NCJ Number
130796
Date Published
1991
Length
77 pages
Annotation
In 1988, Congress enacted the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, which, among other things, required the General Accounting Office (GAO) to determine whether States have met Federal requirements vis-a-vis detentions of juvenile status offenders and whether the juvenile courts have afforded these offenders sufficient protection. GAO collected data from juvenile justice experts, questionnaires completed by State officials, and case files at three juvenile detention facilities.
Abstract
GAO's analysis revealed that while States have reported significant reductions in the number of status offender detentions, offenders were not afforded consistent protections in at least three States. States must comply with Federal guidelines in order to qualify for funds under a formula grant program. Detentions outside the scope of legislative exclusion are less than the de minimis threshold specified in the regulations. GAO suggests that oversight programs be focused on monitoring State efforts to ensure compliance. 6 tables, 12 figures, and 7 appendixes