NCJ Number
195050
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 64 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2002 Pages: 114-117,179,191
Date Published
2002
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the need for, and the designing of, specialized juvenile detention centers geared toward serving the mental health needs of the growing juvenile offender population.
Abstract
The article notes that the juvenile offender population housed in detention centers has grown markedly during the past decade. According to the Colorado Department of Human Services, 20 to 30 percent of this juvenile offender population has some type of mental health disorder that requires treatment. However, until recently, those youths who required treatment were housed in the same juvenile facilities as youthful offenders who had no disability, creating many problems. This article details the planning and design phase of creating specialized juvenile detention facilities that take into account the special needs of those who require mental health treatment. Issues such as sound control and acoustical treatments, time-out spaces, seclusion rooms, and small group counseling spaces must be considered when designing detention centers that are used to treat offenders who have mental health problems. A one-size-fits-all-model is no longer acceptable in the design of juvenile facilities; architects must work closely with clinical consultants who understand the special needs of this population.