The goal of this report is to share what the Protection & Advocacy systems (P&As) have learned about the needs of children and youth with disabilities in the juvenile justice system with those who can help make the necessary changes and protect and advance current systemic reforms.
Issues addressed in this report include: Diversion of children and youth with disabilities from the juvenile justice system (particularly stemming the “School to Prison Pipeline”), humane Conditions while incarcerated (such as accommodation and communication needs, medical care, mental health treatment, and the prevention of abuse and neglect) and Re-entry services
like education and treatment to ensure the child or youth’s success upon release from the facility. In this report, we will describe the problems children and youth with disabilities encounter,
solutions utilized with success by the P&As, and provide specific recommendations for systemic improvements.