California Juvenile Solitary Confinement

Q: Are California juvenile facilities permitted to use solitary confinement on minors?

It isn’t completely outlawed, but it’s tightly restricted. Staff must try less-restrictive options first; it can’t be used for punishment, retaliation, convenience, or coercion; and if it extends beyond four hours, staff must document why, create a reintegration plan, and obtain approval at four-hour intervals.

Q: Are staff allowed to leave a child in a locked room all day simply to “cool off”?

No. California law and Title 15 impose a four-hour limit for room confinement. After four hours, staff must end the confinement or seek medical/mental-health review and prepare a plan for the youth to rejoin the general population.

Q: If my child is in crisis or struggling with suicidal thoughts, how is that handled?

Facilities must screen for suicide risk at intake and as needed, follow their suicide-prevention protocols, and ensure isolation does not worsen risk. Seek immediate medical help and consult an attorney as soon as possible.

Q: If my child is asleep, does the four-hour limit on room confinement apply?

Normal sleeping hours are generally excluded from the four-hour rule, but youth must still be given toilet access. Any emergency or health-related exceptions must be applied carefully.

— What’s Legal, What Isn’t, and What To Do

Juvenile facilities in California may use “room confinement,” also known as solitary, but only under narrow rules. The guide explains the rules: when confinement is permitted, how long it can go on, what staff must do if it stretches beyond four hours, and what actions families can take immediately to keep their child safe.

Juvenile Hall Abuse

We can help answer your questions and connect you with an attorney if you may have a case.

What counts as “room confinement” in California?

State law defines room confinement as placing a minor alone in a locked sleeping room or cell with little or no contact beyond staff or attorneys. The law also clarifies what is not room confinement (e.g., a brief period up to two hours for required institutional operations)^[1]

When can staff use room confinement?

Only after less-restrictive options have been tried and exhausted—unless trying those options would threaten safety. It cannot be used for punishment, coercion, staff convenience, or retaliation, and it may not be used in a way that compromises a youth’s physical or mental health.^[1]

After four hours: what the rules require

Under California law, a youth may be held in room confinement for no more than four hours at a time. If staff decide more time is required, they have to write down the reason and timing, make a plan to return the youth to the general population, and obtain approval from the superintendent or designee every four hours after that.^[1]

Under Title 15, California regulations echo the four-hour rule. After that, staff must either move the youth back into general population, consult medical or mental-health staff, or set up a reintegration plan.^[2]

Basic rights during confinement

Confined minors must still have access to toilets, even during regular sleeping hours. Normally, the room-confinement statute doesn’t cover regular sleep time. The only exceptions are health or emergency needs.^[1]

Where health and safety screening overlaps with confinement rules

State rules in California call for suicide-risk screening at intake and as needed during detention. They also require staff to be trained and facilities to keep written prevention plans — protections that matter greatly if a youth is isolated.^[3][4]

How to respond in the first 72 hours after harm

Seek medical and mental-health care, and hold on to copies of every note or record.
If there are injuries, gently take photos in clear light and from a few angles. These images can be important later.
Save all communications you have — texts, call logs, letters, and grievance slips — since even small details may matter later.
Create a timeline with dates, noting who was there, what took place, where it happened, and when. Add staff names or badge numbers if possible.
To protect your child, ask for important records: incident reports, use-of-force logs, staff rosters, and video retention policies. We’ll provide a CPRA template to help you with the request.
Connect with a lawyer early on to help protect your rights and avoid missing strict government-claim deadlines.

Helpful resources available on our site:

Recognizing signs: https://survivorsjustice.org/how-to-recognize-signs-of-juvenile-detention-abuse/
CPRA records guide (coming soon)

FAQs

Are California juvenile facilities permitted to use solitary confinement on minors?

It isn’t completely outlawed, but it’s very restricted. Staff can’t use it as punishment, retaliation, or just for convenience. They must try safer alternatives first, and if it extends beyond four hours, they’re required to document why, draft a plan, and get approval every four hours after that.^[1]

Are staff allowed to leave a child in a locked room all day simply to “cool off”?

Legally, they can’t. After four hours, both the statute and Title 15 require staff to end the confinement or review it medically and then prepare a plan for the youth to rejoin the general population.^[1][2]

If my child is in crisis or struggling with suicidal thoughts, how is that handled?

Facilities must check for suicide risk and follow their prevention protocols. Isolation that makes things worse is both dangerous and improper. If your child is suicidal or in crisis, get medical help right away and speak with a lawyer as soon as you can.^[4]

If my child is asleep, does the four-hour limit on room confinement apply?

Normal sleeping hours are usually excluded from the four-hour rule. Even so, youth must be given toilet access, and any exceptions for emergencies or health needs are meant to be applied very carefully.^[1]

Sources

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