Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Time Pressure; Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Security; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Passenger Misconduct
General Police / Security Involved
Company Policy; Human Factors
On board the airplane were 3 juvenile delinquents in restraints each with an escort; who were not Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) and not armed. During descent the Flight Attendants (FAs) called to say that one of the juveniles had started an altercation with the escorts. He was head butting and body shoving them into the seats and overhead bins. 2 of the escorts had managed to restrain the juvenile in his seat but where having to physically hold him in place. Because of the way they were doing this they were partially blocking the aft FA jump seat. The FAs said the escorts would hold him in place for landing and that they had Able Bodied Passengers (ABPs) willing to help if needed. I called ahead to have law enforcement meet the airplane; made sure the First Officer was ready for landing and the called back to the FAs. I asked the FAs to make sure the escorts would be ready for landing while restraining the juvenile and checked with the FAs to make sure they were ready. They both stated it would not be safe for the aft FA to occupy the aft jump seat as the juvenile and escorts were in the last row and partially blocking it. They said there was no open passenger seats and asked me what I wanted her to do. Since the situation seemed to be handled; no other passengers appeared to be involved and ABPs willing to help; I had the FA sit in the flight deck jump seat. At the gate; all passengers were deplaned before the juvenile was escorted off by law enforcement. I failed to remember that a level 2 threat required a lock down of the flight deck. I was too focused on the FA's safety for landing and not the possible repercussions of; even momentarily; opening the flight deck door.
CRJ-700 Captain reported an altercation in the cabin involving a juvenile prisoner and an escort; law enforcement personnel met with the aircraft.