Like with its adult inmates, Mower County is shipping juvenile offenders to ever-greater distances, now relying on a facility in Red Wing instead of Many Rivers Detention Center in Rochester.

“It’s quite a bit farther,” said Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi, adding that the change began about two months ago after the Rochester facility cut beds.

“Obviously, it increases transport fees,” she said.

Its a familiar scenario for county law enforcement here, who’ve been forced to look elsewhere for inmate space since the Minnesota Department of Corrections reduced the Mower County jail to a 90-day facility.

In the case of youth, Amazi said budget cuts have forced other regions to reduce services and cut staff — the Olmsted County Board voted to close its juvenile treatment facility, also known as Many Rivers, because of an almost $8 million projected deficit.

“That necessitates some cutbacks, and Many Rivers is not a state-mandated service,” Olmsted County administrator Richard Devlin said. “This is going to save a considerable amount of money.”

The center offered a six- to nine-month programs for youth with emotional and chemical issues. It was funded for about 20 spots, Devlin said.

Cost prohibited Mower County from using the treatment facility, according to director of correctional services Steve King.

“It was pretty high priced,” he said, adding that he instead utilizes the Rochester-based Vonwald Shelter and facilities in Red Wing and Hayfield, Minn., for youth treatment services.

They stopped using the Many Rivers center about two years ago.

“It’s of no relevance to Mower County corrections,” he stated about its closure.

In terms of cuts to the Rochester detention facility, Amazi said she didn’t see disadvantages to transporting youth to Red Wing, beyond the additional cost.

Mower County is already taking adult offenders to Freeborn County, Goodhue County and Mitchell County, Iowa, while it awaits construction of a new $32 million downtown jail and justice center, slated to begin this spring.

Amazi has said regular transports poses a public safety hazard because it takes law enforcement off routine patrol and investigation duties.