County breaks ground on Juvenile Justice Center

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – Ground was broken on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020, for a new Forsyth County Juvenile Justice Center that will replace the current facility located at 875 Lanier 400 Pkwy.

The new Juvenile Justice Center will be located at the site of the current facility. The center will be approximately 70,000 square feet with three levels including unfinished shell space on the second level for future expansion. This facility will include two courtrooms, conference rooms and administrative offices. The facility was designed to incorporate natural elements and lighting designed to provide a calming effect.

“Juvenile court facilities are unique in that special accommodations must be made for juveniles and their families that are not required at the main courthouse,” said Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Bagley. “As such, it is preferable to have a separate courthouse for Juvenile court and even though we have had a separate building for many years, the current courthouse has significant deficiencies in access, efficiency, security, overcrowding, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its physical structure.”

Construction of the new Juvenile Justice Center was awarded to Carroll-Daniel Construction. The architect for the project is the Jericho Design Group. Funding for the new center is provided by Capital Outlay Funds and total costs for the project are estimated at $19.9 million. The new facility is scheduled to open, weather permitting, in Summer 2022.

Juvenile Court handles cases involving juveniles who are alleged to be delinquent, dependent, children in need of services or have committed traffic violations. Juvenile Court is committed to the care, safety and guidance of children; to respectful and just treatment of all involved; to the personal development and accountability of children and their families; to public safety and to restoration of victims and communities. The Bell-Forsyth Judicial Circuit has two full-time Juvenile Court judges.