Law Enforcement

This guide provides professionals in the fields of education, social services, and law enforcement with information to help identify and respond to youth who may be homeless. The guide recommends prosecutors, judges, and probation officers review juvenile cases for possible homelessness at each stage of the judicial process. The guide emphasizes the importance of re-entry planning with this population. The federal definition of youth homelessness is provided as well as questions professionals can ask youth to determine their housing status. 

This brief discusses the significant overlap between two populations—youth involved with the juvenile justice system and youth who experience homelessness. Youth who lack safe and stable housing often become involved with law enforcement and the justice system because of status offenses, public ordinance violations, or survival crimes. This brief outlines the possible long-term effects of youth homelessness and justice involvement, including physical and mental health problems and poor educational and vocational outcomes. It outlines seven areas where youth-serving organizations, including juvenile justice systems, runaway and homeless youth program, health departments, schools, community-based providers, and philanthropists, can collaborate to make an impact, including: 1) undertaking or funding research; 2) educating stakeholders; 3) investing in prevention and diversion opportunities; 4) improving re-entry planning; 5) advocating for change; 6) ensuring efforts reach youth of color and LGBTQ youth; and 7) partnering with youth and giving young people who have experienced homelessness and juvenile justice involvement leadership roles. In 2016, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice launched the Collaborating for Change: Addressing Youth Homelessness and Juvenile Justice project.  

This report discusses how the juvenile justice system has generally handled domestic child sex trafficking (DCST) cases and how victim-centered approaches are now emerging from the field. The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges interviewed judges from different areas of the country, both urban and rural, who have implemented court-based reforms for DCST cases. This report presents the major themes and lessons learned from these interviews and serves as a practical guide for judges who wish to improve outcomes for the children and youth involved in their DCST cases.

This journal article describes a study that examined the relationship between homelessness and behavior problems in children by comparing families with children who are homeless with families with children who have never been homeless. The researchers obtained data from the Childrens Health Assessment and Planning Survey collected by the Childrens Health System of Texas. The average age of the children participating in the study was 12. By parent report, the researchers collected data on five behaviors regarding their children: arrest and trouble with the police, behavior problems at school, suspension, and suicide attempts. The study found an association between homelessness and higher rates of problem behaviors, including arrests, academic problems, and suicide attempts. Overall, children who were homeless were 36 percent more likely to experience any kind of behavior problem compared with the general population. Since families with children who are dealing with homelessness often seek medical care at emergency departments and health clinics, the authors recommend further research to determine if enhanced identification and screening of homeless youth in clinical settings would reduce the occurrence of behavioral problems in this at-risk population.

This report from the Polaris Project looks at existing state criminal record relief laws for survivors of human trafficking. Many survivors have arrest records and court documents for offenses stemming from their victimization in the commercial sex industry or labor sectors. As a result, survivors face barriers that affect their independence, stability, and safety. The authors assess the effectiveness of each state’s current laws, if any, and provide recommendations for improving and implementing meaningful laws to help survivors. (author abstract modified)

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) passed a resolution during the organization’s 80th annual conference in Washington, D.C. to address the needs and issues related to homeless youth and families involved with the juvenile and family court systems. The resolution outlines strategies for judges to better serve young people experiencing homelessness and opposes the criminalization of youth for status offenses related to their lack of safe and stable housing. Juvenile and family court judges can lead the effort within their jurisdictions to improve the outcomes of youth with safe and stable housing, substance abuse and mental health services, life skills counseling, and family reunification when deemed appropriate. The resolution provides concrete steps for judges to convene child welfare and juvenile justice system stakeholders to develop a coordinated response to effectively identify and secure housing and services for homeless youth.

This report from the Polaris Project discusses how human trafficking business models attempt to intersect with and use legitimate businesses to recruit and exploit victims. These legitimate business industries include financial services, social media, hospitality, transportation, health care, and housing and homelessness systems. This report, a follow-up to The Typology of Modern Slavery, also looks at how victims can work with the same business systems to help free themselves from trafficking and begin to rebuild their lives. Polaris examines how businesses could help prevent and impede trafficking and provide aid to survivors. The report includes ideas and personal narratives shared with the authors by survivors of trafficking.

This report from the national Stop Solitary for Kids campaign is a practical guide for youth justice system administrators, supervisors, staff, practitioners, policymakers, and advocates to begin the process of safely reducing room confinement in their juvenile and adult facilities. It provides examples of this process undertaken by three state agencies and one county sheriff’s department: Colorado Division of Youth Services, Massachusetts Department of Youth Services, Oregon Youth Authority, and Shelby County Sheriff’s Department in Memphis, Tennessee. Data from these jurisdictions demonstrate that reducing room confinement is possible without increasing violence in a facility. Moreover, shifting youth justice facility practices away from punitive isolation and towards models that focus on emotional regulation and behavioral skills helps youth successfully transition back into their communities. (author abstract modified)

The Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) developed this issue brief to help State Advisory Groups (SAGs) better understand their role in addressing the intersections between juvenile justice and youth homelessness. CJJ encourages SAGs to educate state lawmakers and local agencies about the intersection of these two issues, undertake research to improve policies and practices, and partner with organizations to reduce criminalization for unstably housed youth and prevent homelessness among system-involved youth.

The Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) developed this issue brief to help state and local governments better understand their role in addressing the intersections between juvenile justice and youth homelessness. It includes principle and practice recommendations from CJJ for government leaders to help prevent young people from experiencing homelessness or being criminalized for behaviors that stem from a lack of stable housing. CJJ includes local examples from communities that demonstrate the Principles for Change.