Addressing the Intersections of Juvenile Justice Involvement and Youth Homelessness: Principles for Change

Each year, nearly 380,000 minors experience “unaccompanied” homelessness — meaning they are homeless and without a parent or guardian — for a period of longer than one week. (1) These young people, much like their adult counterparts, are often cited, arrested, charged, and/or incarcerated instead of being provided with the supports they need. One million youth are also involved with law enforcement or the juvenile justice system each year, (2) an experience that can increase their likelihood of becoming homeless.