NCJ Number
166824
Editor(s)
I M Schwartz,
W H Barton
Date Published
1994
Length
199 pages
Annotation
This book, which presents nine papers by authorities in the field of juvenile justice, pulls together data on national trends in detention policies and practices, along with practical summaries of reform targets and strategies.
Abstract
The papers present a mix of policy, research, and practice perspectives. They advise that current trends in detention are disturbing, as they have been marked by increasing detention populations, overcrowded facilities, and deteriorating conditions and services. The strategy for reform reflected in the case studies discussed San Francisco, Cuyahoga County (Ohio), Broward County (Fla.), and Pennsylvania consists of common themes. First, reserve detention for those who pose a high risk to public safety; second, develop ways to assess accurately the degree of risk presented by each juvenile; third, develop less costly and less restrictive alternatives for the lower risk juveniles; and fourth, closely monitor and evaluate the new detention practices and policies. These methods have shown promising results in the jurisdictions profiled in these papers. The book both presents a picture of a more rational structuring of detention and discusses political strategies that may assist in achieving the necessary policy changes. For individual chapters, see NCJ-166825-35. Chapter bibliographies, tables, and notes