Detention is never used to respond to technical violations of probation.
Read the National Council on Juvenile and Family Court Judges guidance on alternatives to confinement in response to technical violations of probation. (page 51)
Review ten core probation principles identified by the American Probation and Parole Association that help young people desist from delinquent behavior and achieve long-term success.
Learn about six alternatives to youth incarceration that consistently produce better public safety outcomes than incarceration, with far less disruption to young people’s healthy adolescent development at a fraction of the cost.
The department uses a structured decision process that eliminates the use of confinement as a consequence for technical violations.
Read the National Council on Juvenile and Family Court Judges guidance on alternatives to confinement in response to technical violations of probation. (page 51)
A supervisory review, including an immediate discussion of available alternatives to confinement, is conducted for every youth who repeatedly violates probation rules.
Learn why the Desktop Guide to Good Juvenile Probation Practice says that detention is not an appropriate response to technical violations.
Read a sample policy from Harris County, Texas, that requires an administrative staffing and high-level approval before a violation of probation may be filed.
The department invests more heavily in person-based alternatives to confinement than in technology, such as electronic monitoring. Person-based alternatives to confinement include referrals to services, connection to a mentor, restorative practices and/or evening reporting centers.
Read the National Institute of Criminal Justice Reform's 2026 report that focuses on identifying and supporting the very small subset of young people in the juvenile justice system who are both high risk and hard to reach, often called HR2 youth.
Learn about six alternatives to youth incarceration that consistently produce better public safety outcomes than incarceration, with far less disruption to young people’s healthy adolescent development at a fraction of the cost.
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