Juvenile Detention Center Partially Closed

CROOKSTON, Minn. (Valley News Live) - The Red River Valley Juvenile Center is temporarily closing the secure detention portion of their facility as of May 5, 2023. The RRVJC has been serving Northwest Minnesota since 1997. But, the last couple of years have been challenging for the facility to remain open. It was forced to close for repairs after water damage about two years ago and just reopened in March. Leadership says the closure is a result of staffing issues that stem from a variety of reasons.

Executive Director at RRVJC, Andrew Larson, explains that the challenging nature of the job and lack of suitable candidates is creating high-turn-over-rates.

Larson says, “we’re going to be extending that training period just to help some of our newer employees become more comfortable before we reopen.”

In the meantime, juveniles needing secure detention placements will be transported to other facilities in the state.

Larson adds, staff shortages are not unique to the Red River Valley Juvenile Center and sees it as a statewide and system-wide problem.

At full capacity, the RRVJC can hold up to 16 adolescents from ages 10-18. Larson says they need 11 to 13 employees before they’re fully staffed.

The Red River Valley Juvenile Center has non-secure placements for Children in Need of Protective Services, voluntary placements, behavioral evaluations and programming. However, the secure detention placements can include criminal citations, court holds, probation violations, in addition to behavior evaluations and programming.

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