The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-01-19
PRESENT FACILITIES

W Vic pV&1ce, VINO TeQuTt
detention, are being held il foul
lcells On the ground floor Of the olt
Ijail building.
4 These cells are equipped viii
two hunks each. There are no toll
lets, and buckets are used. Their,
Us no heat 10 this building anl
there are no screens on the win
dows. and 1t is said that durins
certain seasons Of the year the
mosquitoes are q menace. There
are no bathing facilities inside the
building. Shower stalls outside the
building are said to Be used for
batting.
Girls are detained in the sick
bay IN the new jail. The new jail
building has q capacity of fifty
adults and provides four way seq.
regatiOn by race and sex.
On the main floor there are two
padded cells which seem to be un-
fortunately located since they are
close to the kitchen. The sheriff
would Like to relocate these cells
using the space for increasing the
capacity Of the jail. The question
was raised as to the advisability
lof using this space for the deten.
ton Of children.
As q temporary expedient, until
q detention home can be construct.
led, housing them In the new jail
building would provide better quar-.
tiers than now available. However
such a plan would not be recon.
mended as . permanent plan, moi
III providing It as q temporary ex,
lpedient would prejudice the devel.
lopment OF separate detention
home for these children later on.
The number of children who were
detained between January /, 1858,
and December 8, 1858, was 122, al
follows:
Colored Males - So
White Males - ~
Colored Females 81
White Females - 1e
Total - 122
The total number Of days care
given to such children IN the jail
Twas 5l3 days. OF the children de
tanned S. per cent were released
either the same day or the follow
ling day. Another 80 per cent re
manned for as long as one week and
the remainder for periods Of from
lone week to over q month.
The large number Of children re
LEASED on the same day or the fol
lowing day raises the question d
whether many Of them need NO
have been detained at all but re
turned to tfir own homes, provided
their parents or . responsible adult
would agree to bring them to ths
court offices when directed.
II Is evident that If q policl
lwere developed between the cour
and the law enforcement office:
to provide more effective screen
ling of youngsters before placing
them in detention, fewer children
would need TO be detained.
Tester Hemss
It was reported both by ths
Court and the County Welfare De
lpartment that very few fostel
homes (only four Or five) are nov
available for the placement Of chill
dren in Monroe County. Apparent
lily, both the Welfare Department
and the Juvenile Court use these
homes.
It Is understood that the homes
tare used not only for the temper
larry emergency placement Of CHI
dren but also for longer term care
One Of the reasons why It hal
seemed logical to some Of the in
Iterested persons IN Key West b
develop an all purpose children.
home i The existence d 90 feN
foster homes.
However, the needs Of childreK
could be better met. as well as /
savings IN cost Of operating an h
stitution effected, II . receiving
home were developed for the TEN
lpoCary placement Of children WIKI
lido not need detention care anf
additional foster homes found ant
fused for children needing longe.
term care.
| Though the use OF funds availabi,
from the. State Welfare Depar
Iment, q receiving home could b,
Established. It would require find
Iing q private home which couls
lbe licensed TO care for six to eigh
lchildren al q time as needed.
| In order tina thome be avail
liable at all hours Of the day q
might, the usual plan is for q sub
Isidy to be paid 10 the home on
Irregular monthly basis regardles,
Icf whether or not children an
placed there during the period.
| In addition. = per diem is pais
flor each child placed. The HON,
would be supervised by the loca
welfare department. 1t is sugges
led that the State Welfare Depar
lment be contacted regarding tn,
development Of such 4 home.
| Though IT was reported that fos
tier homes were difficult 10 fin,