As county officials strive to reduce the use of solitary confinement in juvenile detention, Shelby County’s juvenile justice system may undergo a significant transformation.
An ordinance that promotes restorative procedures within the Youth Justice and Education Center and severely restricts the use of seclusion or solitary confinement in juvenile detention facilities was unanimously approved by Shelby County Commissioners.
Seclusion in juvenile detention facilities is currently prohibited by Tennessee law, unless it is a temporary solution to behavior that poses an immediate threat.
Additionally, the legislation prohibits seclusion for longer than two consecutive periods or more than six hours in a twenty-four-hour period.
