Moving Towards a Better Understanding of Non-Offender Youth in Juvenile Detention

• In Event: Vulnerable Youth in the Juvenile Justice System: Opportunities for Improving Treatment Policy and Practices

Abstract

The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (JJDPA) initially banned the practice of detaining non-offender youth (otherwise know as status offenders). In 1980, the JJDPA was amended to authorize the use of detention for non-offender youth when there is a violation of a court order. Although national trends are showing that juvenile courts are relying less on this sanction, thousands of non-offender youth are placed in detention every year across the country. Information is lacking regarding the prevalence of the use of detention for non-offenders, profiles of youth who experience this sanction, and outcomes for this vulnerable population. This descriptive study explores the use of detention for non-offenders in Washington State. Approximately 900 youth were detained for a non-offender matter, representing about 12% of youth who experienced at least one detention stay during the study year. Results show that the non-offender population of youth differs from the offender population in several important ways, including being composed of a higher proportion of girls, and to some extent, youth of color. Non-offender youth placed in detention are also at a high risk of returning to the juvenile justice system for an offender (criminal) matter, indicating the need to have a better understanding of this population in order to prevent future juvenile justice system involvement.

Author

• Amanda B. Gilman, Washington State Center for Court Research