West Virginia To Separate Juvenile Offenders
A recent upswing in the number of assaults at the Industrial Home for Youth facility in Salem has the West Virginia Division of Juvenile Services looking to make some changes in how its offenders are housed. Reported by WSAZ3.
Right now, the Industrial Home for Youth has juvenile prisoners along with members of the adult population, ranging in age from 18-21 … They are considering a move that would put all 18-21 year old offenders at the Donald R. Kuhn Center in Boone County … Right now, that facility is a diagnostic center treating offenders …
Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety Spokesperson Joe Thornton said when they looked at their options, separating the adults from the juveniles was the best option, and DRK was the best place to move the adults. The juveniles currently housed there will go to the facility that best suits them somewhere else in the state. It’s not clear just how much it’s going to cost to upgrade the security at the DRK facility, but Thornton says in the end, safety of inmates outweighs the cost. He also says the folks who work at DRK are trained in all levels of security, so the fact that a more violent population is coming to Boone County doesn’t mean changes when it comes to personnel.
Women will also be moved to an all-female facility as a result of these proposed changes.