Admission, Facilities & Services

The Denton County Juvenile Detention Center is a short-term, secure facility, designed to protect the community and the child and to assure the child’s appearance in court. The Denton County Juvenile Detention Center provides professional custodial care, crisis intervention, counseling, education, and other services and facilities including:

• A cafeteria and food serving area
• Classrooms with education services provided by the Denton Independent School District (DISD) Joe Dale Sparks Campus
• A counseling area providing individual counseling and crisis intervention
• A day area for each 12-bed section
• Indoor and outdoor recreation areas
• A library
• A medical exam area
• Secure individual rooms, each with a toilet, sink, and access to drinking water. The rooms are located in sections of 12 beds with separate sections for boys and girls.
• Visitation rooms for:
  • Approved visitors
  • Attorneys
  • Families
  • Other professional service providers

Admission

Upon admission, a juvenile is given a private room and issued clothing and bedding. A child is also placed on a behavior management system that rewards positive behavior while providing consequences for negative behavior. The goal of the behavior management system is to help ensure the security and safety of each resident.

Prohibited Sanctions

Behavior consequences are clearly documented and administered within the guidelines of the Detention Center’s policies and procedures. The following behavior sanctions are not permitted:

• Allowing or directing one resident to sanction another
• Corporal punishment
• Deprivation of clean and appropriate clothing
• Deprivation or intentional disruption of scheduled sleeping opportunities
• Deprivation or modification of required meals or snacks
• Group punishment for the acts of individuals
• Humiliating punishment, to include verbal harassment of a sexual nature, or which relates to a resident’s sexual orientation or gender identity
• Physical exercises imposed for the purposes of compliance, intimidation, or discipline