This article sketches the multidimensional nature of juvenile detention in the United States—its problems and solutions. Data presented include detention one-day population and admission rates, juvenile arrests, court referrals, and lengths of stay. These data show that overcrowding in juvenile detention is at crisis levels and can have dangerous effects on incarcerated youth. Several strategies are suggested for reducing the inappropriate detention of youth, strategies that are complex and sometimes produce unintended consequences.
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