NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A man who operates juvenile detention centers across the state dramatically increased contributions to Tennessee lawmakers after a NewsChannel 5 investigation into solitary confinement in 2019.
That investigation revealed kids were routinely kept in solitary confinement at the Middle Tennessee Juvenile Detention Center in Maury County.
Davidson County's Juvenile Court administrator at the time, Kathy Sinback, told me she was disgusted by what was happening to kids being held at the center.
"They have solitary confinement policies. They force their children to be in their cells for sometimes 23 hours at a time in solitary confinement for no reason," Sinback said in our 2019 report.
She and others questioned why the Tennessee Department of Children's Services, which oversees juvenile facilities, allowed it to happen.
After my reporting, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a law to close the loophole that DCS claimed allowed solitary confinement to continue.
At the same time, the co-owner of Middle Tennessee Juvenile Detention Center, Jason Crews, started significantly ramping up political contributions to Tennessee lawmakers.
You can go through the contributions from the Crews family below.
Crews is also president and CEO of Wayne Halfway House — a separate entity that owns several juvenile detention facilities in the state.
Wayne Halfway House created a political action committee called FOCUS PAC in 2021, and was its only donor, directing more than $160,000 to the PAC over three years.
FOCUS PAC began giving to influential lawmakers, including Governor Bill Lee, who received $25,400 in 2021, and another $7,500 for his inauguration in 2023.
Much of FOCUS PAC's money went to prominent members of the Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Juvenile Justice, which was created after a report showed abuses, including solitary confinement, at the state-run Wilder Youth Development Center.
You can scroll through the contributions from the FOCUS PAC below.
While money went to members of both parties, the committee co-chair Senator Page Walley, R-Savannah, received $17,500 over three years from FOCUS PAC plus more than $7,000 from Jason Crews and his wife.
Representative Ron Gant, R-Piperton, received $8,000 from FOCUS PAC. Representative Andrew Farmer, R-Sevierville, received $4,500 from FOCUS PAC and $2,000 from Crews personally. Rep. Johnny Shaw, D-Bolivar, received $1,500 from FOCUS PAC.
House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, received $13,000 from FOCUS PAC over three years despite not being on the Ad Hoc Committee.
"My personal and company political action committee financial contributions are fully disclosed and within legal requirements. Like countless other businesses and organizations, we are actively engaged in the policy-making process," Jason Crews said in a statement.
But state Sen. Heidi Campbell, D-Nashville, said those significant contributions may go a long way in stopping a bill that would allow outside inspections of juvenile detention centers to make sure solitary confinement is not happening.
I asked, "Is solitary confinement still happening despite the law that was passed a few years ago?"
"Yes. It looks like it wasn't taken care of. It looks like we still have solitary confinement which is a problem," Campbell said.
Campbell cited the report on solitary confinement at the Wilder Youth Development Center and other media reports that show juvenile detention centers keeping kids in their cells for 23 hours a day or more.
"Despite the fact the law was passed it has become evident to me there is no enforcement of that, and we don't have oversight," Campbell said.
She has co-sponsored SB 2860 brought by Republican Sen. Kerry Roberts, R-Springfield, that would allow regular outside inspections of juvenile detention centers.
But Campbell said lobbyists for Wayne Halfway House have made it clear they do not want outside inspections of privately operated juvenile facilities. Roberts' bill passed unanimously in a Senate committee but has stalled in the House.
"It really does seem like that money is affecting the narrative and the decisions we're making here and that should not be the case," Campbell said.
In a recent House committee meeting, Rep. Andrew Farmer, a recipient of Crew's donations, amended the bill in a way supporters say guts it.
"No contribution I take is going to influence my vote," Farmer told NewsChannel 5 Investigates.
Farmer said he just disagreed with the bill, which he called bad policy. He said he has a youth development center in his district, which is run by Crews and "it is run well."
The bill to allow outside inspections of juvenile detention centers is currently in limbo and will be heard in a House committee on Tuesday.
Campbell said a review of recommendations made by the Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Juvenile Justice raises questions about whether Crews could benefit from its proposals, including possible upgrades to his facilities.
"This is just the way things are done up here and Tennesseans need to know that. They need to know what is going on," Campbell said.
Once again, Crews said his donations were legal and publicly documented.
Crews' full statement:
“My personal and company political action committee financial contributions are fully disclosed and within legal requirements. Like countless other businesses and organizations operating within Tennessee’s regulatory arena, we are actively engaged in the policy-making process. We are proud of our service to the State of Tennessee and work daily with the Department of Children’s Services for operational compliance and success.”
