BATON ROUGE - The Jetson Center for Youth is set to house juveniles once again as early as April 2026.

At a legislative budget hearing, Jason Starnes, an undersecretary for the department, discussed plans with legislators as they move to reopen doors while building a new facility.

The OJJ plans to move around 36 youths to a unit at a dorm at the current facility. The reopened facility will house low- to moderate-risk juveniles. The OJJ said they are working to improve security, with more fencing and security cameras. As well as some remodeling to be done at the dorms.

The department is also working on a long-term project to build a new facility at the location with 72 beds. They say the purpose is to help increase the state's capacity for youth who are taken into custody and serve as a

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