A bill that would strengthen oversight of Tennessee’s juvenile detention centers has failed, despite a concerted push for reform after multiple county-run facilities were found to be locking children alone in cells.
Tennessee lawmakers want more oversight of juvenile detention. The Department of Children’s Services is pushing back.
New legislation would shift enforcement power to an independent agency after a WPLN and ProPublica investigation found that a Knoxville detention center was illegally locking kids alone in cells.
Tennessee DCS ‘working closely’ with Knoxville’s juvenile detention center to reform illegal use of seclusion
Tennessee’s state agency that inspects juvenile detention centers says it’s working closely with a Knoxville facility to “address deficiencies” documented in reporting by WPLN and ProPublica, including years of instances of children being illegally locked alone in cells.
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