Nevada Counties Could Open Joint-Use Facility

FALLON, Nev. — A committee of juvenile probation officers from Churchill and Lyon counties is pushing for legislation that would supply funding to build a new juvenile detention facility that would be shared by both counties.


The group drafted two bills that Sen. Mike McGinness (R-Fallon) will present to Nevada legislators. One bill requests state funding of $3 million to $5 million for estimated building costs, and the other asks that county commissioners be permitted to raise property taxes to cover the estimated $1 million in operating costs.


Operating costs at the facility would be split between the two counties, with Churchill paying one-third of expenses and Lyon paying the rest.


Churchill processes a daily average of 2.5 juveniles and Lyon County processes about five, according officials. Both counties use the Carson City and Douglas County facilities when they need to detain a juvenile, and many times these facilities are overcrowded. If there are no beds available at the other facilities, the officers are forced to release juveniles back into the community, according to officials.


The new center would hold 24 beds for violent or dangerous juveniles and would offer mental health care. If both bills are passed, the facility could be completed by 2009 or 2010, according to reports.