Life at the J. DeWeese Carter Center is about the change.
The juvenile detention center located in Chestertown, which is currently used to house male juveniles awaiting trial, will begin operations as a secure facility for female juveniles “in the very near future,” according to a letter County Administrator Susie Hayman received from Linda McWilliams, deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services.
“This change is being made as part of the Department’s commitment to provide quality services to our female population and to separate our detained and committed girls, as required by the Human Services Article of the Maryland Code,” the letter states.
At their Tuesday meeting, Hayman told the commissioners that the Carter Center was being changed from a pre-trial facility to a post-trial facility. She said the majority of the population would come from either Prince George’s or Baltimore counties.
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According to the letter, the Carter Center’s population will be limited to 14 girls. In mid-October the center will end its current male-only program. The building will undergo a few weeks of renovation and staff will be completely retrained. The Department of Juvenile Services expects the new program to be up and running before Thanksgiving.
The commissioners first heard about the changes at the Carter Center last month when Hayman received an e-mail from Judge John Nunn.
S Pennington says
Life is about to change… from pre-trial Eastern Shore boys to convicted felons (boys, girls, who cares?) from that slice of heaven known to cartographers everywhere as PG and Baltimore Counties.
What harm could possibly come to our community from that?
Joe Diamond says
S. Penn,
Remember these are juveniles. They are not in jail. They are with us to be corrected…led to the light…..made whole after penitence. Had these ladies been adults at the time of their misdeed they would be in jail or found not guilty and released. Giving DJJ the benefit of the doubt…they will come up with an appropriate programs for these ladies and all will be well.
The posible issues involve visitors. Boy friends wanting access. Parents demanding visitation. Pissed off dealers planning to kill ladies who turned state’s evidence to avoid long jail time. Relatives who want to visit but can not figure out visiting hours or read road maps.
All prison towns have this stuff….good for business!
Joe