NCJ Number
81131
Date Published
1980
Length
51 pages
Annotation
The juvenile detention needs and processes used in Nassau County and Suffolk County of Long Island, N.Y., were examined to determine ways to provide an equitable approach to the regionalization of Long Island's secure detention needs and to reconcile differences in the two counties' systems for processing juveniles.
Abstract
Since September 1, 1978, when Suffolk County's one secure detention facility was closed, all secure detention for the two counties has been provided by the Nassau County Children's Shelter. Nassau County has often refused to give Suffolk County juveniles access to secure detention because the spaces were being used for Nassau County juveniles. The two counties use similar criteria for identifying juveniles in need of detention, but apply the criteria differently. In addition, Suffolk County developed a strong nonsecure detention system to cope with the majority of its detention needs when its secure facility closed, whereas Nassau County had continued to emphasize the use of secure detention rather than the nonsecure detention. These and other related problems indicate the need for the Detention Services Section of the New York Division for Youth to adopt a more active role to resolve the problems related to regionalized secure detention for Long Island. Each of the two counties should be guaranteed access to at least 10 male beds. The Division for Youth should also establish a set of criteria to be used in determining which juveniles should be detained. Nassau County should consider reorganizing the administrative structure of the county's detention services program to place responsibility for the entire program under one agency. Nassau County should also expand its nonsecure foster care program by at least four to six beds. The Suffolk County Department of Probation should consider expanding its bed capacity for males in nonsecure group homes. Additional recommendations and tabular data are provided.