COLUMBUS, Ohio—More than 15 percent of juveniles behind bars in Ohio reported being forced or coerced into sexual activity with another youth or staff member in the previous year, according to a newly released U.S. Department of Justice survey. That’s the worst rate in the nation and is more than twice the national average, according to
More than a decade ago, rampant sexual abuse inside Texas’ youth lockups forced the state to reform its scandal-plagued juvenile justice system. Children who committed misdemeanors were no longer sent to state lockups with a documented history of failing to keep them safe. That and other changes radically reduced the number of juveniles in the custody
As an officer at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility, Daniel Zorzi’s job has been to guard and protect the 140 women incarcerated at the South Burlington prison. But for more than six years, according to colleagues and inmates, he has routinely used cocaine and other stimulants while on duty. “You would see it in his
I’ve got a big family and lots of friends, so every year I send tons of holiday greetings. But two weeks ago, I spent most of the day writing cards to people I’ve never met—and these messages felt as special as any that I’ve ever written. That’s because they were for some of the most
Signs posted throughout Vermont’s prisons encourage victims of sexual misconduct, physical violence and discrimination to dial what’s known as the Offender Reporting Line. “It is never too late to report!” one sign reads. But unlike similar hotlines at prisons throughout the U.S., Vermont’s does not connect to an independent, third-party organization. Rather, callers are directed