Crisler resigns as director of Hinds Co. juvenile detention center

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Hinds County is searching for a new director for its juvenile detention center, after the previous director resigned to run for sheriff.

On Thursday, Marshand Crisler submitted his resignation as executive director of the Henley-Young-Patton Juvenile Justice Center, a day after he qualified to again run for Hinds County Sheriff.

Crisler says his resignation is “a demonstration of my commitment in seeking a position I’ve spent the better part of my professional career preparing for, sheriff of Hinds County,” he said in a statement. “As I begin my campaign, I want to highlight my plan to get guns out of the hands of children and replace them with tools for success, while also holding those who choose to exploit our children accountable.”

Crisler was appointed to take over the position about a year ago, shortly after he lost a special election to fill the remainder of the term of the late Sheriff Lee Vance.

County Administrator Kenny Wayne Jones said the county is expected to meet today to discuss the position.

An interim director will be named, while the county will begin a new search to fill the position full-time.

“Certainly regional. I can’t promise that we’ll be going into national publications, although the last person that occupied this [position] did have experience from Illinois, Ohio, and other places around the country as well,” said board attorney Tony Gaylor.

“I’m sure that we won’t have an issue finding a qualified person to man the position on a more permanent basis.”

Meanwhile, Gaylor says there’s currently no void of leadership at the facility.

“We have one person that’s going to be in place, and they’ve been down there for years, several years, even before Mr. Crisler was in place before the last administrator was in place,” he said. “Obviously, we still have our youth court judge, Carlyn Hicks, down there and her administrative team.”

“So, there won’t be a void of leadership in any way, shape, or form.”

Henley-Young was under a federal consent decree, but it was lifted late last year.

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