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House committee reviews OJJ FY26 plan: Jensen Center to reopen as juvenile reception, state says it needs more beds and staff
Summary
The Office of Juvenile Justice presented a $197.9 million FY26 budget and a plan to reopen the Jensen Center as a reception and diagnostic facility, adding 77 positions and 44 beds; OJJ officials said the state is at capacity and about 40 youth are in local detention awaiting state beds.
Deputy Secretary Kenneth Lofton and Undersecretary Jason Starnes presented the Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ) FY26 recommendation and details on the plan to reopen Jensen Center for Youth as a primary juvenile reception and diagnosis center.
OJJ’s FY26 recommended total is $197,900,000, with $175,900,000 (about 89%) in state general fund. The Fiscal Division told the committee the department’s average annual spending rate since FY20 is about 6.8%. OJJ said interagency transfers and federal grants support a small portion of programming, and the department is implementing juvenile electronic monitoring in New Orleans with…
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