NCJ Number
192416
Journal
Youth Law News Volume: 22 Issue: 1 Dated: September/October2001 Pages: 18-21
Editor(s)
Stephen B. Texeira
Date Published
October 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
With the growing trend of increased incarceration of youth, this article is two-fold. First, it examined how well juvenile detention facilities are meeting the needs of their communities, and second, whether there are alternatives to larger facilities and increased incarceration.
Abstract
There are two primary functions of juvenile detention facilities, to protect the community and ensure that the accused juvenile appears in court. However, over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of youth being detained. This increase has put a tremendous strain on juvenile detention facilities throughout the country. This article examined how increased juvenile detention has impacted facilities meeting the needs of the communities and whether there are alternatives to the construction of larger facilities and increased incarceration. Overcrowded facilities stretch the availability of services, such as education and health. However, larger facilities are see as costly, typically have higher recidivism rates, and are questioned in their effectiveness to address the needs of youth. King County (Seattle) and Cook County (Illinois) were identified as having demonstrated detention reform in utilizing community-based approaches and adopting alternative solutions to detention. Meaningful juvenile justice reform comes from a shared commitment to develop and emphasize effective community-based programs.