CJCA toolkit: Reducing the use of isolation

Subjecting developing adolescents to isolation can cause permanent psychological damage and multiple studies suggest it is highly correlated with suicide. According to research published by the Department of Justice, more than 50% of all youth suicides in juvenile facilities occurred while young people were isolated alone in their rooms, and that more than 60% of young people who committed suicide in custody had a history of being held in isolation. This toolkit provides an overview of the issue of isolation and how it is defined, a summary of the research substantiating the negative impacts of isolation, five steps to reducing the use of isolation, action steps for CJCA directors; and case studies from four state agencies that significantly reduced the use of isolation.