Coalition for Juvenile Justice, Human Rights Campaign, and the Equity Project

Keywords: Best Practices; Juvenile Justice; School to Prison

LGBTQ youth are twice as likely as other youth to be sent to a juvenile detention facility for committing “status offenses” such as truancy or running away from home. They are also overrepresented in the juvenile justice system generally, and once in the system are more likely to be the target of abuse and violence, including at the hands of other youth. They may also receive overly harsh punishments due to court biases or misguided attempts to keep them “safe” through the use of unnecessary isolated housing. Judicial, legal, law enforcement, justice, social service and school professionals all have a role to play in ensuring that diversion programs, courts and (when unavoidable) residential placements and juvenile detention facilities are LGBTQ-affirming. [Summary adapted from resource.]

File : pdf with 0.35 MB in size

LGBTQ Youth and Status Offenses: Improving System Responses and Reducing Disproportionality