Wittenberg Hall
Washoe County Juvenile Services is responsible for the operations and management of the County’s juvenile detention center, called Wittenberg Hall. Wittenberg Hall is a secure holding facility for the temporary detention of juveniles who have committed a delinquent offense.
Juveniles may enter detention by being arrested by a law enforcement agency or by their probation officer, by a warrant filed by the district attorney’s or a judge may order a youth into custody. Juveniles who are detained at Wittenberg Hall will have a detention hearing within 24-72 hours (excluding weekends and holidays). A judge will determine if the youth remains in detention, is released on a form of house arrest/electronic monitoring or is released back to their parents/guardians. All juveniles will meet with a Public Defender prior to their detention hearing and will be represented in the detention hearing unless the parent chooses to hire a private attorney.
The goals of Wittenberg Hall are:
- To provide for the juvenile's basic needs including shelter, food, clothing, and medical care.
- To protect the rights of juveniles during residence.
- To provide for the educational, physical, emotional, and social needs of detained juveniles.
- To administer programs, rules, discipline, and controls in a fair and consistent manner.
- To nurture and encourage acceptable behavior.
While safety and security concerns are our foremost responsibilities, we strive to provide meaningful programming to meet the needs of juveniles in custody. Juveniles are involved in educational programs, youth development programs, recreational activities, approved leisure time activities and daily housekeeping.
If a youth is staying in detention, they are issued clothing after showering, and all personal property is logged and securely stored until their release. Information about gender, age, maturity, and seriousness of the alleged violations help determine where they will be placed in the facility. All rooms are single occupancy with access to supervised common areas.
If your child is released from detention only a parent/guardian may pick up their child. Parents/Guardians must present an official government photo identification. (ex: passport, driver’s license, State of Nevada identification card.) If you do not have proper identification, then the assigned Probation Officer will work with detention to provide a picture or alternative form of identification.