Here some of us thought things were looking up when it comes to holding kids in Arkansas' juvenile lockups. Maybe that's because of all the good news coming out of Danville these days. (Gone is the restraining-device-from-hell, dubbed The Wrap, and gone is pepper spray as punishment. They've been replaced by good-news stories in the papers.)
But the Danville lockup isn't the only lockup in the state. The news coming out of Alexander's juvee hall isn't getting any better as the months go by.
Earlier this week the news side of this outfit reported that the Arkansas Juvenile Assessment and Treatment Center near Alexander, as it's officially known, saw more violence last year than in the previous six years. In fact, violent acts--or at least the reports of violent acts--increased by 25 percent in 2014 over the year before.
There are many questions. Answers are harder to come by.
The brass at Alexander's lockup say, for starters, some of the increase in violent acts can be tied to better documenting of problems.
Ah, yes, better documenting. Also known as better reporting. There was an old police chief down Louisiana way who used to love that one. Whenever the local paper reported that crime was down in his jurisdiction, it was because of outstanding police protection. Whenever the paper reported that crime was up, he'd assure everybody that was because reporting of crimes was up--that folks had begun trusting his police more, and their confidence in his department was the reason for the statistical uptick. Either way, he came out smelling like roses. Or something.
On the other side of things, a child advocate told the paper that the Alexander lockup should be shut down, and soonest.
Okay, but what to do with the kids there? If the state closes the place down, what next? Put the kids on the street? Some of these kids you wouldn't want to meet on the street. Some of these kids might be dangerous--or in danger--on the street.
Others say the Alexander "campus" should be shut down and replaced by programs--some residential, some not--that tailor services to kids closer to their homes.
Fine. Now then, how much would it cost to do that? Would it cost more than keeping the Alexander lockup open? Or less? Does anybody have an estimate? Or just a wild guess?
What's needed is an official review by an official-sounding reviewer. Which might be why the Arkansas Legislature created the Youth Justice Reform Board earlier this year. Here's hoping the board comes up with answers soon enough. Or at least some answers. Because the questions keep piling up.
If you've never watched a child walk into a juvee lockup for the first time, trust us, it can be heart-breaking. Some try to play it cool, but not all kids can hide fear, especially fear in the eyes. Even the violent kids who need some time in these places can't always hide their trepidation. After all, they're just kids.
And imagine being a parent and watching your baby disappear through a door and into a place surrounded by razor wire and fences. And have to go back home without your child.
The state needs juvee lockups. But the state--that is, all of us--needs to make sure we're doing all we can do to protect these kids from each other, and themselves. The kids inside have enough problems, and their parents enough worries, without having to put up with fights, assaults, and other physical abuse. If it does take shutting down big lockups and opening up smaller ones--and spending a lot more money in the process--then the state will just have to do it. The state's leaders, from the governor on down, will have to get behind any such reforms and push them through. That is, lead.
Most of us would like to sleep at night. And that becomes harder and harder to do each time one of these reports hits the front page.
Editorial on 08/29/2015