Officials Seek Voter Approval for Louisiana Juvenile Facility

COVINGTON, La. — Officials are seeking voter approval to fund a new juvenile facility that would house up to 88 female offenders at the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center.

The ballot measure that will go to voters on Oct. 20 calls for a 4-mill property tax that would generate about $7.2 million annually for the facility during the next 10 years.

The current juvenile facility houses 75 male and 28 female offenders. If the new facility is approved, the current juvenile complex would only house males and females would be located at an adjacent site in a 40,000- to 50,000-square-foot building.

The new beds are needed to meet the growing population of youth offenders and an increase in female offenders.

The current facility is often at capacity, forcing officials to either release offenders or house them at St. James Parish, which is more expensive due to transportation and per diem costs, according to reports.