Key Studies

Austin, J. et al. (2000). Juveniles in Adult Prisons and Jails: A National Assessment. Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Available online: www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/bja/182503.pdf.

Summary: This nationwide study of juveniles in adult correctional facilities documents the number of youth in adult facilities as of 1998, their demographic and offense characteristics, the legal and administrative processes by which such commitments are permitted, the issues faced by adult correctional systems in managing juveniles, and the conditions of juveniles in adult facilities. The data show that approximately 107,000 youth are incarcerated on any given day. Of these, approximately 14,500 are housed in adult facilities. The largest proportion, approximately 9,100 youth, are housed in local jails, and some 5,400 youth are housed in adult prisons.

Hubner J. & Wolfson, J. (1999). Ain’t No Place Anybody Would Want to Be: Conditions of Confinement for Youth. Washington, DC: Coalition for Juvenile Justice. Available through Coalition for Juvenile Justice. Tel: 202/467-0864; Email: info@juvjustice.org.

Summary: This report on conditions of confinement for youth in the United States finds that youth get little or no treatment or rehabilitative programs and services in correctional facilities. Other findings show that 10% of the 85,000 juveniles who are incarcerated on a given day are in adult facilities; 33% of the juveniles in detention facilities are there for violent offenses such as assault, rape, murder and robbery; and 75% of the juveniles are in overcrowded facilities.

Kilbourne, S. (1999). Children Behind Bars: Youth Who are Detained, Incarcerated and Executed. Washington, DC: Youth Advocate Program International. Tel: 202/244-1986; Email: yapi@igc.org.

Summary: A booklet about incarcerated children in the U.S. and worldwide, presenting the effects of incarceration on children and conditions of confinement. Strategies for improvement, such as alternatives to incarceration, are also highlighted.

National Juvenile Detention Association and the Youth Law Center. (1998). Crowding in Juvenile Detention Centers: A Problem Solving Manual. Available through National Juvenile Detention Association. Tel: 606/622-6259.

Summary: A survey of the problems of crowding and possible solutions to detention overuse. Topics include: incarceration and pregnancy, prostitution, dispositional alternative projects, private for-profit placements, and legal challenges within the juvenile justice system.

Parent, D. & Abt Associates. (1994). Research Summary: Conditions of confinement: juvenile detention and corrections facilities. Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice. Available through the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse. Tel: 800/638-8736.

Summary: The findings of this most comprehensive national study of detention conditions ever conducted show substantial deficiencies in living space, health care, security, and control of suicidal behavior. The study suggests other deficiencies in educational and treatment services; access to the community; and limits on staff discretion in such matters as the use of isolation, restraints and searches.

Pathways to Juvenile Detention Reform. (1999). The Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. Baltimore, MD: The Annie E. Casey Foundation. Available through Annie E. Casey Foundation. Tel: 410/547-6600; Website: www.aecf.org.

Summary: This series of 13 publications provides practical information for understanding and implementing juvenile detention reform, based on the innovative policies and practices developed by jurisdictions participating in the Casey Foundation's Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. Each guide offers detailed descriptions of specific detention reform strategies, along with lessons learned and technical assistance resources.

Puritz, P. & Scali, M. (1998). Beyond the Walls: Improving Conditions of Confinement for Youth in Custody. Washington, DC: American Bar Association. Available through Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse. Tel: 800/638-8736.

Summary: This report presents methods for improving oversight, monitoring, and services for detained and committed youth. It may be used by attorneys, parents, child advocates, and others interested in improving the quality of care received by juveniles in training schools and detention centers across the country. The suggested methods are: Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA); Ombudsman Programs; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); Protection and Advocacy Systems (P&A's); Administrative Procedure Act (APA); and Self-Assessment.

Sickmund, M. & Snyder, H. (1999). Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 1999 National Report. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Available through the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse. Tel: 800/638-8736

Summary: This comprehensive report presents data from Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s new national Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement, summarizing key findings about the characteristics of juvenile offenders in custody.

 

------. (2000). State Custody Rates, 1997. Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Available through the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse. Tel: 800/638-8736

Summary: This report presents state-by-state statistics on custody rates for juvenile delinquents and status offenders held in public and private facilities. Using Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement (CJRP) findings for 1997, the report compares the role of private facilities, where most status offenders are held, with that of public facilities, where most delinquent offenders are detained. State rankings based solely on custody rates for delinquents in public facilities differ from rankings based on rates for all juveniles in both public and private facilities.

------. (2000). Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement Databook. Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Available through the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse. Tel: 800/638-8736

Summary: This fact sheet provides information on the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement (CJRP) Databook. The CJRP Databook is an online interactive data dissemination tool that provides information about juvenile offenders in residential placement. It can address a wide variety of questions about juvenile detention, corrections, and placement.

 

Schiraldi, V. & Zeidenberg, J. (2002). Reducing Disproportionate Minority Confinement: The Multnomah County, Oregon Success Story and its Implications. Washington, DC: Justice Policy Institute. Available through Justice Policy Institute. Tel: 202/737-7270; Website: www.cjcj.org.

Summary: This study shows that Multnomah County in Portland, Oregon reduced racial disparities in juvenile detention and lowered juvenile crime through a series of juvenile detention reforms. The results indicate that Portland leads the nation in successfully reducing racial disparity in juvenile detention.