The beating death of Elord Revolte, 17, caught on camera in the Miami-Dade juvenile detention center, is just one of many dark secrets of the Florida juvenile justice system -- including incompetent supervision, questionable health care, and spasms of staff-induced violence, sometimes bought for the price of a pastry. The youth's killing prompted the Miami Herald to launch a series to investigate.
From the Miami Herald:
Read Full Article »Herald journalists examined 10 years of Department of Juvenile Justice incident reports, inspector general investigations and administrative reviews, restraint records, police files and court cases, state inspections, child welfare and prison records, emails, personnel files, surveillance video and handwritten witness and victims' statements. They conducted scores of interviews with administrators, public defenders, prosecutors, judges, children's advocates, consultants, parents and youths across Florida. They toured a half-dozen programs in two states and observed juvenile court cases. The investigation found that for years — long before Elord's death — youths have complained of staff turning them into hired mercenaries, offering honey buns and other rewards to rough up fellow detainees. It is a way for employees to exert control without risking their livelihoods by personally resorting to violence. Criminal charges are rare.
