Nashville breaks ground on new juvenile justice center, reshaping how troubled teens are treated [Video]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – City leaders broke ground on the Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment (NYCE) on Thursday, which reimagines how young people, and their families, are treated by the juvenile justice system.

The new 14-acre juvenile facility will replace the current detention center on Woodland Street.

NYCE will house resources and agencies aimed at rehabilitating young people who are accused of committing crime, as well as provide pre-trial housing.

Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway first proposed the new facility in 2016.

“I am feeling overwhelmed, excited, I know this is a game changer for our community,” Calloway said. “This is going to make a really big difference in the lives of the children and the families that we serve.”

Cameron Carver, who spoke at Thursday’s ceremony, spent some time in the juvenile court system when he was 15. A cooking program through one of the court’s partners helped him …