St. James Juvenile Detention Center on Verge of Closing

With the St. James Juvenile Detention Center set to close next year, officials are eyeing alternatives for housing juvenile offenders.

St. James Parish officials say they will close the detention center at the end of June because new state regulations would make it more expensive to keep the facility open.

The Advocate reports that Assumption Parish officials say they can fill the void and house juvenile offenders from an eight-parish area at a converted adult detention center in Napoleonville.

A new adult jail is under construction in Napoleonville and is slated for completion in May.

The St. James Parish facility can hold up to 80 juveniles, but only 20 were being held there Friday.