Children describe adult jail-like conditions at Colorado juvenile detention centers

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Equal Justice Works Fellow ,

ACLU National Prison Project

Quinn Phillips ,

Skadden Fellow ,

ACLU National Prison Project

May 4, 2026

Children describe adult jail-like conditions at Colorado juvenile detention centers

*Editor's Note: This photo was originally published by Disability Law Colorado in its recent report: Breaking Point: Conditions in the Colorado Division of Youth Services (2021–2025)

Tony S. is 12 years old and has been locked up for over six months, even though a Colorado judge in his delinquency case said he should be released. Tony has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and a medical condition that causes cognitive impairments, behavioral issues, and developmental delays. He is scared to go to court in handcuffs.…