Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

Summary

This guide highlights a wide range of best practices – everything from big picture improvements to frontline fixes – that juvenile justice facilities can implement to advance the safety and well-being of a particularly vulnerable population: Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth.                                                                                                                                             

It is the eleventh installment in a series devoted to the Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). A multi-year, multi-site project, JDAI aims to reduce reliance on secure confinement while championing more efficient and effective detention alternatives.    

Table of Contents

• Table of Contents
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth in the Juvenile Justice System
• Section I: Introduction
• Section II: Understanding Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression (SOGIE)
• Section III: Profile of LGBT Youth in the Juvenile Justice System
• Section IV: Creating a Fair, Inclusive and Respectful Organizational Culture
• Section V: Detention Standards
• Section VI: Endnotes
• Section VII: Appendix

Key Takeaway

When it comes to serving LGBT youth, knowledge and acknowledgement are key

Relative to their peers, LGBT youth are more likely to experience physical, sexual and emotional abuse – particularly in secure settings. Understanding these risks and the signs of anti-LGBT bias are critical to ensuring that juvenile justice systems are set up to advance the safety and well-being of all youth.