New juvenile detention facility opens in Shelby County, officials say they are working to fix security and other Issues

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - A nearly $30 million investment is now open and Shelby County leaders are banking on it being the answer to driving down juvenile crime in the Bluff City.

The facility officially opened its doors on July 31st.

As of Friday, there were 92 children housed there at the new Shelby County Youth Justice and Education Center.

Plans to open the new facility are about a decade in the making, county leaders settled on spending $28 million to renovate the former adult prison on Old Getwell Road.

“It’s open, it’s operating, we have concerns administratively with the sheriff because you are talking about a 12 to 13-mile drive from there to bring the youth here for their court appearances,” said current Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon.

Sugarmon says while the detainees are housed at the new facility, officials are still using the old building on Adams Street as well and it’s causing some logistical issues.

Twice a day Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies have to transport detainees nearly 20 minutes from the new facility near Oakhaven to the old facility near downtown for court appearances.

“They did put a courtroom over there, but they need administrative offices there so we can have resources for the parents,” said Sugarmon. “The youth have to be counseled on what their responsibilities are, the ankle monitors there have to be counselors there to do that,” said Sugarmon.

Judge Sugarmon says he’s critically short on counselor positions with the juvenile court.

He says he’s seeking county and state funds to hire 40 additional counselors to work directly with the detainees and their families.

On a positive note, Sugarmon says the new facility offers so much more than the old building on Adams including double the classroom space, a culinary kitchen for cooking classes, green space, and a computer lab.

However, currently, some of the new amenities can’t be used due to another serious problem.

“There are concerns [about] individuals who have been involved with gangs coming into contact with other individuals there, and there may be a security issue with that,” said Sugarmon.

Sugarmon says Sheriff Floyd Bonner is working to solve the problem.

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