Project in the works for five years; some call it poor use of precious dollars
Activists have launched a last-minute attempt to halt construction of a $100 million jail for Baltimore teenagers facing adult charges, saying the state needs to have a broader conversation about how to deal with young criminals.
Groundbreaking for the 180-bed facility, at the state-owned complex that includes a dozen other prison buildings just east of downtown Baltimore, is scheduled for this fall.
"This is a building that nobody wants and barely anybody knows about," said Terry Hickey, director of the Community Law in Action Center, which tutors jailed teens. "It's a myth that the state is 'doing this for the kids.' Building it is a choice, not a mandate".
Officials say the state desperately needs a youth detention center. Currently, juveniles facing adult charges — often, violent offenders charged with murder or serious assaults — are crammed into a wing of the antiquated Baltimore City Detention Center. The U.S. Department of Justice has long criticized the facility's inability to separate teens from their adult counterparts.
"The state does not have the capacity to meet federal guidelines," prison spokesman Rick Binetti said. "We think this is the best solution".
