Juvenile Detention and Custody

Juvenile Considerations

• A juvenile can be taken to a secure booking area of a jail or an adult jail for temporary custody for no more than six hours, or for fingerprinting and photographing, as long as they are out of the sight and hearing of adult arrestees.
• Exceptions apply to a juvenile charged as an adult, or when the court has emancipated or adjudicated the juvenile as an adult.
• Verify a juvenile's legal adult status through the Department of Juvenile Justice, court records, or criminal histories.
• You are responsible for a juvenile who has a medical condition, a mental illness, or the effects of substance misuse.
• You are also responsible until a parent, a guardian, or a representative of the Department of Children and Families assumes responsibility.

Entering the Detention Facility

• Booking or intake officers at the county jail have their own policies and procedures, which you must know and follow.
• Inform the booking officer of the charges against the arrestee, any injuries, and if the arrestee is a juvenile.
• Also, inform them if the arrestee was contaminated with pepper spray, if a conducted electric weapon was used, or if they made threats to self or others, or have known medical conditions.

Escorting and Preparing for Transport of an Arrestee

• People near the scene may be recording the incident, which is not a criminal offense, and you cannot interfere unless they are actively obstructing the investigation.
• A designated public information officer (PIO) is responsible for releasing information to the media.

Escorting the Arrestee to the Patrol Vehicle

• Use escort techniques to maintain physical control of the arrestee during the entire escort.
• Never assume the arrestee has already been searched before placing them in the transport vehicle.
• Conduct another search and secure all personal property, evidence, or contraband every time custody of the arrestee is transferred.

Preparation for Transport

• Make sure the window controls and door handles are disabled from the rear compartment to prevent escape or damage.
• Clear the rear passenger compartment of any drugs, weapons, or equipment.
• Thoroughly search the handcuffed arrestee and take immediate possession of all personal property, evidence, and contraband.
• Assist the arrestee into the transport vehicle and secure their seat belt.

Transporting an Incarcerated Pregnant Person

• According to the Healthy Pregnancy for Incarcerated Women Act, restraints should not be used for an incarcerated pregnant person in labor, delivery, or postpartum recovery, unless they present a substantial flight risk or extraordinary medical or security circumstances.

Arrival at the Destination

• Notify dispatch and report the ending vehicle mileage.
• Approach the appropriate drop-off point and obtain clearance to enter.
• Secure your weapons in a locked location, such as the patrol vehicle's trunk, a weapons locker, or a lockbox at the drop-off point.

Entering a Secured Facility

• Gather all personal property taken from the arrestee and safely remove them from the patrol vehicle.
• Maintain physical control of the arrestee during escort into the facility.
• Use verbal commands and physical direction.
• You are responsible for the arrestee until facility staff receives them.

Specific Transport Situations

• You cannot transport a juvenile in the same vehicle with an adult arrestee unless they are codefendants.
• Notify dispatch when transporting an arrestee needing medical attention to a medical facility or if you have requested EMS.
• Adjust transport procedures when transporting an arrestee with a disability or specific need, without compromising officer safety.
• Consider weather conditions and temperature if you cannot transport the arrestee immediately after loading.

Booking Officer Responsibilities

• The transporting officer must give the booking officer any personal property previously removed from the arrestee.
• The arresting officer must complete an arrest affidavit, which must accompany the arrestee to the booking officer.

Booking Procedures

• The booking officer processes the arrestee, including fingerprinting, photographing, and inventorying personal property for safe keeping until the arrestee is released.
• The following information should be recorded: name, race, sex, date of birth, Social Security Number, criminal charges, and case number.

Learn about the rules and regulations surrounding juvenile custody, including temporary holding and transportation to facilities. Explore exceptions to these rules and special considerations for juveniles charged as adults.