JUVENILE CENTER BACK IN BUSINESS

 (ROCKDALE)  The Rockdale Regional Juvenile Justice Center, formerly the Roger Hashem Juvenile Justice Center, is back in business today.  4M Youth Services will accept its first inmates Tuesday according to owner Mike Lindeman.  A grand opening was held Monday as the 64-bed facility was open to the public for tours.  The 20^th and 82^nd Juvenile Probation Board sold the detention center in December to 4M Youth Services, a privately owned taxable company.   That means, for the first time since the construction of the facility, the center will pay ad valorem taxes.    

The center has contracted with some 40 Texas counties to house juveniles, in addition to serving the 20^th and 82^nd Juvenile Judicial District which includes the counties of Milam, Falls and Robertson.

Dwight Sadler has been hired as administrator and Dr. Rhonda Bisham will serve as clinical director.  When fully staffed, the center will have an annual payroll of $870,000 with total operating costs of approximately $1.3 million. 

The center first opened in 1996 and closed last March after Correctional Services Corp. of Florida did not renew its management contract, blaming the closure on a low-inmate population and the need to refinance.

4M Youth Services has remodeled the center including an upgrade to security with the addition of 22 surveillance cameras.  The center has recorded 8 escapes since it opened in 1996. 

Around 100 people attended the grand opening and toured the Rockdale Juvenile Justice Center Monday.