CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – In order to keep up with rapid population growth, Montgomery County needs its own juvenile justice center, according to a feasibility study commissioned by the county.

In May, the Montgomery County Jail & Juvenile Committee received a report from corrections consulting firm Justice Planners outlining the need for a new juvenile justice center.

In their preliminary analysis, obtained by Clarksville Now, Justice Planners analyzed historical data and interviewed local experts including government officials, law enforcement, nonprofit leaders, psychologists, former detainees and their families. Their findings highlighted several shortcomings in Montgomery County’s current method of addressing juvenile detainees.

Sending kids to Columbia

Currently, Montgomery County transports most young detainees out of jurisdiction to the Middle Tennessee Juvenile Detention facility in Columbia, a two-hour drive from Clarksville.

Some have been sent as far as Putnam County, according to Montgomery County Commissioner Rashidah Leverett, who sits on the Jail & Juvenile Committee.

This arrangement places a significant drain on judicial resources, as teens must be transported back and forth by law enforcement officers at the county’s expense, and courts must schedule around that travel time.

Justice Planners also noted a shortage of beds at these out-of-county facilities, noting that when no beds are available, detained kids are required to sleep at the Clarksville Police station, often on the floor. This issue is becoming “more and more frequent,” according to the study.

Cut off from family, schools

The study also noted a “human cost in a lack of educational resources for the youth” within these types of facilities, creating a “compounding financial impact on the community.” This “cost” refers to the lost education these kids might have received if they weren’t incarcerated.

Additionally, detained teens often spend long periods of time cut off from family, with many families unable to travel hours away to visit their children.

The study also showed an inordinate number of detained children come from a minority background and that “there should be better procedures used in determining whether kids are remanded.”

As the population of Montgomery County continues to grow, so to will the juvenile detention population. Justice Planners’ forecast suggests that the number of detained teens in Montgomery County could double by 2040. Youth services caseloads are increasingly rapidly, as is the complexity of cases.

30-bed center recommended

The results of the study strongly support the construction of a juvenile justice center with approximately 30 secure detention beds. They also recommended seven “respite” beds for housing children with status offenses – meaning they are beyond parental control – or who otherwise can’t be sent home.

Other recommendations include:

• Youth Services, the courts and the Clerk’s Office should be co-located in one building, since they work closely together.
• Secure detention should be reserved for offenders who have been charged with committing a violent crime.
• Non-violent offenders and status offenders should be housed in a less-secure facility that has softer finishes and a home-like environment, to reduce the trauma of incarceration.

While Justice Planners’ study demonstrates the need for a new facility, several steps remain in order for Montgomery County to have one, including working with the state to request funding.

Leverett told Clarksville Now that she intends to present the idea to state legislators at this year’s Legislative Dinner, the date for which has not yet been set.

“While I question the effectiveness of detaining juvenile offenders, I do understand the data shows a need for one of these facilities in Montgomery County,” Leverett said.