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Salinas, Calif. – Is the state pushing an already
crowded juvenile justice system to the brink? A new study says that isn't the
case following renovations done to county facilities across the state. But, Monterey County officials say not so fast.
The most recent renovation in Monterey County was to the juvenile hall, changing the
kitchen to a 12 bed dormitory. The chief probation officer said just because
they have about 12 spare beds doesn't mean there is enough room to put a high
risk offender.
Chief Manuel Real took me through the Monterey
County Juvenile Hall that was built in the 1950's where they use an old
washroom as an interview station. The new study by the Center for Juvenile and
Criminal Justice shows state facilities are in desperate need of maintenance to
sewer and electrical systems, infrastructure, and programming space. The study concludes
counties juvenile departments should house high-risk juvenile offenders in the
future. But Chief Real says Monterey County is dealing with the same problems and it
doesn't have room.
"The few kids we have at the Division of
Juvenile Justice are the highest risk offenders requiring long term commitment
and treatment that we don't have in our county," said Chief Manuel Real of the
Monterey County Probation Department.
The state will
stop accepting juveniles at its facilities in one year, but officials in Monterey County said there is no plan in place on where
to house these future high-risk offenders. The chief says for public safety, he
hopes the state will give Monterey County an extension.
The study said
across the state there are more than 4 thousand beds from maximum to minimum
security facilities that can be used.
