I volunteered at Auburn Residential Center until recently when the OCFS commissioner, Ms. Carrion, stopped sending residents in an apparent effort to close the facility. As the numbers dwindled, it looked to the public like it was “underutilized.” The reality is, girls could be there if the commissioner favored this system of correction.

The public deserves to know that a short time ago, this facility, which provided teenage girls comfortable housing, dependable meals and protection from the ugliness of their lives, was vibrant. Respect was cultivated among teens and adults. Significant learning was happening in small classes with committed teachers. The administration labored to involve a myriad of volunteers who enriched the girls' lives in addition to their core therapeutic curriculum. ARC offered “Family Days,” field trips, book clubs.

I was fortunate to witness a program developed for the center by Sean McLeod of the New York Institute of Dance and Education, that was life-changing for approximately 16 girls. A high administration of the OCFS counseling department proclaimed that such a program was “unprecedented” and a “model for other facilities to follow.”

Ms. Carrion's stated 80 percent recidivism does not apply to Auburn. I have been told ARC's rate is “well under 40 percent.” And, two girls told me that ARC had saved their lives.

The Auburn facility, soon to be defunct, will leave too many girls in families and communities that play catalytic roles in their troubles. Is closing a proven facility in favor of community-based programs really the answer for all?

Janet Fairhurst

Skaneateles