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Sheriff urges exploring alternatives for juvenile detention to reduce county costs
Summary
Sheriff reported Bourbon County spent for juvenile placements in 2023 (approx. 186 billable days) and suggested negotiating alternative contracts or sending juveniles to other facilities to lower per-day costs; commissioners asked staff to examine capacity and rates.
The Bourbon County sheriff told commissioners July 15 that the county sent juveniles to the Girard (Gerard) Detention Center and that 2023 billable days were about 186, which the sheriff linked to roughly $90,000 in payments. He asked the commission to explore other detention options to reduce costs.
An assistant (S6) noted juvenile law has changed in recent years, narrowing circumstances when juveniles can be held and making detention less frequent. Commissioners asked where juveniles could be placed if Girard were unavailable; the sheriff and staff identified Johnson, Franklin and Douglas counties as potential alternatives and provided historical daily rates (Franklin ~$130/day; Johnson/Douglas ~$150/day) from previous contract years.
Why it matters: juvenile placement is an expense in the county justice budget and depends on statute, availability of beds in regional facilities and negotiated contract terms. Commissioners asked staff to verify capacity and current rates and to look for contract models that could limit county exposure.
Next steps: Sheriff and county staff will follow up with nearby detention facilities to confirm capacity, current rates and potential contract structures; the board asked for a follow-up in a future work session.
