CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- The state audit digging into the heavily-scrutinized Chesterfield County juvenile detention center was released on Friday, with its more than 100 pages outlining several systemic issues the facility faces. The Bon Air Juvenile Corrections Center (JCC), located in Chesterfield County, houses residents between the ages of 14 and 20 who have been committed there by the juvenile justice system in connection with a crime. The facility has been under heavy scrutiny after multiple fires were started by residents at the facility earlier this year. In the wake of these incidents, lawmakers advocated for an independent review of the JCC's operations, staffing, programming and mental health services. Such an investigation was ultimately ordered by the Office of the Governor in May. After performing its investigation, the Office of the State Inspector General (OSIG) released a 102-page report detailing its findings on Friday, Dec. 5. PREVIOUS: ‘Unruly and noncompliant’: New details on Bon Air correctional center incident OSIG noted 18 different areas of concern throughout the facility, with many of them having to do with a lack of documentation of required activities. For example, state auditors could find no evidence that wellness checks had been carried out for dozens of residents, nor could they find evidence that important therapies -- like those for aggressive residents or sex offenders -- were performed in many cases. In the audit, as well as in a statement provided to 8News, the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) stated its firm belief that these gaps in documentation are just that: issues with paperwork, not with services. "We are proud to relay that all of the OSIG findings are related to documentation and resource deficiencies and do not reflect or support a lapse in supervision or service delivery to the detriment of any youth in our care," the DJJ said in its statement. However, OSIG said that, without proper documentation, there is "no way to determine" with certainty that services have in fact been provided. Some of Virginia’s most vulnerable allowed to die without anyone trying to save them: dLCV Still, the DJJ said it feels this audit "confirmed that the allegations against Bon AIR JCC were unfounded." "The dedicated staff at Bon Air JCC have long-suffered misconceptions and unsubstantiated allegations from entities lacking in-depth knowledge of the workings of the Department or Bon Air," DJJ said in its statement. "It is refreshing to see, that even after a large team of people dedicated months solely to reviewing the activities at Bon Air, many of the allegations lobbed against the facility and facility staff were unsubstantiated. There was no evidence or indication of instances of harm, mistreatment or danger uncovered." Keep scrolling for a deeper look into some of the OSIG's findings. No evidence residents in confinement were being checked on At times, residents may need to be confined behind a secure door due to behavioral or health issues, such as when they are exhibiting self-injurious behavior. During those periods, JCC staff are meant to monitor residents regularly and perform visual checks on them to ensure they are well. Virginia Administrative Code mandates these checks be performed every 30 minutes, but DJJ procedure states they should occur every 15 minutes. Watchdog for regional energy grid files complaint urging delay of data centers OSIG examined the documentation for these checks over the course of a random 32 days. During that time, 18 residents were in confinement. On one of the 32 days, confinement monitoring forms -- which are used to track these visual checks -- could not be found, per OSIG. Of the 37 forms filed during that period, all but 10 of them lacked any evidence to support that the check ever occurred. "Confinement monitoring forms are the only daily record of each individual resident’s visual checks while confined behind a secure door on their units," state auditors said. "Without the confinement monitoring forms documenting the visual checks, there is no way to determine if confinement monitoring is properly performed." How to protect yourself against healthcare scams this open enrollment season Within the audit, the DJJ asserted that this was purely a paperwork error. "While the gaps in the documentation observed in the audit demonstrates a documentation error, because the staff should have documented that the residents left their rooms, it is important to note that the error in documentation does not reflect a lack of supervision," the DJJ said. The DJJ added that, in 26% of the cases examined by DJJ, the resident in question was not in their room and therefore did not require a visual check, explaining those select lapses. Residents were not receiving vital therapies as they should A variety of therapeutic programs are provided to residents at the JCC. This includes individual, substance abuse and aggression management therapies, as well as sex offender treatment. OSIG learned that there were inconsistencies in how these therapies were delivered. Virginia inmates with highest reoffense risk left out of educational programs, JLARC finds State auditors randomly selected 22 residents' treatment records and discovered the following: 14 out of 21 residents meant to receive substance abuse therapy did not receive it appropriately and on time 14 out of 22 residents meant to receive aggression management therapy did not receive it appropriately and on time All 4 residents meant to receive sex offender group treatment did not receive all of the sessions required 18 out of the 22 residents did not receive all of their individual therapy sessions at least once a month Significant delays were discovered within the substance abuse and aggression management therapies. Several residents did not start these therapies until five or more months into their stay at the JCC, while others had months-long breaks between sessions. In multiple cases, residents had their treatments marked as complete when they had not, in fact, completed all of their sessions, OSIG said. "By not providing therapeutic services in a timely and appropriate manner, treatment integrity and resident rehabilitation outcomes are compromised potentially delaying progress, increasing the risk of behavioral relapse and reducing Bon Air’s ability to meet its clinical and rehabilitative mandates," state auditors said. Family learns details of loved one’s murder at Greensville Correctional after finding article online, VADOC keeping them in the dark In its response, the DJJ asserted that OSIG found "nothing to indicate actual outcomes [for residents] were impacted." "Documentation alone does not provide important context to the import and flexible structure of mental health treatment and interventions," the DJJ said. "All DJJ procedures (not regulations) can be waived as necessary by designated individuals." The DJJ added that many residents, when they first arrive at the JCC, are "acting out behaviorally and are unable to participate appropriately in a group setting," thus facilitating individual therapies over group ones. Residents were not attending classes as they should State auditors found that residents enrolled in the facility's educational programs were either late or absent from classes, with some students failing to attend certain classes altogether. "High rates of missed and late classes were observed, with significant variation between residents and subjects, which suggests a systemic issue with attendance management and not merely isolated student behavior," state auditors said. According to the audit, 76% of residents maintain attendance rates below 75% across all classes, while 64% had at least one class with attendance at 50% or less. Additionally, 20% of the 25 residents’ classes had an attendance rate of 50% or less. Meanwhile, 72% of residents were late to at least 20% of sessions in one or more classes, the audit found. Babysitter arrested on charges of sexual assault involving child in his care in Albemarle During classroom observations, all 10 residents reportedly arrived late, and none of these were documented in PowerSchool, though auditors believe the actual number may be higher. None arrived before the end of the 30-minute transition period, per the audit. The earliest arrival was seven minutes late, and the latest was 59 minutes late. The audit identifies multiple reasons for students' punctuality issues, including resident movement and logistical inefficiencies, which appear to be the main contributors to students' punctuality. Other factors contributing to attendance issues include behavioral issues, court appearances and room confinement. "Inconsistent attendance and tardiness diminish residents’ access to learning opportunities, hinder educational progress and may lead to noncompliance with state academic standards," OSIG said. "Incomplete or inaccurate attendance documentation limits Bon Air’s ability to correctly monitor engagement, identify systemic barriers and ensure accountability in its educational program." PHOTOS: Central Virginia gets first snow of the season Despite logistics, many residents in correctional education also face learning gaps, disabilities and limited resources, though OSIG believes poor attendance and engagement may have broader implications for rehabilitation outcomes. Further, state auditors noted that poor attendance and engagement can impact rehabilitation outcomes -- meaning residents who attend fewer classes could be more likely to reoffend after release. Little evidence residents received valuable exercise Auditors learned that documentation of large-muscle exercise is inconsistent, with it considered difficult to confirm whether residents regularly received daily access to the required physical activity at all. Though not regularly documented, DJJ management said that they were confident that exercise was offered. Virginia in top 15 states where families with a stay-at-home parent need high income "Without proper documentation or consistent access to large muscle exercise, DJJ cannot ensure the physical needs of residents are being met," state auditors said. The audit states that every instance of large muscle activity needs to be documented. However, management argues that documentation should only apply during room confinement periods, not when residents can move freely around the facility. Well-being of residents in special housing could not be verified Residents may be temporarily placed in special housing to ensure the safety of the resident or others in the facility and to maintain security. The audit found deficiencies in procedure updates, documentation and monitoring. Special Housing Procedure categories include: Pre-hearing detention Disciplinary segregation Administrative hold Investigative hold Protective custody Intensive behavior redirection unit 4 arrested after raids on Petersburg vape shops "With these noted deficiencies, there is the inability for DJJ management to verify the safety and well-being of residents placed in special housing as well as the potential for violations of resident rights," state auditors said. The existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are outdated, and as a result, the procedures for reviewing and managing special housing placements have not been updated to reflect changes or best practices. Other documentation issues include typed signatures instead of handwritten signatures, incomplete documentation -- such as the resident review section -- and inconsistent monitoring. OSIG also found lapses in the required 15-minute checks -- observed in 50% of the administrative hold placements -- as well as a lack of documentation confirming that each resident had been visited by health services staff within the required 24-hour window. Chester laboratory settles $758K over alleged doctor kickbacks for lab referrals: DOJ While DJJ management mostly agreed with the findings, they said handwritten signatures are not always required and that strict requirements could hinder the process, as forms are often completed outside regular hours or require approval from staff who are not on-site. Incidents, grievances not documented properly Incidents reported ensure that all events that threaten the safety and well-being of staff and residents. Auditors found that DJJ's process for its internal investigations of incidents and grievances is "not operating in accordance with DJJ policy." Paper forms often lack the required information. Of 89 grievances and IIR forms reviewed, 23 were not signed or dated by the appropriate persons, with these most notably being related to non-critical incidents. Some forms did not include the incident type, the name of the person who completed the report, the juveniles or staff involved and the action taken following the report. Former Patient First nurse faces dozens of felony charges after allegedly tampering with pain medication in Colonial Heights OSIG identified exceptions for 80% non-critical incidents, 57% serious incidents and 76% grievances tested. "Without complete and accurate documentation, DJJ cannot evidence that incidents and grievances are addressed completely or timely," state auditors said. "Untimely reporting and documentation of incidents and grievances can jeopardize resident and staff safety." The department has worked to address these deficiencies in the documentation process, with monthly meetings with the disability law clinic, carbon copy grievance forms and incorporated training into the field training discussion and increased staff coaching. Lacking evidence that some resident concerns were properly resolved After reviewing Resident Advisory (RAC) monthly meeting minutes, auditors found that documentation and follow-up practices require improvement. Of the 22 concerns, the audit notes insufficient evidence to determine whether a follow-up even happened or that anything was done to resolve said problem. Only one follow-up was documented, but it was unclear whether the outcome had occurred, while seven had no evidence of whether either had occurred. "Documentation should be clear, complete, and structured in a way that facilitates transparency, accountability and auditability," state auditors said. "This includes maintaining records that clearly identify the concern, responsible parties, action steps and resolution status to ensure timely and appropriate responses." LIST: Heaviest Richmond snowfalls ever recorded Auditors found that the facility has not implemented procedures for documenting and tracking concerns raised during these RAC meetings. The DJJ mentioned that some concerns may not have a "feasible resolution in the control of the JCC or agency," so they said the best remedy would be to establish a platform for residents to voice concerns. However, DJJ noted that some concerns are specific to individual residents and may need to be addressed on an individual level -- not a facility-wide level. High turnover creates instability within facility From July 1, 2020 to Aug. 1, 2025, OSIG examined the DJJ workforce, focusing on hiring and separations, employee tenure and compensation data. In the fiscal year 2022, OSIG found that DJJ experienced an increase in both hiring and separations, though employee tenure has also declined, particularly among Juvenile Correctional Specialists (JCS). Chart outlining employee hirings and separations at Bon Air Juvenile Justice Center (JCC) in recent years. (Chart provided by the Office of the State Inspector General)Chart outlining the length of tenure at which employees are separating from Bon Air Juvenile Justice Center (JCC) in recent years. (Chart provided by the Office of the State Inspector General)Chart outlining employee tenure at Bon Air Juvenile Justice Center (JCC) in recent years. (Chart provided by the Office of the State Inspector General) "High turnover and short tenure among JCS’[s] impact DJJ’s ability to maintain a stable, experienced workforce that has experience with the challenges of Bon Air residents," state auditors said. A turnover analysis showed that 56% of separations occurred within the first two years of employment, with nearly 43% occurring within the first six months. JCS operates under a model that requires continuous engagement with youth, de-escalation and rehabilitative programming. Effective workforce management practices emphasize employee retention, adequate compensation, and job alignment to ensure continuity of operations and institutional knowledge retention, and service quality. Virginia Democrats to hold firehouse primary for Richmond senate race — but what does that mean? State auditors pointed to systemic and structural factors contributing to these challenges, including limited control over salary structures and job classifications, the demand for specialized skills and emotional labor for JCS. However, the audit notes that they have not fully addressed the reasons behind these early separations. As a result, high turnover and short tenure among JCS staff continue to affect DJJ's ability to maintain a stable, experienced workforce. Fragmented health record system risks resident safety, care As of the time of the audit, the facility does not have a comprehensive health records system and information must be obtained from several sources, including both paper and online records. "The current health information system’s design impairs the ability of providers to deliver cohesive, informed, and timely care which places residents at an elevated risk," state auditors said. For instance, required documentation, such as the Treatment Plan and Initial Suicide Risk Assessment, was missing in three BHR records, or a different resident’s risk assessment was found in the record in one case. These Virginia laws are going into effect Jan. 1, 2026 According to the audit, the lack of integration is due to legacy practices separating behavioral and medical health documentation. Since there is no electronic health record (EHR), they need separate record systems -- though they have different levels of access to physical locations within the facility. Despite these findings, the DJJ highlighted that none of the risks have impacted the youth as described. The department submitted a budget request for the 2026 General Assembly Session to procure an EHR system. Noted failures to prepare the facility for emergencies Despite some fire, evacuation and AWOL drills conducted between July 1, 2024, and Aug. 1, 2025, OSIG identified several significant gaps in emergency preparedness documentation. According to the audit, A Break Night Shift did not conduct any fire or evacuation drills, and no AWOL drills were conducted for the first two quarters of fiscal year 2025. Other concerns include missing mass disaster or medical emergency drills, no tabletop exercises for major scenarios and missing annual exercise documentation. OSIG noted earlier in the report that there was little evidence residents even received valuable exercise from management ue to a lack of documentation. 17-year-old girl killed, another injured in Henrico shooting "Additionally, while emergencies occurred during the audit period, OSIG was unable to assess whether these incidents were recorded or reported, as DJJ did not provide the requested documentation," state auditors said. The lack of documentation for these evaluations and drills suggests that DJJ and Bon Air may not be fully complying with established emergency preparedness requirements and protocols, increasing the risk that staff and residents could be unprepared for certain emergency scenarios. "In the event of an actual emergency, such as a fire, medical crisis or security threat, this lack of preparedness could result in delayed response times, confusion among staff and increased risk of harm to residents and personnel," OSIG said. "It also represents a missed opportunity to learn from real incidents and improve future responses." Procedures found to be more than a decade out of date The report states that Salaried Juvenile Corrections Specialist employees should complete a 28-day work cycle timesheet signed by them and their supervisor, then enter it into Virginia's enterprise resource planning system. The audit notes that some of time sheets selected for review were no longer available for testing, most were not signed by the employee and half did not match amounts paid in the system for overtime premiums. Icy roads and flight delays create travel headaches across Central Virginia Out of the 10 timesheets not paid correctly, they experienced the following: Six were not paid overtime correctly Three were not paid premiums correctly One was not paid overtime and premiums correctly OSIG was told by DJJ that procedures had not been updated "due to the lengthy process that is required," as well as "changes in management over the past years." The lack of an updated procedure increases the risk of operational inefficiencies, increases confusion, could hinder uniform treatment and expose Bon Air to a higher risk of non-compliance. What happens now? The DJJ concurred with 15 of the 18 findings presented by OSIG and plans to implement corrective actions between Dec. 31 of this year and Dec. 31, 2026. "As anticipated, OSIG identified many of the struggles we have been battling," the DJJ said. "We are pleased their recommendations acknowledge our resource hurdles, and also that their work uncovered previously unidentified insight into documentation and process deficiencies. While we occasionally disagreed with the interpretation of their observations, we agreed with all of their recommendations for improvement. Perfection is a goal, and not often a reality in any correctional facility. We look forward to enthusiastically incorporating their recommendations and enacting our corrective action plans." ...read more read less