FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday, November 9, 2006

Contact: Mayor's Office of Communications

415-554-6131

***PRESS RELEASE ***

Mayor Newsom Announces the Opening of New Juvenile Justice Center

New Center seen as a 'Gateway To Hope" for youth in the community

Click here to view photos

San Francisco- Mayor Newsom today announced the opening of the New Juvenile Justice Center (NJJC) that will deliver significant improvements to health and educational services for youth in the juvenile justice system.

"This opening marks a new era for how the City will provide much needed rehabilitative services to make sure that all our youth have the opportunity to get themselves back into the community in a positive and productive way," said Mayor Newsom.

The (NJJC) proposes to construct 110 sleeping rooms, with a capacity of up to 150 beds, as compared to the current capacity of 132 beds. An expansion in the current number of beds was a requirement of the grant monies, and was kept to a minimal 18-bed expansion. All existing Juvenile Hall facilities will be replaced with modernized facilities, including: the intake and assessment center, medical clinic, learning center, boys and girls housing units, visiting area, gymnasium, and recreation facilities.

"Our new Juvenile Justice Center advances the City's commitment to achieving both the short term and long term goals of public safety - stabilization and rehabilitation. The new facility will immediately improve the living conditions and programming for San Francisco youth as they develop sufficient internal controls and personal competencies leading to productive citizenship," said Chief Siffermann.

"It is my hope that the new Juvenile Justice Center will become a 'Gateway To Hope' so that every youth who enters the facility will be successfully re engaged with a nurturing family and supportive community in a manner that is responsive to the needs of public safety," continued Siffermann.

Examples of improvements planned for the new Juvenile Hall include:

* Modernized medical clinic with more beds and increased safety and security;

* New learning center with classrooms and a library that approximate a regular school environment;

* New special education classrooms that will help meet unique educational needs;

* Greater program space on units to facilitate rehabilitative and therapeutic programs for youth;

* Every sleeping room will have its own toilet, increasing security, comfort, and well-being;

* More streamlined layout of residential units to augment safety and security;

* Better heating and ventilation systems to increase comfort in both winter and summer months;

* City and County arts installation that will help create a calming, positive environment;

Additional new internal facilities that will be added to the new Juvenile Hall include:

* Waiting room for parents and guardians who currently must wait outdoors, and

* Visiting room to make it easier for parents and families to play a supportive role in the lives of detained youth.

New external facilities that will be added to the new Juvenile Hall include:

* Secure vehicular entry-port,

* One-acre recreation field, and

* Secure parking for staff.

All of these improvements and additions provide improved living conditions for young people detained at Juvenile Hall and improved working conditions for Juvenile Hall staff. The (NCJJ) will be opening in late November and will be completed over two phases. The first phase is getting the living units completed within the new center completed and the second phase is tearing down the old facility in order to construct the recreation fields. The total funding for the new projects were funded through a federal/state grant received by the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice totaling over $15.7 million and $45 million in city funding including certificate of participation (bonds) and two supplemental appropriations.

The Department of Public Works provided project and construction management on San Francisco's new Juvenile Hall. The 90,000 square foot building replaces an outdated facility that was constructed in 1950. The new building provides 110 sleeping rooms, with a capacity of up to 150 beds; and program space with educational, recreational, health care, religious, food service, and visitation areas. Construction of outdoor recreation facilities will be complete in July 2007.

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