Kaufman County Juvenile Detention Center Frequently Asked Questions.

WHY WAS THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER REFERENDUM PLACED ON THE MAY BALLOT?
Kaufman County is one of the fastest growing counties in Texas. With this growth, we are seeing a dangerous increase in violent juvenile crime, gang activity and drugs. Much of this crime is moving in from cities in Dallas County. The Juvenile Detention Center, if approved by voters, will help law enforcement officers take violent and dangerous youth out of neighborhoods and provide them the opportunity to rehabilitate.

WHAT IS CURRENTLY DONE WITH JUVENILE OFFENDERS IN KAUFMAN COUNTY?
Currently, the sheriff’s department, police departments, and school district police departments are forced to take arrested juveniles to detention centers in central and west Texas. These transports take officers away from neighborhood patrols and cost taxpayers thousands of dollars each month.

WHAT IS THE TOTAL COST OF THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER?
The Juvenile Detention Center will cost approximately $40 million. As with all county government projects, cost-savings measures will be implemented to make sure there are no cost overruns.

WHAT WILL BE THE IMPACT ON TAXPAYERS?
If approved by voters, the cost to the average homeowner will be around $2 a month. However, cost savings for law enforcement organizations that would no longer need to transport arrested juveniles could be worth millions of dollars over the next decade.

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON’T BUILD THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER?
If we don’t build a Juvenile Detention Center, law enforcement officers across the county will continue transporting juveniles to detention centers in other parts of Texas, oftentimes requiring a 12-hour round-trip drive. Taxpayers will fund these transportation costs.

HOW WAS THE PLAN DEVELOPED FOR THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER?
The juvenile probation office identified the growing need for a juvenile detention center in 2021 and started tracking data related to the arrests and release of juveniles that would typically go to juvenile detention. In 2024, the Juvenile Board and county leaders agreed that the current circumstances in our county were pointing out we are in dire need of a facility. A committee was formed with county staff, law enforcement, Judges, and community leaders to review the data related to juvenile crime and possible solutions to keep our community safe. The overwhelming response was that we need a juvenile detention center to keep our community safe.

WILL ACADEMIC SERVICES BE PROVIDED TO THOSE BEING HELD IN THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER?
Yes. For juveniles held in the new detention center, academic, rehabilitation, and education programs will help these at-risk youth get back on track and prepared for adulthood.