Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth in the Juvenile Justice System: A Guide to Juvenile Detention Reform

This report was published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

HERE’S HOW THE AUTHORS DESCRIBE THIS REPORT:

In a new juvenile detention practice guide, LGBT Youth in the Juvenile Justice System, the Casey Foundation documents the vulnerability of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth in communities and in justice systems. As the guide explains, social stigma, family rejection and discrimination subject LGBT youth to increased risk of substance use, homelessness, school exclusion, depression and suicidality. These risks are well-documented and devastating, driving disproportionate numbers of LGBT youth into the justice system.

Recent research has shown that up to 20% of the youth confined in America’s juvenile detention facilities identify as LGBT, questioning or gender nonconforming, which is almost three times their estimated number in the general population. Too often, the abuse experienced by LGBT youth in the streets is even more pervasive in detention and correctional settings. The data show that lesbian, gay and bisexual youth confined in juvenile facilities are at least seven times more likely to be sexually assaulted by other youth as are their heterosexual peers.

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