Issue Brief-Campaign Against Indiscriminate Juvenile Shackling

The Campaign Against Indiscriminate Juvenile Shackling (CAIJS), created in August 2014, works to support stakeholders, advocates, and policymakers in their efforts to amend laws, court rules, policies and practices in states to end the automatic shackling of children in juvenile court. The Campaign assists these groups in developing laws and policies that have a presumption against shackling and only allow for the use of restraints in individual cases where there is substantial evidence and findings are made that restraints are necessary to prevent an escape or a youth from causing physical harm to the youth or others. The Campaign also provides tools and resources for juvenile defense attorneys to advocate in court against the use of restraints on their clients, particularly in jurisdictions where statewide shackling reform has not yet passed.