Help Keep Iowa's Youth Out of Adult Jails
Last year, Senator Grassley sponsored and President Trump signed the federal Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2018, which reauthorized the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 2002.
This new law requires within 3-years of its enactment that states remove youth under 18 who are charged as adults from adult jails pre-trial. Youth can only be held in adult jail if they are sight and sound separated from adults and a judge has decided that its in the “interest of justice” for that youth to be held in adult jail after considering 7 factors. Even after that initial decision, the judge must regularly review a decision to hold a youth in an adult jail every 30 to 45 days.
Keeping youth in juvenile detention centers instead of jails is a widely supported way to keep youth safe and to keep jails in compliance with state and federal law. Youth held in adult jails are more likely to commit suicide, experience sexual or physical abuse, and to be exposed to prolonged periods of solitary confinement. As a result, last year, the National Sheriffs' Association supported this approach via a resolution on youth tried as adults.
To remain in compliance with federal law, please join us and encourage Iowa’s legislators to introduce legislation to amend Section 232.22 (3)-(8) of Iowa’s Code to keep youth out of adult jails.
Help Keep Iowa's Youth Out of Adult Jails
Last year, Senator Grassley sponsored and President Trump signed the federal Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2018, which reauthorized the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 2002.
This new law requires within 3-years of its enactment that states remove youth under 18 who are charged as adults from adult jails pre-trial. Youth can only be held in adult jail if they are sight and sound separated from adults and a judge has decided that its in the “interest of justice” for that youth to be held in adult jail after considering 7 factors. Even after that initial decision, the judge must regularly review a decision to hold a youth in an adult jail every 30 to 45 days.
Keeping youth in juvenile detention centers instead of jails is a widely supported way to keep youth safe and to keep jails in compliance with state and federal law. Youth held in adult jails are more likely to commit suicide, experience sexual or physical abuse, and to be exposed to prolonged periods of solitary confinement. As a result, last year, the National Sheriffs' Association supported this approach via a resolution on youth tried as adults.
To remain in compliance with federal law, please join us and encourage Iowa’s legislators to introduce legislation to amend Section 232.22 (3)-(8) of Iowa’s Code to keep youth out of adult jails.