ST. JOSEPH COUNTY — Allegations of under-staffing and sexual misconduct at a state-run juvenile facility force a local judge to take an extraordinary step.

The problems are at the Indianapolis Juvenile Correctional Facility, otherwise known as “the girls school.”

The St. Joseph County Probate Court completed an audit in October and found the facility didn't have adequate staff to supervise the juveniles.

That's not all. Juveniles also told the audit team that sexual activity was rampant and some officers touched inmates inappropriately.

Officials say they are investigating those concerns and are making changes.

But Judge Peter Nemeth says the state isn't moving fast enough

The audit found the girls school was deficient in areas such as staffing and supervision — psychiatric treatment and programming that would help students once the leave the facility.

Some students were observed sleeping in classes or coloring pictures in coloring books.

“I think they need to have the programming to try to help these kids rehabilitate themselves. We don't want them just sitting there being warehoused, coming back to this community, and then going back to the department of corrections as adults,” said Judge Nemeth.

Also disturbing to Judge Nemeth were the reports of rampant sexual activity at the campus and allegations that some guards made inappropriate contact with students.

“I don't believe you can ignore or look the other way when things are going on in the facility. When we send children to a state facility, we expect them to behave while they're there. We expect them to be supervised and we expect them to be adequately protected,” said Judge Nemeth.

The Department of Corrections says it has been working with Judge Nemeth to address some of the concerns.

But Chief of Staff Randy Loester also said a national team came into the facility in October and gave it a 100 percent rating.

“Those kinds of audits, they disagree with each other. So we'll have to look more closely at why there's a disagreement, why the governor's staff disagrees with that kind of assessment. We're certainly open to additional ideas for change,” said Loester.

Nemeth wants the governor to make sure the department is adequately staffed and funded.

“I think that he's shown that willingness to do that in the child welfare area. I think it's also time to do that in the corrections area,” said Nemeth.

Governor Daniels says he will study the letter closely and investigate the concerns.

Judge Nemeth says it will cost taxpayers more money to keep the female offenders here or place them in private settings. But he feels he has no other choice.

The state says it has hired more staff since the audit and will be adding more programs to help the inmates.