{"id":32583,"date":"2022-06-08T21:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-08T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/08\/tennessee-juvenile-detention-center-illegally-jailed-kids-it-will-now-answer-to-oversight-board-propublica\/"},"modified":"2022-06-08T21:30:00","modified_gmt":"2022-06-08T21:30:00","slug":"tennessee-juvenile-detention-center-illegally-jailed-kids-it-will-now-answer-to-oversight-board-propublica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/08\/tennessee-juvenile-detention-center-illegally-jailed-kids-it-will-now-answer-to-oversight-board-propublica\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennessee Juvenile Detention Center Illegally Jailed Kids. It Will Now Answer to Oversight Board. \u2014 ProPublica"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<\/p>\n<div data-pp-location=\"article body\">\n<p>                            <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"promo-series size02 out02 wrap left wide-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/series\/juvenile-injustice-tennessee\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"promo-series__art\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" src=\"https:\/\/assets-c3.propublica.org\/images\/series\/_threeTwo400w\/rutherford-3x2.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets-c3.propublica.org\/images\/series\/_threeTwo400w\/rutherford-3x2.jpg 400w, https:\/\/assets-c3.propublica.org\/images\/series\/_threeTwo800w\/rutherford-3x2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/assets-c3.propublica.org\/images\/series\/_threeTwo1200w\/rutherford-3x2.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/p>\n<p>            <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-body__top-notes\" data-pp-location=\"top-note\">\n<div class=\"article-body__note article-body__note--co-publish\">\n<p>This article was produced for ProPublica\u2019s Local Reporting Network in partnership with <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/wpln.org\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Nashville Public Radio<\/a>. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/newsletters\/dispatches\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up for Dispatches<\/a> _to get stories like this one as soon as they are published.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- end .article-body__top-notes --><\/p>\n<p data-pp-blocktype=\"copy\" data-pp-id=\"1.0\">A juvenile detention center in Rutherford County, Tennessee, that for years illegally jailed children will now be overseen by a five-member board rather than the county\u2019s juvenile court judge, a change designed to bring greater accountability to a long-troubled system.<\/p>\n<p data-pp-blocktype=\"copy\" data-pp-id=\"2.0\">At a meeting earlier this year, the county\u2019s mayor said he thought the shift could bring \u201cmore oversight or transparency.\u201d The board members will be appointed by Rutherford County commissioners.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"promo-newsletter-signup-2&#10;    user-level--0__show user-level--1__show size04 right out02 wide-sm wrap&#10;            \">\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"promo-newsletter-see-all-2 &#10;    user-level--2__show size04 right out02 wide-sm wrap&#10;            \">\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"promo-donate-2&#10;    user-level--3__show size04 right out02 wide-sm wrap&#10;        \">\n<\/aside>\n<p data-pp-blocktype=\"copy\" data-pp-id=\"4.0\">In October, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/article\/black-children-were-jailed-for-a-crime-that-doesnt-exist\" rel=\"noopener\">ProPublica published a detailed account, in partnership with Nashville Public Radio<\/a>, about Rutherford County\u2019s juvenile justice system. The story chronicled how the county had illegally arrested and jailed children for years, all under the watch of longtime juvenile court judge Donna Scott Davenport. Last June the county settled a class-action lawsuit, eventually agreeing to pay more than $5 million to hundreds of people who have been arrested or jailed as children. And Davenport has since announced her retirement.<\/p>\n<p data-pp-blocktype=\"copy\" data-pp-id=\"5.0\">Within Tennessee, Rutherford County stood out for years in terms of the percentage of kids it locked up in cases referred to juvenile court. In 2014, for example, the county jailed children in 48% of those cases. The statewide average was 5%.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"bb-ad full\">\n<\/aside>\n<p data-pp-blocktype=\"copy\" data-pp-id=\"7.0\">Many children in Rutherford County were placed in solitary confinement under conditions a federal judge called inhumane.<\/p>\n<p data-pp-blocktype=\"copy\" data-pp-id=\"8.0\">After ProPublica and Nashville Public Radio wrote about Rutherford County\u2019s juvenile justice system, state lawmakers called the system a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/article\/outrage-grows-over-jailing-of-children-as-tennessee-university-cuts-ties-with-judge-involved\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201cnightmare\u201d and \u201cunchecked barbarism.\u201d<\/a> The state\u2019s governor <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/article\/we-reported-on-a-county-that-has-jailed-kids-for-a-crime-that-doesnt-exist-readers-reacted\" rel=\"noopener\">called for a judicial review<\/a>. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/article\/tennessee-children-were-illegally-jailed-now-members-of-congress-are-asking-for-an-investigation\" rel=\"noopener\">Eleven members of Congress<\/a> signed a letter asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the county\u2019s juvenile justice system.<\/p>\n<p data-pp-blocktype=\"copy\" data-pp-id=\"9.0\">In January, Davenport announced she would not be seeking reelection and would retire at the end of her term this summer. Two candidates are currently running to replace her. Davenport previously declined a request to be interviewed. She did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment for this story.<\/p>\n<p data-pp-blocktype=\"copy\" data-pp-id=\"10.0\">As director of the detention center since 2001, Lynn Duke has reported to Davenport, who appointed her to the job. (Duke did not immediately respond to a request for comment. She has previously declined to be interviewed.) The new board will oversee Duke as well as all the detention center\u2019s policies, procedures and budget.<\/p>\n<p data-pp-blocktype=\"copy\" data-pp-id=\"11.0\">County officials said they want applicants with experience in law enforcement, building maintenance and the state\u2019s child welfare system.<\/p>\n<p data-pp-blocktype=\"copy\" data-pp-id=\"12.0\">However, an investigation by Nashville Public Radio and ProPublica found inadequate systems of oversight starting with the county and going all the way up to the state and its Department of Children\u2019s Services.<\/p>\n<aside data-pp-id=\"13\" data-pp-blocktype=\"promo\" data-pp-location=\"story promo\" class=\"bb-promo-story story-promo-group size04 right out02 wide-sm wrap\">\n<p>        <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/article\/new-bill-seeks-to-remove-tennessee-judge-who-illegally-jailed-children\" class=\"story-promo section-articles\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"story-promo__art\">\n                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271%27%20height%3D%271%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E\" srcset=\"https:\/\/img.assets-d.propublica.org\/v5\/images\/20220118-davenport-3x2.jpg?crop=focalpoint&amp;fit=crop&amp;fp-x=0.5&amp;fp-y=0.5&amp;h=75&amp;q=70&amp;w=75&amp;s=b924aa17a2b88269305b7741e74f63ca 75w, https:\/\/img.assets-d.propublica.org\/v5\/images\/20220118-davenport-3x2.jpg?crop=focalpoint&amp;fit=crop&amp;fp-x=0.5&amp;fp-y=0.5&amp;h=150&amp;q=70&amp;w=150&amp;s=fbaedbc07dbef8a13f34ec2d6b9df43a 150w, https:\/\/img.assets-d.propublica.org\/v5\/images\/20220118-davenport-3x2.jpg?crop=focalpoint&amp;fit=crop&amp;fp-x=0.5&amp;fp-y=0.5&amp;h=400&amp;q=70&amp;w=400&amp;s=bee65e6abd78c366b7890650e697a166 400w\" width=\"75\" height=\"75\" sizes=\"auto, 100vw\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/img.assets-d.propublica.org\/v5\/images\/20220118-davenport-3x2.jpg?crop=focalpoint&amp;fit=crop&amp;fp-x=0.5&amp;fp-y=0.5&amp;h=75&amp;q=70&amp;w=75&amp;s=b924aa17a2b88269305b7741e74f63ca 75w, https:\/\/img.assets-d.propublica.org\/v5\/images\/20220118-davenport-3x2.jpg?crop=focalpoint&amp;fit=crop&amp;fp-x=0.5&amp;fp-y=0.5&amp;h=150&amp;q=70&amp;w=150&amp;s=fbaedbc07dbef8a13f34ec2d6b9df43a 150w, https:\/\/img.assets-d.propublica.org\/v5\/images\/20220118-davenport-3x2.jpg?crop=focalpoint&amp;fit=crop&amp;fp-x=0.5&amp;fp-y=0.5&amp;h=400&amp;q=70&amp;w=400&amp;s=bee65e6abd78c366b7890650e697a166 400w\"\/>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>\n                <strong class=\"story-promo__hed\">Tennessee Judge Who Illegally Jailed Children Plans to Retire, Will Not Seek Reelection<\/strong>\n                            <\/p>\n<p>        <\/a><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p data-pp-blocktype=\"copy\" data-pp-id=\"14.0\">Duke appears monthly before county commissioners, who have rarely asked questions about policies. They sometimes liken the jail to a business, with one even joking that it\u2019s like a hotel. At one meeting a commissioner said it would be \u201ccool\u201d if, instead of being a cost center, the jail could be a \u201cprofit center.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"bb-ad full\">\n<\/aside>\n<p data-pp-blocktype=\"copy\" data-pp-id=\"16.0\">Meanwhile, the Tennessee Department of Children\u2019s Services, which licenses juvenile jails, inspected Rutherford County\u2019s jail every year. Not once did it flag an illegal policy under which the jail was incarcerating children.<\/p>\n<p data-pp-blocktype=\"copy\" data-pp-id=\"17.0\">Before publishing our story last fall, we requested an interview with the department\u2019s longtime director of licensing. But the department refused to make him available.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/article\/tennessee-juvenile-detention-rutherford-criminal-justice\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] This article was produced for ProPublica\u2019s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Nashville Public&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32584,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-policy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32583","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32583"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32583\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32583"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32583"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32583"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}