Jailing Juveniles and the Reauthorization of the JJDPA

AJA 'S 30TH ANNUAL TRAINING CONFERENCE & JAIL EXPOCINCINNATI, OHIO ♦ MAY 15 – 19, 2011

Liz Ryan, President & CEOThe Campaign for Youth Justice

Sheriff Gabriel Morgan, Sr.Newport News, Virginia

Liane Rozzell, Executive DirectorFamilies & Allies of Virginia’s Youth

Vicky Gunderson, Parent AdvocateOnalaska, Wisconsin

Introduction General review of purpose and issues

to be discussed About the presenters Format of the workshop

Families of Incarcerated Youth and Their Stories

The reality for families that are living with their children in the justice system

The dangers of housing youth in adult jails and the negative impact on youth and families

Is my child safe? URGENT action needed for states to

replicate the recent jail removal successes in VA and elsewhere

Kirk’s Voice

Kirk’s Voice

Kirk’s Voice

Kirk’s Voice

The Importance of Families and Advocates

The role of advocates and families in the passage of the Virginia Jail Bill

Why did jail removal have wide support in Virginia?

The role of families in supporting reform at the state and local level

Risk to Youth in Adult Jails Current law recognizes the risks

youth face in adult jails Sexual assault

13% of rape victims but <1% of prison population

Suicide Youth 36 times more likely to commit suicide

in adult facility than in a juvenile facility Lack of access to education

40% of adult jails provide no educational services at all

Risk to Youth in Adult Jails Many youth tried as adults are sent back

to juvenile court or not convicted, but have spent at least 1 month in adult jail

CDC and OJJDP reports - youth tried as adults are more likely to commit more crimes

Conditions in adult jail amount to pre-trial punishment

Virginia’s Jail Removal Legislation

Advantages for those who work in and operate the state’s jails

Effects on sheriffs’ responsibility to keep youth safe

Connection between jail removal and reducing the disproportionate impact of harsh policies on youth of color

Call to action

Update on Jail Removal Efforts

Rationale for jail removal efforts Advantages of ending the practice of

housing youth in adult jails for the youth, their families, the community and those who work in jails

Oregon Success Story Update on the status of federal

legislation

The Dangers of Detaining Youth in Adult Jails

Every day in America, an average of 7,500 youth are detained in adult jails.

The number of youth who are placed in adult jails every year could be even higher – tens of thousands of young people according to some researchers – to account for the ‘turnover’ in adult jails.

As many as one-half of these youth will be sent back to the juvenile justice system or not be convicted. Yet, most of these youth will have spent at least one month in an adult jail and one in five of these youth will have spent over six months in an adult jail.

The Dangers of Detaining Youth in Adult Jails

It is extremely difficult to keep children safe in adult jails.

According to BJS, 21% and 13% of all substantiated victims of inmate-on-inmate sexual violence in jails in 2005 and 2006 respectively, were youth under the age of 18(surprisingly high since only 1% of jail inmates are juveniles).

The Dangers of Detaining Youth in Adult Jails

Some jailers will separate children from adults but this is not adequate either.

Children are then often placed in isolation. Youth are frequently locked down 23 hours a day in small cells with no natural light. These conditions can cause anxiety, paranoia, and exacerbate existing mental disorders and put youth at risk of suicide.

Youth have the highest suicide rates of all inmates in jails. Youth are 36 times more likely to commit suicide in an adult jail than in a juvenile detention facility, and 19 times more likely to commit suicide in an adult jail than youth in the general population.

JJDPA Reauthorization “We have to be doing more…Let’s

give them alternatives. Let’s work with them. Let’s make sure they don’t become criminals.” – Senator Leahy, Chairman, US Senate Judiciary Committee

Goals of SB 678 (111th Congress): Extend the jail removal protection to all youth,

including youth charged as adults If any youth were to remain in jails or lock up,

protect them by keeping them “sight and sound” separated from adults

AJA Policy Statement THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the

American Jail Association be opposed in concept to housing juveniles in any jail unless that facility is specifically designed for juvenile detention and staffed with specially trained personnel.

Adopted by the American Jail Association Board of Directors on May 22, 1990. Revised May 19, 1993. Re-affirmed May 3, 2008.

Questions?

More Information Jailing Juveniles Report

http://www.campaignforyouthjustice.org/documents/CFYJNR_JailingJuveniles.pdf

Families and Allies of Virginia’s Youth Website http://www.favyouth.org/

The Campaign for Youth Justice website http://www.campaignforyouthjustice.org