NCJ Number
197342
Date Published
December 1998
Length
37 pages
Annotation
This article reports on the findings of a study of standards for juvenile detention facilities in Washington State.
Abstract
In 1998, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy was required to address six tasks regarding standards for juvenile detention facilities. The tasks included finding out what standards were in place; current compliance of facilities; issues regarding current standards as they impact safety and health of offenders, staff, and community; recommendations with a timeline for improvements needed; creation of a schedule for periodic review of standards, and a cost analysis to implement the recommendations in the recommended time period. The study found that major progress had been made with improvements in physical conditions, system capacity, training, staff salaries, and health care. It found that there were no uniform standards in the State with regard to juvenile detention, with support for State-mandated standards not supported by administrators and detention managers. It was also found that while not all jurisdictions were meeting standards, others had several deficiencies, such as crowding, insufficient staff, and provision of limited health care services. Recommendations for capital improvements and the associated costs are discussed, including adding to the number of detention beds and replacement of facilities. Also, facility staffing levels, training practices, wage levels, and provision of health care services to detainees are reviewed, with the importance of increasing funds emphasized. It is recommended that outcome-based standards of performance be reported for each jurisdiction as a program self-review with outside review occurring approximately every 5 years.