Events raise questions about state of juvenile justice placement

Southern Nevada’s Red Rock Academy at Summit Youth Center has closed, but maybe state and county officials got lucky.

At least it didn’t burn to the ground.

Red Rock was managed, and perhaps mismanaged, by the nonprofit Rite of Passage, which in recent months also has been busy putting out literal and metaphorical fires at its Silver State Academy located near Yerington in Northern Nevada. A riot and fire Feb. 28 at Silver State led to the destruction of buildings and the escape of 10 youths from the privately run facility. Fights and riots took place there in separate incidents in December, underscoring what observers have known for a long time: Despite making some improvements in recent years, the facility has operated at well below acceptable standards.

Events at opposite ends of the state raise obvious questions about whether Rite of Passage has outlived its usefulness. It also begs the issue of whether Nevada’s juvenile justice system itself is overloaded and lacking in sufficient infrastructure and supervision.

That leads to perhaps the most troubling question: Are youths with dramatically different personal challenges and case histories being housed under the same roof? Are offenders in Southern Nevada with documented histories of violence enjoying relative holidays at facilities staffed and designed for low-risk youth?

Absolutely not, Family Court Judge William Voy said Friday.

“We don’t mix those kids together,” Voy said. But he was quick to add that determining the proper placement of a troubled youth is an inexact science that can’t be based solely on a criminal arrest record. He observed, “You can’t make that determination based solely upon the crime itself. You can’t use the crime. You have to use the totality of the kid.”

On the bench since 1998, Voy ran unopposed for re-election in 2014 and has presided over juvenile delinquency cases for more than a decade. In that time, he’s gained a reputation as an innovator and advocate of progressive diversion programs that work to prevent troubled juveniles from becoming institutionalized.

Like other states, Nevada’s juvenile justice network is a graduated system with a sliding scale of control and incarceration.

Traditionally, offenders have been grouped by offense with a variety of factors coming into play. Up north, however, authorities found that Silver State violated that tenet.

Determining the appropriate placement is a balancing act, Voy said, noting he’s had “extremely dangerous kids” who have come into his court with low-level offenses and other juveniles who have committed “armed robberies who are the most compliant and well-behaved.”

From psychological profiles to their history with the school district, many factors are considered.

But juvenile justice veterans who asked not to be identified question whether the decision to eliminate a screening panel of experts, which gave its recommendations to the judge, isn’t asking for trouble in what they call a heavily stressed system. Voy defended his method, noting that by the time offenders are sentenced to either staff-secure facilities or lockdown incarceration he’s thoroughly familiar with their cases.

“I’ve got a wealth of information in front of me,” Voy said. “We know most of these kids and have seen them several times before they get to this point.”

He adds that he has a “very cooperative arrangement with the state.”

At Clark County, Juvenile Justice Services Director Jack Martin said the system in place is effective and needs no changes.

“I’m satisfied that good decisions are being made around placement, yes,” Martin said. “Whether that be placement in a group home, placement at Spring Mountain Youth Camp, placement in a residential treatment center, or placement in a correctional center. I’m comfortable with all those decisions.”

Although technically a nonprofit, Rite of Passage’s contract called for $4.6 million from the state to manage the Red Rock facility. The organization might have made a better argument for keeping that contract if three youths hadn’t been able to escape the fenced and secured premises last year. Juvenile justice system insiders say Red Rock lacked sufficient staff and supervision.

The same allegation is leveled at the Silver State facility. It has, multiple sources report, a long history of security challenges and offenders with mismatched statuses.

So far, the county and state are remaining silent about the issues that led to the dissolution of the operating agreement with Rite of Passage. Given the opportunity to clear up the lack of information that only can lead to suspicion, Voy and other officials so far have declined to comment.

“All I’ve been told is that the contract has been terminated by mutual agreement between Rite of Passage and the state,” the judge said.

Voy acknowledges the many challenges facing Southern Nevada’s troubled youths. He deals with these complex human problems every day.

But if something more troubling is burning inside Nevada’s juvenile justice system, Voy and Martin don’t smell it.

John L. Smith’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Email him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call 702-383-0295. Follow him on Twitter @jlnevadasmith.