MORE JUVENILE SYSTEM FUNDS ARE EXPECTED

Legislation approved last week would free up enough local money to build a juvenile justice center in Cape Girardeau County, officials said.

House Bill 971 approved by the Missouri General Assembly provides that juvenile officers in multicounty court circuits become state employees paid by the state instead of by counties. The changes would take place July 1, 1999, if Gov. Mel Carnahan signs the measure. He has indicated he will do so this summer.

Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Perry counties make up Missouri's 32nd Circuit.

In return for juvenile officers being paid by the state, counties would pledge to maintain funding of juvenile efforts at a level equal to what is being spent this year. Money that was spent for salaries is to be spent for juvenile enhancement.

In Cape Girardeau County, the juvenile detention center would be the first item to be enhanced, said Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones.

Cape Girardeau County spends about $175,000 to operate the juvenile program. Another $250,000 is spent on salaries, and Jones said that amount could be used to make payments on a new center.

The measure also allows for regional juvenile detention facilities.

The goal is to develop a juvenile center that would be large enough to handle local offenders and still have enough space to offer beds to the state for additional juveniles.

"Eventually we hope to break even or make a profit," said Randy Rhodes, local juvenile officer.

Passage of the legislation has been a two-year project for Jones, who helped mediate differences between large and small counties concerning the changes.

Ten large Missouri counties constitute single-county circuits. The state's other 104 counties are divided into 35 multicounty circuits.

Initially, the legislation offered lots of advantages for small counties but virtually none for the 10 biggest counties. Those counties, Jones explained, are home to many leaders in the state House and Senate.

Working with the Legislature and the Missouri Association of Counties, Jones helped draft an addition to the bill that would benefit the big counties.

Currently all counties get 5 percent of juvenile salaries reimbursed. Under the change, the state would assume the whole juvenile salary budget for small counties. The reimbursement for large counties would increase from 5 percent to 25 percent and eventually to 50 percent.

Cape Girardeau County has an eight-bed detention center. For several years county and court officials have been interested in expanding the facility to include more beds and additional services.

Rhodes said: "Just having a detention center since 1970 shows that Cape Girardeau County has been interested in juvenile justice. Gerald took it to another level by mediating the issues between the large and small counties. I admire him for his work."

Jones said that if financing is favorable money may be available to expand alternative school offerings also.