Cullen
Center to Reopen
Residents
are skeptical about Victor Cullen Center reopening
By Chris Patterson
Contributing Writer
SABILLASVILLE, Md. – Following a meeting with Department
of Juvenile Services Secretary Donald Devore, many Sabillasville
area residents said they would wait to see if the state follows
through with promises made during the meeting about the re-opening
of Victor Cullen Academy for juvenile offenders.
Devore
answered questions during the meeting hosted by the Northwestern
Frederick County Civic Association at Sabillasville Elementary
School on Monday, April 10.
Approximately
100 people will be employed by the facility and plans are
currently under way to try and open by this summer. This year’s
state budget allocates around $6.8 million dollars to refurbish
the academy.
Devore
asked residents to volunteer to participate in a committee
to help draft a memorandum of understanding between area residents
and the state, putting the promises the state makes to the
community in writing.
“…I
also know that the history of Victor Cullen was one where
a lot of promises were made to this community… not meeting
expectations relative to the protection of the community and
the safety within the facility,” Devore said.
But
he promised a “new day” with a substantial budget
allocation from the state to handle the re-opening appropriately
and address the concerns of the community.
Around
50 people attended the meeting, in addition to reporters and
several of Devore’s staff. Members of the civic association
and others came to hear the plan for re-opening the academy
for the third time. Managed at the time by a private company,
Victor Cullen was closed for the second time in 2002 when
concerns for the safety of the juveniles came to light.
During
his speech, Devore made a commitment that the new facility
would house no more than 48 residents, a substantial reduction
from the over 200 juveniles formerly housed there. That particular
announcement made a few people, including civic association
president George Khun, say that made them feel a little better.
Devore’s
proposal includes a change in the state’s plan for juveniles
that involves creating several small regional treatment facilities
around the state rather than sending the juveniles to large
facilities or, as is so often the case, to out-of-state facilities
far from home and family.
Devore
also announced that the facility’s juveniles would predominately
be ages 13 to 17 and would not have committed any seriously
violent crimes, such as murder, rape or child molestation.
Security
was of particular concern to area residents who reminded the
secretary of incidents where the juveniles escaped in the
past.
Assistant
Secretary James Smith, in charge of residential programs,
responded to that concern by saying there would be electronic
surveillance of the grounds, a staff member who will walk
the perimeter every two hours, and special mesh fence that
is impossible to climb.
Though
Devore’s promises and demeanor eased some discomfort,
it was not enough for residents to forget the past. Many residents
stressed their concerns for their safety and their families’
safety during the meeting. Following the meeting, several
residents, like Mary Rae Cantwell, weren’t ready yet
to buy into the state’s promises.
“Wait
and see,” Cantwell said when asked her opinion of the
evening’s meeting. “Wait and see.”
