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Askthejudge.info features regular updates from the news, important decisions from the nation′s courts, and online discussions with Judge Tom. Find out everything you need to know about youth rights, juvenile law and juvenile justice. AsktheJudge – Empowering youth one question at a time.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this site is made available to the general public and is not intended to serve as legal advice.You should consult a trained legal professional in your area for questions you may have about the laws affecting juveniles or any legal interpretations.
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Youth incarceration in U.S. drops
In 2010, the youth confinement* rate reached a 35-year low. Juvenile justice systems across the country locked up fewer delinquents which did not lead to a rise in juvenile crime.
Over the years, studies have shown that it is counterproductive to rely on incarceration as opposed to more humane and less punitive treatment. Commitment to a state's juvenile department of corrections is costly and for many of the inmates, ineffective in reducing recidivism.
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The number of youth confined in the juvenile justice system in 1995 on any given day was over 107,000. By 2010, the number dropped to 70,792. On an average day in 2010, approximately 7500 youth under 18 were held in adult jails, while another 2,300 were in adult prisons. Despite this decline over fifteen years, the United States still incarcerates more youth than any other developed country.
*Confinement is defined in the report of the Annie E. Casey Foundation (Feb. 2013) as people under 21 charged with or adjudicated for an offense and consequently placed in a residential treatment facility. Facilities include training schools, shelters and detention centers. See "Reducing Youth Incarceration in the United States" on the Casey Foundation website.
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Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.
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