Thousands of youth, many of whom have never been accused of a crime, will line up with their families to experience what more than 4,400 juvenile delinquents experienced this past year -- life inside Juvenile Hall.
“Juvenile Hall Open House” will provide this glimpse into Juvenile Hall on Saturday, May 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tours are free, open to all ages and last less than an hour.
The annual event is an opportunity for the public to get a behind-the-scenes look at San Diego County’s main juvenile detention facility for the past 54 years. It holds juveniles facing charges ranging from murder to theft.
“While many parents bring their kids to this event to ‘scare their child straight’ the best preventative measure to keep kids out of the system is to stay engaged in their lives,” says Chief Probation Officer Mack Jenkins.
The tour includes Juvenile Court, Juvenile Hall, the Girls’ Rehabilitation Facility and school classrooms. Outside, more than 50 informational booths will help parents discover ways to help their kids steer clear of the juvenile justice system.
Booths also will feature high-tech gadgets that monitor multiple DUI offenders, information on how sex offenders are monitored, gang paraphernalia and law enforcement tools of the trade.
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