TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Feb 10, 2025

Two Tennessee mothers are urging lawmakers to increase oversight of juvenile detention centers, alleging their sons were subjected to prolonged solitary confinement and coerced into fighting by guards at the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Service Center. A 2023 WPLN and ProPublica investigation alleged the facility violated seclusion laws, a pattern also documented in other county-run juvenile centers across the state. Despite repeated violations cited by the Department of Children's Services (DCS), corrective action has been ineffective, and the Bean Center remains noncompliant with licensing standards, according to WPLN news. Last year, state Sen. Kerry Roberts, R-Springfield, introduced legislation to transfer oversight from DCS to a third-party entity, citing the need for greater transparency and accountability. The measure did not pass but was sent to a summer study committee.