Judge Paul Young: It's Time To Expand Juvenile Justice Center

Caddo Parish Juvenile Judge Paul Younn talks with 101.7 / 710 KEEL's Robert J Wright and Erin McCarty about the problems facing the parish in implementing the state mandated moving of 17-year-old prisoners to juvenile facilities.

Judge Young tells KEEL listeners that legislation "has passed extending the (July 1) deadlinefor non-violent offenders who are seventeen, transferring them from the adult system to the juvenile system to March 1, 2019.

The judge points out that Louisiana is now joining with forty four states by moving 17-year-old to juvenile jurisdiction: "But those who commit the most major felony offenses would stay in the adult system. But for the vast majority of 17-year-old offenders would come into the juvenile system and that brings us in line with the rest of the country."

Young also expresses concern about the costs of the mandate, saying that expanding the current facility "is a $12 million project. No tax is proposed. There are capital funds available. Currently, the Caddo Parish Commission agrees that the money is available to do that." He adds that the problem with facility funding is the annual operating cost, which "are intelligently estimated to be $4 million."