On Wednesday, the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners approved a multi-county agreement to create a regional juvenile detention center. The agreement is reportedly the culmination of years of work to resolve a statewide shortage in secure placements for incarcerated juveniles.
Lehigh, Berks, Dauphin, Delaware, and Lackawanna counties will establish the Keystone Regional Youth Center in Berks County, with at least 40 secure beds. Through the 20-year agreement, each county will cover 20% of the facility’s operating costs and will have access to eight beds. Recent estimates placed the annual operating cost around $10.5 million.
Lehigh County closed its juvenile detention facility in 2014 due to a decline in placement needs. However, the state has been facing a shortage in secure beds in the years since that closure. This has led to detained juveniles, particularly girls, being sent to facilities as far away as Ohio, or being prematurely released.
County Commissioners evaluated several alternatives, including a possible partnership with Northampton County, before ultimately selecting the regional plan. They say the facility will offer them greater involvement in private placements, predictability, and a beneficial solution for the juveniles involved.
Only about five out of every 450 juveniles under county supervision require secure placement. Still, that need remains, and Commissioners want the county to invest more in mental health and preventive services.
The eight commissioners present at Wednesday’s meeting voted unanimously in favor of the regional plan.
