Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 28, 1993 TAG: 9311280100
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: D-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
"Basically, if you build them, they will come," said Del. Thomas Jackson, D-Hillsville, chairman of the Virginia Commission on Youth Detention Task Force. Instead of building more homes, the state needs to study how the facilities became crowded to begin with, he said.
The detention homes have 532 beds and have been holding an average of 626 juveniles this year.
The Virginia Chapter of the ACLU this year threatened to sue over hazardous conditions.
A consultant warned in December the homes were the "stuff of Charles Dickens." In at least one home, youths were sleeping on floors with their heads near toilets.
"There is a crisis going on in our secure detention homes across the state," Nancy Ross, executive director of the Virginia Commission on Youth, said last week.
Sixty-six percent of the homes' residents are awaiting trial, while others are serving short sentences or are staying at the homes after violating a court order.
The task force has recommended limiting detention homes to those juveniles who require a restrictive environment for the protection of society or themselves, and those accused of felonies or serious misdemeanors.
It has also suggested prohibiting the use of detention homes for juveniles whose cases have been transferred to adult courts, and those who have violated a court order or probation or parole without having committed another felony or serious misdemeanor.
"Is it really worth spending millions of dollars to detain children in detention homes, risking lives, health and safety, when there are more effective and appropriate alternatives?" asked Julie McConnell, of the ACLU.
"We must create alternative programs in every area of the state that will meet the mental health needs of these children," instead of building more detention space, she said.
by CNB