Channel 2 News has learned that the Nevada Division of Child & Family Services has agreed to “mutually and amicably” end contractual relations with Rite of Passage at its Red Rock facility.
NDCFS representative Chrystal Main tells Channel 2 that the facility's operations will now be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and some of the youths at the facility will be relocated either within Nevada facilities, or out-of-state.
Main tells us youth at the Red Rock facility are housed at that location because they are “deep-end offenders who have committed serious and egregious offenses.” The representative tells us the Red Rock facility is Nevada's only maximum security youth detention center. Authorities add they can't comment on if the facility will close because it may be housing some out-of-state youth.
The Red Rock facility is one of three facilities located within the State of Nevada, including other locations in Elko and Caliente.
If the facility were to close, NDCFS would evaluate the situation, and along with the Nevada Legislature, could reopen the facility as a state-run institution.
Tuesday's decision to remove the youths comes after NDCFS removed 4 juveniles from ROP's Silver State Academy near Yerington last week. Authorities would not say if the removal was in connection with last month's incident where 10 youths escaped and burned two buildings. The ten students were later recaptured. Silver State Academy says no students were hurt in that incident, but one unidentified person suffered a minor injury.
Back in December, there were three riots in Yerington over a two-day period – those riots involved even more students.
The NDCFS representative tells us there is a separate contractual agreement with the Yerington facility. While there are currently no students there in Nevada's custody, it remains in an undisclosed agreement.
A call Tuesday morning to the California Human and Health Services agency revealed that California's state government is also investigating the Yerington facility. During a visit there last Friday, representatives with that agency said they had 20 youths at ROP's Silver State Academy.
A report obtained by Channel 2 News from the California Human and Health Services showed in 2006 that 196 students were at the Yerington facility. The same report shows the maximum capacity at 225 persons. Previously a 1999 certification showed that the facility had a capacity of 116 students.
The Silver State Academy provides residential treatment services to at-risk-male youth near Yerington.
Rite of Passage sent us this statement Tuesday afternoon:
Our organization is proud of our solid 30-year history in the challenging field of juvenile justice. Over that time, we have achieved one of the most consistent and successful rates of student safety and achievement in the country.
For the past three decades, our agency has worked with some of the most difficult youth in the country that are traditionally underserved or ignored by rehabilitative, treatment and education programs. We were grateful for opportunity to develop these services in Las Vegas, and were working with parents, families and stakeholders to create a safe, local, secure treatment program.
We are disappointed by the recent decision, as the facility was on target to become a national accredited correctional model, recognized by community stakeholders, families and regulators alike. Our organization will continue to place the best interest of the students we serve first.
