Reinke Anxious To Run State Juvenile Corrections

Ask Brent and Carla Reinke how many children they have and they will tell you hundreds.

Actually, they are the parents of five sons, most grown and away from home, but Brent Reinke, long involved in juvenile programs, sometimes feels he’s responsible for hundreds of teenagers.

When he becomes director of the Department of Juvenile Corrections on May 12, he will be directly involved in the care of about 460 juvenile offenders trying to get their lives in order.

Gov. Phil Batt this week appointed Reinke, a Twin Falls county commissioner since 1992, to take the position once held by Michael Johnson. Johnson resigned Feb. 13 after a state investigation concluded the former Rexburg teacher and legislator violated state policy.

Reinke has closely followed the problems of Johnson and the department. They particularly impacted eastern Idaho, home to the state’s largest juvenile detention facility in St. Anthony.

“One of my primary goals is to work very closely with eastern Idaho, especially in the early months,” Reinke said Thursday. His first task will be finding a regional liaison. Former liaison Roger Clark, Rexburg, was part of the investigation that involved Johnson and also had to resign.

Reinke doesn’t have a college degree and says his administrative and management experience is limited to his job as county commissioner, former city councilman in Filer and as an owner and operator of restaurants.

“I will not be a sole administrator cracking a whip,” Reinke said. “The department is made up of a lot of good, caring, professional people. My job is to help them and make them look good.”

Reinke wants to get back to the legislation that created the department three years ago. He said there have been too many questions about the department’s role in working with counties and schools.

Reinke, 43, was chosen from among 29 applicants and will be paid $65,000.

A Republican, he was appointed by Lt. Gov. Butch Otter to fill a vacancy on the Twin Falls County Commission in 1992, but won election later that same year. He was re-elected in 1996.