State senator calls for reform of Florida’s juvenile justice system

Chronic low wages in Florida’s juvenile justice detention centers led to a bizarre system in which detainees were “rewarded” with sweets and other considerations for abuse against other detainees at the behest of the facilities’ officers. The underlying problem, the Miami Herald details in a six-part series, is chronic low wages.

The state offers starting detention officers $12.25 an hour to protect and supervise youths. That’s $25,479.22 a year for a new recruit. Private contractors who oversee programs where detained teens serve their sentences often pay less than that. TrueCore Behavioral Solutions, the largest provider, offers new hires $19,760.

• Read more at the Miami Herald