After a judge’s ruling, DCYF had no choice but to return dozens of young adults to it’s juvenile detention center in Chehalis.
It’s a move a state lawyer described as "pouring gasoline on a fire," but after a judge’s ruling, the State had no choice but to return dozens of young adults to it’s juvenile detention center in Chehalis.It’s the latest development in a population crisis that’s unfolding inside the Department of Children, Youth and Families facilities.The Green Hill facility, which houses the state’s oldest juvenile offenders, is beyond capacity.
At the time, the move was made to ensure a rehabilitative environment for people as science has shown the brain is still under development until a person’s mid-20s.However, the state didn’t expand capacity for the juvenile offenders in its care. In fact, it closed a low to medium-security facility on the coast citing issues with finding employees.In the immediate aftermath of the law change, the COVID-19 pandemic hit which slowed down the state’s court system.
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