DJJ Director Freddie Pough’s resignation ‘past due,’ SC lawmakers say
South Carolina lawmakers said it was about time after Gov. Henry McMaster’s embattled Department of Juvenile Justice Director Freddie Pough resigned Monday.
Pough submitted his letter of resignation Monday, marking the end of his roughly four years leading the agency charged with rehabilitating juvenile offenders.
“Better late than never,” said state Sen. Dick Harpootlian, a staunch opponent of Pough. “It’s painful how long this took. Nobody knows how many children were harmed by his tenure there.”
Harpootlian said he was glad the governor, who had stood by Pough, agreed to the resignation. The Richland Democrat thanked state Sen. Katrina Shealy, a Lexington Republican who remained committed to investigating inadequacies within the agency and headed a subcommittee examining the department’s widespread staffing, training and security problems.
“Thank God for Katrina Shealy because if she had not stayed on this issue religiously ... Freddie Pough would still be out there and the children of this state would still be in jeopardy,” Harpootlian said.
Shealycalled the resignation a “positive step in the right direction,” adding it was “past due.”
Shealy said she is excited to see who the governor ultimately nominates to serve as permanent director of the agency. That person will then have to be confirmed by the Senate.
Until then, Eden Hendrick, an attorney versed in children’s issues, will serve as the acting director.
Shealy said she is looking for a candidate who is willing to work with mental health and other child advocacy organizations to make sure that children under the agency’s care get the correct treatment and aren’t blindly placed in an incarceration setting.
“We need to make sure that our children are being put in the right places to get the services they need,” Shealy said.
Legislative disapproval long predates resignation
Pough faced fierce opposition from some in the Legislature, particularly after an audit was released that found widespread issues at the agency.
In the wake of the audit’s release, senators formed a subcommittee to examine it and asked state Attorney General Alan Wilson to evaluate whether the report turned up any criminal conduct.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Department of Administration began reviewing DJJ’s policies and procedures at the request of the governor.
Lawmakers grilled Pough during an audit subcommittee hearing months ago, when Pough acknowledged that he failed to report incidents of child abuse and neglect to SLED or the Department of Social Services, saying he didn’t know he was required to do so and drawing the fury of some lawmakers.
All five members of the audit subcommittee ultimately issued a vote of no confidence in Pough. The full Senate issued their own vote of no confidence in June, voting 34-4.
“Long overdue, but a big first step in the right direction for the kids and staff who continue to suffer at SC DJJ, thanks to gov @henrymcmaster,” tweeted state Sen. Mia McLeod, D-Richland, who is running for governor.
Problems at the department predated Pough’s tenure as the agency’s director.
In 2017, another highly critical audit detailing the agency’s issues with preparedness for riots, poor officer training and ineffective police force drove then-director Sylvia Murray to resign.
“Freddie inherited an agency that was in a difficult state,” state Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Darlington, said. “I think that Freddie Pough was a good law enforcement officer and I think the transition became very difficult, and despite his overall good tendencies as a person, he lost the confidence of his staff and others during the process of the transition.”
Malloy said Pough’s resignation should have happened a bit earlier.
Going forward, Malloy said, the state should focus on reforming the Department of Juvenile Justice, pointing to a bipartisan reform bill he sponsored that is currently stuck in committee.
“This is now our opportunity to solve greater problems as it relates to children,” Malloy said.
This story was originally published September 21, 2021 at 12:14 PM with the headline "DJJ Director Freddie Pough’s resignation ‘past due,’ SC lawmakers say."
