MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon is responding to recent concerns brought to light from advocates about the treatment of youth at the Shelby County Youth Justice and Education Center.
In a letter earlier this week, the Black Clergy Collaborative of Memphis and nine other organizations demanded answers from Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner over a list of serious concerns about the facility.
They said parents have not been allowed to meet with their children in person or through video and children in the center are not getting the mandatory minimum four hours of education a day.
In a response Thursday, April 4, Judge Sugarmon said he wanted to “clarify the court’s role and actions” in regards to the center.
Visitation
Sugarmon said he issued an order Feb. 28, 2024, directing the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office to provide space for in-person visitation, and “while the Sheriff's office initially indicated their readiness to comply with this order,” the visitation has not resumed.
Sugarmon said Juvenile Court had several discussions with the sheriff’s office about re-instating visitation to pre-COVID standards and asked that both in-person and virtual visitation be available, but that in-person be the priority.
The Juvenile Court Judge said a vendor has been selected for the virtual visitation technology, and all information and directives have been provided for the sheriff’s office to implement it.
Education
When it comes to education within the facility, Judge Sugarmon said there is plenty of space for the current youth population at the center, with nine classrooms which can each accommodate 16 youth, for a total of 144. He said the current population is below that number.
However, Sugarmon said the issue comes to staffing. 18 staff members are required to be assigned to the classrooms daily, and “staffing challenges at the Sheriff's Office have impacted the ability to safely allow all youth classroom attendance.” He said only 50-60% of the youth are allowed to attend school currently due to those challenges.
“Juvenile Court maintains dedication to collaborative efforts with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office in our collective mission to implement interventions fostering positive outcomes for youth. and families. With this critical goal in mind, we will continue to work towards a resolution that ensures the well-being of both youth and their families,” the statement concluded.