NCJ Number
161615
Journal
Juvenile Justice Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (Fall-Winter 1995) Pages: 25-28
Editor(s)
E E Appleby Jr
Date Published
1995
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act contains four mandates designed to create a fair and consistent juvenile justice infrastructure and address issues such as the inappropriate use of juvenile detention, problems among juveniles detained in adult jails and lockups, and the disproportionately high numbers of minority juveniles arrested and confined in secure facilities.
Abstract
The Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders mandate provides, as a general rule, that no juvenile status offender or nonoffender may be held in secure detention or confinement. A 24-hour exception applies to accused status offenders and nonoffenders in juvenile detention centers. The separation mandate provides that juveniles shall not be detained in a secure institution in which they have contact with incarcerated adults, including inmate trustees. No sight or sound contact with adult offenders is allowed. The jail and lockup removal mandate establishes as a general rule, with a 6-hour hold exception for accused delinquent offenders, that all juveniles who may be subject to the juvenile court's original jurisdiction based on age and offense criteria cannot be held in jails and law enforcement lockups in which adults may be detained or confined. The disproportionate minority confinement mandate requires States to make efforts to reduce the number of minority youth in secure facilities where the securely confined minority population exceeds the proportion of minorities in the general population. Fifty-five of the 57 eligible States and territories are currently taking part in the JJDP Act Formula Grants Program and submitting annual compliance monitoring reports detailing progress toward achieving or maintaining compliance with the mandates. Figure and list of resources