Changes are coming to the Salem Industrial Home for Youth in Harrison County and state lawmakers may be asked to make even more changes.
The deputy director of the state’s Division of Services recently submitted a list of preliminary changes during a court hearing. Those include relocating female residents to the Rubenstein juvenile facility in Tucker County and moving Salem’s most dangerous residents to a state juvenile facility in Hampshire County.
The moves come after Mercer County Judge Omar Aboulhosn issued an order last month that severely criticized conditions at Salem, particularly in Building A. The judge said if the legislature didn’t do something he would.
State Senator Bill Laird, D-Fayette, says he believes juvenile detention must be part of the discussion when the state begins to tackle prison overcrowding.
“If we’re going to solve our current prison overpopulation problems the juvenile justice system is going to have to be part of that equation also,” Laird said.
The senator says he’s heard recent discussion about possibly making Salem’s Building A into a facility for adult offenders.
“I think that’s part of a number of options that have to be looked at,” he said.
Building A has been criticized when it comes to housing juveniles because it was built like a maximum security prison.
Sen. Laird says Judge Aboulhosn has been clear about what he’ll do if the legislature doesn’t do enough to correct issues at Salem.
“If we don’t do it the court will not hesitate following the legislative session to perhaps mandate that those changes be made,” Sen. Laird said.