x
Breaking News
More () »

"We were kind of blindsided by this decision" - Baton Rouge says they're not ready to house juveniles

Governor Edwards today announcing the most troubled youth will be transferred to Angola and then to East Baton Rouge Parish.

JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — Behind the razor-high fences at Bridge City Youth Center are youth, youth the state referred to as troubled. The governor announced half of the juveniles held at Bridge City Youth Center will be moved to a location at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.

“We will temporarily move some but not all of those youth to an isolated location at the Louisiana State Penitentiary,” Governor John Bel Edwards said.

It comes after a man from uptown was carjacked and shot on Sunday by a Bridge City Youth escapee.

RELATED: Teen escapee arrested after carjacking, shooting that left Uptown man critical

"They will not under any circumstances have contact with adult inmates,” Gov. Edwards said.

The state said the move to house youth in Angola will be temporary. Eventually, they’ll be moved to Jetson Center for Youth in East Baton Rouge.

“As part of the renovation at Jetson, workers are installing a fence around the building, in addition, security cameras and air conditioning are also being installed," Governor Edwards said.

City of Baton Rouge Councilwoman Chauna Banks said Jetson was shut down due to security concerns. 

Facetiming with Eyewitness News's Eleanor Tabone, she asked why troubled youth are being sent to an already struggling facility.

“We were kind of blindsided by this decision,” Banks said.

Banks went on to say, “Our juvenile detention center, just like Bridge City has had a rash of breakouts.”

RELATED: Governor to remove violent offenders from Bridge City center, state senator says

“There’s been a neglect to our own juvenile local system but yet we’re called on by the state.”

Dorean Phoenix worked as a teacher at Bridge City for more than 12 years and eventually became the principal. 

She also lives by the back gates of the facility. She said while the youth will be housed separately from the adults at Angola, she said it's not a good idea

“Just the name Angola is overwhelming to a lot of people," Phoenix said. “I don’t think that’s the place for them.”

She said what the kids need is rehabilitation. 

“If you send them from this place to another place that’s still not doing anything with them, there’s still no correction, still no learning, the same thing is going to happen,” Phoenix said.

Jefferson Parish Councilman Deano Bonano said the only solution is to shut down Bridge City once and for all.

“The facility remains an unsecure facility,” he said. “It's not designed as a prison, not built as a prison, needs to stop being a prison.”

While at the state penitentiary the juveniles will receive all of the youth services, including schooling.

Before You Leave, Check This Out