A new audit examining the state’s juvenile justice department found that incidents in their juvenile facilities are going unreported, youth aren’t always disciplined the same way, and some are spending longer stretches of time in isolation.
The audit, which is a routine look at the department, was not intended as an investigation into the deaths of three teens in 2022, but documented problems which it said can impact DJJ’s ability to ensure a safe and secure environment for youth.
The audit followed a September report by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that three teenagers who were in state custody in 2022 had died within weeks of each other. All three were under the age of 18 and were in the care of separate facilities across the state. Their deaths were highly unusual for the juvenile justice department, which supervises and rehabilitates youth offenders. The last time a child died while in custody was in 2015, according to Department of Juvenile Justice Commissioner Tyrone Oliver.
