Tulsa's New Juvenile Justice Center To Open By End Of Year

Tulsa County's Juvenile Justice Center will open by the end of the year, replacing office space and court rooms scattered in four buildings that are miles apart. County leaders say the building is designed to last more than 50 years, and construction is on schedule.

John Fothergill, the Chief Deputy for the County Commission said the center would take in children mainly from Tulsa - but also serve as a regional center for 30 counties in Eastern Oklahoma.

The $36 million building covers most of a downtown city block. It's just south of the jail, near other services for families in crisis - like the new Iron Gate building across the street.

For the first time, all county juvenile criminal services will be under one roof.

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"It just should make everything a lot easier on the folks who come here," said Fothergill.

"Instead of going to this place and that place, they can all come here and get all of the services."

The walls are going up inside, and drywall is coming in as the interior work gets started. Besides the courtroom side and offices, the center will have 63 secure beds, a full size gymnasium and classrooms.

Fothergill said, "These are some of the most trying times for these kids, the things that will happen in this building, so anything we can do to make that better, we want to do that."