New Bossier Parish Juvenile Center
By: Amber Miller
Updated: September 17, 2009
"We just don't have the capacity in the current facility," said Bill Altimus, Parish Administrator.
Altimus tells NBC 6 News in recent years, overcrowding has become a problem. The center has been forced to expand twice and at times sent youth to an out of town facility, which costs $90.00 per child, per day. Altimus says that's only the beginning.
"It's very inefficient as far as personnel to operate it because we have to have the individual officer in these individual areas," said Altimus.
The new facility will have single rooms, which means less officers. Less officers means less money spent.
"For instance we have a dormitory in the old facility," said Altimus. "We have to have an officer in there at all times, 24 hours a day."
The new center is planned to be built near Laurel Lane in Bossier City by June 2010.
