Juvenile Justice System Expert Witness Testifies On Jail Conditions

Juvenile justice system expert witness Paul DeMuro testified in a Polk County, FL, federal trial over the constitutional rights of juveniles at the Polk County jail and the conditions under which they are held. Representing the Southern Poverty Law Center in a class action suit, DeMuro described conditions at the jail, including the use of pepper spray and inadequate supervision. A security camera captured a young detainee being punched and kicked by fellow cellmates and then Polk County deputies spraying them with pepper spray.

Mr. DeMuro has over forty-one years experience working on juvenile justice and child welfare issues. He serves as a senior consultant to the Annie E. Casey Foundation and to the National Juvenile Detention Association.