Justin Caldwell has been in the clutches of the Florida Dept of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) his entire adolescence. He now sits in the Jackson County Correctional Facility awaiting trial on charges his father says are false.

Justin Caldwell is nearly 19. At 13 he went through a rough time much like other adolescents. Most kids are able to work through their issues with the help and guidance of their parents. This family didn’t get that chance.

At 13 DJJ sentenced Justin to 12-18 mos. in a residential treatment center. Justin is almost 19 and still in custody.

Caldwell said, “During Justin’s nearly 6-yr stint at 2 DJJ facilities my son suffered a broken nose, a broken arm, back problems, staples in his forehead, and bruising. Some of the abuse was caught on video.”

Justin’s not alone. Dawn Chase said, “My son, Christopher Sholly, suffered serious forms of abuse including a broken arm, broken nose, fractures throughout his skull, and mental abuse during his five year stay at DJJ.”

Last February Justin was abused twice in one day. He was allegedly thrown to the floor, sat on by staff, his head beaten against the floor. The second incident sent Justin to the hospital. Part of the second beating and the wiping up of Justin’s blood was caught on video. Staff involved were Officers James Wooden and Alvin Speights.

Speights and Regional Service Admin., John Tallon were fired. DJJ Secretary of Res. Services, Rex Uberman said he was moving his office to the school for boys, stating, "We do have a range of operational problems at Dozier and the whole program needs to go through a rebirth...”

So if Justin was beaten and the beating was caught on video, why does he sit in the adult system awaiting trial, facing time in prison on a charge of battery on a detention staff?

According to Caldwell, “three days after my son was beaten in February, one of his abusers filed false charges against him to exonerate himself and to shift the blame on Justin. While this staff member is still employed at DJJ Justin awaits trial and faces time in adult prison costing my family $15,000 to defend false charges.”

Caldwell added, “My son has spent the past six years including all holidays in this failed system. The boys are not allowed to watch the news or read newspapers, they can’t leave the facility, and they witness abuse of other youth by staff. They live behind walls surrounded by chain-linked fences and razor wire.”

Mark Caldwell, frustrated by the ongoing challenges brought to his family by DJJ and the years lost with his son, concluded, “This is what you define as Justice … Florida is a Zero-Tolerance state when it comes to mistakes our children make. Perhaps Florida should have a Zero-Tolerance policy when it comes to the abuses inflicted on children by the staff DJJ hires inside its facilities.”

Mark ended with, “I want my son home for Thanksgiving. I love my son.” Mark can be reached at (251) 947-9477.

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