GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Law enforcement agencies in West Michigan continue to investigate threats made against school districts, and prosecutors continue to file charges against suspects in connection to the threats.
We wanted to know what it's like inside a county juvenile detention center after a juvenile suspect is booked.
A lot of simple things that kids take for granted they have to earn while at the center. For example, they have to earn a pair of comfortable shoes and junk food.
The purpose of being at the center is learning structure and improving social skills and behaviors.
"From the moment they come in, we do have them stand here in the clothes they came in on. We get their height and take a mugshot and a side photo," said Stacy McGinnis, the center's superintendent.
13 ON YOUR SIDE was shown a holding cell where kids are placed in when there are multiple admissions. It also looks like their regular cells.
"If we had a young person come in and they were very violent, belligerent and not cooperative, we may place them in here once they calm down."
Once the kids are processed, they head to the showers and then put on detention gear.
"One of the main reasons we have juveniles wear our juvey clothes while they're in here: There's no gang representation. We prevent that because they're all wearing the same gear," McGinnis said.
They're seen by Network180 and a medical team. Then they're placed in a quarantine unit for 10 days per COVID-19 rules.
"I think the worst of the consequence is that they're being removed from their home. They're no longer with their parent. They're with us. They're in this strange place. Not sure what they're going to happen and how long they're gonna be here so kids tend to come in crying."
If they're misbehaving, they can get a five minute time out or they're sent to their room to process what they did. They get one phone and Zoom call by a parent or guardian every week and they have to do their own laundry, among other responsibilities.
The hope is the kids will learn social skills and how to make positive changes to their behavior.
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