Juvenile Detention Center By: ROBERT SCOTT Mrs. Turner Language Arts

Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is a multi-faceted agency that provides a wide range of services for youthful offenders across the state. Each day at 26 facilities and 98 court services offices, DJJ supervises, detains, and oversees treatment programs for youth referred by juvenile courts and in collaboration with other public, private, and community groups. In addition, as the state’s 181st school district, DJJ is one of Georgia’s largest educators, accredited by both the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Correctional Education Association (CEA), offering youth in custody the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and career vocational skills.

Commissioner Avery D. Niles The Commissioner oversees all of the Department of Juvenile Justice. Commissioner Niles leads a workforce of more than 4,000 state juvenile corrections employees working in 28 facilities and 92 court services offices, engaged in the restorative justice of more than 22-thousand Georgia youth offenders. He also provides organizational leadership and establishes the vision for the agency, which is headquartered in Decatur.

The Inside of a Detention Center A residential facility for young people who are often known as juvenile delinquents. These facilities are often times lacking officers which causes violence to occur often both on the staff and inmates. These places are sometimes known to house inmates that have short sentences or are waiting for placement.

The Booking Process First the youth's handcuffs are removed, along with his/her shoes, belt, jewelry and all personal belongings from pockets. Next they are patted down. A metal detector is then used after pat-down to ensure that nothing was missed. General information is taken of the inmate and then the youth is ushered into the showering area where soap, shampoo and towels are passed to you through a two way door. After showering, he/she will be issued clothing including socks, underclothes, sweatpants, T- shirt and sweatshirt. Afterwards they are led into the dormitory areas.

Cell Decor A cell and bedding are then issued to the youth. He/she will then be lead into one of four dormitory areas known as "Pods", A, B, C, and D. A and C Pod have four cells, B and D have five cells. Each pod has one cell that houses two beds, all other cells house one bed. Pods are segregated based on gender types. Each cell is furnished with a built-in bunks, a desk with stool, a sink and a toilet.

Segregation Rooms Two Segregation Rooms are located directly off the Control Room. Youths who act out or are at risk to harm themselves or others are placed in these rooms and are under 24 hour direct supervision. If a youth is violent or otherwise uncooperative during intake they may be placed in the Padded Cell where they will be unable to hurt themselves or others.

Rehabilitation A vocational training room for boys in the Educational Establishment for Juveniles of the Penitentiary Department in Tbilisi, Georgia. Here boys learn video editing, hairdressing, web-design and animation as part of a UNICEF and European Union-supported partnership to rehabilitate juvenile offenders.

Juvenile Problems The beds are probably harder than your bed at home. You do not have any freedoms, or privacy. That’s right you have to pee in front of your cell partner, you even have to take showers in front of everybody in the jail.

Charged as an adult In many jurisdictions, such as in 44 states of the United States, severe offenses, such as murder and gang-related acts, are treated the same as crimes committed by adults even for minors. It was reported in 2007 that "Beginning around 35 years ago, increases in violent juvenile crime permitted judges to transfer juveniles to adult-criminal courts.