they need to learn a lesson by getting locked up with the big boyz!! Eatin BEANS and RICE!! Where I think you corrupt republicans should be also!! lol

If you close the JD, how are kids going to learn their lessons? If we keep slapping the hands of the youngsters, they will be monsters when they are adults. I vote to keep it open! Raise my taxes if it means keeping delinquent kids off the streets.

Money over People is the whole basis of this proposal! Our bureau's from the local levels to the federal level's are nothing less than Corporate minded thugs who simply want more of this -----> $$$$$$$$$$$$$ and continue to lose focus of this----> THE PEOPLE! They are simply "materialists". Welcome to the American mindset and the beginning of the end.

Good comments, snuffy. You've put forth a lot of questions that deserve in-depth answers from county administrators and attention by county board supervisors. I hope the board isn't just a rubber stamp for whatever the administrators recommend.

Closing the juvenile detention center is a diservice to this community (both to juveniles and the public living within Rock Co). The court system is already a bottleneck. Where are these kids going to go when needing immediate and temporary placement? Are the kids going to be adjudicated in the court system in Racine Co? The Rock Co Court system and the Janesville PD will definitely "have their hands tied" as well as see an increase in their workload. The public also deserves to be protected from malicious acts and/or violence i.e. being victims of crime. What about school? Will the juveniles go to school in Racine County?
Why not take in juveniles from other ctys, fill up those empty beds, keep the current staff in place at the detention center to continue serving the needs of juveniles within this Cty by providing the additional programming and/or additional diversion services, "best practices". Transferring Rock Counties juveniles to another county (Racine) with a higher juvenile crime rate and diverse and unique social problems and characteristics of its own, will not be beneficial and in the long term, create increased issues and problems within this County in the long term i.e. for the juveniles, the families involved, the court systems, the Janesville and Beloit police department,community agencies/organizations serving these youth, and overall the general, "perceived" safety of the public.

This is truly a sad situation based again upon a bunch of figureheads and the all mighty dollar. Rock County has always had long-term issues with budget deficits which I am sure, can be easily explained away as a decline in reimbursement rates from the State. Maybe it is time to look at the real issues and not push this too quickly onto the Juvenile Detention Center. Maybe it is time to look at the big picture. Where are the taxpayer dollars truly being spent? Could it be that the money is being spent towards redundant services, hiring companies on numerous occasions to conduct another study, the build or not build of the jail, courthouse, nursing home, continuing in the nursing home business, spending monies outsourcing people to other counties who need alcohol and drug treatment, mental health services (that were once provided locally within this County and vitally lacking and needed). How much money is truly wasted within the County system? i.e. could it be due to a lack of tranparency and administrative accountability for the decisions that are being made as to where and how the money will be spent, redundancy in work and/or services, inadequate systems in place to capture "real-time" data and information to support decision making capacity, monies spent on employee compensation i.e. overpaid/underworked (not generalizing here but the County System does have a nice employee retirement system as well as monitary compensation in comparison to many employers within the Cty)and lastly, administrative waste (to many chiefs, not enough indian mentality). Maybe Rock Cty should consider getting out of the business all together and outsource everything since everything can be justified and rationalized simply based upon numbers and the continuous issues related to the lack of money.

There's more citizen support for revisiting our prison system than our govt. officials care to realize. It's time to stop the war on drugs; it just costs too much.

I don't have time to read through all the messages here, but just wondering why no one would want to support this program?

Back in the 80's my sons both were in the facility, and they are fine men today!

How sad it would be to terminate such a valuable institution!

Last Thursday, it was running just the opposite.

I agree. There must be something wrong with the count. It doesn't make any sense.

Sarah:
It's pretty hard to do anything if they use a bot program. If someone is really sitting there, and voting 1,000 times click by click, then someone REALLY has no life! You can set up computer programs that will just keep voting, or making "hits" on a page. It's actually very common in many blog sites, and on-line voting sites. There's not really much you can do to counter a good bot program, other then create your own, and counter with the other side, lol. So before you know it, you have a few hundred thousand votes!

kiowamohican: I agree with your comment. This anonymous messing with the poll has been going on for about three days now. I think the Gazette should just shut it off.

WOW, almost 1800 votes for closing it, HAHA, and over 3,000 total votes. Very odd considering that there are MAYBE 200 viewers of this page.
Appears like someone is well versed at how to use a bot program! Someone has to much time on there hand. If you are going to spend that sort of time setting up a bot, put your skills to good use, and day trade stocks or play on-line poker!

Please come speak your mind to the ones in charge, you have a voice let it be heard. Wednesday August 12, 2009 6pm Job Center.

SarahB1:
Agree with you, Im guessing someone took the time to make different accounts, and submitted "No"... I hope you and your supporters are at the meeting Wednesday to speak and or listen in support of keeping JDC in. I am for sure will be speaking....

I think somebody has found a way to alter the numbers on this poll. All along, it has been running near 20 percent for closing and 80 percent against closing. Now it is nearly 50/50? I doubt it. Somebody can't handle reality I think.

Unless you clear a section of the County Jail, you cannot close Juvie. And even then I don't like that idea. I was arrested when I was 13 and put in Juvie for the weekend until I went to court that following Monday morning. Most of the officers that were there that I met were very encouraging and gave me a lot to think about. Even the third shift officer talked with me for over an hour about decisions I was making and where I was heading. I have been out and never been even close to going back there or the adult system. I am 25 now. I thought I could do what I wanted as a kid because they don't arrest kids or put them in jail unless you like kill someone or steal a car, you know "the bad stuff."

The Detention Center is not overcrowded. It cost a bucket of money to run it. Is not that the reason the County wants to close it?
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I have not heard a good reason why we should not contract with other counties to house our Juveniles other than a few County employees are worried about their job.
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If it is cheaper to send them out of county rather than house them here, why not do it?
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If I am missing something in this discussion, please tell me what it is?

rickwantsmoney, what a brilliant idea! too bad good manners have gone by the wayside. We NEED dreamers to think outside of the box...what's going on right now, obviously, is not working in our society. (doing the same things we've always done, expecting different results = ?)

ihavealife, it would prepare them for bible prison.

Can't they just make "etiquette" (I know that's an ancient term, but it fits here) classes part of a school's curriculum? In every grade? All the way up to graduation? Repetition is the key just like learning ABCs and 123s... even if it doesn't SEEM to be sinking in.. with most people, it does! Children shouldn't have to scream to be heard. They need to be continually reinforced with the alternative ways of communication. I know, there's no money in the budget. *sigh* You'd think with better manners, there'd be less violence and trouble and less money spent on juvenile centers. I'm such a dreamer:)

They can send them to bible camp.

this reminds me of detox being shut down. what will we do with the offenders that need jail? ship them to another county just like they do with the people that need detox! then our county has to pay another county to hold that person! some kids need to go to the detention center because they are a danger to others! maybe the county should STOP cutting programs and start revamping them!!

whythink-I agree. Juvenile Detention is not typically used for arguments with parents. As previously stated by others, it's difficult for workers to get kids detained for actual criminal behavior, much less for verbal misbehavior.

call1
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I am not meaning to question what you said about arguing = juvie but I promise you...
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That is not typical.

This is just damn retarded! Oh wait.. we're talking about Government, and Government threw away the, "common sense" rule book 20 or 30 yrs ago, & went to the, Zero tolerance crap where everybody gets thrown in jail for (as I said) retarded things.. even children. Ever wonder why Jails (including Juvenile detention centers) are over crowded? I've actually seen children hauled away for verbally arguing with their parents, & thrown in Juvie. The same kind of arguing I use to do with my parents, now can get kids jail. RIDICULES

I wondering if HSD senior staff and JDC staff were all to take, lets say, 1% of current pay on how much it adds up???
There should be no lost of jobs if county looks at the real situation.
What happens if half the building is close? Us taxs payers are paying for something that isnt being used....If the the thing closes, what is the building going to be used for then? Is The RCSO going to use it in which they offer jobs to the JDC staff? RSCO is NOT under HSD.....

I certainly hope that the Juvenile Probation Agents don't allow poor management decisions to take place on behalf of the youth they are supposed to be serving.

It is your JOB to speak out for youth - regardless. I hope you'll have the courage to reach out and tell someone if it is indeed being run 'like a joke'...otherwise, you're just slandering your supervisors and that's not helpful to a viable solution.

Horrible idea. Management has done everything to make the detention center seem not needed. Ask any juvenile probation agent how different things are and what they are instructed to do regarding incarceration. Their hands are tied.
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This has been a long-time rumor and now management has stats. to back the idea up. Stats they ensured by how they managed their employees.
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UGH!

mmof3...you are right about who makes the decision about who does or does not get held. I agree with you completely. The debate will be whether you see it as "manipulating the numbers" or seeking diversion for youth so they are not being held in lieu of programming.

It does seem that sending kids out of county so the 'won't run' is defeating the purpose of putting them into "CORRECTIONS" but the 'experts' in the field will argue that it works.

What I do know is that the facility is not condusive and costs way more than it should to run - SOMETHING has to give. Let's hope it keeps the CHILD in the forefront of all these decisions. I don't envy the adminsitrator and county board this year!

Thanks for clarifying your comment!

Happy2Balive you misread my comment. Human Services DOES make the decisions on who does or does not get held. They ARE the ones manupulating the numbers of who are in custody in order to support a plan of closure

Why are we outsourcing so much rather than rethinking a very useful building and staff to maximize the needs of OUR children.

That new buzz word "diversion" also equals sending our youth far away from home rather than creating what they need here and selling to other counties who do not have the building and staff we do.

Just trying to stay positive, we have a great asset, we need to use it.

Where will they put these people when they commit a crime? Taking to the Juvenile Detention Center gaves them time to think about their lost freedom. Maybe they will become better citizens when release.
I'm for the Juvenile Detention Center to remain open.

Given our fiscal problems, we need to talk about how to save more money in the prison/correctional business. I say stop prosecuting and incarcerating non-violent criminals. Imagine how much money we would have for more vital things -- healthcare, education, etc.

Jeremy1123

Parents do already pay some if not all of their child's stay at the JDC.

Too bad the Gazette's shallow reporting did not tell you that.

I believe that the parents of these children should be directly responsible for at least a portion the the costs for their stay at the center.After all the parents have the most direct affect on the childrens behavior, more so then environment.That could help with the budget shortfalls and possibly make these parents become more involved with their troubled children.Right and wrong starts at home people.

mmof3 - Human Services will not make any decisions on behalf of Rock County Citizens. You have an elected County Board that has the final say in every decision.

The new 'buzz' word for not housing youth in juvenile detention is called "Diversion". In some cases, it works and it works well. In other cases, it just delays the inevitable and before you know it, the juvenile is an adult clogging up the courts.

Before we all scream 'travisty', we should not judge the process and trust that the professionals/experts in the field are looking at what's best for the youth. How do you maximize services and offer programs that truly help teens stay out of trouble with the law. Remember that the county is faced with more than $5 million dollars in deficit for next year's budget and in order to BEST serve the needs of most, sacrifice will have to come at some measure, either through reductions or loss of services.

State Statutes define the number of staff required to hold juveniles whether it's one or 20...these numbers don't justify staying open. There are also options within this community to place juveniles in supervised housing that allows for mental health, education and rehab.

I would say that before we get our undies in a bundle, we should wait and see what they propose...with the economy where it's at - perhaps they will consolidate and coordinate with neighboring counties to serve youth with a more focused program need.

No man is an island, and especially not juveniles. Juveniles generally have short stays in jails, and it is important to get them back home. How can you get them back home properly if home if 100 miles away? How can relatives keep in touch? How can home issues be addressed?
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Closing down the juvenile justice facility close to home is just being penny wise and pound foolish.

The article that was posted seems to be just another twisted numbers game. Outsourcing is a great idea, Racine County has PAID for a brand new facility off of that revenue.

As for the crime in Rock County... quit playing mathmatical games. We have gang fights in our schools, shootings in our streets, and more violent crimes involving juveniles than in the past. Just because you use creative math it does not make those facts go away.

Talk to our local officers they are increasinly frustrated by the FACT that they are being told that the juvenile offenders they arrest cannot be held.

That decision is being made by Human Services... NOT Law Enforcement. How many of those people making the decisions about youth crime in Rock County actually live in Rock County. I have the answer... NONE

I for one do not want our community turned into a city with issues such as Milwaukee. Is that where they want our community to head? It seems that trip will not take too long at this rate.

This is shear madness!!

What will happen to the children the detention center serves? Will they be put into the general population of the RCJ?

I'm flabbergasted that this is even being considered! With the economy and budget crises that everyone (private, government, families, etc) is experiencing, crime is BOUND to go up. Why not be proactive and creative to figure out how to prepare for the juvenile criminals that DO LIVE HERE-in ROCK COUNTY...Why subject these young kids to potentially even MORE criminal thinking in bigger counties? Aren't juveniles required to have a parent/guardian present for proceedings? How will the parent/guardian get there (a lot of juveniles in trouble come from families living in poverty, don't have cars, access to transportation...)? I think this is a ridiculous proposal and I am getting more and more frustrated by the criminal justice system in this county. After all, most juvenile delinquents grow up to be adult delinquents. Will we build a bigger jail to house the current population at the jail PLUS the newly adult population from juvenile detention? I scratch my head trying to figure out what the heads of these departments think will become of this county if they don't address the issue of crimes committed by juveniles.