The Lawrence County Juvenile Justice Center could charge Scioto County $400 a day per child to house juvenile offenders under a new agreement.
“Doubling the rate is just not acceptable,” Commissioner Bryan Davis said. The county currently pays $115 per day per child. Ross County currently charges $125 a day.
Under the new contract, rates could be anywhere from $250 a day to $400 a day if a child is in foster care.
Scioto County Commissioners are hoping to find a better deal housing juvenile offenders after Lawrence County announced it plans to double the rate it charges to keep kids in the Lawrence County Juvenile Corrections Center.
Scioto County doesn’t have a local facility to hold offenders under 18, so we must rely on facilities in other areas, including Lawrence and Ross Counties.
Commissioner Scottie Powell said he’d spoken to Juvenile Court Judge Rebecca Bennett about the increase and also put in a call to a Lawrence County Commissioner. “She is aware that the cost here is much more expensive than our five allocated beds in Ross County. She has communicated if it does go up to that $400 mark, she will not be using their facility.”
Commissioner Bryan Davis said, “I was able to talk to Commissioner Holiday. She said the whole reason for doubling the amount was because of increased costs on their end. If they can’t get these increases, the future of the juvenile justice center is probably in jeopardy.”
Davis said that housing juvenile offenders in Clermont County was a possible solution. He said the rate was similar to Ross County, but you would have to factor in time and travel expenses.
Commissioners said they would only use the Lawrence County facility in an absolute emergency. Davis said he also had another idea, “We should consider opening up juvenile facilities in our house, if it’s going to be $400 bucks a night. It’s all in line with what we’re seeing with placement costs for foster care. It’s out of control. We’re paying $500, $600, $700 in placement costs per night for some children to have a roof over their head.”