Oklahoma Board of Juvenile Affairs reduces need for Juvenile Detention services

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — The Oklahoma Board of Juvenile Affairs approves further reduction of the number of juvenile detention beds the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) will contract for in the upcoming fiscal year.

The revised number of juvenile detention beds represents 14% fewer than the amount approved by the board five months ago.

“OJA’s juvenile services unit has been working to lower our population for OJA custody youth in all levels of out-of-home placement to help ease the burden on youth and staff in congregate care and stay ahead of anticipated staffing shortages across the juvenile justice system,” said OJA interim Executive Director Rachel Holt

The revised detention plan approved calls for 229 contracted juvenile detention beds in 12 counties.

OJA looked at detention usage for a nine-month period from July 2019 to April 2020. The low detention usage since the coronavirus outbreak prompted efforts to reduce the population and lower new admissions was factored in as a reason for the drastic decrease.

“As a result, detention usage has decreased more than 40% due to the statewide cooperation between OJA, judges and district attorneys,” she said. “Because the pandemic is still ongoing and the absolute reality of state budget cuts for fiscal year 2021, it is incumbent on OJA to reassess the state plan for detention at this time.”

OJA pays each detention center for a certain number of beds, whether they are used or not.

Oklahoma’s juvenile detention population on March 18 was 215. Today’s population is 119.

The 266 contracted beds called for in the plan approved in December is too high, Holt said.

“I can’t justify that to the Legislature, I can’t justify that to the governor, I can’t justify that to the taxpayers,” Holt told board members

The plan approved today adjusts the secure detention plan approved in December by allocating contracted juvenile detention beds to detention centers in the following counties:

• Beckham County: Zero, down from 6.
• Canadian County: Remains at 10.
• Cleveland County: Remains at 26.
• Comanche County: Remains at 25.
• Craig County: Remains at 16.
• Garfield County: Remains at 10.
• LeFlore County: Remains at 10.
• Lincoln County: Remains at 12.
• Oklahoma County: 50, down from 60.
• Pittsburg County: Remains at 10.
• Pottawatomie County: Remains at 12.
• Texas County: Zero, down from 6.
• Tulsa County: 40, down from 55.
• Woodward County: Remains at 8.