When a youth has a police encounter, they may be:
- Released. In some cases, a report is sent to Juvenile services. In other cases, no report is created.
- Taken home or to the Juvenile Reception Center by police, or
- Brought to the Juvenile Detention Center to be temporarily held (detained)
Police are not obligated to tell parents that they are interviewing their child.
If a youth is held following a police encounter:
Staff at the detention center will call you (or the designated parent/custodian) to let you know. At this time, you will be informed whether:
Your child has been detained, but can be released to:
- Your care. In this case, you can pick your child up at the detention center immediately.
- Shelter care. Staff may determine that releasing a youth to a shelter is the safest choice for the youth and/or the community.
- Legal proceedings will move forward from there.
Your child will be held overnight at the detention center. In this case, expect:
- Your child will appear in court the next day.
- At your child's first court appearance, a judge will determine whether your child will remain in custody or be released with court-ordered conditions.
- Legal proceedings will move forward from there.
Every youth arrested in Multnomah County is assigned a Juvenile Court Counselor (JCC). Whether your child is held overnight or released with a summons to appear the next business day, you will receive a call from their assigned JCC the next morning with more information and next steps.
If your youth is charged with a Measure 11 crime:
- They will generally be held in custody until legal proceedings are complete.
Learn more about legal rights for juveniles:
- Know your Rights: What to do when encountering the police (ACLU)
- Juvenile Delinquency (Youth, Rights & Justice)
