Statutes & Policy

Laws set the guardrails; practice fills in the lanes. This section distills the most decision-relevant pieces of juvenile codes and policy guidance across the region and links them to pipeline stages and data handoffs.

What We Track

Detention decision rules: statutory criteria, risk screening requirements, and override documentation.
Counsel & Timeliness: appointment of counsel, initial hearing within 24–48 hours, continuance limits.
Disposition & Commitment: least restrictive standard, disposition menus, commitment thresholds, step-down planning.
Sealing/Expungement: eligibility windows, automatic vs. petition-based, fee barriers, notice requirements.
Conditions & Safety: room confinement limits, education and special education continuity, MH/SUD access.
Reentry: required release planning, packets (school, MH/SUD, IDs), and aftercare expectations.

Policy Levers (Quick Map)

Screening & Risk Tools: whether and how jurisdictions must use validated tools; audit of overrides.
Alternatives Portfolio: statutory encouragement or funding for community alternatives.
Financial Burdens: limits on fines/fees, ability-to-pay standards, restitution options.
Education Continuity: records transfer deadlines, McKinney–Vento alignment, credit transfer protections.
Reentry Planning: required timelines, responsible agency, and minimum contents of the packet.

How to Use This Page

Start with the pipelines overview, then jump to each state brief for citations and practice notes. Use Statutes & Policy as the backbone to interpret differences in screening, detention, disposition, and reentry outcomes across states.

Crosswalks

State Juvenile Justice Pipelines — see where statutory rules bite (intake, detention, disposition, reentry).
State Briefs — state-by-state narratives with citations.
Race, Equity & Disparities — look for equity impacts of policy differences.
Sources — statutory references, legislative histories, and audits.

Reading Notes

Law vs. Practice: statutes set the floor; local policies and capacity shape outcomes.
Comparability: we mark breaks in series where rule changes affect trendlines.
Equity: policies can open doors or create hurdles; we monitor access by race/ethnicity, disability, and rurality.

Where This Shows Up in Data

Detention admissions and ALOS decline after adoption of risk screens + alternatives.
Diversion access and completion move with eligibility standardization and funding.
Reentry stability improves when release packets and school re-enrollment timelines are required and enforced.

Citations & Updates

Each state brief lists statute citations and policy memos. For datasets and legislative timelines, see Sources. Pages are annotated with data vintage (e.g., 2015–2025) and practice notes where necessary.

Transparency note: Policy summaries are for navigation, not legal advice. Always consult current statutes and official guidance when making decisions.