County's juvenile lockup certification in doubt

SANDPOINT — The Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections is giving Bonner County high marks again for its juvenile detention staff, administration and programming.

But those determinations by an Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections inspection team might not be able to compensate for the county’s substandard juvenile detention facility, which is in jeopardy of not being re-certified by the state in 2010.

“We’re not certain that certification will continue,” Frank Riley, quality improvement director for IDJC, told Bonner County commissioners on Thursday.

Riley said a final certification decision is expected this spring.

A lack of certification doesn’t automatically mean the lockup will close, but it could expose the county to costly litigation if an inmate or staff member is injured because of an inadequate facility.

The limitations of the existing 12-bed facility refashioned from a single-family home have vexed county officials for several years. They have been hustling to replace the aging home with a 32-bed facility, most recently through a two-year override levy.

Bonner County voters who turned out to cast ballots on the measure overwhelmingly rejected it at the polls in August.

The inspection panel’s findings are very similar to conclusions reached following last spring’s inspection. Staff and administrators won high praise for their innovation, creativity and collaboration with law enforcement and child welfare agencies.

“You’ve got a good program rather than a storage facility,” said Lan Smith, a Gem County commissioner and inspection team member.

Juvenile justice staff are employing leading-edge therapeutic methodologies such as dialectical behavioral therapy and incidents of violence are rare (two in one year), which inspector Marcy Chadwell chalked up to quality staffing.

“Their skills are paramount to kids not being hurt and staff not being hurt,” said Chadwell, a Police Officer Standards and Training coordinator at IDJC.

But the insufficiency of the building — cramped corridors, few fire escape routes and internal security limitations — remains conspicuous.

If the county opts to close the facility, youthful offenders in Bonner and Boundary counties would have to be housed at the regional lockup in Kootenai County.

Annual boarding, transportation and staffing costs are projected to top $1 million under that scenario.

Dave Sasser of the Idaho Counties Risk Management Program, said such a sum could also be achieved with one mishap at the existing facility.

“That’s one case, one jury verdict,” said Sasser, another member of the inspection team.

Commissioners have suggested they might make another try at a levy in the hope that a more spartan design plan, enhanced voter outreach and a better turnout at the polls would produce a different result. However, the board has not formally decided to go that route.

“I knew we were on thin ice,” said Commission Chairman Lewis Rich. “We’re not through trying, obviously. We have a problem and we have to fix it.”