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For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Disability Rights Center Outraged about Plans to Expand Beds at Alexander
LITTLE ROCK - Disability Rights Center (DRC) released the responses the Department of Human Services provided to a FOIA request mailed to DHS on September 21, 2007. The FOIA requested any and all communications related to capital improvements on the Alexander campus. (Arkansas Juvenile Assessment and Treatment Center). Jan Baker, Managing Attorney for DRC, stated the 98 pages indicate that DHS/Division of Youth Services is proceeding with a 4-part plan to (1) attach a 40-bed intake and assessment unit building to an existing dormitory (23,000 sq. ft. @$273 per sq. ft.) $6,473,600.00; (2) Attach a 48 bed girls' unit building to the existing girls dormitory (30,000 sq. ft. @273 per sq. ft) $8,160,000.00; (3) Misc. Campus Improvements: a. Build Swimming Pool, $75,000.00; (4) Access additional water source at adjacent neighborhood $40,000.00. At a cost total cost of $14,748,600.00
Dana McClain, Senior Staff Attorney for DRC stated, "This information concerns us because it seems to conflict with what DYS has been promoting, most recently at the DYS Taskforce meeting on September 19, 2007. Many national experts agree that most youth involved in the juvenile justice system can safely be managed without secure confinement. More and more states are realizing that it damages youth rather than helps them to lock them up unnecessarily in secure custody. The expert report that was released at a press conference on September 18, 2007, stated that approximately 100 of the 143 youth currently confined at Alexander could be better served in their local communities if the appropriate community services were available. The documents we received from DHS/DYS suggest that regardless of expert opinions, best practices and what other states have shown to be effective, Arkansas continues as it has done for over 100 years - focus on bricks and mortar and ignore the treatment needs of children in their custody. If the state is truly interested in keeping children in their custody safe, better treatment services is where they should place their emphasis and not enlarging the capacity of a harmful institution."
The complete contents of the documents obtained by DRC through the Freedom of Information Act are available to read online in (pdf) format.
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