ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Auditor’s Office recently completed an investigation of the St. Louis Justice Center, which revealed various concerns with public safety and services offered within the facility.
The auditor’s investigation follows various complaints into staffing, training, meals, healthcare, and investigations related to detainee deaths over the last few years.
One main focus of the investigation was the Detention Facilities Oversight Board. According to an auditor’s report of the investigation, shared with FOX 2, the Detention Facilities Oversight Board misinterpreted and improperly misused federal laws to “circumvent the oversight authority.”
The oversight board has also struggled to complete investigations. A committee tasked with overseeing the jail has received 74 complaints on conditions since 2022, and none of the complaints have been fully investigated, per the auditor’s report.
The investigation noted that a poor reputation and low salaries have led to staffing challenges within the facility. The inmate-to-staff ratio has reportedly nearly doubled from 4:1 to 8:1 over the last two years.
After several reported detainee deaths, the investigation also evaluated the scope of healthcare services. The auditor says that the City of St. Louis sought a new healthcare provider in July 2023, eventually contracting with Physician Correctional USA. The city was previously working with a provider known YesCare, which “indicated detainees were not going through the appropriate intake process,” which limited access to “necessary health screenings,” according to the report.
The report concluded that there was no indication of fraud, but asserts that concerns around jail operations, like board oversight and healthcare, are likely linked to staffing issues.
The auditor’s office also clarified the findings were part of an investigation rather than an official audit, though noted that healthcare and staffing concerns would be addressed in any future audits.
