Tennessee juvenile courts say the number of arrests of young people has dropped since the Coronavirus pandemic began – and this mirrors a national trend, according to a new analysis by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
The review of juvenile justice agencies in 30 states showed the number of kids in local youth detention centers dipped by 24% in March alone.
Tennessee has 98 juvenile courts and 25 juvenile detention centers statewide, housing more than 1,000 young people. The Casey Foundation report also found that by mid-April, 15% of juvenile court jurisdictions nationwide had confirmed cases of COVID-19 in their detention facilities, with more positive cases among staff than youths.
Photo: Juvenile court officials say school closures due to the coronavirus pandemic have contributed to the nationwide drop in youth arrests and detention. (Adobe Stock)
