Custody versus Detention
understanding • encouragement • connections
It’s the difference between showing sensitivity while being results-oriented - and simply being regimented.
Detention residents at Kennedy House Youth Centre have different needs
and issues than those who have been sentenced and are in custody.
Detained youth are in a kind of limbo – held at the centre while
awaiting their case through the court system. These youth find
themselves in a stressful situation, uncertain of how long they will
stay at the Centre, or of how their future will unfold. Many also have
a history of unstable family lives or challenging personal
relationships. For these residents, engagement in the programs offered
at the Centre can be particularly difficult.
Custody residents, on the other hand, are not encumbered in the same
way and have a clearer picture of where they stand. They are serving
sentences established by Youth Court. Programming is easier to plan
with an established discharge date.
Staff members are highly attuned to the different needs of these youth
groups and respond accordingly. Every resident is treated with the
respect, understanding and encouragement they need to progress.