COVID-19 cases confirmed at juvenile jails in Columbia, SC officials say
Editor’s note: The story has been updated to note that the Department of Juvenile Justice houses hundreds, not thousands, of youth at its facilities.
The ongoing spread of the coronavirus is affecting the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, which houses hundreds of children and teens at correctional facilities across the state.
Some youth locked up in juvenile jails and staff members at the facilities across the state have tested positive for COVID-19, according to DJJ officials.
Two juveniles have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said. One is being held at the Midlands Evaluation Center, while the other is at a community-based residential facility, according to DJJ. Information on where that is located was not available.
Through Sunday, 16 DJJ employees are confirmed to have the virus, officials said. That includes staff working at jails, county offices, administrative offices and alternative placement sites.
At least eight of the employees confirmed to have the coronavirus work in Columbia — with three at the Broad River Road Complex, three at DJJ’s Midlands Evaluation Center and one each at the Juvenile Detention Center and Camp Aspen, officials said.
The Broad River Road Complex is DJJ’s long-term commitment facility with the mission to “protect the public and reclaim juveniles in the least restrictive environment,” officials said. Boys and girls, from 11 to 17 years old, are detained for short terms at the Juvenile Detention Center while awaiting trial on serious and violent charges, according to DJJ.
Three staff members at DJJ county offices have also tested positive, while two at the Coastal Evaluation Center in Ridgeville are confirmed to have the coronavirus. Individual cases have been reported at the Upstate Evaluation Center, Georgetown Marine Institute, and at DJJ’s administrative offices.
Staff members’ test results are self-reported, officials said. Additionally, any residents at the facilities who are not involved with DJJ are not counted in these statistics.
DJJ officials said there is a COVID-19 screening process in place for youth and staff entering the facilities. Officials said some of the protocols in place for the screening includes:
▪ Temperature screenings and symptom checks of all juveniles upon arrival, followed by routine monitoring for development of symptoms
▪ Temperature screenings of all employees and other individuals entering DJJ secure facilities
▪ Regularly sanitizing all “high touch” surfaces in work areas with a disinfectant solution that is approved to kill viruses
▪ Practicing social distancing among youth and staff, avoiding large gatherings, and staff conducting work and meetings remotely when possible
▪ An hourly handwashing routine for staff and youth
▪ Virtual or pre-recorded educational instruction and faith-based services
Staff reserves the right to refuse admission of any juvenile who is severely ill and to require law enforcement staff to take the juvenile to a local hospital, according to DJJ.
Additionally, visits to DJJ facilities were suspended in March, but phone calls and video conferencing were made more available to youth locked up, officials said.
In South Carolina’s adult prison system, 225 inmates and 116 employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Department of Corrections. Of those inmates with COVID-19, 94 have been cleared of the virus, while 75 employees have recovered, prison officials reported.
This story was originally published June 29, 2020 at 12:57 PM.
