Bill Seeks to Stop States’ Detention of Status Offenders

Under a bill pending in Congress, states would be forbidden to lock up juveniles who violate a court order by committing a status offense.

States would be forbidden to lock up juveniles who violate a court order by committing a status offense like truancy, running away from home or failing to abide by a curfew, under a bill pending in Congress.

The measure, introduced by Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.), would restore a provision of the 1974 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act that prohibited states from allowing judges to incarcerate juveniles when they commit a status offense in violation of a court order.

http://jjie.org/bill-seeks-to-stop-states-detention-of-status-offenders/106708/