A child may only be held in secure detention if the juvenile is alleged to be delinquent or undisciplined and meets the criteria for secure custody. Whether or not a juvenile will be held in a detention facility depends on the circumstances of the case and whether there are grounds to detain the juvenile to protect the community, for the juvenile’s protection or to secure the juvenile’s presence in court.
The preferred method when dealing with juveniles is to release them to the parent on “home detention.” This means they are sent home with strict rules of supervision. If they do not comply then there is a hearing to determine if they should be moved into a detention facility.
Posted in: Juvenile