Tarrant County will ‘triage’ its overcrowded juvenile center

Overcrowding at Tarrant County’s Juvenile Detention Center has forced the Juvenile Detention Board to explore solutions and county Judge Glen Whitley to order an audit of the problem. Some juveniles have slept on cots in the facility’s library and other common spaces because there aren’t enough beds. The county’s chief probation officer, Bennie Medlin, said those children have supervision, though the staff-to-juvenile ratio is not at state standards. There are 12 vacant positions including supervision, security and other support staff. Current staff have been working overtime to fill as many gaps as possible. While the center has a capacity to house 120 juveniles, it’s only staffed for 104.

According to data released by Medlin, the average daily population rate has grown consistently since 2015 with a single drop from 2018 to 2019. This year, the average daily population is 118. At its highest, the center held 138 juveniles. As of noon Wednesday, while the Juvenile Justice Board — made up of Tarrant County judges — met to discuss solutions, the juvenile center reported a population of 108. On Tuesday, 128 juveniles were housed there with 130 recorded on Monday. Judge Robb Catalano, of Criminal District Court No. 3, suggested the group form a triage committee. If the population rises above 104 between noon Monday and Friday, the group would meet to give suggestions to Juvenile Judge Alex Kim, who is the only authority who can implement changes in the courtroom. Kim would have to invite the committee to the 323rd court. “These kids being held, I’m confident the vast majority of you would hold, too,” Kim said during the meeting. “I also recognize as parents or as educators or whatever background you may have, perspectives that I just don’t know ... at end of the day it’s still the 323rd’s decision to make. I think there’s a presumption that there’s kids being detained who shouldn’t be.”