“ American prisons are a black box: remote, austere, and cruel. Although basic demographic data about the people confined in prisons are common—that is, data on the number of people incarcerated, their age, or their race—there is little information available to the public regarding conditions of confinement. A natural response to this data deficit is…
From the introduction: “This Article discusses the myriad challenges lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQIA+) youth face in the United States (U.S.). The Article focuses on issues LGBTQIA+ (the “plus” holds space for other sexual identities not represented within the acronym) youth confront in school as well as the issues faced by families with…
Semi-annual report from January-June 2023 from the Colorado Division of Youth Services on reported number of physical and sexual assaults, number of facility staff, and other conditions of confinement data in its state-run residential facilities for detained and committed young people.
Abstract: Research indicates that sexual minority youth are disproportionately criminalized in the U.S. and subjected to abusive treatment while in correctional facilities. However, the scope and extent of disparities based on sexual orientation remains largely overlooked in the juvenile justice literature. This study, based on a nationally representative federal agency survey conducted in 2012 (N=8,785;…
This report by the Center for American Progress, Movement Advancement Project, and Youth First offers an overview of youth incarceration in the United States and in particular, data on the experiences and challenges of LGBTQ youth incarcerated in the juvenile legal system. It concludes with several recommendations for reducing system involvement, ensuring fair treatment within…
On March 20, 2014, the DOJ filed a Statement of Interest in a federal conditions lawsuit on behalf young people under the age of 18 confined in the Michigan Department of Corrections, alleging violations of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). The DOJ emphasizes that “[s]tate correctional facilities. . . are subject to both the…
