Story thread · 3 reports / 3 sources

Hillsborough juvenile detention center is closing, state says

tampabay.com · 18h · first reportShare

The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice has suddenly declared it’s closing Hillsborough County’s only juvenile detention center, pushing the children housed there farther from their families, lawyers and the courthouse. Although state officials have plans to open a new detention center, that site isn’t ready yet. The current center has 80 beds for children who are awaiting trial or placement in long-term rehabilitative programs, according to the state’s website . The change is part of a “long-planned effort to transition to a new juvenile detention center,” said Amanda Slama, a Florida Department of Juvenile Justice spokesperson, in a statement. She did not provide a date for when the center would close. “The department is working closely with stakeholders to facilitate a seamless transition and ensure continuity of detention services and operations,” Slama said. Those closest to the children appeared caught off guard when they learned of the closure this week. The Hillsborough publ