Powered by two of the biggest guys in Knox County – Mayor Glenn Jacobs and Juvenile Judge Tim Irwin – the Juvenile Detention Center is about to be turned over to the Knox County Sheriff.

Think twice, even three times, before doing this.

No matter the sheriff, the culture is the problem. A “shoot-to-kill” culture is not what we need in juvenile corrections. We need a leader who gives a damn, like Richard Bean has for almost 60 years. As Richard retires, let the facility’s board hire a new director. This system has worked for over 100 years. Think about it.