Tennessee Department Of Children’s Services Lacks Sufficient Juvenile Justice Capacity

The Tennessee Department of Children's Services (DCS) currently lacks sufficient capacity to house youth involved with the juvenile justice system at the pre-adjudication stage. An in-progress project for three new facilities is likely to create sufficient post-adjudication capacity.

To meet the need for pre-adjudication capacity, the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, which was directed to study DCS capacity for youth in the juvenile justice system, recommended that the state help fund a new juvenile detention center to serve the western region of the state. The facility should reserve a share of the beds for . . .