The Marvin W. Foote Youth Services Center (MWFYSC) is a 62-bed juvenile detention facility located in Englewood, CO. This secure detention center serves co-ed youth, aged 10 through 17, who have been accused of a Colorado juvenile offense.
MWYSC is run by the state, one of 10 residential juvenile detention centers that are part of Colorado’s, “reform” efforts for juvenile facilities. This is the “juvenile hall” that minors will be taken for assessment after an arrest in Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties.
The address and phone number of MWFYSC is:
13500 E. Fremont Place
Englewood, CO 80112
(303) 768-7501
If your child or teenager has been taken into custody at Marvin W. Foote Youth Services Center, key information is provided here, for your benefit, by our team of Colorado criminal defense lawyers. Below, we address the following topics:
- 1. Intake Procedure
- 2. Contact Policies at MWFYSC
- 3. Visitation at the Detention Center
- 4. General Program Information
- 5. Criminal Defense Help
1. Initial Steps
For minors held in this juvenile detention center, the first step will be a detention hearing before a judge from the 18th judicial district. You can expect this hearing to take place within the first 48 business hours; weekends and holidays will delay the court date.
The outcome of the detention hearing will either result in the release of your loved one, continued detention at Marvin Foote Juvenile Hall, or transfer to another facility. Factors affecting the decision include previous criminal history and the nature of the charges. If the allegation involves a very serious (violent) felony, it is possible the youth will be subjected to transfer to adult court.
2. Contact Policies for Family
Newly arrested juveniles are permitted two initial phone calls, which can be used to contact a parent or guardian and/or an attorney. Those who end up staying on at MWFYSC can receive incoming calls and messages, and can also make local and collect calls to parents, guardians, and custodians. These phone calls are allowed at designated periods of time only.
You can also send an unlimited amount of mail to your child or teen at MWFYSC. Residents are provided with materials and postage to send out two letters per week. Staff will generally not be reading mail unless there is a suspected security or safety issue.
3. Visiting an Incarcerated Juvenile
Unless your loved one is on restriction for a behavioral issue, he or she is allowed a minimum of one visitor per month at MWFYSC. The number of permitted visits increase with proven progress in the correctional program. Parents, guardians, grandparents, and siblings are welcome to visit the detention center, and other extended family members or friends may be granted visitation as well. Young residents can fill out a Special Visit form to have approved visitors added to a visitation list.
Visitation appointments must be made in advance by calling the Marvin W. Foote YSC control unit. The phone number is (303) 768-7529. Visits, which are generally 30-minutes in duration, can be scheduled no more than 48 hours in advance. Note that families traveling 50 or more miles to visit may be granted an hour-long visit. A maximum of five people can visit per appointment.
At MWFYSC, visitation is allowed weekdays and weekends, as well as all holidays. Visiting hours are as follows:
Monday through Friday: 4:00 p.m., 4:45 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6:15 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday and Holidays: Morning hours: 8:30 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 11:30 a.m.
Afternoon and evening: 12:15 p.m., 4:00 p.m. 4:45 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6:15 p.m., and 7:00 p.m.
Rules for visitation include:
- Photo identification is required for all visitors over 16
- Do not bring in cell phones, purses, coats, bags, backpacks, or hats
- No outside food/drink is permitted in the visitation area
4. Life at MWFYSC
The residents at MWFYSC receive three daily meals plus snacks, and have access to medical care onsite. Physicians are available on-call if needed. If there is a need for an altered diet, the facility must receive notification of this within 24 hours of intake. Dietary adjustments are made for medical conditions, food allergies, and religious beliefs, and vegetarian or vegan preferences can also be accommodated.
Marvin W. Foote Youth Services Center has an “adaptive pro-social behavioral management” philosophy. Counselors use cognitive behavioral theory (CBT) tools, social learning principles, and restorative community justice training to treat conduct issues, including substance abuse. Juveniles are expected to continue with academic studies and also receive life skills education. They have access to nondenominational religious services weekly.
5. How a Criminal Lawyer Can Help
It is wise to speak with an experienced attorney after your child or teen has been arrested for a juvenile crime. Our team of criminal defense attorneys have assisted numerous Colorado families facing all types of legal trouble and can often facilitate a significantly improved outcome. In addition to mounting an aggressive defense against criminal allegations, we can help ensure youthful offenders receive appropriate care instead of long-term incarceration. Our lawyers also help keep juvenile records clean. (See expunging a juvenile record in Colorado.) For your free consultation, please contact our Colorado juvenile crimes defense lawyers today.