Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative works, but some offenders need more help
The Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative is working in Codington County, but improvements need to be made.
That’s the message that Louis Canfield, director of youth diversion at the Watertown Boys & Girls Club, gave to members of the Codington County Board of Commissioners during the weekly meeting Tuesday at the courthouse.
The initiative's mission is to keep teenagers out of jails and detention centers. Teens who break laws are brought before a judge and eventually given a risk assessment to see if they should be incarcerated, released or an alternative should be sought. The Watertown Boys & Girls Club provides the monitoring and training of juveniles who aren’t incarcerated in hopes of preventing future problems with the law.
Canfield said that since July 1, 69 teens have successfully completed the program, and 13 who didn’t complete the program or re-offended were jailed. Another nine teens were given conditional releases, which usually includes moving them to a new home and monitoring them.
Commissioner Myron Johnson said he’s been told by school officials about disruptions in classrooms and schools caused by some of the offenders who have been released.
“They can make life miserable in the classroom,” said Johnson, a former teacher. “We need some resource to ship them out. We need to do what we can to save them, but there are a few bad cookies out there.”
Canfield didn’t disagree, noting that South Dakota had the second-highest rate of detained kids per capita in the nation.
“There are a handful of kids who are difficult,” Canfield said. “I do think there needs to be another alternative. But kids should get another chance before slamming the door on them and sending them away.”
Commissioner Lee Gabel, who led the commission’s effort to adopt the initiative in 2017, said he believes a “course correction” is needed and that the original plan “maybe went a little too far” in not restricting disruptive teens.
“Lots of kids are back on track, so it’s been very successful,” Gabel said. “It’s been very productive, but there are a small percentage of kids who need something else.”
Canfield’s visit with commissioners was to ask the them to approve a $30,000 grant application for one year of a new program that would find local foster homes for teens whose risk assessments place them in the alternative category. Similar programs are being considered in Aberdeen and Mitchell. The funds would be used to offset the costs to foster families.
Canfield explained that there is no cost or liability to the county. The commissioners voted 5-0 to approve the application.
Disabled American Veterans van arrives
During reports by county department heads, Veterans Service Officer Todd Rose said the long-awaited new Ford Transit Connect van provided to the county by the Disabled American Veterans is now available to take veterans to Veterans Administration medical facilities in Sioux Falls.
Rose also announced that Jay Roberts will become his full-time assistant once he completes his South Dakota Army National Guard requirements. Until then, Roberts will be available when not on duty.
Welfare Director Sara Foust told commissioners she wants to move her office from the basement of the Watertown City Auditorium to a downtown location that offers more space. The current office was designed for two people and now four people work there, and Foust said employees can’t have confidential conversations with clients. The current office is also not accessible by people with disabilities.
The new location would be adjacent to the Brothers and Sisters Behind Bars organization, which works with the county to find room for homeless individuals. The potential move will be discussed in the near future.
Foust also recommended that the county no longer host an apartment for people who are homeless. She said the current setup requires a great deal of onsite management and told commissioners it’s more work than what the county should be doing.
In other action, the commission approved:
A payment of $44,378 to Integrated Technology & Security of Hartford for new security cameras, cabling and two servers at the Codington County Detention Center. The purchase was a budgeted item.
A payment of $41,429 to the South Dakota Department of Transportation for the striping of county roads that have been rebuilt or repaved.
An application for a $5,000 federal grant offered by the South Dakota Department of Health for prevention of West Nile virus infections.
An update to the county personnel policy authorizing travel for county employees, department heads and elected officials.
A streamlined version of the county’s employee performance appraisal form. The new form is three pages, half as many as the old.
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Codington Co. Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative helps most offenders
