A united front of more than 50 justice advocates voiced unanimous opposition to the plan, saying that the expansion would represent a doubling down on carceral tactics rather than diversion, which the county has recently made moves toward with its Diversion Center plan.
Juvenile Probation says the new facilities are needed because the old ones don't include any nonsecure or transitional housing. Currently, if there is a lack of space, Juvenile Probation places children as far as 100 miles away, in facilities that may not meet Travis County's standard of care, increasing costs for the county.
They say the new space would also help bridge gaps in the continuum of services, enhance restorative justice programs and reduce recidivism to lessen the probability of children ending up in the adult criminal justice system.
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