TULSA, Okla. — The newly hired manager of the Tulsa County Detention Center (also known as the Family Center for Juvenile Justice, or FCJJ) said he is committed to working hard to keep the facility open and in good standing.
Tulsa County has been providing updates after systemic abuse allegations surfaced in a civil lawsuit, as well as the arrests of two former detention officers on sexual abuse-related charges.
Manager David Parker says staffing is at the forefront as the clock is ticking to get off probation. On July 31, the state agency in charge of licensing extended the probation period by 60 days.
“As we look at some of the deficiencies in the past, it’s a big haul to get those done,” said Parker.
2 News has been told the OJA is keeping a close eye on the facility. We obtained a one-week sign in sheet that shows nine OJA employees there over a two-day period.
“At one time, I managed 30,000 people incarcerated and 2,000 employees, this (FCJJ) just needs systems put in place,” said Parker, referencing his previous experience working with the Department of Corrections. “’Hope’ is not a system; I ‘hope’ it happens, I ‘hope’ it works.”
Residents not getting required education time has been among the documented concerns.
Joe Dorman is the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, an oversight non-profit organization created after a 1978 lawsuit regarding abuse in Oklahoma’s juvenile institutions. Dorman believes a charter school system used in other facilities could be a key solution for FCJJ.
“It is specialized,” he explained. “They bring in individuals who are better equipped to handle each of these kids.”
Right now, the FCJJ contracts with Tulsa Public Schools.
“With Tulsa Public Schools struggling just to fight the good fight each day and provide education to the kids, this takes away from their budget and their resources,” said Dorman.
Dorman also believes increasing detention officer pay would be ideal. Parker says he is in the process of hiring another detention officer, pending a background check.
He said he is also focusing on residents' quality of life. He said he and his assistant manager visit residents daily to discuss their concerns.
After getting feedback, he said he recently ordered shower shoes. He has also put books in common areas for residents to access.
“You reduce tension, you reduce anxiety, every time we can do something like that, we are going to,” said Parker.
County commissioners approved contracts with five other facilities across Oklahoma to move residents if understaffing persists.
A Tulsa County spokesperson tells us the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office has been assisting by bringing in some of their staff to help with the understaffing problem.
The FCJJ probation is expected to be re-evaluated at the end of September.
2 News asked Parker about the charter school suggestion. In a statement, he said, “The Tulsa County Juvenile Detention Home has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) to provide education for our residents. TPS also provides the nutritional guidelines for meals, and we serve the same menu for breakfast and lunch as they do. We aren’t looking to change right now but may explore alternatives in the future.”
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