Traverse City Record-Eagle

Grand Traverse County

January 9, 2010

Investigation vowed in sexual abuse claims

Report: 27% of youth at Grayling facility claim abuse

BY ART BUKOWSKI

TRAVERSE CITY -- Some area counties use a juvenile detention center that federal investigators contend has a "high rate" of sexual abuse, though officials may now sever ties with the facility.

Shawano Center in Grayling, a 36-bed detention and treatment facility administered by the state, was named in a U.S. Justice Department report issued Thursday detailing sexual victimization at juvenile centers. About 27 percent of youth at Shawano reported sexual victimization in the report, completed between June 2008 and April 2009.

Victimization included forced sexual activity with other youths at the facility, and any sexual activity with staff.

Kalkaska County makes regular use of Shawano, and Leelanau County rarely uses it. Grand Traverse, Benzie and Antrim counties no longer use it at all.

Kalkaska sends between six and 10 youths to Shawano each year, said Mark Holston, 46th Circuit Court administrator for Kalkaska County. Holston wasn't aware of the report, but said county officials would investigate.

"Any time we hear these type of allegations, it concerns us ... we would certainly take steps to look into the reports," he said.

Kalkaska "never had any problems whatsoever" with Shawano in the past, Holston said.

Leelanau County sends "one or two" youths there each year for short-term detentions, Leelanau Family Court Administrator Betsy Fisher said.

Leelanau may sever its ties with the facility in the wake of the federal report.

"We would not want to use a facility that isn't considered safe ... I can't imagine us putting another youth there if those allegations are going on," Fisher said.

Benzie and Antrim counties haven't used Shawano for several years, officials there said. They dropped the center because it's much more expensive than other facilities, not because of specific problems.

Barb Donaldson, chief probation officer in Grand Traverse County, said her county hasn't used Shawano in nearly a decade because it's more expensive than other local options.

Shawano Center director Harold Timberlake deferred comment to Michigan Department of Human Services officials in Lansing. DHS spokeswoman Gisgie Gendreau said the state will investigate.

"We consider all reported incidents serious, and we respond immediately," she said.

Related Story: Report: Sex abuse high at juvenile centers

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