I've encountered a lot of what you're saying about keeping their nose clean, having worked at one facility and turned in a sexual and harassment abuse report by a few of the staff. I think they're getting ready to go public, thus the need to buy up more facilities and keep that profit margin high.
I can say that they put very little money into the program for the kids. Office staff drive brand new vehicles, and the program vehicles for the kids have 200,000+ miles on 'em, van side door that doesn't open, no brakes, and extremely loose steering. 100 degree weather and the kids sleep in lofts with windows that won't open (due to security), no fans, no air, just sweltering heat.
They use discipline that is against state law. They just had a duct tape incident that was swept under the carpet by the Sheriff's Office, Child Protective Services, and the State Licensor. This happened in Utah where the Mormons are all related, or have ties, to someone else . . . the sexual offender is a police informant, CPS lady is a blood relative of the Aspen facility Director, and the State Licensor lady's husband works for another Aspen facility in a different city. Very cozy working relationship, to say the least. They removed the victim from the offending institution to another one of theirs up north in Utah.
I've heard that the mother of the victim is still pushing for answers and so am I.