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I would like to personally extend a warm welcome to this brief overview of West Central Juvenile Detention Facility. We are excitedabout the opportunity to be the featured facility for the Ohio Juvenile Detention Directors Association Web Page and hope that this is an enlightening and educational experience for those not currently familiar with the our facility.

The children here require a restrictive environment for their own or the community’s protection, while pending legal action. Our Juvenile Facility provides a wide range of helpful services to support the juvenile’s physical, emotional, spiritual and social development while detained here.

We are proud of our well-trained and caring staff that provides these services. As one of only five American Correctional Association Accredited facilities in the state of Ohio, we are innovators in youth programming, progressive in staff training, supportive of community efforts and gracious for the opportunity to make positive and productive change in today’s youth.

Sincerely,

Greg Simmons, Superintendent

West Central Juvenile Detention Facility

Agency History

Located in Miami County Ohio, West Central Juvenile Detention Facility was established in 1993 as a twenty-four bed regional facility to serve the detention needs for the Juvenile Courts of Auglaize, Clinton, Darke, Mercer, Miami, Preble and Shelby Counties. Upon completion of a renovation in 1999, WCJDF alleviated the problem of continual overcrowding by increasing their capacity to forty-four beds and added Van Wert County to the list of those under contract for bed usage. The facility houses juveniles between the ages of twelve and eighteen in a secure setting that ensures the safety and well being of all residents and their respectable communities. All youth detained are currently pre-adjudicated delinquent youth pending further placement into foster care, group homes, Department of Youth Services or back into the home.

Currently under the direction and supervision of Miami County Juvenile Court Judge Lynitta K. C. Wagner, WCJDF employs thirty-five administrative, educational, medical, mental health and correctional staff. Facility staff involves school officials, police agencies, probation departments, the youth and their families to provide additional services that are more conducive to each individual. Averaging approximately twelve hundred youth per year, WCJDF has been innovative in their programming by changing and implementing new programs and procedures as needed to enhance operations. In 1999 WCJDF implemented the Girls Alternative Treatment Environment to ensure that specific needs of female offenders are being met within the correctional environment.

Not only does facility staff strive to meet the needs of incarcerated youth, they focus on the needs of the local community’s as well. Weekly programs are offered on site for unruly youth that have not been involved with the court system. Continual speaking engagements are honored for Citizen Police Academies, Mothers Clubs, Rotary Organizations and Drug Awareness and Resistance Education programs (D.A.R.E.).

Supported by the mission, WCJDF has established and maintained a para-military behavior modification program for the past eight years. With an average length of stay being eleven days, WCJDF staff has realized that the focus of the program must be emphasized in education as opposed to rehabilitation. Staff encourages self-discipline, responsibility for individual actions, personal respect and respect for others.

Detention at a Glance

Mission, Vision and Purpose

Administrative Staff

GREG SIMMONS, Detention Superintendent

Mr. Simmons was hired as Superintendent of West Central Juvenile Detention Facility in September of 1992. He has established twenty five years of experience in corrections and law enforcement. He has been Chief Probation Officer, Assistant Director of Children Services, Mental Health Therapist, Police Officer and Park Ranger. Mr. Simmons has an Associate of Arts from Edison State Community College, Bachelor of Science from Wright State University and a Masters of Christian Education from the Parkersburg Bible College. Mr. Simmons is a Certified Professional Administrator of Juvenile Justice from the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Mr. Simmons currently serves on the Board of Ohio Detention Directors Association and holds membership with the American Correctional Association, National Juvenile Court Services Association, Correctional Managers Association and the Fraternal Order of Police.

LANCE RAY, Detention Assistant Superintendent / Accreditation Manager

Mr. Ray has been employed with the West Central Juvenile Detention Facility since opening on January 1, 1993. Starting out as a part time Juvenile Correction Officer, he has held the positions of full time Correction Officer, Correction Officer Supervisor and has been in his current position of Assistant Director since August of 1995.

Mr. Ray obtained an Associate of Applied Science in Natural Resources from Hocking College and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management from Bluffton College. Mr. Ray holds a law enforcement commission through the Ohio Police Officer Training Academy and works part time as a Park Ranger with the Miami County Park District. Currently, Mr. Ray is the treasurer for the Ohio Juvenile Detention Directors Association, President Elect for the Ohio Juvenile Detention Service Association and Small Agency Representative for the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #58.

Specialized Programs

BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION: A three level program that allows each youth to set and accomplish goals while in Detention. This program enables youth to make right decisions by establishing rewards for positive behaviors and consequences for their negative behaviors.

EDUCATION: Educational programming is provided Monday through Friday on a year round basis. The education program has been implemented into the behavior modification curriculum as a collaborative effort of all elements within detention. Education encompasses the nationally recognized P.A.C.E. program that allows each individual to work at their own educational level, provides opportunity for individuals to work on school work from their primary school to maintain their current grade levels, physical education and daily self awareness group activities that provides opportunity for change.

SPRITUAL: A rotation of volunteer clergy member’s from a variety of congregations provides Church service on Sunday mornings. Monday night Bible study is conducted by Fully Pardoned Jail Ministries. The A.C.T.S. Program (Alcohol Chemical Treatment Series) on Friday evenings is provided by the Lighthouse Apostolic Church of Dayton. Attendance at all spiritual programming is voluntary.

CHOICES: Provided daily, Miami County Mental Health offers a wide variety of topics such as: anger management, chemical dependency, sexually transmitted disease, coping skills, social skills, cultural differences and independent living skills. Although considered part of the educational programming, CHOICES is a specialized program that allows the individual to focus on personal change within a group setting.

G.A.T.E.: The Girls Alternative Treatment Environment is a grant operated program utilizing detention personnel that has been designed to meet the individual needs of female offenders. Focusing on self-esteem through thinking -patterns, health awareness and communication skills, this program has brought 4-H into a secure setting.

Other Programming

VISITATION: Visitation is held every Wednesday evening, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Visits are scheduled at intervals of twenty minutes per youth with only parents and guardians authorized to visit.

MAIL SERVICE / TELEPHONE CALLS: The amount of mail a youth may send or receive is unlimited. However, indigent youth will be provided with unlimited postage to court personnel, clergy, counsel and two stamps per week to ensure contact with parents and/or guardians. Telephone calls are permitted daily during any down time and at scheduled times during recreation.

MENTAL HEALTH: All youth are assessed upon intake by a licensed therapist and on an as needed basis for crisis intervention. The therapist is a contracted service through Miami County Mental Health and is utilized to make further referral for mental health services on an as needed basis. If the contracted therapist is not available the Miami Count Crisis Center is utilized on a call in basis.

MEDICAL: The facility Nurse assesses all youth upon intake and makes appropriate referral based on her exam. The Nurse will evaluate each medical referral as completed by individual youth and will assess each child on an as needed based. The Nurse teaches one group per month for all detained youth covering topics such as: personal hygiene, sexually transmitted disease, chemical dependency, etc. The facility medical staff is utilized for annual staff training covering topics such as: blood bourn pathogens, medication dispersal, CPR / First Aid, universal precautions. The facility maintains a contract Dr. William Ginn as the facility Physician and medical authority.

LIBRARY SERVICES: Library services are provided through the classroom on a daily basis. The Troy – Miami County Public Library Extension Services Department provides a professional librarian on a consultant basis and co-ordinates select reading materials on a monthly basis.

Daily Schedule

Monday - Friday

Saturday / Sunday and Holidays

Contact Information

If you should have any questions and/or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the following individuals at the following telephone numbers:

West Central Juvenile Detention Facility

2044 North County Rd 25A

Troy, Ohio 45373

Telephone (937) 440-5651

Fax (937) 339-2338

Greg Simmons, Detention Superintendent

Office:

(937) 440-5651

Cell: (937) 623-1630

Email:

gregsimmons@woh.rr.com

Lance Ray, Assistant Superintendent

Office:

(937) 440-5651

Cell: (937) 974-6032

Email:

lanceray@woh.rr.com

TOTAL YOUTH SERVED

2001

1,345 youth detained within West Central with an average length of stay being 10 days. The average daily population was 44.2 youth per day.

2002

1,542 youth detained within West Central with an average length of stay being 10 days. The average daily population was 44 youth per day.

2003

1,506 youth detained within West Central with an average length of stay being 11 days. The average daily population was 46 youth per day.

WEST CENTRAL STAFFING

4 - Administrative Personnel

Detention Superintendent

Assistant Superintendent

Administrative Assistant

G.A.T.E. Program Director

4 - Correction Officer Supervisors

4 - Part Time Correction Officers

12 - Full Time Correction Officers

4 - Educational Staff

2 - Cooks

2 - Maintenance Personnel

1 - Nurse

1 - Receptionist

We view our role as a time delay so that the court might address the allegations against the child and identify the youth’s individualized needs and as a motivational tool for those who will attempt to address the variables responsible for creating conflict in the youth’s life.

Our vision is that every child experience success in caring families and nurturing communities that cherish children and teach them to value family and community. Our vision is guided by the fact that our decisions and actions affecting children today determine the quality of life tomorrow.

The mission of West Central Juvenile Detention Facility is to provide leadership for change to youth, family units and the communities it serves by creating legitimate, alternative pathways to adulthood. Through equal access to services that are least intrusive, culturally sensitive and consistent with the highest professional standards, the youth at West Central Juvenile Detention Facility will be controlled, supported and protected with these standards in mind.

It is our belief that structure and expectations are not viewed in a punitive nature. Structure and expectations are made clear and precise and are enforced in a manner that is both fair but firm and equal to all.

WCJDC’S goals are to ensure the safety, security, health, and welfare of residents and staff. Secondly, to represent authority in a manner worthy of respect and emulation.