Juvenile Law - Confinement and Restrictive Housing - Limitations

SB 827 limits the use of restrictive housing (like solitary confinement) for minors in Maryland juvenile facilities. It prohibits placing minors in restrictive housing solely for discipline, punishment, staff convenience, or retaliation. The bill requires facilities to justify such placement only when there’s an immediate safety risk, with no other alternatives, and mandates mental health screening within one hour. Minors can be placed in restrictive housing at their request (and can revoke this request), but such placement cannot exceed six hours, and facilities must develop a plan to return them to general population quickly. The bill directly affects all minors held in Maryland juvenile correctional facilities.