Jelly Roll Helps Break Ground on Nashville Youth Campus
The 14-acre NYCE Campus on Brick Church Pike will replace the aging Davidson County Juvenile Justice Centre.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Youth
Live Poll
Should your city invest in replacing aging juvenile justice facilities?
Musician Jelly Roll joined Nashville officials on August 8, 2024, to break ground on the Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment, a planned 14-acre complex. The campus will replace the existing juvenile justice facility that opened in 1994.
Why it matters
The existing juvenile facility has faced plumbing problems and limited space, and a 2017 plan recommended a campus-style development to address those constraints. The project aims to give Nashville's juvenile justice system room to grow through 2035.
The planned campus spans 14 acres on Brick Church Pike, where the Al Menah Shrine Temple previously stood. The development is anticipated to be completed in 2027, though its total cost was not provided.
The players
Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll is a Nashville-area musician and advocate who has spoken publicly about his own time in the juvenile justice system.
Davidson County Juvenile Court
Davidson County Juvenile Court handles cases involving minors in the county and will be housed in the new campus.
The details
The campus will house Davidson County Juvenile Court and a pre-trial housing facility, along with a 24-hour assessment centre for children in crisis. Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord, spent several years at the juvenile centre during his adolescence and was charged as an adult at age 17.
Timeline
1994: The current Juvenile Justice Centre at 100 Woodland Street opened.
2017: A plan recommended campus-style development for juvenile justice.
2019-2020: Plumbing problems affected the existing facility.
August 8, 2024: Jelly Roll attended the groundbreaking ceremony.
2027: The youth campus is expected to be completed.
Legacy Build
The project follows the 2017 recommendation to move away from the single aging building at 100 Woodland Street toward a campus model. Breaking ground now carries that earlier plan into construction for the first time.
Nashville residents will eventually have a dedicated youth campus offering court services, pre-trial housing, and a 24-hour assessment centre for children in crisis. The new facility is intended to replace the aging juvenile building on Woodland Street that has struggled with space and plumbing issues.
The takeaway
The new campus signals a shift toward a broader, more service-oriented approach to youth justice in Nashville, with assessment and crisis care planned alongside court and detention functions. Its progress over the coming years will show whether the design meets the county's growing needs.
Further reading
For related coverage, see more Youth stories from across the Nashville area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Times of India.
Live Poll
Should your city invest in replacing aging juvenile justice facilities?
