Detention Center Gets Respite From Crowding Eight-Bed Addition Gives Juveniles More Space During Incarceration

Nick likes his new room, even though it’s an 8-foot by 10-foot cell at the juvenile detention center.

He’s living in the new eight-bed addition at the Region I Juvenile Detention Center, but remembers well what it was like before.

The 17-year-old spent three months there, crammed with other teens, two and three to a cell. Kids slept on the cell floors. Sometimes others slept out in the hall. Tempers flared.

“I was here when every room had at least two people,” Nick said. On Sept. 8, the new addition to the center officially opened. It has brought a much needed respite from the crowding, although detention officials say it may be only temporary.

“I love it,” Nick said Friday from one of the new cells. “It’s much cleaner and much brighter.”

If the increase in juvenile offenders continues to climb as fast as it has for several years, the center will top its limit again, said center director Al Friesen.

“It would appear we could be close to 40 kids in a year,” he said.

Before the addition opened, the center, which serves Idaho’s five northern counties, legally could hold 18 youths.

By this summer, it averaged 26 youths a day - and has held up to 34 kids, Friesen said.

Now, the center is certified to hold 26. Youths began moving into the cells in mid-August. Before the end of the month, the center reached its new capacity.

Much like the old cells, the new rooms have a cot against one wall, an exposed stainless steel toilet and a rack to hang clothes.

But teen inmates now usually get their own rooms. The new rooms have fresh blue floors and bright white walls.

“You get more privacy now,” said Adam on Friday. The 15-year-old has been at the center for 40 days. “You don’t have to go to the bathroom in front of anyone else.”

Although juveniles from all over the Panhandle stay at the facility, Kootenai County paid for the entire addition.

The project was budgeted for $280,000 but cost about $255,000.

Last summer, Kootenai County received $292,000 in excess liquor tax receipts. Officials chose to use that money for the addition, said Tom Taggart, county clerk.

Although the commissioners in office in 1994 started talking with other counties about contributing, the effort was not continued during the election turnover, he said.

Rather than spend time haggling, the county decided to go ahead and build the addition, Taggart said. The county may consider recouping some of the cost through higher housing fees. The other four counties pay for any youths they send to the detention center.

Although Nick likes his new cell better than the old ones, he admits it isn’t the ideal place.

“I’d rather be at home with my girlfriend,” he said.

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