NCJ Number
92636
Date Published
1983
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the progress made in eliminating the reprehensible practice of detaining juveniles in adult jails and lockups.
Abstract
It refutes the arguments usually proffered for justifying the secure detention of juveniles and reiterates that the incarceration of children in adult correctional facilities causes emotional and physical suffering. Court rulings against the practice, on the grounds that confinement without treatment violates constitutional standards, are also reviewed, as are the findings of various commissions that have focused on the problem. State and local positions on the issue are deemed far from satisfactory, with only four States actually having legislation that prohibits jailing juveniles. The article then compares the financial costs of the current practice of juvenile detention with various possible alternatives. The conclusion emphasizes that since the police are often the first contact point that juveniles have with the justice system, police departments should review their administrative procedures and make revisions to ensure that juveniles are not subjected to unwarranted detention and jailing.