'I recognize the crisis at hand:' Pittsburgh-area detention center struggling amid uptick of juvenile escapees
LATROBE, Pa. (KDKA) - Over the past few weeks, Latrobe police said there's been an uptick in juveniles escaping from the Adelphoi Detention Center.
KDKA-TV is learning that Adelphoi is not a locked-down, secure facility. The vice president of marketing, Karen Pratt, said the juveniles taking off are "absent without permission."
She said Adelphoi is an open community-based group home where many juvenile offenders are being sent since the Shuman Center temporarily closed.
"When these teens go in front of a judge because there's no beds, they're placed in open community-based group homes, which aren't appropriate," Pratt said.
She said it's a problem at the state level and homes like Adelphoi are seeing the side effects of a detention crisis.
"Adelphoi has been trying to sound the alarm," Pratt said.
She said most juveniles trying to leave the facility are new to the program and said it takes time to break through their trauma.
On Friday, KDKA-TV witnessed a juvenile fleeing the facility. Cameras caught several counselors and eventually police chasing the teen down.
Latrobe Police Chief Richard Bosco said the department is working with the facility to assist in any way they can.
Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas told KDKA-TV that the Shuman Center needs to reopen and that steps are being taken to make that happen.
"We're making physical improvements to the building to make it safer and hired a staffing firm," Kopas said.
"I recognize the crisis at hand. We need to open the county center as fast as we possibly can, Kopas said.
He said the crisis in Westmoreland is not unique and echoed what Pratt said, saying counties throughout the region are experiencing the same challenges.
"I'm hopeful the commonwealth and state government will recognize the challenges counties face and find solutions like regional centers," Kopas said. "There also needs to be increased staffing and funding… to make it easier to hire workers and take care of juvenile offenders to make communities safer."