Groups Seek NJ Ban on Juvenile Confinement

New Jersey's American Civil Liberty Union and other groups are meeting with state officials to seek limiting solitary confinement of juveniles held in state custody.

The groups, which include advocates for children and incarceration watchdogs, say there is a growing body of research that indicates the practice is harmful to children.

The ACLU is petitioning the state on Monday to change rules for juvenile detention centers to strictly limit the disciplinary measure.

Currently, juveniles can be on the restriction up to five days per month as punishment for bad behavior in the detention center.

In its petition, the ACLU says five states now ban solitary confinement for juveniles and three have strict limits on it.

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