During a recent inspection visit to the Bridge City Center for Youth, Slidell City Court Judge James “Jim” Lamz had the chance to study this secure-care facility, one of three facilities run by Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ) for the most troubled, serious juvenile offenders. After touring and reviewing the facility’s atmosphere, rehabilitative programs, services and interviewing youths there, he termed it a “model for therapeutic juvenile justice.”

“The programs and services offered will truly help integrate these young men back into the community when they return home,” Lamz said. “Just locking them up in a typical detention scenario does little to help them stop making the same bad choices when they come back.”

Lamz noted that while Louisiana has been historically criticized for having bad juvenile facilities, the Bridge City facility reflects the success of the state’s efforts to modernize the way juveniles needing secure care are treated. He said this has meant a change from “custodial” to “therapeutic” care, leading to more positive outcomes for juveniles in the facilities. In Louisiana, a judge places a young person in a state juvenile justice secure facility when the juvenile is believed to be a risk to public safety and/or has treatment needs that cannot be filled in a less restrictive setting. They are placed in one of the OJJ’s three facilities based on a number of criteria such as where the juvenile will get the treatment needed, Lamz said. In addition, every effort is made to place the child at the facility closest to their home, so that their family can visit and be involved in treatment.

At Bridge City, Lamz said, each juvenile receives assessment at admission so that programs and education are designed for their specific needs. Because Bridge City is the nearest facility to east St. Tammany, Lamz said many of the juveniles from his Court sent to a state secure-care facility go there. While on his recent visit, Lamz was able to talk to several of them.

“I was interested to hear from them if they were indeed learning skills that would help them when they got home,” Lamz said.

“All of them said they were; in particular, anger management and impulse control. This is why I wanted to go on this visit – to make sure the young people from our community are being cared for and receiving the individually tailored programs they need. The hope is they will come back to us with the skills to be productive, law-abiding citizens.

“I challenged the young men I spoke with to be positive influences in their neighborhoods when they come home. I told them they shouldn’t squander the unique opportunity to help boys who may be making the same kinds of mistakes they used to by sharing the positive life skills they’re acquiring at Bridge City.”

Lamz said Bridge City was visually very much like visiting a private high school, with all juveniles wearing uniforms and inviting campus-like grounds.

Judge Lamz and local attorney Joe Harvin, his appointment to the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center Board of Commissions, were invited to tour Bridge City by Dr. Mary Livers, OJJ Deputy Secretary. Lamz and Harvin cited Livers her for her efforts to modernize the secure facilities for youth. They were toured around the facility by its director, Linda London.

During a recent inspection visit to the Bridge City Center for Youth, Slidell City Court Judge James “Jim” Lamz had the chance to study this secure-care facility, one of three facilities run by Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ) for the most troubled, serious juvenile offenders. After touring and reviewing the facility’s atmosphere, rehabilitative programs, services and interviewing youths there, he termed it a “model for therapeutic juvenile justice.”

“The programs and services offered will truly help integrate these young men back into the community when they return home,” Lamz said. “Just locking them up in a typical detention scenario does little to help them stop making the same bad choices when they come back.”

Lamz noted that while Louisiana has been historically criticized for having bad juvenile facilities, the Bridge City facility reflects the success of the state’s efforts to modernize the way juveniles needing secure care are treated. He said this has meant a change from “custodial” to “therapeutic” care, leading to more positive outcomes for juveniles in the facilities.

In Louisiana, a judge places a young person in a state juvenile justice secure facility when the juvenile is believed to be a risk to public safety and/or has treatment needs that cannot be filled in a less restrictive setting. They are placed in one of the OJJ’s three facilities based on a number of criteria such as where the juvenile will get the treatment needed, Lamz said. In addition, every effort is made to place the child at the facility closest to their home, so that their family can visit and be involved in treatment.

At Bridge City, Lamz said, each juvenile receives assessment at admission so that programs and education are designed for their specific needs. Because Bridge City is the nearest facility to east St. Tammany, Lamz said many of the juveniles from his Court sent to a state secure-care facility go there. While on his recent visit, Lamz was able to talk to several of them.

“I was interested to hear from them if they were indeed learning skills that would help them when they got home,” Lamz said.

“All of them said they were; in particular, anger management and impulse control. This is why I wanted to go on this visit – to make sure the young people from our community are being cared for and receiving the individually tailored programs they need. The hope is they will come back to us with the skills to be productive, law-abiding citizens.

“I challenged the young men I spoke with to be positive influences in their neighborhoods when they come home. I told them they shouldn’t squander the unique opportunity to help boys who may be making the same kinds of mistakes they used to by sharing the positive life skills they’re acquiring at Bridge City.”

Lamz said Bridge City was visually very much like visiting a private high school, with all juveniles wearing uniforms and inviting campus-like grounds.

Judge Lamz and local attorney Joe Harvin, his appointment to the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center Board of Commissions, were invited to tour Bridge City by Dr. Mary Livers, OJJ Deputy Secretary. Lamz and Harvin cited Livers her for her efforts to modernize the secure facilities for youth. They were toured around the facility by its director, Linda London.