behind the walls of the W
detention facility downto
unfolds every day. You go
I'm going to go do my job
to risk my life while doi
and former staff inside t
the whistle on a problem
so bad it has put everyon
way, even though the resi
many of them are accused
crimes as the jail inmate
the street, Carjacking, F
murder. For more than two
worked here as a juvenile
tasked with keeping resid
When she started, she was
well the Jdf was run, but
Starting with the pandemi
while the number of resid
it just seems like the bo
shift. I would say we wer
20 individuals, even thou
staff in the building now
sustaining injuries since
of staff attacked inside
tripled from 11 in 2019 t
This current employees sp
because the county would
to do an interview. He sa
short supply, they are re
work 16 hour shifts, five
want the kids to know how
are. They already know we
We just don't want them t
is made up of 10 pods tha
in their own locked rooms
are supposed to be assign
because of severe underst
are lucky to have just on
you the only employee wor
Daily. All five days of m
only person on a pot and
multiple pods. I would li
pods and there would be n
so I'm like, Hey, you kno
And the kids are telling
staff over here. Destinin
detention specialist unti
to the facility as a prob
How often were they poppi
every other day, every we
is when a resident breaks
by jamming something in t
the lock itself to make i
Staff recently added seco
doors. Now they know how
next. Started putting duc
it harder on May 28 thing
have ever been here. When
to pop his lock and gain
keys, triggering what sta
was able to get out of hi
other residents out of th
completely damaged anythi
Employees feared for thei
to an internal investigat
telling staff we are outn
most of them women were o
At least one refused comi
being beaten. The riot la
By the time it was over 1
from four different pods
treatment and thousands o
property was destroyed. T
surprised by this. Not at
to get get to the point w
How many, how many GS are
do you have hired that ar
I'd have to go back and l
our, from our personnel d
Fernandez is the division
County juvenile and youth
she knew our interview wa
at the JFF, she came unpr
basic questions or provid
simply wrong. We have abo
are 25% vacancies. As of
much worse than that. The
show that of 109 budgeted
detention specialists. On
meaning well more than 60
vacant. Often staff tell
male staffer working on a
There is no requirement b
when it comes to child ca
that dictates um, that th
pattern. I understand, bu
child care. We're talking
have been charged with vi
murder. So is it safe? I
I can't answer that. Unbe
saying she doesn't have a
way she doesn't know that
knows how bad it is, Fern
is doing its best to mana
facilities nationwide. Th
recruiting to hire new em
at least some of today's
when the county opens the
off I-75, hopefully a yea
many employees have grown
for help to arrive. Adria
this year and knows more
the door. It's a matter o
someone is severely, you
needs to change. And just
was yet another attack on
after three juveniles got
one of them punched a fem
in the head who ultimatel
It took wayne county Sher
finally restore order. I'