Police chiefs association asks for solution to shuttered Shuman Juvenile Detention Center
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Allegheny County's police chiefs are now demanding immediate action to take young offenders off the street. But is anything being done to reopen the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center?
Teenagers accused of violent crime in Allegheny County are being immediately released only to reoffend. The reason? After a year and a half, the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center is still closed.
At 12:30 a.m. last week, a homeless man on Smithfield Street was robbed and beaten to an inch of his life and transported to the hospital where he was last reported in critical condition. Police arrested a 15- and a 13-year-old, charging them with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and robbery. But instead of jail, police released them to the custody of their parents who apparently did not know or did not care their kids were Downtown at that hour.
"Currently violent juvenile offenders are being continually released to family and friends only to reoffend, sometimes within hours," said Allegheny County Chiefs of Police Association President Craig Campbell.
More than a year and a half ago, the state revoked the license of the Shuman Detention Center and the county shut it down. Since then, law enforcement has complained of a revolving door of juvenile justice with no place to detain even the most violent offenders. At a time when youth gun violence is at all-time highs, there are only 14 detention beds in the region — all outside of Allegheny County.
The Allegheny County Chiefs of Police Association is fed up and demanding the county administration and council take immediate action.
"While a permanent solution must be found long-term, a temporary solution must be implemented immediately," said Campbell.
The chiefs will be disappointed. There is no immediate solution. However, sources say the county is now working on a temporary one. It may clean and renovate at least part of the boarded-up facility to accommodate a dozen or more detention beds for youth offenders by the end of the year.
In a statement, County Manager Jennifer Liptak said, "We're in the midst of evaluating and planning out the steps needed to bring the former Shuman Center building up to current standards. We expect that we will have a temporary solution by end of year, but a permanent solution will take longer."
Last fall, the county requested proposals for Shuman. KDKA-TV learned Adelphoi, a private company, has offered to run Shuman complete with counseling and rehabilitation services, but the company has also asked the county to undertake the needed renovations.
Sources say a complete renovation would cost in the neighborhood of $20 million and the county isn't willing to fund them alone. While the former administration was reluctant to commit the funds, sources say former Attorney General and now Gov. Josh Shapiro sees the need and is willing to fund at least part of the cost.
It's possible the county and the state will be announcing a long-term solution in the near future, but an announcement like it has already been a long time coming, and for law enforcement, it couldn't come a moment too soon.
