ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, July 27, 1996 TAG: 9607300035
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WALTERS
SOURCE: Associated Press
JUVENILES will be segregated as they participate in a five-month military-style program.
Girl troublemakers soon will join delinquent boys at Virginia's only juvenile boot camp.
But the 45 male teen-agers at the camp in rural Isle of Wight County will be kept segregated from the 20 female teens who will arrive next month, said Joan Stephens, a spokeswoman for Youth Services International Inc.
The camp, which has housed only males since it opened in January, is a joint project of Richmond and the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice. It is operated under contract by Youth Services International.
``Obviously, the separation was a major issue for us, not mixing the populations, and we have every confidence that the contractor will live up to his assurances that there will be no hanky panky,'' said Richmond Deputy City Manager George Musgrove.
Musgrove said he was impressed with the job Youth Services International has done. ``They are giving us exactly what they promised to give us contractually.''
The five-month boot camp program is followed by a six-month after-care program. The 14-to 18-year-old residents are nonviolent offenders who are sent to the military-style program as an alternative to probation or juvenile correctional centers.
The program stresses respect, discipline, accountability, education and a work ethic.
``It basically changes the way they think, so it changes the way they act, so they can become responsible citizens,'' Stephens said.
The typical day lasts from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. After waking, there is physical training, followed by breakfast, counseling, classes, drilling, lunch, more counseling and classes, dinner, homework and bed.
The girls' day will be similar.
``Our formula, we feel, is really appropriate for the female population, the same as it is for the male,'' Stephens said.
She said males and females would have separate activities as well as housing. ``It will be totally segregated.''
Sheila Hill-Christian, director of juvenile justice services for Richmond, said the boys and girls might take classes together initially while a new school building is constructed.
LENGTH: Medium: 52 linesby CNB