Although the average daily youth population in Maine’s juvenile facilities has declined throughout
the past decade, the state’s total expenditures on Long Creek have increased and its juvenile justice system lacks strong community-based alternatives to incarceration.

Thousands of kids were freed from juvenile detention during the pandemic. They were more likely to be White, data shows.

Many young people who get caught up in the criminal justice are trying to meet basic needs.

On any given day, over 48,000 youth in the United States are confined in facilities away from home as a result of juvenile justice or criminal justice involvement. Most are held in restrictive, correctional-style facilities, and thousands are held without even having had a trial. But even these high figures represent astonishing progress: Since 2000, the number of youth in confinement has fallen by 60%, a trend that shows no sign of slowing down.

A national campaign to end youth incarceration and invest in community-based supports, services and opportunities for youth.

Celebrating 40 years of successful advocacy, Juvenile Law Center is the oldest non-profit, public interest law firm for children in the country.