The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-01-18

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children who require temporary
care, more than one type Of facility
Is needed. The old saying about not
putting all the eggs 10 one basket
mas special application here. The
experience Of other communities
argues against combining under
one roof the care Of children with
out behavior problems, the very
young or the pre-delinquena child,
with that Of the most seriously dis
Iturbed child, the sophisticated de-
IlinquenG or the child who must be
held IN secure custody.
Also, experience recommends D.
gainst combining the care Of chill
|dren requiring temporary care
with those who need long time
placement. The all-purpose home
has proven to be failure. Isolat-I
ling the delinquent children while
permitting the non-delinquent chn-I
ldren freedom OF activity, creates
problems and does not imprOyeI
very much on the detention Of chill
Idren in jail. The mixing Of children
for temporary care with those re-
|quiring longer time placement
creates an atmosphere Of imper-l
Imaneuce and confusion for the hat
ter group.
What Is Detention Carer
Detention Is the care Of childrenl
with behavior problems who re-
|quire secure custody awaiting in-l
vestigati0n and disposition by thel
court. These are children whol
would be likely 10 run away orl
commit further offenses II they
were left In their own homes OIL
any other facility. Some children
awaiting return to other states orI
placement In custodial institutions
and those for whom clinical study
cannot be made unless they areI
held In secure custody also requireI
detention care.
The purpose Of detention care Id
to protect the child from his un-
controlled behavior as well as toll
protect the community. Such care
is required for relatively few chill
dren who come TO the attention Of
law enforcement authorities and
the courts, and the length Of stayl
should be relatively short (from a
few days to q few weeks). Deten-
ton care should be Of therapeutic
value to the child at a crucial time
in his development. Il should pro-
vide the court and is staff with
information experimenting the pro-
baton officers social investigation.
This is best accomplished In a
home-like type Of building with
foolprod, yet non-jail like security
features, ample space within and
q full and varied activity and gui-
dance program conducted by train
cd personnel.
What Is Shelter Carer
Shelter care Is the short time
care Of children who do not rel
quire secure custody during q per-
iod of social investigation and
planning. Shelter care has become
with .'open custody" as
there IS no need for physical re-
strictions in the building. Like de-
tent0n care, shelter care should be
used for as short a period as pos
sible in order to allow for q
thorough social investigation,
placement IN q proper foster home
or institution or return to the|j
child's own home.
Shelter care may be given IN
supervised boarding homes with
out the necessity Of developing AMI
institution and at less cost. II is
usually necessary to subsidize the
home to have it available at ALL
hours and il Is understood that
state funds through the Welfare
Department are available for such
a plan.
Ito Be centinvedl