• By JASON BROWN
• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: Nov 20, 2009 - Page: 1B-Acadiana

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ST. MARTINVILLE — The St. Martin Parish Juvenile Detention Center is a model for juvenile centers elsewhere in the state, Rubye Noble, executive director of the Louisiana Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges, said Thursday.

The detention center was highlighted during the Acadiana Judicial Juvenile Justice Summit, sponsored by the judges council.

The summit, one of about five scheduled throughout the state, attracted a wide range of players — defense lawyers, prosecutors, judges, educators, legislators and other government officials — to discuss juvenile justice reform efforts.

“It’s amazing that we’ve combined all three branches of government in this facility to try to work cooperatively to solve the problems of juveniles,” said 16th Judicial District Judge John Conery, who hosted and helped organize the event. The 16th Judicial District covers St. Martin, Iberia and St. Mary parishes.

The St. Martin juvenile detention center provides a holistic approach to juvenile justice, providing delinquent teens with education, counseling and structure.

Sixteenth Judicial District Attorney Phil Haney said the center operates similarly to the Missouri model, the highly touted therapeutic corrections system being implemented across Louisiana.

“It’s all under one roof,” Haney said.

The juvenile detention center opened in November 2000 on land where a nightclub once sat, Maj. Annette Leblanc, facility director, said.

She said the center houses 48 juveniles who range in age from 11 to 17. During the course of this year, the center has housed a total of about 360 juveniles thus far.

While there, juveniles can attend academic classes and have access to counseling services.

“We get kids who can’t write simple sentences,” said Mike Fuselier, an instructor at the center.

Fuselier spoke about the incentive-based learning programs that offer students who behave and achieve good grades rewards such as candy, movies on Friday and the occasional double meat cheeseburger.

The center had 10 GED graduates last year and is on pace to add six more this year, he said.