The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) announced the closing of the second regional youth detention center (RYDC) in as many days. The 30-bed Blakely RYDC in Early County will close effective April 1. The decision to close the facilities came after the DJJ budget was cut by $5.4 million. DJJ Commissioner Amy Howell said the Griffin and Blakely RYDCs were chosen because of their proximity to other facilities and not performance. “The decision was more based on data and not operations,” said Howell. “The work at both of these facilities was outstanding.”
Last year, the DJJ said up to four facilities, Griffin, Blakely, Claxton and Gwinnett, could be closed. "I'm am totally flabbergasted by this news," said Captain Phillip Law of the Early County Sheriff's Department when reached at his office in Blakely. "We thought we had enough political pull to keep it open, but I guess we were wrong."