Juvenile Injustice, Tennessee
Where Kids Meet the Rule of Law
Children in Rutherford County have been arrested and jailed at rates unparalleled in the state. We’re investigating how that happened — and other ways the justice system there singles out children.
Listen to All Episodes of “The Kids of Rutherford County”
ProPublica presents the complete podcast series “The Kids of Rutherford County” in partnership with Serial and WPLN Nashville Public Radio.
Local Reporting Network
The Head of a Tennessee Youth Detention Center Will Step Down After “Loss of Confidence” in His Leadership
A 2023 investigation by WPLN News and ProPublica found that Richard L. Bean was illegally locking kids up alone in cells. A new scandal has forced his resignation.
Local Reporting Network
Tennessee Lawmakers Demand an Audit of Juvenile Detention Facilities, Citing “Culture Of Lawlessness”
Following reporting from WPLN and ProPublica, the state lawmakers said there is a “culture of lawlessness” inside Knoxville’s Richard L. Bean Center and called for an audit throughout the system.
Local Reporting Network
Juvenile Detention Center That Illegally Jailed Kids Now Will Answer to an Oversight Board
The board is being put in place after a Nashville Public Radio/ProPublica investigation detailed how Tennessee's Rutherford County was jailing children at rates unmatched in the state.
Local Reporting Network
Tennessee Judge Who Illegally Jailed Children Plans to Retire, Will Not Seek Reelection
Since 2000, Judge Donna Scott Davenport has overseen juvenile justice in Rutherford County. Following reporting from Nashville Public Radio and ProPublica, public outcry and a bill seeking to oust the judge, Davenport announced her retirement.
Local Reporting Network
Members of Congress Are Asking For an Investigation Into Rutherford County’s Juvenile Court
Government officials called Rutherford County’s juvenile justice system a “nightmare” that “boggles the mind.” They are demanding answers about why children were “unjustly searched, detained, charged, and imprisoned.”
Local Reporting Network
Outrage Grows Over Jailing of Children as Tennessee University Cuts Ties With Judge Involved
In the days following a ProPublica and Nashville Public Radio report on juvenile justice in Rutherford County, the president of Middle Tennessee State University told staff Judge Donna Scott Davenport “is no longer affiliated with the University.”
Local Reporting Network
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