“Chaos in Ohio’s Youth Lockups”

Reporters from four Ohio newspapers in the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau joined forces for an eight-month investigation that revealed dangerous conditions in Ohio’s youth lockups, where violence is a constant threat in a system plagued with staff shortages and high turnover.

Reporters filed more than three dozen public records requests and reviewed hundreds of pages of documents. The team interviewed more than 100 kids, parents, employees, judges and experts. They spent time with Damarion Allen, who was paralyzed after an incident in the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center, and they spoke with juvenile prison guard David Upshaw, who was beaten by a 19-year-old offender during his shift at the Indian River Juvenile Correctional Facility.

Reporters also examined bindover, Ohio’s legal process for moving child offenders from juvenile detention centers to adult prisons once they reach adulthood. They spoke with one such inmate, Robert Daniel, in the system since the age of 16, whose brutal assault by older inmates led to the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act. Throughout their investigation, the journalists covered efforts to break the cycle of violence in youth detention in Marion County, Ohio, and took a closer look at the elected officials in juvenile detention leadership positions.

The diligent reporting of this Ohio team yielded quick and significant results. One day after publication, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced a task force formed to examine problems the reporting uncovered. The Correctional Institution Inspection Committee called on the state’s youth prison director to answer questions about subjects covered in the series. And the U.S. Department of Justice said it would review these findings.

This comprehensive special report exemplifies excellent local investigative reporting – the kind of journalism that truly gives voice to the voiceless and holds those in power accountable.

Article by: Leyla Shokoohe