May 29, 2009 — Proposed Youth Shelter invites trouble to Claremore
Dear Editor,
The reasons I would not want a Youth Shelter, aka Juvenile Detention Center in my neighborhood or in the city limits of Claremore near a residence:
The Youth Shelter will be a fenced, locked down facility. The criminal youth offenders sent there will be court ordered because of criminal activity.
Dictionary.com definition for “detention” is 1: the act or fact of detaining or holding back; especially: a holding in custody. 2: the state of being detained; especially: a period of temporary custody prior to disposition by a court.
So what is the difference between a Youth Shelter and a Juvenile Detention Center? Not much. The Sheriff has stated that only “non-violent offenders” will be detained there. My understanding of this includes thieves, car thieves, terrorist threats, drug possession and abusers, illegal fire arms possession and numerous other crimes considered to be non-violent. The representative from the Youth Shelter stated that there would be youth who had committed physical violence (assault and battery).
It is a common fact that troubled parents raise troubled teens. It’s my understanding that counseling will be for teens and parents. My neighborhood is full of children. I can see a day care center less than a block away from my house. The Claremore Expo Center is literally across the corner to the proposed Youth Shelter — Detention Center. We would be inviting an element of troubled parents, even predators into our community and neighborhoods.
I see the Youth Shelter — Detention Center as a really good thing that will help troubled families, but I hope you do not build it in anybody’s backyard. We will all suffer as a community if you do.
It’s my understanding that most Youth Shelters and Detentions Centers are built out away from residential neighborhoods and we can do the same. If this Youth Shelter is built in anybody’s backyard I will do everything in my power to have all elected officials who voted for or supported this voted out of office.
Michael Melot
Claremore
