Subjects were 1829 male and female youth, 10–18 years old, randomly sampled from intake into the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (CCJTDC) from November 1995 through June 1998. In addition, there are three methodological problems: 7 This disparity in findings may be because youth were sampled at various points in the juvenile justice system (e.g., at admission, after conviction, etc.). 7 Rates of substance use disorders ranged from 13% 14 to 88%. Among studies published since 1980, 7, 11 – 28 (summary table available from authors), rates for affective disorder varied from 2% 15 to 88%. 9, 10ĭespite the importance of psychiatric epidemiological data on juvenile detainees, there are few empirical studies 10 and little consistency in results.
6 – 8 Until we have better data, we cannot know how best to use the system’s scarce mental health resources. 5 Mental health professionals believe that providing psychiatric services to juvenile detainees could improve their quality of life and help reduce recidivism. Like adult detainees, juvenile detainees with serious mental disorders have a constitutional right (under the 8 th and 14 th Amendments) to receive needed treatment. 2 Given the growth of juvenile detainee populations, 4 epidemiologic data on their psychiatric disorders are increasingly important. The number of females in the juvenile justice system is increasing at an even faster rate than the number of males 3 and is at an all time high. 2 Many are incarcerated in adult prisons, which do not have psychiatric services designed for juveniles. There are currently 163,200 cases per year of juveniles convicted and serving sentences. 3 Moreover, recent changes in the laws – mandatory penalties for drug crimes and lowering the age that juveniles can be tried as adults – have resulted in more juveniles than ever before serving time. 3 Almost 60% of detained youth are African American or Hispanic. 2 On an average day, over 106,000 youth are in custody in juvenile facilities. 1 In 1997, juvenile courts handled almost 1,800,000 delinquency cases. In 1999, the FBI estimated there were 2.5 million arrests of juveniles. Act 185 required the Department to submit to the governor the final draft emergency rule no later than December 17, 2018.A great proportion of this country’s youth are now involved in the juvenile justice system. Governor Walker approved the Department's scope statement for the emergency rule. The Department will include uniform data reporting standards for counties or Indian tribes that operate or contract for SRCCs. These rules establish minimum standards for the design, construction, repair, maintenance of SRCCs, the approval and operation of SRCCs, and the services and programs for juveniles in SRCCs.
Youth are placed in SRCCs under Correctional Placement dispositions (938.34(4m)), which requires that the youth be found delinquent of an act that would be punishable by a sentence of six months or more if committed by an adult and that youth has been found to be a danger to the public and in need of restrictive custodial treatment.ĭCF will allocate additional Youth Aids funding to a county operating a joint SRCC equal to 15% of the county's Youth Aids costs in the prior fiscal year or $750,000, whichever is less.Īct 185 requires the Department to promulgate both emergency and permanent administrative rules governing SRCCs. Secure Residential Care Center for Children and Youth (SRCC)Īct 185 allows a county or American Indian tribe to establish a Secure Residential Care Center for Children and Youth (SRCC) to house juveniles. An SRCC may be attached to a juvenile detention facility. SRCCs shall be subject to the Department administrative rule governing SRCCs.