Louisville juvenile detention center deemed unsafe set to reopen after repairs

A state juvenile detention facility deemed unsafe in Louisville will soon reopen after undergoing weeks of repairs, Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday.

The Jefferson County Regional Juvenile Detention Center has undergone upgrades to doors, locks and fire alarm systems and will open with partial occupancy, housing 10 males, the governor said.

State facilities that house juveniles charged with crimes in Kentucky have been plagued with fights and violence in recent months. Beshear pledged in December to revamp the system, largely by assigning males to facilities based on the severity of their offense. For decades, the state’s system placed juveniles in facilities based on where they live.

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“We will continue to take steps to make this into a safe system and where we can protect not only youth, but our staff that have been assaulted numerous times,” Beshear said during his weekly news conference.

The Louisville facility will open other living units to house 20 more males once upgrades are finished. The governor said the new plan for the facility is to house juvenile males under 14 who have been charged with lower level offenses.

In November, several young people and staff were wounded in a disturbance at a detention center in Adair County.