King County awarded $450K federal grant for alternative youth detention system

(The Center Square) – King County has been awarded $450,000 from the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to support King County Executive Dow Constantine’s intention to transform the region’s youth detention system.

King County will use the $450,000 award to implement its strategy and implementation planning for its Care and Closure initiative, which ultimately aims to close the King County youth detention center at the Judge Patricia J. Clark Children and Family Justice Center.

Funds are also planned to be distributed to local community organizations to lead the planning and development of community-based alternatives to secure youth detention. This includes a potential network of community care homes across the county, which can be small, safe, and homelike spaces for youth to live if they cannot safely return home while their court cases proceed.

“This award underscores that it is possible to expand community-based alternatives that keep people safe, hold youth accountable for the harm they have caused, and help them to heal as they grow, creating better outcomes for our young people and safer communities for everyone,” Constantine said in a news release .

The King County Executive’s Office anticipates releasing a request for proposal next month for community organizations to support the planning process.

The U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a part of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs. The office is awarding over $17 million to 26 grantees, including King County for the Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success initiative .