Volusia Sheriff's Office / Wikimedia Commons
Why It Matters
A lawsuit targeting the Wyoming Boys’ School has prompted calls for juvenile justice reform across the state, and the school’s superintendent is now directly contesting core claims made by former residents about staff misconduct and confinement conditions.
Wyoming has long held the distinction of incarcerating juvenile offenders at among the highest rates in the nation, making the outcome of this case significant not just for the school near Worland, but for how the state handles youth detention more broadly.
What Happened
Superintendent Dale Weber denied that staff at the Wyoming Boys’ School were ever directed to downplay or misrepresent use-of-force incidents in official reports. Weber stated that if any such conduct took place, it was done independently and without the school’s authorization. “Any such conduct, if it occurred, was undertaken independently and contrary to WBS policies, training, and procedures,” Weber said in a court filing.
The denials come in response to a lawsuit filed in 2024 by six former residents of the school, a 38-acre state facility near Worland that holds delinquent boys between the ages of 12 and 21. The facility is overseen by the Wyoming Department of Family Services.
The former residents alleged a range of abuses, including extended periods of isolation, physical harm, and the use of a restraint chair. They claimed boys were confined alone for as many as 22 to 23 hours per day and that staff used magnets to cover windows on detention rooms as a form of punishment.
Weber disputed those characterizations point by point. He denied that boys were isolated for extended periods as punishment and said the school does not confine individuals alone for 22 to 23 hours daily. On the window magnets, Weber acknowledged that magnets may be temporarily placed over detention room windows, but said the purpose is to reduce disruptions rather than to punish residents.
Disputed Testimony
A separate dispute has emerged over statements attributed to Thad Shaffer, an employee of the state’s Risk Management Office. Court filings quoted Shaffer making favorable comments about the use of a restraint chair. Shaffer denied in a sworn affidavit that he made those remarks, explaining that hearing difficulties during his deposition may have contributed to the confusion. He also stated he never directed staff to falsify incident reports and never threatened job consequences for any employee who refused to do so.
State attorneys have challenged the evidentiary foundation behind two witnesses whose testimony touches on the falsification allegations, arguing neither has sufficient personal knowledge to support those claims.
Weber also addressed questions about who controlled detention decisions at the school, stating that former Superintendent Gary Gilmore was the sole individual responsible for determining predetermined detention status. Weber has served as interim superintendent of the Wyoming Girls’ School since October, in addition to his role at the boys’ facility.
State attorneys have also formally objected to the plaintiffs’ use of terms like “solitary confinement,” “solitary,” and “isolation” to describe conditions at the school, signaling a broader dispute over how detention practices are characterized in the litigation.
By the Numbers
- 6 former residents joined the 2024 lawsuit alleging abuse
- 38 acres — size of the Wyoming Boys’ School facility near Worland
- 12 to 21 — age range of boys held at the school
- 22–23 hours — daily confinement duration alleged by former residents
- More than twice the national average — Wyoming’s rate of placing adjudicated juveniles in facilities rather than leaving them in their homes
Zoom Out
Wyoming has ranked among the top states for juvenile incarceration rates for decades, according to U.S. Department of Justice data. The most recent figures from 2023 show some decline, but the state still places adjudicated delinquents in facilities at more than double the national average. That broader pattern has fueled growing scrutiny of how Wyoming handles youth offenders and whether its institutional approach delivers rehabilitative outcomes.
What’s Next
The lawsuit continues to move through the courts, with both sides contesting the factual record and the legal standards that should govern the case. The outcome could carry implications for oversight of state-run juvenile facilities and potentially reshape detention practices in Wyoming.
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