Congress Should Ban Detention Of Non-Criminal Juveniles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: 202-675-2312, media@dcaclu.org

Washington, DC – The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled today to mark up S. 3155, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2008 (JJDPA), a bill setting standards and providing funding to protect the rights of juveniles in the criminal justice system.

The following can be attributed to Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office:

"We support the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2008 (JJDPA), which provides states and local governments with standards and resources to improve juvenile justice. The Senate bill is an opportunity for real reform to the juvenile justice system.

"Today the Senate Judiciary Committee should ban the incarceration of runaways, truants and other juvenile non-criminals. In detention, these young people are at risk of physical and sexual abuse. Studies have shown that there are better alternatives to confinement and more appropriate interventions that could draw juveniles away from the school-to-prison pipeline and towards becoming productive members of society."

JJDPA actually prevents the detention of status offenders. However, many juveniles are in custody for violating a court order. Congress must eliminate the loophole in the law.