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Juvenile justice systems in Tennessee are shrouded in secrecy, making it difficult for reporters to cover them. However, this secrecy can also shield the adults in charge from accountability. Tennessee has 98 juvenile courts with judges who have a lot of discretion in making decisions about cases. The lack of a right to a jury trial for kids means that judges have unchecked authority. The article highlights instances of children being treated like adults in the justice system, with harsh punishments and violations of their rights. The hope for juvenile courts was rehabilitation, but the reality is often closer to the adult system. The article also discusses the lack of access to lawyers for children and the push for harsher sentences for children in Tennessee. Some places, like Nashville, have implemented restorative justice programs for youth offenders as an alternative to the court system. Overall, the article raises concerns about the treatment of children in the juvenile justice system and the need for reform. [Extracted from the article]

After ProPublica and Nashville Public Radio wrote about Rutherford County's juvenile justice system in October, state lawmakers called the system a "nightmare" and "unchecked barbarism." Donna Scott Davenport, the only juvenile court judge in Rutherford County's history, has overseen the juvenile justice system since first winning election in 2000. Tennessee's Rutherford County, which has been widely criticized for its juvenile justice system, has been jailing Black children at a disproportionately high rate, according to newly obtained data. [Extracted from the article]

After ProPublica and Nashville Public Radio wrote about Rutherford County's juvenile justice system, state lawmakers called the system a "nightmare" and "unchecked barbarism." Rates unmatched in the state This article was produced for ProPublica's Local Reporting Network in partnership with Nashville Public Radio. [Extracted from the article]

Donna Scott Davenport, the juvenile court judge at the center of a controversy over the arrest and detention of children in Rutherford County, Tennessee, has announced that she will step down this year rather than run for reelection. Following reporting from Nashville Public Radio and ProPublica, public outcry and a bill seeking to oust the judge, Davenport announced her retirement Tennessee Judge Who Illegally Jailed Children Plans to Retire, Will Not Seek Reelection: Since 2000, Judge Donna Scott Davenport has overseen juvenile justice in Rutherford County. [Extracted from the article]

That investigation included interviews with the school's principal, Tammy Garrett, and 13 police officers, including Chrystal Templeton (who was interviewed twice for a total of seven hours), Chris Williams, Albert Miles III, Jeff Carroll and five higher-ups. Not that she could recall, Davenport said, adding, "I don't micromanage her." Mothershead asked about Davenport's orders to law enforcement to take children to the detention center upon arrest. Almost Nothing Happened to the Adults in Charge: Judge Donna Scott Davenport oversees a juvenile justice system in Rutherford County, Tennessee, with a staggering history of jailing children. In August 2000 -- less than three months after the story was published -- Rutherford County elected Davenport to the newly created job of juvenile court judge. Chrystal Templeton, the police officer investigating the video, wanted to arrest every kid who watched the fight and "get them all in front" of Davenport, she would say later during an internal police investigation. [Extracted from the article]