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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Retiring SOU president Roy Saigo recalls days in Japanese-American camps ... Since You Asked: New airbows not legal for hunting in Oregon ... Recruiting firm didn't pick Patridge ... Retiring SOU president Roy Saigo recalls days in Japanese-American camps ... Since You Asked: New airbows not legal for hunting in Oregon ... Recruiting firm didn't pick Patridge ... SLASHED BUDGET Josephine County juvenile system struggling Few resources left to deal with youths who go astray Comment By Shaun Hall of the Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Shaun Hall of the Daily Courier Posted Jul. 1, 2016 at 3:07 PM By Shaun Hall of the Daily Courier Posted Jul. 1, 2016 at 3:07 PM » Social News The Josephine County Juvenile Justice Department is a shadow of its former self. Five years ago, it operated a shelter and detention facility, but that closed in 2012 due to budget cuts. It now employs eight people — mainly probation officers — on a budget of $1 million, down from 29 employees and a budget of $1.6 million in 2011. Five years ago, a daily average of six or seven juveniles were held in detention, according to the department's director, Jim Goodwin, but that number is now down to a daily average of three juveniles held in custody — and those young suspects are sent to a facility in Roseburg. Last week, the county Board of Commissioners renewed a $114,000 contract with Douglas County to house detained juveniles. The arrangement is less than ideal. Not only are about half the number of juveniles being held, compared with the time when the Josephine County Juvenile Justice Center was open, but court appearances and attorney consultations between juvenile defendants and their lawyers now typically are done via video conferencing or the telephone from Roseburg, according to Goodwin. Also, families have to bear the brunt of time and transportation costs to visit those held in custody in Roseburg. "Families have a hard time getting up there for a visit," Goodwin said. "With court hearings, it's always better to be in person." And when those juveniles are released from detention, they no longer stay at the county shelter before transitioning home. There is no shelter — yet. "A lot of times, kids would go from detention to shelter and then home," Goodwin said. In a bit of good news, a faith-based nonprofit organization from Medford called Hearts With A Mission intends to open an 18-bed shelter on Northeast Ninth Street near Grants Pass High School on Aug. 1. That could help fill some of the void. The 16-bed county shelter was down to 10 beds, due to budget cuts, when it finally closed in 2012. It mainly housed young people who were potentially in danger at home due to abuse or neglect. "It was pretty full, oftentimes with a waiting list," Goodwin said. In addition, youths caught bringing drugs or alcohol to schools in the Three Rivers School District now typically are not prosecuted, due to shortages at the Josephine County Sheriff's Office. Those cases once numbered several a month, according to Goodwin. "We get nearly zero now," Goodwin said. "If you're in the county, this has been a colossal problem. The Sheriff's Office, they haven't had the resources to respond. Unfortunately, the schools end up dealing with that internally. It's just a huge loss of service." By Shaun Hall of the Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Shaun Hall of the Daily Courier Posted Jul. 1, 2016 at 3:07 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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