Middlesex, Monmouth to share juvenile center

Officials in Middlesex and Monmouth counties have announced an agreement to share youth detention services in hopes of saving taxpayers in each county more than $20 million over the next 10 years.

The Monmouth County juvenile facility in Freehold Township will be closed, and all juveniles will be housed at the Middlesex County Youth Services Center in North Brunswick. The agreement is to begin July 1 and will run for a 10-year period.

The arrangement is similar to one that Middlesex and Somerset counties have shared for the last 10 years.

The Monmouth County freeholders authorized the agreement in late January, and the Middlesex County freeholders voted to approved it on Feb. 4.

“This agreement would enhance operational efficiency at our youth services facility while at the same time lessen the burden on our taxpayers,” Middlesex County Freeholder Mildred S. Scott said prior to the vote. “Over the life of the 10-year agreement, Middlesex County residents will save more than $20 million. That represents substantial savings, and it is an example of the cost-effective government our residents deserve.”

“This is a good example of a shared services arrangement where one county works with another county in a bipartisan way to the benefit of taxpayers in both counties,” Monmouth County Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry said. “We would reduce our operating costs significantly, and Middlesex County would gain new revenue. This is how sharing services is supposed to work.”

Under the agreement, Monmouth County will pay Middlesex County to provide up to 37 beds per day, which is well above the average number of juveniles Monmouth County has housed during the last five years. The number of juveniles at the Monmouth County facility averaged about 25 per month in 2009.

The two counties began exploring the possibility of sharing youth detention services last year. The issue was raised again this year as a budget-saving measure and because the Middlesex facility is newer and has more accommodations than Monmouth.

“When it comes to juvenile detention, the focus is always on rehabilitation,” Monmouth County Freeholder Robert D. Clifton said. “Rehabilitation is achieved through education, and there really is no comparison between the Monmouth and Middlesex facilities. The Middlesex facility is far superior to what we can offer here in Monmouth, and the juveniles we will send to Middlesex will have a much better chance of successfully transitioning into adulthood because of it.”

Monmouth County officials said closing their facility will eliminate the need for more than $12 million in capital improvements to bring the 40-year-old facility up to current standards. The county has been mandated to make those improvements.

“As a freeholder board, we are committed to working closely with our neighboring counties and with our municipal partners to drive down the cost of government through regionalization and sharing of services wherever appropriate, and I thank Monmouth County for working with us to realize our shared goals,” said Middlesex County Freeholder Director Christopher D. Rafano.