Pough becomes permanent director at juvenile justice agency

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A former state agent is now the director of the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice.

Freddie Pough (pew) was approved to his new job Wednesday by the state Senate.

Pough had been running the juvenile justice agency on an interim basis since January 2017. He was hired to be the department’s inspector general after lawmakers became concerned over a series of riots and disturbances at the main juvenile prison in Columbia.

Pough started his law enforcement career as a guard at a juvenile prison and was a State Law Enforcement Division agent before being hired by DJJ a second time.