JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The city on Monday reinstated the Duval County Juvenile Assessment Center, which will handle teens who have been arrested and try to show them ways to avoid winding up deeper in the justice system.

The JAC, which was once a closed, dilapidated juvenile assessment center, was made like-new before its reopening.

One of the goals laid out by the Jacksonville Journey, a group created by the mayor to help rid the city of violence, has been helping troubled teenagers. With the opening of the JAC, the group and city leaders have made good on a promise in hopes of reducing violent crime.

Jacksonville did have an assessment center in the past, but it closed its doors in 2005 because funding was not available and security was an issue.

"I don't want to point fingers but it didn't get included in a local budget. So it closed not knowing the importance or relevance of keeping kids from getting deeper into the system," said Rep. Audrey Gibson.

However, members of the Jacksonville Journey recognized JAC's importance and made it a top priority to get the city's crime problem under control. The city renovated the center, poured in thousands of dollars and the center is back in business.

Mayor John Peyton was joined by Sheriff John Rutherford, Rep. Mia Jones, Rep. Audrey Gibson, District 7 Jacksonville City Council member Dr. Johnny Gaffney, Department of Juvenile Justice North Region Director Paula Polhill and Chief Wayne Clark for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“One of the messages that resonated from the work of the Jacksonville Journey was the important role that youth intervention programs play in helping to divert juveniles from the wrong course and set them on a path toward a productive future,” said Peyton. “The cornerstone of this community’s youth intervention response is provided by the Juvenile Assessment Center, which serves more than 7,700 local youth annually. The resources provided to juveniles and families by the staff at the assessment center will help to change the lives of youth in our community. I appreciate the hard work and dedication of everyone who played a role in helping to restore this tremendous community asset.”

Every young person arrested in Jacksonville will end up at the new center, from curfew violators to suspected killers. All juveniles arrested will talk with state probation officer who will help determine the next step, whether it be calling parents or going to a detention center.

"It is about allowing officers to free up their time and putting kids in contact with services that can help change the course -- change the trajectory of what could inventively become a violent history," said Peyton.

“This center’s reopening to full functionality means our officers don’t have to deal with the very difficult and time consuming challenge of finding a custodian or parent to turn these children over to, after they are picked up,” said Rutherford. “Additionally, through these important partnerships with the Department of Juvenile Justice and Children and Family Services and other nonprofits, the intervention many of them need will also be identified and offered quickly and efficiently. I want to thank everyone involved for their hard work in getting the center reopened.”