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juvenile detention center

American  
[joo-vuh-nl di-ten-shuhn sen-ter, ‐-nahyl] / ˈdʒu və nl dɪˈtɛn ʃən ˌsɛn tər, ‐ˌnaɪl /

noun

  1. a correctional facility for juvenile offenders or delinquents, often under the supervision of a juvenile court.


Etymology

Origin of juvenile detention center

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The prison, run by Wackenhut Corrections Corporation—a precursor of GEO—was a 276-bed juvenile detention center called the Jena Juvenile Justice Center.

From Slate Jun. 19, 2025

She spent time in a juvenile detention center.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 21, 2025

The juvenile detention center still looms one block north, standing like a numbed face, an architectural and cultural counterpoint to the expressive life in Washington Hall.

From Seattle Times Apr. 12, 2024

The girl is being held in Guyana's juvenile detention center and the charges against her were formalized during a virtual hearing in Magistrate's Court.

From Reuters May 29, 2023

He also knew that the longer Boobie stayed in a foster home, the greater the odds were of his ultimately landing in a juvenile detention center, or on the streets, or in prison.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

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