Senators ask SC’s top prosecutor to probe scathing DJJ audit for possible violations

A South Carolina Senate panel looking into an audit of the state agency that houses and educates juvenile offenders — damning, they say, in its detail of failures of the agency to protect youth — has now asked S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson to probe the same report to decide whether anyone may have acted “improperly or criminally.”

The request comes one day after senators blasted the agency, whose director, Freddie Pough, has acknowledged the yearslong problems at the state Department of Juvenile Justice and told reporters he is trying to fix them.

“We were shocked to hear many of the disturbing findings, ranging from potentially covering up instances of sexual assault and abuse to falsifying records and misuse of funds,” the six-member Senate Corrections and Penology Committee wrote to Wilson Thursday in a letter provided to The State.

“We intend to continue meeting until we are satisfied that the children and correctional staff at DJJ are safe and supported and can further ensure the accountability of management and leadership.”

The Legislative Audit Council released its 178-page report on the state agency earlier this month, meant to document what, if any, progress the juvenile justice department had made since 2017 when a previous review led to the resignation of the previous director.

Gov. Henry McMaster has continued to stand by Pough after the audit was released, as recently as Wednesday when he announced $12 million in federal spending out of his discretionary education account to expand juvenile delinquency prevention programs.

DJJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This is a developing story. It will be updated.