Background Long-term detention facilities designed to hold juveniles up to one year are proliferating around the state. Most are privately operated and built with funds provided by the county. In some instances, the same facility is used to house juvenile offenders before and after their case goes to court, so many are confined there six to 12 months. So counties take on the financing of their own detention facilities. The locally run facilities evolved for a number of reasons.
Some counties prefer keeping youth offenders close to home.
Recognizing that these offenders will eventually return, local leaders believe that keeping the youth close by will aid re-integration into their families and the community when detention is over. Critics cite the early dismissal of increasing numbers of juveniles from TYC facilities due to overcrowding. County officials, also dissatisfied with TYC's juvenile parole program, believe that their detention facilities can avoid many of the pitfalls of the state's system. Under state law, counties can hold juveniles for longer periods of time than is often possible in TYC, and local judges can retain control over youths released from detention. However they got here, the existence of local juvenile detention centers raises questions about statewide policies and efficiencies in planning, constructing and managing the state's juvenile justice detention system.