken bones —has led to an increase in “cell restrictions” that isolate children from their peers.

“Six to eight weeks ago, the incidents became more harsh,” justifying the need to segregate the youth from the rest of the population, Lee Anthony Underwood testified.

He said the isolation is intended to help them see the value of educational opportunities and other programs administered by the Office of Juvenile Justice.

“I’d rather see success in some other way than a time-out,” Underwood testified as U.S. District Judge Shelley Dick continued a hearing on whether OJJ should stop sending youths to a center inside the infamous Louisiana State Penitentiary. “It is necessary if there’s violence.”

He said that kids who become violent or “block the program” need a moment or longer to reflect.

“Cell retention gives you time to think about that,” he said.

Children’s advocates have sued the state to stop its sending juvenile offenders to the facility, dubbed the Bridge City Center for Youth in West Feliciana. The center was established last year to hold youths too violent for other youth facilities and is intended to be a temporary fix until the opening of a new similar unit at the Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe this fall.

The American Civil Liberties Union and others call the children's living conditions at the state penitentiary abusive. Dick last week told the state to not send additional youths to Angola until she issues a ruling on the current challenge.

The West Feliciana center offers a four- to eight-week program for the most violent juveniles. Underwood testified Monday that all those sent to the center have completed the program and returned to regular facilities.

Underwood said the use of cell restrictions is intended to be rare, and called the practice “a temporary removal.” He said the youths have television and can social engagement with staff members, and also contact their families.

“Kids on cell restrictions … are not alone,” Underwood said. “I see them as not socially deprived."

Underwood said all youths sent to Angola because of violence at their previous institution are held in isolation for two to three days so the staff can assess the potential threat.

Nancy Rosenbloom, a senior litigation advisor with the American Civil Liberties Union, questioned whether that is necessary: “They’re all dangerous when they get there?”

“Absolutely,” Underwood said.

The children’s advocates have also questioned whether the youths have sufficient educational opportunities and adequate air conditioning.

After Underwood cited the recent increased violence for a jump in cell restrictions, lawyers for the youth asked for records of all such restrictions since the state started using the Angola center last fall. They said they fear Louisiana has used isolation because it has insufficient programming and schooling for the youths.

Dick said she may order the state to hand over the documents because Underwood had noted "bloodshed and broken bones" when he discussed the recent violence. “We need to see what restrictions were like before then,” she said.

Dick also said if the state were ordered to hand over all the documents, they would have the right to document why the youths were being detained away from other youths.