Polk County's youth detention costs quadruple
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Polk County's juvenile detention center is holding kids longer, partly because of changes to state and federal law that now generally prohibit placing youth in adult jails — even when they're prosecuted as adults.
Why it matters: The facility is routinely over capacity, pushing children into other juvenile detention facilities across the state.
- Costs have more than quadrupled in the last three years, according to data presented recently to supervisors.
Catch up quick: Child advocacy groups had long campaigned to end the practice of placing juveniles in adult jails, arguing they are far more vulnerable to abuse, neglect and violence in adult facilities.
- Federal legislation signed during President Trump's first term gave states three years to phase out the practice.
- Iowa's law began in December 2021.
State of play: The number of youth in detention at the Polk facility has remained relatively flat, from 361 in the FY22-23 to 373 in FY24- 25, according to data from the county's Community, Family & Youth Services.
- Those facing adult charges typically account for fewer than 10% of the facility's detained youth.
Zoom in: The average length of stay for those who are facing adult charges increased from 40 to 95 days during that time.
- Overall, juvenile detention costs increased from $106,400 to $504,900 during that period.
Behind the scenes: Youth are frequently being relocated to other counties because Polk is full.
- The total number of days Polk's detention center youth spent out of the county increased from 532 to 2,244 days in the last three fiscal years.
What they're saying: Placements are court-ordered, and there's little the county can do immediately to reduce the numbers, Eric Kool, director of Polk's youth services department, tells Axios.
- When possible, the county uses an in-home monitoring placement system, which saves more than $500,000 a year, he said.
What we're watching: A bill that would change the way state money is allocated to detention centers.
- That would result in more money for smaller counties but could cut as much as $300,000 annually from Polk County, Kool said.