Deschutes County may lease part of detention center

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Deschutes County commissioners offered support Monday for a lease agreement with J Bar J Youth Services to use part of the county’s juvenile detention facility to house youth offenders.

The lease would allow the local nonprofit to use 16 beds within the detention center for young males on parole and probation and in an Oregon Youth Authority program.

County commissioners praised the potential agreement at a work session Monday as a good use of available space at the county detention center.

“It’s very exciting to be able to utilize this facility,” said board Chairman Tony DeBone. “We’ll be partners in this for years to come, it looks like.”

Ken Hales, community justice director, told county commissioners, “We’re very excited about the partnership and bringing this resource to our community.”

The amount J Bar J would pay to use the juvenile detention facility was not available Monday.

Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the lease agreement Wednesday.

The lease would last 18 months with the opportunity to renew it.

J Bar J Boys Ranch east of Bend is contracted by the youth authority to provide behavior rehabilitation for young offenders, which includes counseling, skills training and service-learning projects.

The detention facility would be used for offenders who have continued behavioral concerns, said Amy Fraley, program manager for the boys ranch. The beds at the facility would be used for temporary placement for up to 90 days.

Fraley said the organization will initially only use 14 beds at the facility. When the offender starts doing better at the detention center, he can transfer to the boys ranch, she said.

Commissioner Tammy Baney said using the detention center will benefit those youth who are from Central Oregon and can remain close to family.

Hales told commissioners the arrangement will not interfere with the county’s youth detention at the facility.

“It’s a big win-win for us,” said Hales.

“I’m absolutely confident this is going to work out well for everybody,” he said.

— Reporter: 541-617-7820, tshorack@bendbulletin.com