The Function of Juvenile Detention as Perceived by Referral Sources

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Abstract
Limited research has suggested that confusion regarding the proper function of detention exists within the community. The public erroneously perceives the juvenile detention facility as providing either institutionalpunishment or treatment. It was hypothesized that this confusion extended to those law enforcement and social service personnel who referred youth to the detention facility. All individuals who made referrals to a Midwestern county detention facility for a given year were contacted and asked to indicate the main goals ofjuvenile detention. The results of this inquiry were analyzed both descriptively and with respect to selected independent variables, e.g., type ofposition and geographical location. The analysis confirmed the notion that education and training are needed among the referral agents and may be a problem generalizable to many jurisdictions in the United States.

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