Where is the detention of youths under 18 in adult jails most likely to occur?

The detention of youths under 18 in adult jails is most likely to occur in rural areas that lack other facilities because these regions often have limited resources and fewer juvenile detention options available. In many instances, rural counties may not have the capacity to maintain a separate juvenile facility, leading law enforcement to resort to placing youth in adult jails when necessary.

Additionally, the geographic isolation of rural areas means that youth may not have access to alternative programs or services that are more commonly found in urban settings, which are typically better equipped to handle juvenile offenders through specialized juvenile justice systems. This lack of infrastructure makes it more probable for young offenders in those areas to be processed and detained in adult jails, despite the inherent risks and potential negative influences present in those environments.