The plan in a court holding facility should be designed to identify, monitor and intervene as necessary for those minors who present a suicide risk. During your inspection you can review the plan and discuss the issues of suicide prevention with staff. As mentioned previously in these guidelines, minors tend to be more prone to suicide than adults. Some of the dynamics, which put minors at greatest risk, can occur in the context of a court appearance. Access to Legal Services.
Minors have a constitutional right to unimpeded access to attorneys and legal representation.
The needs of attorneys vary from a short contact at the visiting window to space needed for paperwork in preparation for a hearing or trial. The visit must be confidential and may be a contact visit. Generally, contact includes the ability to have a conversation without a microphone and the ability to pass documents. Not every attorney will need or want a contact visit, and the facility manager can require special security arrangements and procedures based on valid interests. Court holding facilities and jails deal with the issue of attorney visits as a routine.