Juvenile detention center plans concern Lamz

Two opposing philosophical ideals clashed Wednesday night and produced no solution after an hours-long heated debate over the future expansion of the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center.

In a verbal joust, Slidell City Court Judge James “Jim” Lamz feuded with facility director Tom Jarlock, who is proposing to secure $11 million to $13 million in state funds to expand the facility to include long-term out-of-area juvenile prisoners in two new gender specific facilities.

Lamz, however, argued the center just west of Covington on U.S. Highway 190 was built by and for the taxpayers of five parishes, including St. Tammany, and should house only local children who need the help. The center, when funded with a 3-mill tax, was solely designed as a short-term juvenile detention center, not a long-term facility.

“While I am in favor of expanding, I believe there should not be a blending of (state and local) resources, staffing and priorities for these two types of facilities,” Lamz said. “They each have different goals and different purposes. It’s a recipe for disaster.”

But Jarlock, saying at least two other state juvenile detention centers have recently shut down, claimed the combined facilities are the wave of the future, a trend in juvenile care, and a much needed boost to the state’s crippled juvenile care system.

“We know we need this facility,” Jarlock said. “We know we need to expand it, and we know the population is going to grow in our back yard. Over the next six to 10 years we need to get larger.”

The proposition comes on the heels of a failed 2007 tax referendum calling for $7.2 million for the center to realize its dream of expansion to house 88 girls. The tax was denied, with the majority of its taxpayers, 60 percent who live in St. Tammany, casting an unfavorable vote. The 50,000-square-foot center also serves residents in Washington, Tangipahoa, St. Helena and Livingston parishes.

In addition to the center’s current 91 beds for 10- to 17-year-old boys and girls awaiting trial (75 are boys, 16 girls), the new facilities on 30 acres of adjacent land would house an additional 48 boys and 88 girls, some for long-term stays.

“This is the way of the future,” said Hammond City Court Judge Grace Gasaway, a juvenile judge for more than 10 years who believes local and statewide facilities rolled into one is key. “You are talking about moving forward. If you like it or not, it’s come to our town. And if someone doesn’t take the bull by its horns, those kids are going back to your neighborhood.”

Lamz, however, disagrees.

While he’s in favor of new facilities, he said the state should run its own center and not clog up beds for local children.

Currently, 12 of the beds house children from outside the Florida Parishes, paid for with $52,000 monthly stipends from the state.

Lamz offered two examples. Recently a juvenile came to his court and the FPJDC was full and no beds were available. Lamz was forced to send the juvenile to a detention center in St. Bernard — paid for out of his court’s budget and a far drive for family members needed for family rehabilitation and counseling sessions. Another time, Slidell Police arrested a 16-year-old for armed robbery and again ran into the same problem, and this time forced to turn the boy back lose on the streets.

“What do we do? Where do we send them?” Lamz said.

“Think of it this way. We built the inn, we pay for the staff working at the inn, but when we need to use the inn, there’s no room at the inn for our juveniles,” he said.

Lamz also questioned how dangerous the facility would be if hardened juvenile offenders are allowed to stay there permanently. As is, six months ago a girl housed at the facility untied her bootlaces and strangled a bus driver on her way to escape. She was later captured, Lamz said.

Jarlock countered, his voice rising.

He said 120 cameras monitor the population with tapes saved for 366 days.

“I sleep very well at night to know all my children are in the safest facility in the state, much less the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lamz offered a solution to nix the expansion problem.

Instead of asking the state for funds he proposed another tax, much like St. Tammany Parish Coroner Dr. Peter Galvin got approved more than three years ago. Although, St. Tammany voters shot down the FPJDC’s 2007 referendum, he said at that time voters were unaware of its intent until they were forced to pull the lever in voting booths.

He said a personal marketing campaign, with a face from a former inmate, may convince voters to reverse their thoughts even in troubled economic times.

“I think we can get the vote out,” he said. “I think the people of St. Tammany are very generous when we can need money. We’re willing to help.”

The issue will be discussed again at the center’s next meeting Nov. 12.