WilCo expands juvenile justice center amid increase in teen crime

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas - As Williamson County grows exponentially, more and more teenagers are committing crimes.

On Friday, the county started construction to expand its juvenile justice center.

WilCo juvenile justice center expansion

What they're saying:

Williamson County celebrated breaking ground on a $90 million expansion project to its juvenile justice center.

"We’re about building kids up that communities and families have torn down," said Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell. "We’re about building up the next generation."

"I’m excited about this today because we are growing at the right time, our county is growing, and we’re becoming more of an urban county, and we’re going to have the programs and services to meet the needs of those things that are coming our way," said Scott Matthew, the executive director of the Williamson County Juvenile Services

Pink tape outlines where an additional 48 beds will go on the existing site, which currently holds 96 beds. 

"We’re going to need more beds, ultimately, but it will also give us more space, and we’ll be able to separate kids by their needs and freedom as appropriate as their needs are," said Matthews.

The center will also get a new courtroom and new learning and exercise facilities.

Plus, the current building will get a remodel. It's about 40 years old, and the county uses it to offer treatment programs and operate an alternative school for 12 districts.

"Give them a place to rehabilitate themselves if they choose, and if not that, we need to do our very best to keep them out of the adult system if we can," said U.S. Representative John Carter (R-Georgetown). "That’s why what we’re building here is the exact thing we need."

Crime among teens is increasing

What they're saying:

This comes after the center said it’s seeing an increase in crime among children between the ages of 10 and 17.

"In the last five years, the exponential increase of kids coming to us for having a stolen firearm or for exhibiting a firearm or threatening someone or actually shooting someone has increased dramatically," said Matthews.

They hope this new expansion will give them that second start.

"We believe in being tough on crime, but I also believe we’re tough on compassion as well too, and we help kids head in the right direction," said Gravell.

The expansion should be done in about a year and a half.