A program that’s processed more than 6,000 juvenile offenders since 2010 will likely close March 1 when it runs out of money.
"We're short about $111,000 of funding," said Jim Walker, executive director of Youth Services of Tulsa, which runs the Community Intervention Center. "We have talked with the county and the city and the state and have not found that any additional funds are available for us this year."
Staff at the always-open facility schedule court dates, notify parents, and take fingerprints and mug shots if the child was arrested for a felony. Walker said that’s a timesaver for police.
"From the day we opened, our guarantee is no more than 15 minutes for the officer from when they walk in the door to when they're back out on the streets," Walker said. "We average right at 13.5 minutes."
Besides handling booking and setting court dates, the program offers juveniles referrals for counseling, addiction treatment, education and mentoring.
