10.11. Juvenile Institutions 
ALISON S. BURKE 
Just as the juvenile court has different practices, so too does the correctional side of the juvenile justice 
system. Since the aim of the juvenile justice system is rehabilitation, the treatment of youth is somewhat 
different than the treatment of adults. For example, justice-involved youth can be sent to detention centers, 
group homes, boot or wilderness camps, residential treatment centers, long-term secure facilities, or other 
institutions. 
Detention: In the first stages of the justice system, the court must decide if it will detain the youth. 
If a youth is detained, he/she is sent to a detention center, which is a short-term, secure facility. These 
are comparable to adult jails. Youth are often kept in detention facilities while waiting for disposition or 
transfer to another location. The average length of stay is 2-3 weeks. Factors that increase the likelihood 
of detention include prior offenses, age at first offense and current age, and the severity of the current 
offense. Research also suggests that race, gender, and socioeconomic status also play a role in deciding 
whether to detain a youth. 
Group Homes: Group homes are long-term facilities where youth are allowed and encouraged 
to have extensive contact with the community. Youth attend regular school, hold jobs, take public 
transportation, etc. In many group homes, youth learn independent living skills that prepare them for 
living on their own. These are similar to adult halfway houses. 
Boot Camps and Wilderness Camps: Boot Camps are secure facilities that operate like military 
basic training. They focus on drills, manual labor, and physical activity. They are often punitive and 
overly strict. Despite popular opinion, research shows that these are ineffective for preventing future 
delinquency. The length of stay is generally for several weeks. On the other hand, ranch/wilderness 
camps are actually prosocial and preventative. These are long term residential facilities that are non-
restrictive and are for youth who not require confinement. These include forestry camps and wilderness 
programs. 
Residential Treatment Centers: RTCs are long term facilities that focus on individual treatment. 
They include positive peer culture, behavior modification programming, and helping youth develop 
healthy coping mechanisms. Many have specific targeted populations, such as kids with histories of 
substance abuse or issues with mental health. They are often considered medium security, and the 
average stay is often six months to a year. 
Long-term Secure Facilities: Long term facilities are strict secure conferment. These include 
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