Issue Briefs

Fundamental fairness is at the heart of a just society and essential to healthy adolescent development. Young people need to feel they are treated fairly, respected and their voices matter. They also need to see the justice system as fair. But one look at the overwhelming disproportionate number of young people of color who are sent to secure juvenile facilities challenge any sense of fairness.

To add to nationwide efforts to reduce confinement, PbS looked at more than 2,000 records of young people exiting secure correction and detention facilities between November 2021 and April 2022. In this PbS Data Snapshot, we share Youth Record data to describe the characteristics of young people and committing offenses according to length of stay.

The pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus and its variants continues to dominate public discussions and exacerbate already difficult situations in neighborhoods, schools, places of work and of worship and in homes and institutions. Because of the nature of the virus and the reality of asymptomatic infections, it is impossible to know the exact number of positive cases that occur within these various contexts. Widespread testing, however, has proven to be the most useful tool for shedding light on the prevalence of the virus and the effectiveness of interventions.

There were some positive changes during the pandemic that we want to learn more about: There were fewer uses of restraints in facilities and more youths reported positively about their relationships with the staff.

In April 2021, the average daily population in detention centers and correction facilities continued to decline slightly and remained below pre-pandemic numbers. Policy changes to admission, transfers and releasing youths may have contributed to fewer youths in custody.

During the month of April 2021, 90% or more of PbS participating facilities were implementing the majority of recommended pandemic responses. Agencies created strategies to reduce the impact, presence and spread of COVID-19. 

One year into the pandemic, data from 148 facilities across the country show a 4% positive test rate for the COVID-19 virus among youths and less than 2% among staff during the month of April 2021.

This PbS Data Snapshot was written by Kim Godfrey Lovett, PbS Executive Director and includes data collected by PbS participating facilities during 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Data points discussed in this brief include use of restraints in facilities and youth perceptions on their relationships with staff.

This PbS Data Snapshot includes data collected by PbS participating facilities during April 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Data points discussed in this brief include youths' perceptions of safety in facilities as well as rates of assaults, fights, and restraints in secure juvenile correction and detention centers.

This PbS Data Snapshot was written by Kim Godfrey Lovett, PbS Executive Director and includes data collected by PbS participating facilities during April 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Data points discussed in this brief include decreasing daily populations as well as racial and ethnic disparities in secure juvenile correction and detention centers.