Jetson Center for Youth

Louis Jetson Center for Youth (JCY) is a former juvenile correctional facility in unincorporated East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana near Baton Rouge and Baker.[1] It as previously referred to as "Scotlandville" after the nearby community.[2] It was operated by the Louisiana Department of Corrections and later by the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ).

Scenic Alternative High School was located at Jetson.[1]

It was named after a humanitarian and activist named Louis Jetson.[2]

History

On October 1, 1948 the State Industrial School for Colored Youth, established that year by the Louisiana Legislature, opened.[2] The school's budget was $150,000, and it had 11 employees and a single prisoner. Campaigning for a correctional facility for black children began when the Louisiana Colored Teachers Association president did so in 1900, and in the 1920s civic groups also began asking for such a facility. Even though the Louisiana Legislature established a correctional facility for black children in 1928, it never opened because the legislature did not give any money to fund it.[3]

In 1956 the facility began housing both boys and girls. In 1969 racial desegregation occurred and the name became Louisiana Training Institute–East Baton Rouge (LTI). It became known as the "Louis Jetson Correctional Center for Youth", and then the "Louis Jetson Center for Youth", in 1995 and 2005, respectively.[2]

The Louisiana Legislature had ordered Jetson closed by June 30, 2009.[4] This decision was praised by The New York Times Editorial Board.[5] Instead the center remained open, and after downsizing, it kept its name.[6] At the end of the facility's life, only a portion of the campus was in use.[7] 76 inmates were at Jetson prior to its closure.[8]

The center closed on January 26, 2014. The prisoners were transferred to Bridge City and Swanson early that morning. The decision was not announced in advance. OJJ Secretary Mary Livers later apologized for the secrecy of the closing.[8] The cited reasons for closing the facility included the existence of newer facilities and the difficulty of managing inmates on the outdated and large Jetson property.[3] Months later, Louisiana authorities announced intentions to rebuild and reopen Jetson.[9]

By September 2016 the prisoners displaced from the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women (LCIW) in St. Gabriel who were moved to the former Phelps Correctional Center near DeQuincy were transferred to the former JCY.[10] As of 2017 Jetson continued to house LCIW prisoners as well as the LCIW administration.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 "Jetson Center for Youth." Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice. Retrieved on June 30, 2010. "15200 Old Scenic Highway (at US Hwy 61) Baker, LA 70714 (physical address) "
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Jetson Center for Youth’s Residents Re-located to Other OJJ Secure Facilities Last Night" (Archive). Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice. January 26, 2014. Retrieved on December 17, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Youth From South La. Center Re-located to Swanson Center in Monroe". Myarklamiss.com. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  4. ↑ Alexander-Bloch, Benjamin. "Expansion of juvenile jail suggested." The Times-Picayune. Thursday October 9, 2008. Retrieved on August 30, 2010.
  5. ↑ Editorial Board (2008-06-18). "Louisiana: Closing an Abusive “Center for Youth”". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  6. ↑ "Legislative Briefs." The Advocate. June 26, 2009. Retrieved on August 30, 2010. "The Jetson Center for Youth is still being reformed into a more treatment- friendly, regional center, but it will keep its name as Jetson."
  7. ↑ "State closes youth prison in Baker" (Archive). Associated Press at The Times Picayune. January 26, 2014. Retrieved on December 18, 2015.
  8. 1 2 McGaughy, Lauren. "Louisiana juvenile justice official apologizes for those 'hurt' by Jetson Center closure" (Archive). New Orleans Times Picayune. February 20, 2014. Retrieved on December 18, 2015.
  9. ↑ Broussard, Ryan (2014-05-14). "Plans being discussed to rebuild Jetson juvenile center". The Advocate. Retrieved 2016-06-29.
  10. ↑ Chawla, Kiran (2016-09-09). "Hundreds of evacuated female inmates transferred to closed EBR youth center". WAFB. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  11. ↑ "Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women." Louisiana Department of Corrections. Retrieved on June 29, 2017. Archive, Archive #2

Notes

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