The long-discussed plans to build a juvenile detention center in the Traverse City area have taken a major step forward. Depending on how quickly the county can find an appropriate site for the project, officials said construction could begin later this year. County officials have been discussing a local juvenile center for more than three years now, citing a steady increase in the county's youth crime rate and growing pressure from state and federal juvenile justice agencies to stop housing juvenile offenders in the county jail. The county, however, got bogged down in other facility issues like the law enforcement center and didn't get the juvenile center plans moving again until last fall. Officials said the center could also be made larger if other area counties are interested in leasing bed space at the facility.
Officials see two major benefits with a local detention center.
The other drawback is the distance from northwest Michigan to those facilities, making it difficult for family members to take part in the rehabilitation programs which family court officials say is critical to their success. The number of juvenile arrests in Grand Traverse County jumped almost 30 percent in 1999 to more than 600 countywide. Commissioner Larry Inman is a member of the state committee. Those grant monies were used for transportation and housing costs to utilize Camp Shawono, and county probate court officials are optimistic that the grant will be extended for this year. Juvenile court officials in other counties are also following the county's progress on the issue, and say it has potential benefits beyond the borders of Grand Traverse.