Community leaders gathered in Tacoma earlier this week to announce a new effort to replace Pierce County’s decades-old youth detention center.
Remann Hall has been at the heart of the juvenile justice system in the county for decades. The current facility originally opened in 1971, but has deteriorated over the years. The complex houses a detention center, diversion programs, juvenile court and adoption services. Now, local officials want to replace it because the detention center no longer meets the needs of the county.
At a press conference held at Remann Hall on Monday, Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello said, “The complex here…is so outdated that we can no longer provide the safe, accessible and supportive environment that our young people, their families and our employees deserve.”
At the event, Mello officially created the Juvenile Justice Task Force that will advise the county on what should be included at the new facility to help foster a safe environment that encourages rehabilitation. Officials said replacing the complex could cost around $200 million, which may be funded by a future bond referendum.
Problems at Remann Hall are wide ranging. Large sections have been closed off because they have fallen into disrepair, courtrooms located on site are cramped and holding cells are prison-like.
Maintenance and security issues have also decreased the number of prisoners that can be housed at the complex. These problems have led to young detainees being transferred to other facilities and, in some cases, sent to the Pierce County jail.
According to Pierce County Juvenile Court Judge Joseph Evans, Remann Hall was not built to support current best practices at the complex.
“The building itself is simply not designed for how juvenile justice works in 2025. There are just simply limitations on the youths’ access to outdoor spaces, the youths' access to schooling beyond the basics,” he said. “The question is, are we actually helping those youth be rehabilitated and to be productive members of society?…When we look at our facility there are serious limitations on our ability to provide that service to the youth of Pierce County.”
Banika Burnett wants the future justice center to be more of a place of healing. She first got involved at Remann Hall while her son was held there and is now a member of the Pierce County Juvenile Court Family Council.
“We can’t look at it as a place of punishment. We have to look at it as a place of healing – a place where families and children have access to resources,” she said.
Over the next six months, the Juvenile Justice Task Force will develop proposals for the facility that will eventually replace Remann Hall. The group is expected to present their ideas to the Pierce County Council early next spring.
