If a minor is being held in protective custody, for example, or if minors from rival gangs are being taken to court at the same time, the court holding facility personnel must have this information in order to avoid transporting or holding these minors inappropriately. Minors who pose a danger to staff or other minors must be handled accordingly. Incidents which result in physical harm or serious threat of physical harm to staff, minors, other inmates or persons in a court holding facility require immediate attention from the authority in charge. Ask to review incident reports in which minors are involved. Suicide Prevention Program.
Suicide prevention is crucial to the safety of minors and operation of the facility.
A written suicide prevention plan is required. 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.