NCJ Number
185117
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 62 Issue: 4 Dated: July 2000 Pages: 84-88
Date Published
July 2000
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The planned new 225-bed juvenile correctional center in Topeka, Kan., promises to transform the State's approach to dealing with youthful offenders in accordance with the Juvenile Justice Reform Act passed by the Kansas Legislature in 1996.
Abstract
The Reform Act directs the State to implement a balanced approach to juvenile justice that is designed to ensure public safety, hold juvenile offenders accountable, and provide offenders with life and work skills they can use upon release. The Reform Act also set new sentencing guidelines that changed the type of juveniles sent to State facilities. Under the guidelines, only certain serious crimes would merit sentencing to State juvenile institutions. Less serious offenses would result in sentencing to county facilities and programs. The architectural plan is for a small, consolidated facility based in the objective of rebalancing resources between programming and supervision. A compact institution will require less time and labor to transport residents from one area of the facility to another. Self-contained living units under the same roof as general recreational, education, and medical facilities can reduce the number of officers assigned to around-the-clock guard duties. Advanced electronic security systems can further these benefits. The medical service area is more of a hospital than an infirmary, as it is equipped and staffed to treat very ill residents, as well as pregnant residents in their third trimester. Current cost estimates for the construction of this facility total approximately $29.9 million. The hope is to decrease the cost by $500,000 with value engineering.