So, let's see, with the child and adolescent priest sex scandals the victims often told their parents, siblings, relatives, police, social workers, lawyers, friends, etc, correct? (If this is disputed a scientific survey could be done to gather that information more precisely.) So, for decades the victims accusations were ignored and no action was taken. So, the community KNEW and nothing was done. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> And now we have the drug bust scandals, and, guess what, some of the accused must have been innocent, and those who were innocent (some, at least) must have said so to (again) parents, siblings, relatives, police, social workers, lawyers, priests, ministers. (Again, if there is a dipute that anyone said they were innocent then this data could be gathered). So, everyone who said they were innocent was ignored and there was no questioning of the "evidence". And the community had to know, and nothing was done. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Does anyone see a pattern here? Well, let me spell it out for you. The management model where you hire "good people" and they ALL have integrity and NEVER make a mistake is nuts. Human nature is such that some good people make mistakes sometimes, others more often, and some are completely dishonest. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Per the article, "Administration officials said Dookhan’s supervisors missed obvious signs of problems. In 2004, for example, Dookhan processed 9,239 samples while her peers on average tested 2,938 samples." >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> So wait, the sign was the number of samples she processed IN A YEAR? That's what supervisors regret not catching? That is, in effect, saying that there was NO supervision.

So, it "takes a village" doesn't really work, does it? Because the village full of the powers that be, and a bunch of chickens and sheep, if you catch my meaning.

Annie Dookhan needs to be imprisoned for a long stretch. I suggest that they add up all the years served by people who will be released, and make that her sentence. Dookhan has surely destroyed some people's lives. They can't get those lives back. Maybe some of those supervisors should see some time behind bars also.

Seems to me there are two seperate scandals: First, the drug testing scandal within the lab itself and the lack of internal controls there. Second, is the scandal involving the indifference to the warnings we've heard about for years during the Patrick administration that the growing backlog of samples was becoming intolerable, and the benign response from the administration. There were efforts by Gov Patrick, for example, to close the Western Mass testing lab at UMass (which would have only excaserbated the problem) and staff reductions there and at the Boston lab. You can only process so many samples in a day, and when the backlog gets bigger and bigger, and the pressure starts to mount from district attorneys and police departments to move their cases to the head of the testing line, and then the Governor's solution is more staff cuts, the morale drops through the floor, and people start to cut corners. The Globe could look at funding recommendations for the labs over the last 8 years --you could do the same thing for many other state agencies that are on the edge of the cliff, as well, such as public housing-- and have one heck of a story of indifference at the top.

ABSOLUTELY HORRIFYING!  The Patrick administration is solely to blame.  Incompetence at best.  Other attributes include gross negligence, direliction of duty also apply to patrick.  How could Patrick be unaware for years.  Thousands of criminal cases will be dropped and all the effort and taxpayer funds use to bring these cases by police and prosecutors are totally wasted not to mentioned the hugh additional overtime to salvaged some of these cases.    

What's worse - This is probably happening in other STate Departments. It would be hard to believe this is an isolated incident but rather is standard operating procedure for Patrick.  

"The lab management failed" probably means they were not given enough money to do the job properly and then have to take the blame. Look higher for the real problem. 

Seems the Patrick administration dropped the ball here, pay attention Deval and stop running all over the country and writing books that no one buys. My mistake, this is Romney's fault, that's right......or was it Bush, i'm confused.

"and mounting frustrations over the Patrick administration’s seeming indifference."  This could be said about a number of issues.  It is not unfair to speculate that the governor has neglected his duties at home while campaigning for the president and time spent other past pursuits.   I recall The Globe doing stories on Weld, Cellucci and Romney analyzing their respective calendars to determine the percentage of time they spent out of state on non-govenrment business.   Whether it was allowing the transportaion board to award a contract to an uproven, highly risky rail car manufacturer or this most serious breach of public trust, I believe the executive branch is at fault for not paying attention to the details.  Whatever Patrick's national aspirations are, these and other management snafus will come up to haunt him.

Ah, interesting comments. NO ONE thinks it's the village's fault (as in, it takes a village). Of course, it not the village's fault because that makes it OUR fault. We elected the politicians to run things, and we wash our hands of what happens. Once the roosters get elected we let them do whatever they want. After all, what can the chickens and sheep do if they learn about innocent victims being convicted of drug offenses. We are powerless. We gave up our power, why? Because we want an easy life. We only want to take care of our private stuff. And when you go out on a limb about someting in the village, and rest of the village doesn't see it your way, the village punishes you (and makes your life difficult). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Clearly, Annie Dookhan is at fault. Clearly, management is at fault. In fact, why would you have an operation that deals with strict process rules reporting to the Department of Public Health? The chain of evidence, per the law, must not be able to be tampered with. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> So, all you chickens and sheep, blame blame the governor, not the many of you who were aware all along but said nothing. Blame Annie Dookhan, and not her management. And remember, everyone cuts corners when there is too much work to do.