Information for Parents of Arrested Youth
Frequently Asked Questions

My son (or daughter) was arrested and was taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center by the police.  What will happen there?

Your son will first go to the Juvenile Booking Facility, which is part of the Lee County Jail.  (Although the booking facility is part of the jail, it is designed so that  youth never come into contact with arrested adults.)  There he will go through a booking process where he will have his finger prints and palm prints taken and have a booking photograph taken.  Department of Juvenile Justice personnel will do a screening with your son to determine if he may have any substance abuse and/or mental health issues.  They will also screen your son for detention by completing a risk assessment.  This considers the seriousness of the crime and any previous arrests.  Based on your son's detention screening score, he will be taken to secure detention, placed on home detention, or directly released to his parent or guardian.  If your son will be released to you, he will be released from the Juvenile Assessment Center, which is adjacent to the Juvenile Booking Facility.  You are required to pick him up at the Juvenile Assessment Center within six hours after he arrives at the booking facility.  You will be asked to show a driver’s license or photo ID before your son can be released to you.   You will be given information about your son's court date at the time he is released.  It is important for you and your son to show up on time for all court dates and any appointments made for him as a result of his arrest. 

Where is the Juvenile Assessment Center?

The Juvenile Assessment Center of Lee County is located at 2117 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Fort Myers.  For a map and directions to the assessment center click on Map & Directions.

What is secure detention?

Secure detention is a secure, jail-like facility operated by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.  Lee County youth placed on secure detention go to the Southwest Florida Regional Detention Center at 2525 Ortiz Avenue in Fort Myers.  Youth placed in secure detention have been assessed as being risks to public safety and must remain in a physically secure detention center while awaiting court proceedings.  They appear before the court within 24 hours, at which time a  judge decides whether there is a need for continued detention.  Generally there is a 21-day limit to secure detention.  Youth charged with serious offenses can be held up to 30 days.  If your child is released from secure detention after a court hearing, you will need to pick him/her up from the detention center on Ortiz Avenue (not from the courthouse or the assessment center).  The phone number for the detention center is (239) 332-6927.  Call this number to get information about visiting days and hours.  For a map to the Southwest Florida Regional Detention Center click on map.

What is home detention?

Youth placed on home detention status are released to their parent(s) or guardian(s).  Both the youth and the parents sign a Home Detention agreement which stipulates the conditions which the youth is to follow.  This generally includes mandatory school attendance, curfew, and other requirements.

What is a Failure to Appear (FTA)?
If a youth does not show up for a court date, a Failure to Appear warrant will be issued.  This means that the youth can be arrested and he will have an additional charge added to his record.  It is very important that a youth who has been arrested shows up on all court dates.

What is a "diversion" program?
A court diversion program may be recommended for a youth who is charged with a first-time, nonviolent misdemeanor.  The Department of Juvenile Justice screens each arrested youth and makes a recommendation to the Office of the State Attorney to consider youth who may qualify for a court diversion option.  The State Attorney's Office decides whether to accept the recommendation for a diversion program or to petition the court for adjudication.  Since youth sent to diversion programs do not go before a judge, this option is considered a "non-judicial action".  Each of Lee County's diversion programs work a little differently, but for each of the programs the youth has to be willing to admit to the charge.  Youth who participate in diversion programs may be given assignments as part of their case plan, such as, performing community service  hours, writing letters of apology, paying restitution, attending counseling or classes, and any number of other assignments or consequences related to the charge.  If a youth fails to complete his/her case plan, the case is returned for judicial action.  Youth who successfully complete a diversion program will have "adjudication withheld".  Examples of local diversion programs include Teen Court, Juvenile Arbitration, and Neighborhood Accountability Boards.

Frequently Asked Questions to Department of Juvenile Justice
(provided by Department of Juvenile Justice)

For more information:
Additional information about the judicial process and juvenile justice programs is available at the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice website at http://www.djj.state.fl.us/Parents/index.html .