Reduce Juvenile Detention

Questions to Consider

• What are the characteristics of youth who are most likely to be placed in detention if the current course continues?
• What proportion of youth are likely to be placed in community-based programs?
• What are the characteristics of youth likely to have the longest stays in detention?

• If the current trend continues, which facilities are likely to experience the largest increases in daily populations or length of stay?

• Which areas of your state are likely to experience the greatest changes in youth detention rates?

What You Need to Know

• The impact of the juvenile justice system as a whole.  Numerous factors related to the juvenile justice system itself contribute to current and future juvenile detention trends

• The complex effects of decision-making.  The decision-making processes that lead to youth placement in detention facilities and determine how long they remain have a profound effect on current and future trends.  They are among the most challenging, complex, and important aspects of the juvenile justice system to consider.