Juvenile Residential Services
The core values of the Juvenile Services Center are safety, respect and trust
When youth cannot safely remain in the community, they may be placed in secure detention for a short time. Youth may also be court ordered to treatment programs that address their individual needs through services founded in evidenced based practices.
At the Juvenile Services Center, youth have access to:
- School and earn credits towards graduation.
- Mental health services and assessments
- Substance abuse treatment services
- Therapeutic services
- Medical services
- Individualized case plans and structured programming
- Programs to help with life skills and improved decision-making
Residential programs include the following for both male and females:
- Detention and court detention
- Short-term treatment (10–90 days)
- Long-term treatment (90+ days)
- Gender-specific programming
To make a referral to the Juvenile Services Center programs our judicial partners (law enforcement, courts, and probation) should call 651-438-4970.
Residential services
Dakota County's Secured Detention Program is for juveniles with delinquent offenses, probation violations, or upcoming court or post-court placement.
While in detention, youth are assessed for basic physical health concerns and mental health issues, attend school, and participate in curriculum designed to teach life skills, including better decision making.
Short-Term Residential Treatment is for juveniles who are court-ordered into the program. The program has weekend, 10-, 30-, 60-, and 90-day stay options.
Juvenile Services Center (JSC) programming consists of:
- Culturally specific treatment for the individual and family members
- Correctional programming through participation in curriculum designed to teach life skills, including better decision making
- Outpatient substance abuse treatment
- Mental health assessments, treatment, and trauma therapy
- Individual case planning for youth staying more than five days
- Special education services
Dakota County's Long-Term Treatment Program is an intensive, secure, residential treatment for juveniles requiring at least a stay of 90 days up to 12 months. The length of stay is determined by the court.
Programming consists of:
- Culturally specific treatment for the individual and family
- Curriculum designed to teach life skills, including better decision making
- Substance abuse treatment
- Mental health assessments, treatment and trauma therapy
- Individual case planning for youth staying more than five days
- Special education services
Dakota County's Gender Specific Program addresses the needs of high-risk juvenile females in a residential setting. It has detention, 10-, 30-, 60-, 90-, 120-day and long-term options up to 12 months.
Gender specific programming helps to meet girls' needs, promoting positive self-image and developing a sense of possibility by focusing on strengths and assets. Issues that are addressed through comprehensive, integrated and culturally relevant services include:
- Substance abuse
- Trauma and mental health
- Individualized case plans and education
The Dakota County Juvenile Services Center has a policy of zero tolerance of any form of sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, sexual abuse and sexual harassment. All residents, staff members, professional visitors, volunteers and others in the Juvenile Services Center are subject to this policy.
A person who becomes aware of, suspects, or otherwise has knowledge of any sexual misconduct at the Juvenile Services Center or at any other juvenile secured facility must immediately report the information in any of the following ways:
- Tell a Juvenile Service Center staff member
- Call the Prison Rape Elimination Act Hotline at 651-438-8380
- Email the PREA Hotline at ccprea@co.dakota.mn.us
- Call 360 Communities’ Sexual Assault Service at 651-405-1500
Dakota County investigates all reports of sexual harassment and sexual abuse. Where necessary, reports are referred to the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office for criminal investigation.
Investigations Policy
Interagency Agreement
Prison Rape Elimination Act training
Before entering the Juvenile Services Center, all people need to watch an online training video. The video works best with Windows Media Player.
Dakota County meets all standards
The Juvenile Services Center meets all PREA standards. See the PREA Audit Report.
Annual report
Each year, Dakota County releases an annual report detailing the implementation of PREA. Read the Annual Report.
Safety and standards
The Juvenile Services Center follows the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) to keep youth safe from sexual misconduct.
Our policies are designed to protect youth, staff, and visitors and to maintain a safe, clean, and structured environment.
Policies also cover:
- Staff and youth safety, including supervision and reporting concerns
- Behavior stabilization, crisis response, and de-escalation practices
- Building cleanliness and sanitation
- Food service standards
- Health, wellness, and medical care requirements
- Visitor guidelines and movement within the facility
For questions about juvenile residential services, call 651-438-8399.
Third-party reporting
A person who becomes aware of, suspects, or otherwise has knowledge of any sexual misconduct at the Dakota County Juvenile Services Center (JSC) can immediately report the information in any of the following ways:
- Tell a Juvenile Services Center staff member
- Call the Dakota County PREA hotline at 651-438-8380
- Call the Dakota County Crisis Unit at 952-891-7171
- Call and report it directly to Dakota County Law Enforcement
- Call Deputy Director of Facilities at 651-438-4977
The Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) works to keep youth out of locked detention whenever it is safe to do so. The goal is to protect public safety while using community-based options for lower-risk youth.
Before a youth can be detained, they are screened using a Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI). This tool looks at how much risk the youth may pose to public safety and how likely they are to come back to court.
Youth who pose a serious safety risk may be placed in secure detention. Others may return home with conditions, be placed in a shelter program or be monitored using GPS. JDAI has helped reduce the number of youth held in the Juvenile Services Center in Dakota County.
For more information, contact Dakota County Community Corrections at 651-438-8399.