>>>
>>> GOOD
>>> GOOD EVENING A NEW FEDERAL AUDIT CONFIRMS WHOA THE KING 50
INVESTIGATORS REPORTED BACK IN
FEBRUARY.
FEBRUARY.
FEBRUARY. SERIOUS STAFFING SHORTAGES HAVE
LED TO HUNDREDS OF ASSAULTS
INSIDE THE STATE'S MAX MUST
REMEMBER SECURITY LOCK-UP FOR
JUVENILE OFFENDERS.
JUVENILE OFFENDERS. THIS ONE CAUGHT ON CAMERA SHOW
AS GUARD IN A VIOLENT SITUATION
WITH NO BACK-UP IN SIGHT.
FEDERAL AUDITORS FOUND THE
GREEN HILL SCHOOL IS NOT
MEETING MINIMAL STAFF LEVELS ON
THOSE SHIFTS.
THOSE SHIFTS. >> AND THAT CREATE AS DANGEROUS
ENVIRONMENT FOR THE KIDS AND
THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO WATCH
OVER THEM.
OVER THEM. CHRIS INGALLS IS HERE NOW WITH
MORE ON THAT STORY.
CHRIS?
CHRIS?
CHRIS? >>
CHRIS? >> YES, THE COUNSELORS AND
SECURITY OFFSERS AT THE GREEN
HILL SCHOOL TOLD US THEY DON'T
FEEL SAFE AS THEY WATCH OVER
OUR STATE'S MOST VIOLENT
JUVENILE OFFENDERS.
JUVENILE OFFENDERS. SINCE OUR FIRST STORY AIRED IN
FEBRUARY, THE STATE IS PLEDGING
BIG CHANGES TO ITS YEW NILERY
HABILITATION PROGRAM A WARNING
SOME OF THE VIDEO IN THIS STORY
IS GRAPHIC.
IS GRAPHIC. GEE BEHIND THE RAZOR WIRE AND
TALL FENCES SINCES THE GREEN
HILL -- SITS THE GREEN HILL
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL. IT IS THE STATE'S ONLY MAXIMUM
SECURITY FACILITY FOR OLDER
MALE JUVENILES.
MALE JUVENILES. THE SECURITY CAMERAS CAPTURE
WHAT HAPPENS ON THE INSIDE.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE NEARLY
500 ASSAULTS REPORTED AT GREEN
HILL DURING A TWO-YEAR PERIOD,
ACCORDING TO RECORDS OBTAINED
BY THE KING 5 INVESTIGATORS.
>> MY LIFE WAS IN DANGER,
DEFINITELY.
DEFINITELY. IT WAS LIKE WATCHING MYSELF
DYING.
DYING.
DYING. I
DYING. I JUST -- I WAS BEING HIT AND
KNOCKED OUT.
KNOCKED OUT. >> Reporter: AND SCRIES STUBBLE
LFIELD IS THE SECURITY OFFICER
BLIND SIDED BY A 17-YEAR-OLD
OFFENDER IN THIS VIDEO.
>> IT IS NOT A SAFE PLACE TO
WORK.
WORK.
WORK. >>
WORK. >> Reporter: HE WAS WORKING
ALONE IN THIS HOUSING UNIT.
>> AND SOME WINGS WERE LEFT
WITH LIKE ONE PERSON THAT MAY
HAVE HAD 12 TO 16 RESIDENTS.
>> Reporter: WERE THEY LIVING
UP TO THE REQUIRED STAFF RATIO?
>> I DON'T BELIEVE THEY WERE.
>> Reporter: THAT IS CONFIRMED
IN THE PAGES OF THIS NEW
FEDERAL AUDIT.
FEDERAL AUDIT. GREEN HILL IS REQUIRED TO FILL
RATIOS OF ONE STAFF MEMBER FOR
EVERY EIGHT OFFENDERS DURING
WAKING HOURS.
WAKING HOURS. BUT THE AUDITOR FOUND THE
SCHOOL FALLING SHORT, STAFFING
RATIOS ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE ON
EVERY SHIFT, EVERY DAY,
CREATING AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT.
>> IT WAS MY NUMBER ONE
STAFFING NEED AND THE NUMBER
ONE BUDGET ISSUE WE HAD COMING
INTO LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
>> Reporter: THE SECRETARY OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH,
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
HE SAYS HE IS DISTURBED BY THE
NUMBER OF ASSAULTS AT GREEN
HILL.
HILL.
HILL. >>
HILL. >> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL
WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE
COMMITTED MORE VIOLENT CRIMES.
OUR JOB IS TO KEEP EVERYBODY
SAFE AND I THOUGHT I NEEDED
MORE STAFF IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
>> Reporter: THEY INHERITED
GREEN HILL MORE THAN TWO MONTHS
AGO.
AGO.
AGO. THE
AGO. THE DEPARTMENT OPERATED THREE
LARGE JUVENILE FACILITIES
ACROSS THE STATE UNTIL JULY.
THAT IS WHEN A LONG PLANNED
TRANSFER WAS HANDED TURNOVER
THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN,
YOUTH AND FAMILIES, HUNTED IR'S
DEPARTMENT.
DEPARTMENT. >> WE THINK IF WE KEEP YOUTH
SAFE FROM VIOLENCE THAT WILL
ALSO KEEP STAFF SAFE.
>> Reporter: HUNTER SAID HIS
TOP PRIORITY WAS ADDING MORE
STAFF FOR JUVENILE
REHABILITATION.
REHABILITATION. >> WE GOT 57 NEW STAFFERS TO
SPREAD ACROSS OUR FACILITIES
THAT STARTED IN JULY FIVE WEEKS
AGO.
AGO.
AGO. >>
AGO. >> Reporter: THOSE 57 NEW
POSITIONS ARE BEING FILLED NOW
COSTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
MORE PER YEAR.
HUNTER ADMITS THERE ARE OTHER
HURDLES TO FACE.
THE PAY IS LOW.
SALARIES START AT $36,000, AND
EMPLOYEE TURN OVER AT THE
STATE'S JUVENILE FACILITIES IS
HIGH.
HIGH.
HIGH. >>
HIGH. >> IF WE'RE GOING TO TEACH
STAFF HOW TO BE COMPETENT
COUNSELORS, COMPETENT
COUNSELORS, COMPETENT THERAPISTS TO DO THE KIND OF
BEHAVIOR THERAPY THAT WE KNOW
THAT IS THE STATE OF THE ART IN
THIS BUSINESS, WE'RE GOING TO
NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A
STABLE AND A REALLY SUPER WELL
TRAINED WORK FORCE TO DO THAT.
>> Reporter: THEY ARE WORKING
WITH A CHALLENGING POPULATION.
THE TEAM THAT STRUCK CHRIS
STUBBLEFIELD ATTACKED ANOTHER
SECURITY OFFICER SEVEN MONTHS
LATER.
LATER.
LATER. THIS TIME, AS YOU CAN SEE IN
THIS VIDEO, THERE HAPPENED TO
BE TWO STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT
AND A MUCH DIFFERENT OUTCOME AS
THE KID IS WRESTLED UNDER
CONTROL.
CONTROL.
CONTROL. IT IS THE THIRD TIME DARIUS
BRUTTEN ASSAULTED A STAFF
MEMBER.
MEMBER.
MEMBER. >> WE CAN'T LOCK HIM AWAY.
WE CAN'T KEEP HIM IN HIS ROOM
AT ALL TIMES.
>> Reporter: THE GREEN HILL
SUPERINTENDENT SAYS IT
HIGHLIGHT AS DIFFICULT MISSION
TO TREAT YOUNG OFFENDERS AND
NOT JUST PUNISH THEM.
>> IF STAFF DON'T FEEL SAFE, IF
YOUTH DON'T FEEL SURVEILLANCE,
THEN GOOD TREATMENT CAN OCCUR
THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE.
>> Reporter: THERE IS A TREND
AGAINST LOCKING UP JUVENILE
OFFENDERS, SO THE POPULATION
HAS GONE DOWN THAT MEANS THE
OFFENDERS WHO ARE THERE ARE THE
MOST VIOLENT AND THAT IS WHERE
SECRETARY HUNTER SAYS HE WANT
AS FULLY STAFFED, WELL TRAINED
STAFF ACROSS THE STATE.
>> I THINK MOST VIEWERS WOULD
SAY THAT IS A HARD VIDEO TO
WATCH AND IT ELICITS AN ANGER
AND EMOTION INSIDE YOU.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT HAPPENED
TO THE KID?
>> Reporter: SO HE HAS BEEN
CONVICTED OF ASSAULT TWICE IN
ADULT COURT, BUT HE IS STILL
HOUSED AT GREEN HILL.
THERE IS A NEW AUDIT THAT
ALLOWS THE OFFENDERS TO STAY IN
JUVENILE DETENTION UNTIL AGE 25
INSTEAD OF 21.
THE THOUGHT IS ADULT PRISON CAN
BE DAMAGING TO YOUNG OFFENDERS.
IF