Scope of Ga. juvenile justice abuse claims widens

ATLANTA (AP) -- Juvenile Justice officials say the number of unresolved sex abuse investigations at Georgia's juvenile detention centers goes far beyond the 20 that prompted suspensions of 18 investigators and their supervisor.

Commissioner Avery Niles said Sunday that officials have learned of 700 unresolved internal investigations over an 18-month period.

Of that number, Niles says 141 unresolved investigations meet the Department of Justice's standard for sexual abuse or harassment by other juveniles or detention center staff.

Niles says three corrections officers have been fired over substantiated claims of sexual abuse and will be prosecuted by outside law enforcement.

The investigators were suspended in May over unresolved probes that were supposed to have been completed within 45 days.

Agency spokesman Jim Shuler has said some investigations were left unresolved for about a year.