COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP, WLTX) - The South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice violated state law by not reporting the deaths of two juveniles to the state's prisons system, and failed to properly investigate claims that one of the deaths involved foul play, according to a new audit of the agency.
The audit, released Thursday, was created by the South Carolina Legislative Audit Council, and found several faults with the agency.
The report says they reviewed DJJ's investigation of the November 2015 death of a juvenile was placed at Camp San Hills, a contracted wilderness camp operated by AMIKids in Chesterfield County.
The report made the following findings:
- DJJ could not locate or produce investigative files related to the incident and did not have documentation of the death in the juvenile’s archived files.
- DJJ’s Office of Inspector General failed to investigate claims that the death was the result of foul play, and failed to provide this information to the S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
- DJJ failed to notify the S.C. Department of Corrections’ Jail and Prison Inspection Division of the death, as required by state law.
The report's authors also say DJJ may still be unable to prevent "major disturbances" despite security changes following several gang-related riots at the main prison.
It said the agency remains understaffed; its officers are not properly trained; its security policies are outdated; and its police department is ineffective.
Auditors also faulted DJJ for encouraging employees to retire or resign, saying the 2015 programs reduced the number of much-needed officers without significant cost savings.
Agency director Sylvia Murray disagrees with the findings. She says there hasn't been a "major disturbance" since the February 2016 riot that got legislators' attention. She credits "extensive" security changes.
Charges against juveniles for that riot include attempted sexual assault and burglary, attempted murder and arson.