THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 9, 1997 TAG: 9702090056
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JUNE ARNEY AND JON FRANK, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 126 lines
Neighbors in the Riverpoint area were surprised and angered to learn recently that the former Norfolk Psychiatric Center, next to DePaul Medical Center, will reopen next month as a temporary home for juvenile offenders.
First Corrections Corp., operated by the company that runs The Pines Residential Treatment Center in Portsmouth, plans to use the building at Granby Street and Kingsley Lane for about six months to house 36 nonviolent youthful offenders committed to the state's Department of Juvenile Justice.
``The greatest fear is that they will harbor juveniles who are dangerous who will get out in the community and cause problems,'' said David Benson, who lives nearby and is treasurer of the Riverpoint Civic League. ``. . . Once they establish something there, what's stopping them from maintaining a permanent presence? . . . Do you want something that could come in and cause problems like what happened at The Pines?''
Stories recently published in The Virginian-Pilot reported that in 1995, residents - some convicted of serious crimes in other states - ran away from The Pines at the rate of nearly one every five days. Some residents were found with keys to doors that are supposed to keep them in the center, which houses about 265 youths at two Portsmouth locations.
In recent years, at least five residents or former residents of The Pines have been accused of violent crimes in Hampton Roads.
Benson, who lives near DePaul and the location of the new juvenile program, said he learned of plans for the program last week.
``Whatever they're doing, they're doing it quietly,'' he said. ``I can understand it being a business decision, but it affects all of us.''
He and other civic league members plan to meet with First Corrections officials this week to discuss the plans.
John E. Moore, chief operating officer for First Corrections, said the planned use of the building is not unlike its past use. At Norfolk Psychiatric, there were both adult and juvenile patients.
The youths will be under lock and key and monitored by a staff of one part-time and three full-time security guards, who will be unarmed, according to a spokeswoman for First Corrections. ``Obviously, they can't get out of the building,'' Moore said. ``They'll only be out when we take them out.''
No new permits or zoning changes were required for the juvenile center, which will be called Tidewater Residential Institute.
Benson and the civic league were not the only ones caught off-guard by the juvenile program.
A spokeswoman for DePaul Medical Center, whose building is connected to the psychiatric center by a covered skywalk, said telephone calls from concerned citizens recently brought the matter to their attention.
``What they plan on doing is not our desire for that facility,'' said Lynne Zultanky, a DePaul spokeswoman. ``Our desire is to see this facility used to complement other health care provided by DePaul or Bon Secours (DePaul's parent corporation) programs, like assisted living or elderly day care.''
Tom Donovan, another local resident and member of the Riverpoint Civic League, said the property is not suited to house juvenile offenders. On one side is a preschool. DePaul is behind it. And the Granby High School annex is next door.
``They're talking about kids who've been committed to the Department of Corrections who, if they weren't here, would be behind wire,'' he said. ``It seems to be a very short-sighted plan with little consideration for the potential problems in the neighborhood. . . . They haven't even made a superficial effort to inform the neighborhood. It could have been there without anyone knowing about it, until and if there was an unfortunate incident.''
But First Corrections officials say they do not expect problems that would affect the neighborhood.
``Every possible provision is being taken to assure that this is a secure facility,'' First Corrections officials said in a written response to questions from The Virginian-Pilot. ``These residents are non-violent and have not committed any sex crime; they are very amenable to rehabilitation and therefore less apt to attempt to `run.' ''
The facility is scheduled to open in March to serve mostly local youths. Forty new staff members are being hired. Of those, 22 will have experience working with juveniles in a corrections setting. The state signed a contract with First Corrections on Dec. 30, according to Cari Brunelle, a spokeswoman for the Department of Juvenile Justice.
The facility will house male and female juveniles ages 10 through 18, mostly first offenders, not considered high risk, with a minimal history of assaultive/violent behaviors, no felony assaults and no history of sexual offenses.
The juvenile program will occupy the Norfolk site until it can be moved to a permanent location on the Brighton campus of The Pines Residential Treatment Center in Portsmouth in the fall.
An advertisement for director of the youth program said ideal candidates will possess a master's degree in criminal justice, psychology, social work, business administration or related field and five or more years of experience in corrections management.
First Corrections originally planned to locate a 76-bed juvenile program in Virginia Beach at what was formerly Tidewater Psychiatric Institute, at 1701 Will-O-Wisp Drive, but that plan met with community opposition late last year. The site would have required rezoning because the building had not recently been used for overnight stays.
Instead, First Corrections proposed the program at the Norfolk site until work on a permanent location in Portsmouth could be completed.
Ground will be broken on that project soon.
First Corrections also sought a state contract to run a 225-bed minimum- to medium-security juvenile correctional center on the Brighton campus of The Pines, but it is not a finalist for that contract. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo< [David Benson, a civic league
official...]
Photo by LAWRENCE JACKSON/The Virginian-Pilot
Riverpoint Civic League Treasurer David Benson, in front of the
former Norfolk Psychiatric Center in Norfolk, wants people to know
more about the planned detention center for youths before it opens.
Photo by Lawrence Jackson/The Virginian-Pilot
[Riverpoint Civic League Treasurer David Benson...]
VP Map
Area Shown: Planned youth detention center
Graphic
THE CONTROVERSY: The same company that runs The Pines Residential
Treatment Center in Portsmouth will open a temporary home for
juvenile offenders next month at the former Norfolk Psychiatric
Center. The home, next to DePaul Medical Center, will house 36
nonviolent offenders.
RESIDENTS SAY: They are worried about potential violence and the
proximity to two schools, hospital.
THE CENTER'S OFFICIALS SAY: The planned use of the Granby Street
building is not unlike how it was used in the past.
KEYWORDS: JUVENILE TREATMENT CENTER THE PINES RESIDENTIAL
TREATMENT CENTER NORFOLK PSYCHIATRIC CENTER JUVENILE
OFFENDERS CRIME DETENTION CENTER