Hillsborough County Juvenile Detention Center to close, teenagers moved out of facility

TAMPA, Fla. - All the teenagers being held at the Hillsborough County Juvenile Detention Center are expected to be moved out of the facility by the end of Thursday, according to Hillsborough County Public Defender Lisa McLean.

Teens transferred

What we know:

McLean says she learned Wednesday that the roughly 30 to 40 teenagers housed at the facility would be transferred to juvenile detention centers in Pinellas, Pasco and Manatee counties.

The closure comes just two weeks after the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice confirmed plans to shut down the facility by the end of the month.

Public Defender's Office concerned

Dig deeper:

The sudden closure is raising concerns for the Hillsborough County Public Defender's Office and families of detained teenagers.

McLean says her office was not included in discussions about the closure and described the lack of communication as shocking.

"It's my understanding now that there'd be no discussion with any of the stakeholders involved, including the school board, the state attorney's office, you know, the public defender's office," she said. "That is shocking. The lack of transparency, the lack of discussion, the lack of collaboration."

Attorney access issues

Big picture view:

McLean says attorneys may be able to travel to other counties to meet with their clients, but families may have a much harder time making the trip.

"We are lucky here that we have lawyers that can get in the car if they need to and drive to another detention center. That's not the case for families," McLean told FOX 13.

She says the change could also affect some employees who worked at the Hillsborough facility and relied on public transportation to get to work.

Rays stadium footprint

The backstory:

The detention center sits on property that is part of the proposed footprint for a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium, if the stadium plan is ultimately approved.

The state had also been planning to build a new Hillsborough County juvenile detention center. A groundbreaking for that project was held last year.

McLean says she recently learned those plans have also been scrapped after the state determined there were issues with the property where the new facility was supposed to be built.

That leaves the county without a clear timetable for when Hillsborough will have another juvenile detention facility.

Why the sudden closure?

What we don't know:

The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice has not explained why the Hillsborough facility is being closed with such urgency.

The agency also has not yet addressed how the closure could affect court transportation, attorney visits, family visitation or access to rehabilitation programs.

McLean says the move could also affect the Hillsborough County Juvenile Assessment Center.

That's where teenagers typically go after being arrested but before appearing in front of a judge. McLean believes some of that work could now shift to Pinellas County.

State agency silence

The other side:

The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice was contacted for more information about the closure and the decision to transfer the teenagers. 

The agency had not responded as of Thursday afternoon.

Family transport impact

What's next:

For now, teenagers from Hillsborough County are being dispersed among facilities in Pinellas, Pasco and Manatee counties.

McLean says the situation could create logistical challenges for attorneys, families and employees, and she does not know how long the arrangement could last.

Hillsborough CountyCrime and Public Safety