The Honorable Frank D. Connett, Jr. Juvenile Justice Center

Honorable Frank D. Connett, Jr. Juvenile Justice Center




The mission of the
5th Circuit Juvenile Detention Center
is to create and maintain
a secure and safe atmosphere for each child in our care
for the duration of their stay.
Overview
The Honorable Frank D. Connett, Jr. Juvenile Justice Center is a secure six bed residential detention center to house juveniles coming within the jurisdiction of the Court for alleged law violations or by Court Order. Youth are detained in the Center because they may pose a threat to the community or be at risk for failure to appear in court. Youth must have either a pending delinquency charge or an adjudicated delinquency charge in order to be held in secure detention. Youth who are pure status offenders such as runaways, ungovernable, or truant will not  be held in secure detention. 
Admission Process
An objective scoring instrument is utilized to assist the Deputy Juvenile Officer (DJO) in making a decision as to whether to hold or release a juvenile.  A DJO may authorize a juvenile to be held for up to twenty-four hours without an order signed by a juvenile court judge. In order for a juvenile to be held beyond twenty-four hours, the DJO must work with the attorney for the Juvenile Office to seek an order from a juvenile court judge. Status offenders such as chronic runaways and truant youth are not able to be detained.  
School
The Saint Joseph School District is responsible for providing education to youth in the detention facility. All residents will be expected to go to school daily and show 100% effort. 
Other Services Available
Counseling services, recreational services, food service, and other detention programming.
Forms Available/Additional Information
Parents will need to sign a medical release form. Please visit the "Forms" page of this website to view the available forms.
Parents will also be asked to bring any prescribed medication the juvenile will need while being housed.
Medication will be dispensed by our DJOs as prescribed on the bottle. 
 Staff is available 24/7/365 to provide for the needs of the residents.
Visitation/Phone/Mail Info
Visitation:
  • Each resident will be granted a thirty-minute visit.
  • Visitation is allowed Monday-Friday between 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., by appointment only.
  • Only parents/guardians are allowed to visit unless prior authorization is approved.
  • Due to limited space in the visitation room only two individuals are allowed to visit at once.
  • No minor children are allowed into the facility so please arrange childcare prior to your visit.
  • All visitors must present a picture ID before visitation is granted.
  • If your child refuses to visit, he/she will not be forced.
  • Staff reserve the right to terminate visits under circumstances that violate the safety, security, or order of the facility.
  • Visitors who are intoxicated or appear to be impaired will not be allowed to visit.
  • Visitors are prohibited from using their cell phone to allow their child to speak to anyone on the phone.
Telephone Visitation:
  • Each resident will be granted a ten-minute telephone call Monday-Friday between 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday between 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
  • Residents receiving a visit that day will not be granted a telephone call.
  • Residents are allowed to call their parents, guardians, clergy and attorney only.
  • If a resident is caught speaking with anyone other than the above list the call will immediately be terminated.
  • If the telephone visitation is upsetting the resident, the detention staff will terminate the visit.
  • If a family member does not live in Saint Joseph then a phone card may be purchased and dropped off at detention.
Mail:
  • Residents are allowed to send and receive mail from their parent, step-parent, guardian or their attorney.