Youth in Detention: A Closer Look at Literature on Practices that Improve Care

The prevailing view of detention centers fails to recognize the best practices occurring in this setting. Out of the 1.7 million youth involved in juvenile courts, 21% are placed in a detention center (Mallett, Fukushima, Stoddard-Dare, Quinn, 2012). The author will explore a variety of practices, such as reduction of restraint and seclusion, mental health interventions, and other staff practices linked to reducing negative consequences on youth (Huckshorn, 2006). In the same way, reduction in negative consequences can include a decrease in the high recidivism rates that youth in detention centers often experience (Teitelman & Linhares, 2013). This review provides a summary of theoretical and empirical evidence related to disproportionate minority confinement in detention and ways to address it. Equally important, the review looks at research on alternates to detention that can reduce length of stay and improve public safety (Teitelman & Linhares, 2013). Implications for trauma informed practices addressing the myriad negative consequences facing youth in detention will be discussed (Ford et al., 2006)