Guard: Gangs are strong in South Carolina’s juvenile prison

By JEFFREY COLLINS
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, SC (AP) — An officer at a juvenile prison in Columbia told lawmakers that gangs are strong in the jail which has led to three riots in the past eight months.

Catherine McKnight told a House committee investigating the Department of Juvenile Justice on Thursday that if the situation isn’t improved children and staffers could be killed.

DJJ Director Sylvia Murray told legislators that the agency hasn’t had a gang intervention specialist in a year and the police chief’s job has been open for almost three years despite having more than $3 million in the bank at the end of last year.

Murray says DJJ is taking steps to protect prisoner and staff safety like implementing stricter discipline, installing sinks that can’t be ripped from walls and housing juveniles based on risk.