Violent juvenile crime has risen over the past few years in Hennepin County and other parts of the metro.

On October 22, the Hennepin County Board approved $22 million in general funds and property tax money to combat the problem by renovating a building near 18^th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis, which will help kids who’ve committed felony crimes but are under the age of 14 and cannot be charged as adults under Minnesota state law.

Commissioner Jeffrey Lunde, who chairs the County Board’s Public Safety Committee, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the growing trend of young juvenile offenders is a “crisis,” and immediate action is needed.

“You know the system was never built to have 10-year-olds in it. I mean, that was something you never saw,” said Lunde. “I think it is a crisis.”

Lunde told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that juveniles under the age of 14, who cannot be charged as adults, would be eligible to receive specialized treatment at the renovated facility for issues ranging from mental health to addiction and trauma from a troubled home life.

“Behavioral health teams will do assessments and will come up with a plan and we typically try to work with the families because we knew families can be a key component in the success, so yes, it is tailored,” said Lunde.

Renovation should start in the next month or two, and Lunde said the building and about 15 beds should be open and ready to use in early 2025.