The City Council and Mayor in Richmond, Virginia, are looking long and hard at their juvenile detention policies.
A recent city council meeting included a discussion of a recently closed city-run juvenile detention facility in Richmond. An average of 39 juveniles were detained after arrest in the facility before the state put the facility on probation and the mayor closed it.
Officials sought to compare the facility to private options or facilities within a regional partnership, but were unable to do so as there was not sufficient data to assess how much the facility cost the city.
The meeting produced no final decision beyond an agreement that more study is needed.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation has undertaken such a study, and recently released a report on detention alternatives that can save municipalities significant money while improving outcomes for juvenile offenders. The open debate and recently closed facility in Richmond provides an excellent opportunity for consideration of those alternatives and how they may benefit Virginia residents as well.