The Annie E. Casey Foundation designated Missouri a Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) state and Jackson County Family Court as one of three sites in Missouri for this initiative. JDAI is a model developed by the Casey Foundation to clarify and reestablish proper use of detention.
Placement in secure detention has been found to increase the risk of suicide for juveniles and also increase their exposure to the negative influence of more severely delinquent youth, which can lead to further penetration into the justice system.
Secure detention is a holding facility, not a treatment program, and it should be used only to protect the community from the highest-risk chronic and serious offenders. JDAI encourages use of the least restrictive pre-adjudication detainment option available to maintain public safety while ensuring the best outcomes for youth.