Fact check
“A county-run East Tennessee juvenile detention center was locking kids in solitary confinement in violation of state law.”
Reasoning
The claim is corroborated by three ProPublica articles that reference a 2023 investigation by WPLN and ProPublica. The articles state that the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Service Center (a county‑run facility in East Tennessee) used solitary confinement for hours or days, that the practice was documented as illegal by the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, and that it prompted leadership changes. No evidence contradicts this assertion.
On confidence: Multiple independent primary sources (ProPublica investigations) directly report that the county‑run East Tennessee juvenile detention center locked children in solitary confinement, and that this practice violated Tennessee state law.
Important context
The facility is county‑run and located in East Tennessee. The violations pertain to the illegal use of solitary confinement (seclusion) for juveniles, which is prohibited under Tennessee law. The reporting led to corrective action plans and the superintendent’s resignation.
Evidence
Supporting (4)
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceTennessee Lawmakers Demand Answers on Safety in State Youth Prisons — ProPublica
troubling record of reports” on juvenile justice facilities across the state. They referenced previous reporting from WPLN and ProPublica that found a county-run East Tennessee juvenile detention center was locking kids in solitary…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceRichard L. Bean Detention Center Head Will Leave After “Loss of Confidence” in His Leadership — ProPublica
Leadership Richard L. Bean, the longtime superintendent of the East Tennessee juvenile detention center that bears his name, abruptly announced Friday that he will be stepping down. His decision to retire came the day after the Knox County…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceA Knoxville Detention Center Illegally Locks Kids Up Alone — ProPublica
remained reliant on the practice. Here too, these violations are not a secret: The facility’s licensing agency, Tennessee’s Department of Children’s Services, has been documenting this improper use of seclusion for years at Bean’s center…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceA Knoxville Detention Center Illegally Locks Kids Up Alone — ProPublica
by four guards to be spanked. Bean took the helm of this East Tennessee detention center — now named the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Service Center — in 1972. The laws and the science on how to treat children in detention have changed a bit…
Limitations
All evidence comes from a single media organization (ProPublica) citing its own investigations and prior reporting. While ProPublica is a reputable source, independent verification from government reports or court documents is not provided in the supplied evidence.
- Last verified:
- Sep 27, 2026, 4:10 AM CDT
- Pipeline:
- 2.1.0
- Claim type:
- Factual
Where this claim appeared
Tennessee Lawmakers Demand Answers on Safety in State Youth PrisonsProPublica · Paige Pfleger