Implementing Detention Intake Reform: The Judicial Response

Abstract

This study examines several influences on judges' attitudes toward implementation of new detention intake policies in Florida. Based on a statewide survey of all circuit judges on the juvenile bench, the analysis focuses specifically on the relative impact of judges' agreement with the statutory purpose of detention, working relationships with other juvenile justice professionals, and a variety of demographic and occupational variables on support for these reforms. The findings, which indicate that agreement with the statutory purpose of detention exerts the dominant influence, have implications for policy-makers interested in improving the implementation process in juvenile justice.