(WXYZ) — On Wednesday, Michigan lawmakers are meeting to discuss the overcrowding and safety at a local youth detention center. The Senate Subcommittee hearing comes amid calls for action at the local level, and after months of our 7 Investigators reporting on the problems.
The Wayne County Juvenile Detention Center was again in the spotlight just days ago when seven employees were suspended after the alleged physical and sexual assault of a 12-year-old boy.
Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, referred to the situation as “untenable,” calling for a Public Health State of Emergency to fix things.
“Extraordinary action has become necessary," Evans said.
The county executive shared a story about a juvenile who spent an additional 800 days in detention, after their case of adjudicated because the state didn’t have room for them at a long-term placement facility.
He's now calling for the state to provide more long-term residential beds so these young offenders have a place to go after their case has concluded. Something that for months, has been a tall order.
“Many of those kids who have been adjudicated have spent more than 100 additional days in detention instead of the treatment facilities that they deserve," he said.
Since August, the 7 Investigators have been revealing the overcrowding issues at the facility which is housing nearly 140 young residents right now. Staff telling 7’s Ross Jones it can only safely house 80 kids.
In October, due to a string of escapes and reported attacks involving residents, and understaffing, kids were moved from the downtown facility to the vacant Dickerson Adult Jail in Hamtramck. Just last week, there was another disturbing situation that took place there.
“The kids popped their locks. All the kids over there had free range,” an anonymous staffer told 7 Action News.
A 12-year-old resident was allegedly physically and sexually assaulted.
With this public health order, under the powers of the county health officer, Evans says there would be an incident command structure, reporting directly to him, designed to expedite staffing and therapy needs.
In the meantime, the Senate Appropriations Health and Human Services Subcommittee is meeting today at 4 p.m. to address this very problem. Testimony from county leaders and the former head of the facility are expected.
