NCJ Number
149540
Date Published
1991
Length
87 pages
Annotation
The report assesses degree and cost of compliance to state and national standards for Washington State juvenile detention centers.
Abstract
The standards examined were selected by the Governor's Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee and the American Correctional Association; it covered numerous aspects from intake to juvenile rights, rules and discipline. The administrators of 18 Washington detention facilities made their own compliance assessments, which were then reviewed by an independent study team. The results spoke for the efforts of administrators to bring their facilities into compliance. Facilities were well run by concerned and committed staff; each facility had areas in which it excelled--often despite serious handicaps, such as space. However, some serious deficiencies were found. According to the study, direct operational deficiencies in medical and programming can be corrected with relatively modest sums. Indirect operational deficiencies in training, personnel, and management will be more costly to correct. Physical plant deficiencies will be most expensive to remedy. The report also suggests that the chapter on intake and the chapter on rules and discipline of the proposed Washington State standards should be reexamined. The report includes a detailed survey of each individual facility.