Shelby County is set to reopen its doors for in-person visitation at the Youth Justice and Education Center, potentially as early as next week, officials announced on Friday. The long-awaited move will allow families to see their children for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had put a hold on physical contact for nearly four years.

According to WREG, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) is now ready to begin visitation after receiving the necessary training and information from the Juvenile Court. Originally, there was uncertainty regarding visitation requirements with Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon suggesting that a court order might be needed to mandate parental visitation—a decision finally reached on February 28, 2024.

SCSO had requested the Juvenile Court for the parents' contact information, in a correspondence dated April 8, which the court provided on April 10. The sheriff's office said more information on visitation procedures would soon be available on their website.

Population concerns were among the reasons for delayed visitation, with Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. citing a significant increase in detainees as part of the challenge. Bonner told Action News 5, "We anticipated 40-60 children at the center, but they hold around 110." The center's numbers, designed to account for a smaller population, have almost doubled, adding strain to the facility's resources and complicating visitation logistics.

The shift towards resuming in-person visitation marks a significant step for the community, with the Sheriff's Office expressing pleasure over the move. "Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. is pleased to announce in-person visitation will begin again at the Youth Justice and Education Center, possibly as early as next week," the Sheriff's Office said in a statement shared by FOX13 Memphis. The exact date for resuming visitation will be firmed up in the coming days.