(Today/yesterday) the Department of Children’s Services announced the creation of the Absconder Recovery Program with six full-time investigators who will assist case-managers in catching runaways across the state.
From January 20th through February 20th, DCS recovered 114 juvenile offenders in “Operation Fleet Feet.” The 30-day operation came in response to a runaway percentage that was twice the national average. Including juvenile offenders and dependent/neglect youth, the department still has roughly 280 runaways, or 3-percent of the 94-hundred in custody.
DCS officials had been criticized for not placing juvenile offenders in secure placements. Deputy commissioner Steve Hornsby says the department was at the mercy of capacity in county detention centers. Now DCS has 12 of its own secure beds in each region of the state.
“That’s given us immediate capabilities to take these kids into custody. I really feel like it’s a positive move forward because it gives us that internal detention capability that we have not had in the past.”
Hornsby says the number of runaways fluctuates from day to day, but the added measures should keep Tennessee near the national average. Hornsby says the number of runaways fluctuates from day to day, but the added measures should keep Tennessee near the national average.
Hornsby says the number of runaways fluctuates from day to day, but the added measures should keep Tennessee near the national average.
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