US Juvenile Justice Systems Face Facility Changes, Oversight Gaps, Disparities

Youth incarceration in the United States has seen a significant decline over recent decades, yet tens of thousands of youth remain detained in various juvenile facilities nationwide, including in Washington, D.C., where efforts focus on rehabilitation and education through programs like those managed by the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. In Nashville, Tennessee, a new juvenile justice facility called the Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment reflects a progressive vision emphasizing trauma-informed care, rehabilitation, and community-based services to better serve vulnerable youth populations. In contrast, California's juvenile system has faced severe challenges with repeated failures to follow established safety and abuse reporting protocols, leading to unsafe conditions and systemic neglect in facilities such as the San Diego Youth Transition Campus and Los Angeles Central Juvenile Hall. Meanwhile, in Shelby County, Tennessee, a contentious transfer of juvenile detention center operations from the Sheriff’s Office to the county’s Division of Corrections has raised concerns about funding, management, and the uncertain impact on detained youth. Despite these challenges, a recent study indicates that closures of youth detention centers are more common and successful than often perceived, suggesting a national trend toward reducing reliance on incarceration for youth offenders.