Removing Status Offenders from Secure Facilities:
Federal Leadership and Guidance Are Needed
GGD-78-37: Published: Jun 5, 1978. Publicly Released: Jun 5, 1978.
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Concern has been expressed in recent years about the use of detention and correctional facilities for juveniles who are charged with or have committed status offenses such as truancy, incorrigibility, and running away. The Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA) estimates that of the youths referred to juvenile courts on status offense charges, perhaps as high as 10 percent are ultimately placed in secure institutions. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 attempted to change this extensive practice by stating that LEAA could not award formula grants authorized by the act to a state unless it included a provision in its law enforcement plan that status offenders would no longer be placed in detention or correctional facilities.
Although states participating in the act have agreed to comply with the deinstitutionalization requirement, most states have laws allowing status offenders to be placed in detention or correctional facilities under certain circumstances. Most of the juvenile justice officials interviewed believed such incarcerations to be justified. Not enough alternate services for status offenders have been developed, and uncertainty exists among state and federal officials concerning appropriate dispositions. LEAA has done little to fully explore the problems that states are having in meeting the act's requirements; it has developed little information concerning the types of services that appear most effective for status offenders under various situations. Few states have established comprehensive systems to monitor jails, detention facilities, and correctional institutions although such systems are required of participating states by the act.
Feb 24, 2021
Pregnant Women in DOJ Custody:
U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Prisons Should Better Align Policies with National GuidelinesGAO-21-147: Published: Jan 25, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 24, 2021.
Oct 26, 2020
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Intellectual Property:
CBP Has Taken Steps to Combat Counterfeit Goods in Small Packages but Could Streamline EnforcementGAO-20-692: Published: Sep 24, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 26, 2020.
Sep 30, 2020
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Federal Criminal Restitution:
Department of Justice Has Ongoing Efforts to Improve Its Oversight of the Collection of Restitution and Tracking the Use of Forfeited AssetsGAO-20-676R: Published: Sep 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 30, 2020.
Sep 10, 2020
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Federal Tactical Teams:
Characteristics, Training, Deployments, and InventoryGAO-20-710: Published: Sep 10, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 10, 2020.
Sep 8, 2020
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VA Police:
Actions Needed to Improve Data Completeness and Accuracy on Use of Force Incidents at Medical CentersGAO-20-599: Published: Sep 8, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 8, 2020.
Aug 13, 2020
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Anti-Money Laundering:
FinCEN Should Enhance Procedures for Implementing and Evaluating Geographic Targeting OrdersGAO-20-546: Published: Jul 14, 2020. Publicly Released: Aug 13, 2020.
Jul 29, 2020
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Federal Prison Industries:
Actions Needed to Evaluate Program EffectivenessGAO-20-505: Published: Jul 29, 2020. Publicly Released: Jul 29, 2020.
Jul 8, 2020
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Gun Control:
DOJ Can Further Improve Guidance on Federal Firearm Background Check RecordsGAO-20-528: Published: Jul 8, 2020. Publicly Released: Jul 8, 2020.
Jun 22, 2020
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Federal Prisons:
Additional Analysis Needed to Determine Whether to Issue Pepper Spray to Minimum Security PrisonsGAO-20-342: Published: Jun 22, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 22, 2020.
May 26, 2020
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Bureau of Prisons:
Improved Planning Would Help BOP Evaluate and Manage Its Portfolio of Drug Education and Treatment ProgramsGAO-20-423: Published: May 26, 2020. Publicly Released: May 26, 2020.
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