Juvenile facility reports a good year

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| Monday, December 20, 2004 12:43 AM CST | () comments

Deirdre Cox Baker

Scott County's Juvenile Detention Center has completed a successful year, its director reported, but there was a marked increase in the number of youths charged with sex crimes.

Center director Scott Hobart said in a report to the county board that the operation went smoothly.

But he noted that sex crimes took a jump as 17 youths were placed in custody for rape or sexual abuse of other minors. Hobart said it could be a one-year phenomenon or it could be part of a trend that officials will track the next few years.

Pat Hendricksen is chief juvenile court officer for Iowa's 7th Judicial District, which includes Scott, Muscatine, Clinton, Cedar and Jackson counties. She believes the juveniles who commit sex crimes are more likely to be detained as the court system treats such behavior as among the most serious types of crime. "It represents a danger to people rather than to their property," she said.

The Scott County center admitted 348 youths younger than 18 years for an average of 12 days. There were an average of 10-11 beds filled each day at the 16-bed facility.

By contrast, Rock Island County detained 124 youths, but the county does not have a juvenile facility, so the youngsters are transferred to other communities. David VanLandegen, the county's director of court services, said most are sent to the Mary Davis Home in Galesburg.

Recently, the Mary Davis Home has been full, so Rock Island County is sending the teens to the other cities, he said. "It's a tragedy these children are so totally removed," he said, noting that the hardships fall on families and attorneys for the youths.

The Scott County facility opened Dec. 1, 1980, with a five-bed capacity. It was expanded in 1987, 1994 and again in 2003.

The main funding comes from Scott County, which spent $750,991 on the center last year. The State of Iowa reimbursed it $183,629, and additional monies came from the U.S. Department of education ($12,494) and from other counties ($66,600).

Hobart said the amount from other counties probably will increase. Thirty teens came from Clinton County last year and 30 came from Muscatine County.

Hendricksen said the court system has a very good relationship with the center. "It's a well-run, well-managed facility that we're fortunate to have in our area," she said. "Kids are safe there and the community's safe when the kids are there."

Deirdre Cox Baker can be contacted at (563) 383-2492 or dbaker@qctimes.com.