Officials give tour of Trumbull Juvenile Justice Center

Staff report

WARREN

The two Trumbull County Family Court judges and the director of the juvenile justice center gave a tour of the facilities Wednesday to the county commissioners and local media.

The reason was to showcase completion of $152,896 in renovations to the court and detention facilities through $93,185 in state grants, $52,590 in court funds collected through court fees and $7,120 allocated by the commissioners.

Among the biggest improvements was the new rubberized floor in the detention facility’s gymnasium, costing $35,531.

The gym also received new basketball hoops, portable volleyball equipment, chin-up bar and table-tennis table. Those items cost about $12,500.

The $7,120 from the commissioners went toward replacing the roof air-conditioning unit in the detention facility at a total cost of $17,800.

An additional $25,133 was spent on court security measures and a new fingerprinting machine, $29,899 for shower and bathroom improvements in the detention facility and $15,958 for the gym’s fluorescent lighting fixtures.

“It’s a much better environment for the children who are here,” said Judge Pamela Rintala of the facilities since they were upgraded in the last few months.

The children are required to have 12 hours of programming per day, said Rich Owen, detention center director. That includes schooling and recreation in the gymnasium two times per day for an hour each.

Volunteers provide activities such as yoga and line dancing to the children, but the facility is always looking for other volunteers who can offer other activities, said Judge Sandra Stabile Harwood.

The facility has 23 juveniles, 18 male and five female, though it can hold as many as 38, Owen said. The facility was built in 1986 and first occupied in 1989.

The facility has individual cells in which the children are confined.