Reply #15: "Before teen's death, auditors gave camp off-the-chart ratings" [View All]

[seafan]

Before teen's death, auditors gave camp off-the-chart ratings

April 23, 2006

By Carol Marbin Miller
Knight Ridder

MIAMI Although guards at a Panama City, Fla., boot camp routinely roughed up teenagers for minor infractions, state auditors for years praised the facility for its record-keeping, nursing care and use of physical force, rating the camp's performance "commendable."

The camp did so well in its 2004 inspection that it wasn't inspected at all last year - despite 180 questionable use-of-force reports since January 2003. Guards physically punished youngsters for smiling, smirking, failing to complete exercises or other so-called insolent behaviors, records show.

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A Miami Herald review of audits conducted by the Department of Juvenile Justice's Quality Assurance division found that inspectors for years did not detect that guards were routinely violating state policies that banned use of force except as a last resort.

While oversight was breaking down, physical force incidents escalated, rising each year until they doubled in 2005.

No guards have been charged or fired. A special prosecutor appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Tallahassee are investigating Martin's death.

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Keeping the pressure on these people.