Judges tell TACIR juvenile detention capacity is strained statewide; panel asks for regional facilities and more mental‑health resources

A TACIR panel of juvenile judges and state child‑welfare and behavioral‑health officials told the commission Tennessee’s juvenile detention and treatment network is under stress: judges described difficulty finding pre‑adjudication beds, long transports across county lines, county budget strain, and a rising number of serious offenses involving firearms and mental‑health needs.

Why this matters

Pre‑adjudication detention decisions balance the need to protect public safety and the right of a juvenile to avoid unnecessary incarceration. When judges cannot secure appropriate short‑term or long‑term placements, the panelists said children and communities face safety risks and delayed hearings; counties shoulder significant per‑diem costs for out‑of‑county placements.

What judges described

- Judge Robert (Rob) Filiol (Hamilton County) said the Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges believes additional housing capacity is needed statewide and that available data on juvenile placements has improved but is still imperfect.

- Judge Andrew Brigham (Stewart County) outlined pre‑adjudication detention practice: counties pay per‑diem for held juveniles (he cited roughly $250/day in his county for out‑of‑county beds) and small counties’ detention budgets can be exhausted quickly. He described rising use…