TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Feb 24, 2020

The Youth Advocacy Center that was to serve as an alternative to juvenile detention is on hold because of differences over how quickly juveniles can be transferred to the center, the Daily Memphian reports. Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich told WKNO Channel 10 that the effort “has been put on the back burner” because it was “not progressing in the way" they wanted. The center operates independently of the county juvenile court and offers access to counselors and other professionals. Law enforcement was pushing for referrals to occur as soon as teens were detained. The court, however, was requiring appointments up to six weeks after the arrest. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland weighed in on the debate today saying the differences need to be cleared up quickly.