Apr. 17, 2025 8p
(WGTD)---To hear officials from the courts and the Racine County’s Human Service Department tell it, the difference between the new Jonathan Delagrave Youth Development and Care Center in Caledonia and the existing juvenile detention hall on Taylor Ave. in Racine is night and day.
The public got a chance to take a look at the $40 million facility during an open house Thursday afternoon.
The 48 beds will start filling up early next month. Stays will average around six months.
Everything about the new center—from wall hangings to the layout to its light and airy feel—is designed to create a supportive environment to help kids turn their lives around. "What type of environment is going to be most effective to put them in a better situation in six months when they're back in the community" said Stephen Bedwell, the Human Services Department's Youth and Family Administrator. "This facility does that and does it in such a dramatic fashion compared to what currently exists," he said.
In providing an example of the differences, Juvenile Court Judge Kristin Cafferty noted that the Taylor Ave. detention center’s "gym" is really a converted conference room. "It has ceilings that are not tall enough to have basketball hoops," she said at a panel discussion that preceded the open house. "We have kids who need to be physically active....they don't have anywhere to get out their energy."
Construction costs for the new center were covered by the state. In return, kids will be accepted from throughout the region. Placements will be paid for by the child’s home county.
How will success be measured? Officials say they’ll be looking at a variety of factors, including high school graduation rates.
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