Audit Raises Questions About Georgia Detention Facility

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - An audit of the Youth Detention Campus in Augusta questions the facility's emergency response plan, and says the staff is not working closely enough with local law enforcement. The 87-page audit was released to the media through an open records request. The performance audit was conducted in August, nearly two months before five juveniles escaped from the facility last month.

The newspaper reported it took staff more than an hour to begin searching for the youths. Juvenile Justice Commissioner Avery Niles told the newspaper the audit was unacceptable and changes were needed. The facility has been under scrutiny since a youth was found dead in his cell a year ago, and an investigation found his cell door had been left unlocked.