Baker County Transfers $40,000 to Cover Rising Juvenile Detention Costs

Baker County commissioners voted 3-0 on Jan. 7 to transfer $40,000 from the county contingency fund to the juvenile department to cover higher-than-expected detention costs. The contingency fund stood at $726,000 before the transfer. The move marks the second straight year commissioners have had to redirect contingency money to juvenile services.

Staci Erickson, director of the juvenile department, told commissioners the detention bill through Dec. 31 totaled almost $58,000, halfway through the fiscal year. She had budgeted $75,000 for the year, up from $60,000 the prior fiscal year, and said that at the current rate her department would need the additional $40,000 to cover the shortfall.

Detention costs spiked during fiscal 2024-25 when two criminal cases involving multiple juveniles accounted for much of the rise. Three juveniles charged with arson in the May 2024 fire that destroyed Baker City’s historic Central Building school were held for extended periods while charges were pending. One juvenile spent 109 days in detention, another 88 days, and a third 18 days, producing roughly $43,000 in detention bills - about 71 percent of the department’s detention budget that year. District Attorney Greg Baxter said two of those juveniles are now in state youth prison and one is not; all three pleaded guilty and are under Oregon Youth Authority supervision.

Most Baker County juveniles are detained either in Canyon County, Idaho, which charges $240 per day, or at The Dalles, which charges $210 per day. Erickson said department officials weigh daily rates and travel expenses when choosing facilities, noting that cross-jurisdictional placements increase overall costs to the county.

Erickson described the recent caseload as “running us ragged,” and called prolonged stays “very unusual.” She noted that once juveniles are placed in state custody the county no longer pays detention bills. Until 2021, counties could attempt to recoup some costs from parents; that option no longer exists under Oregon law, and the county historically collected far less than actual costs when it attempted to do so.

Officials point to a pattern among supervised youth that may help explain trends. Of 53 juveniles under county supervision in early September, 33 were 15 to 17 years old and many had dropped out of school or were taking classes online. Erickson said she suspects pandemic-era isolation contributed to the problems and emphasized that “Supervision is a big issue.” Of those supervised youths, only five live with both biological parents, a lower share than a decade ago.

Local impacts include increased pressure on the contingency fund and potential limits on other county priorities if trends continue. As of Jan. 7, Erickson said only one juvenile remained in detention, a boy held in The Dalles since Jan. 2; she hopes he will be released soon, possibly with an ankle monitor. Erickson said she is “crossing her fingers” that the recent surge in detention needs will subside and encouraged parents to seek help: “We can sit down and have a conversation, and try to help.” The juvenile department can be reached at 541-523-8215.