Local leaders exploring deal to offer Lowndes Co. Juvenile Detention Center services to Starkville and beyond

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors and the city of Starkville are discussing an agreement that would allow Starkville to regularly use the Lowndes County Juvenile Detention Center.

It could be the first step toward the center becoming a permanent resource for the entire Golden Triangle.

“If you go over there, it is not 100 percent full all the time,” says Ward 2 Supervisor Trip Hairston. “We believe that we have the capacity there from a bed standpoint, where we can help the region out.”

It was earlier in 2021 during the spring that Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill brought up the possibility of building a regional juvenile detention center to serve all of the Golden Triangle.

“To use a detention facility to exercise some impact on these kids and show them how there is a consequence to doing some of the things that they’ve been doing,” Mayor Spruill says.

But Hairston, who is also President of the Board of Supervisors, asked, why build one, when there is already a facility in Columbus?

“We have a juvenile detention center here,” he says. “And we would like to see if we could figure out a way that we can better utilize that to support the surrounding areas.”

On average, Lowndes County’s Juvenile Detention center holds seven to eight people a day, according to a member of the staff. Starkville would like to reserve two of their 24 total beds for their permanent use.

“Whether we use them or not, they’re going to cost Lowndes County to be there and so if we can offset some of their costs on an annualized basis for a guaranteed amount, I think it works to the benefit of them and to us,” the mayor says.

Especially since they house juveniles from other counties already.

“Of course, we don’t have a guaranteed spot for all of them,” Hairston says.

And having that regular access could not only ease the burden on local law enforcement but also the juveniles and their families as well.

“It’d be a lot easier for us than to run to Alcorn or Lee County manpower wise,” says Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott. “It’s a lot easier as far as the juveniles involved and because there’s families involved.”

Hairston says Lowndes County attorney Tim Hudson and Starkville attorney, Chris Latimer are discussing what that contract would look like.

“It’s a win for Lowndes County, a win for the city of Starkville and a win for the kids that need to have a little stronger influence on their lives,” Mayor Spruill says.

Once they have a draft, it can go before the Board of Supervisors for review.