Parent company profile
G4S Youth Services
Now known as TrueCore Behavioral Solutions
G4S Youth Services is a parent company (acquired) based in FL. Kids Over Profits has records of 13 programs it has run in 4 states and countries.
History
Year by year
From the records: deals and takeovers, the programs it ran, and the deaths, lawsuits, inspection findings and news stories from the years it ran them. Point at an event, or tap "More about this", for the details.
2019
United States, et al. ex rel. Rodney Brockenbrough v. TrueCore Behavioral Solutions, LLC, et al.
United States, et al. ex rel. Rodney Brockenbrough v. TrueCore Behavioral Solutions, LLC, et al.
Rodney Brockenbrough, former chief operating officer of TrueCore Behavioral Solutions, filed a sealed qui tam complaint on October 16, 2019, on behalf of the United States, Florida and Texas against TrueCore, its private equity owner Boyne Capital and related holding companies, the G4S entities that formerly ran the business, and the Henry & Rilla White Youth Foundation.
- Court
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division
- Case number
- 8:19-cv-02557-TPB-AAS
- Status
- Filed
About G4S Youth Services
In 2002, Securicor New Century of Richmond, Va. ran three Florida juvenile facilities, including Avon Park Youth Academy (Polk County) and Sago Palm Academy (western Palm Beach County), having taken over operations from Correctional Services Corp.; a rival bidder cited a 2000 Florida DJJ report that guards at Sago Palm abused teen inmates and shackled one to a bed for 14 hours.source In 2002, Securicor had a contract for a 104-bed Florida DJJ juvenile facility and was the preferred provider for a moderate-risk residential program in Avon Park.source In July 2004, G4S was formed when Group 4 Falck's security business (Group 4 Falck had bought Wackenhut in 2002) merged with Securicor.source In March 2008, Florida DJJ sent G4S Youth Services a takeover notice for Hastings Youth Academy (serious incidents, inappropriate staff-youth relationships), lifted July 2008; the DJJ inspector general found staff used unnecessary force in a February 2008 incident in which a boy's arm was broken.source In March 2013, Brown County, Texas approved leasing part of its juvenile justice building in Brownwood to G4S Youth Services, whose North American corporate offices were in Florida.source
In August 2013, riot at Avon Park Youth Academy; 21 G4S staff on shift for 144 youths, 64 sent to Polk County Jail; G4S then ran 16 state facilities, 13 in Florida, 2 in Tennessee and 1 in Arkansas.source In July 2015, a Polk County grand jury said Highlands Youth Academy, run by G4S under a $40 million five-year DJJ contract, should be closed.source In May 2016, six youths escaped from the G4S-operated Okeechobee Youth Development Center.source In June 2017, DJJ froze admissions at Hastings Youth Academy after a third escape in three months, citing critical deficiencies in youth supervision by G4S Youth Services.source In June 2017, escape at Jacksonville Youth Academy, run by G4S Youth Services; president and CEO Martin Favis.source
In April 2017, G4S completed the sale of its U.S. youth services to BHSB Holdings for $56.5 million.source In August 2017, three former G4S Highlands Youth Academy administrators arrested; the sheriff said G4S staff routinely covered up fights, uses of force, contraband and escapes.source Ran Stones River Academy (G4S Academy for Young Men) in Donelson, Nashville until the April 1, 2017 sale (Source, source); and G4S-The Academy for Young Women, 279 Stewarts Ferry Pike, Nashville, for DCS.source In 2018 the Brown County lease was held by TrueCore, formerly known as G4S Youth Services (Source, source); TrueCore left Texas in June 2020, assigning The Oaks to Rite of Passage.source In October 2019 it was a qui tam complaint against TrueCore also named G4S US, G4S Youth Services, LLC and G4S Secure Solutions as defendants.source
G4S Youth Services said it had provided residential and outpatient treatment programs to more than 12,000 Florida youth since 2002.source 2007 to July 2016: ran the Arkansas Juvenile Assessment and Treatment Center near Alexander; lost the $34.1 million contract to Rite of Passage; president Jim Hill and COO Brian Neupaver left in May 2016 for Youth Opportunity Investments, and G4S sued them and YOI in Florida.source January-February 2016: escape from Falkenburg Academy (Tampa Residential Facility), operated for the state by G4S; first 911 call more than 13 hours later; four staff suspended.source
Programs it has run
13 on record.
- Arkansas Juvenile Assessment and Treatment Center
- Columbus Youth Academy
- Cypress Creek Treatment Center
- Highlands Youth Academy
- Jacksonville Youth Academy
- Lake Academy
- Les Peters Academy
- Okeechobee Youth Development Center
- Stones River Academy
- Tampa Residential Facility
- The Academy for Young Men
- The Academy for Young Women
- The Oaks Treatment Center
Ownership
Owned by
- G4S
News coverage
-
Dozens of Teens Who Spent Time at Abusive Florida Reform School Ended Up on Death Row
At least 34 boys from the Dozier School and 16 from Okeechobee ended up on Florida's death row. Leonora LaPeter Anton's investigation for The Marshall Project and the Tampa Bay Times.
The article investigates the connection between extreme abuse at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys and the high number of its former students later sentenced to death or prison for murder, with a focus on Michael Bell, who is scheduled for execution. At least 34 boys from Dozier and 16 from Okeechobee ended up on Florida’s death row. Dozier was closed in 2011 following decades of documented abuse including beatings, rape, and solitary confinement. Michael Bell described being forced into fights, physically restrained, and sexually assaulted at age 15 during a four-month stay. Neurologists and psychologists confirm that adolescent trauma impairs brain development, especially impulse control and emotional regulation. Experts cited include Dr. George Woods, Dr. Marlyne Israelian, Dr. Bruce Perry, and Dr. Martha J. Farah. Other former residents (Jesse Guardado, Jerry White, William Van Poyck, Craig Wall) report similar abuse and went on to commit murders. Bell’s defense lawyers argue his trauma was never presented at trial; he never had a psychological evaluation.
-
A juvenile boys program in St. Pete closed. Where did the kids go?
The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice closed the Britt Technical Youth Academy, a moderate‑risk residential program for boys in St. Petersburg, without providing public details about the relocation of the youth. The facility was subsequently repurposed for the girls' Les Peters Academy, raising questions about capacity and continuity of services for displaced survivors.
-
Girl's death, other issues, spark concerns involving other Florida facilities run by TrueCore
State contracts with TrueCore Behavioral Solutions faced increased scrutiny following the death of a resident at Lake Academy in Tampa and multiple reports of staff misconduct, assaults, and safety violations across several juvenile residential facilities in Florida.
-
Coronavirus cases at Palm Beach Youth Academy concern parents
Twenty-one juveniles at the Palm Beach Youth Academy tested positive for COVID‑19, prompting parents to express concern over the facility’s infection control practices. Staff reportedly did not wear masks and some appeared ill, raising questions about safety protocols. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice confirmed the cases and noted that all staff and parents were notified.
-
Three Former Department of Juvenile Justice / G4S Highlands Youth Academy staff members arrested for multiple felonies
Three former staff members of the G4S Highlands Youth Academy, a juvenile residential facility in Florida, were arrested on felony charges following an investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The charges involve the intentional destruction of evidence, failure to report child abuse, willful neglect of juveniles, and the concealment of physical force incidents, escapes, and sexual misconduct.
-
Former Youth Facility Executives Join Competing Firm Pursuing State Contracts
Two former executives from G4S Youth Services, which previously managed the Arkansas Juvenile Assessment and Treatment Center, joined Youth Opportunity Investments LLC as the firm pursued new contracts to operate juvenile facilities in Arkansas. The state's decision to award a contract to Youth Opportunity Investments led to formal protests from competing providers regarding the evaluation process, prompting the Department of Human Services to offer a rescoring of all proposals.
Lawsuits
-
United States, et al. ex rel. Rodney Brockenbrough v. TrueCore Behavioral Solutions, LLC, et al.
Rodney Brockenbrough, former chief operating officer of TrueCore Behavioral Solutions, filed a sealed qui tam complaint on October 16, 2019, on behalf of the United States, Florida and Texas against TrueCore, its private equity owner Boyne Capital and related holding companies, the G4S entities that formerly ran the business, and the Henry & Rilla White Youth Foundation. The complaint alleges that the White Foundation posed as the owner of nineteen for-profit G4S/TrueCore youth facilities so they could collect National School Lunch Program money that only nonprofit institutions may receive. It alleges TrueCore quietly left the program in 2018 after a Texas audit, then cut staffing and overtime to make up the lost money, and that Brockenbrough resigned on August 2, 2019. It seeks treble damages and penalties under the federal and state false claims laws. The document shows only the filing of the complaint.
Deaths on record
Young people who died at, or after being in, one of its programs.
- Zy’Kiria Bell
Documents
Filed under its programs
10 documents across 3 programs: inspection reports, court records, clippings and more, each on its program page.