Community Corrections seeks to use the unoccupied space at 297 Century Ave, reconfiguring it to co- locate two unique and separate institutions: the Ramsey County Correctional Facility and the Juvenile Detention Center (JDC). The current Juvenile Detention Center is housed at the JFJC in downtown St Paul. The structure is old, difficult to maintain and reflects an outdated detention modality. The rooms are dark and dungeon-like with little natural light and no green space for youth to recreate. Additionally, the disjointed layout and location of the existing facility contributes to difficulty recruiting and retaining staff. The facility is spread out over four different floors, requiring additional staff to ensure client safety and building security; parking for staff and families is challenging and staff do not feel safe- there have been assaults and shots fired outside the facility and theft from staff vehicles. Lastly there is no formal admissions area. The Ramsey County Correctional Facility is, located in Maplewood MN currently has unoccupied space due to successful efforts to reduce the population over the last several years. The available space in what is currently the Women's Unit is newer and in better condition. Rooms are larger and have more natural light. There is ample green space for outdoor recreation. There is free parking for families and staff. There is an existing admissions area that could be built out to create a drop in center so youth would not enter detention prior to assessment and determining if there are appropriate community alternatives to keep incoming youth separate from the facility and collaborate with Health and Wellness Team partners to divert low risk risk that are in need of other services. Lastly, the existing onsite staff provide a higher standard of janitorial and maintenance services than is provided by contracted service at the JDC. The majority of JDC residents are youth of color from lower income families. Also, many youth are now staying at the JDC longer due to the seriousness of their offences and the lack of viable placement options. Having a more therapeutic and child friendly space would align with the county's Residents First Strategic Priority and would provide a safer environment for the youth and staff. This project is included in the city’s 2024-2029 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). As of May 10, 2024, per owner, they have not received funding yet. If they are selected the process will go through their property management division and is all done through the RFP process. *Project information has been obtained through a public capital improvement plan (CIP). A CIP is a financial schedule for short- and long-range projects which is updated regularly. Information listed in the CIP often evolves based on funding availability and the project details, including timeline and value, are subject to change. The content management team will continue to pursue additional details as they become available.
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