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Detention Decisions & Community Alternatives (ATDs)

Detention should be a seatbelt, not a straightjacket. When used sparingly and based on validated risk, it protects due process and community safety without damaging youth stability. Across the Mid-South, detention assessment tools and alternatives to detention (ATDs) are shrinking unnecessary holds.

Key Findings

  • Validated screening is pivotal: Jurisdictions using detention risk instruments see fewer low-risk detentions and better court appearance rates with ATDs.
  • Short stays still matter: Even a few nights can disrupt school, work, and treatment; ATDs mitigate harm while maintaining court compliance.
  • Equity requires vigilance: Monitoring detention and ATD access by race and rurality prevents alternatives from becoming an extra layer only some youth get.

State Comparisons

Arkansas sharply reduced detention post-2019 reforms with assessment-driven release and targeted ATDs. Texas counties vary; JDAI sites show steep drops in ADP, while others still default to short holds for failure-to-appear. Missouri and Oklahoma employ structured screens statewide or by court rule. Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana have expanded evening reporting centers and enhanced supervision for moderate-risk cases, especially in metro areas.

What Works

  • Tiered ATDs: Court reminders + transportation for low-risk; evening reporting and community supervision for moderate-risk; electronic monitoring sparingly and time-limited.
  • FTA prevention, not punishment: Text reminders, flexible scheduling, and school-friendly reporting reduce missed hearings more effectively than detention threats.
  • Rapid review & step-downs: 24–48 hour judicial review of detentions; automatic step-down to ATDs when criteria met.

Future Outlook

Expect broader use of dynamic risk updates (short checklists at each hearing), evidence-based FTA supports, and dashboards that publish daily detention counts, LOS, and ATD utilization by subgroup.

Related Reading

Sources

  • JDAI detention assessment guidance and state court rules (2018–2025).
  • County ATD protocols and appearance-rate evaluations across the region.