Post Reports Serving ‘dead time’
Jun 11, 2025
Nicole Dungca, an investigative reporter for The Washington Post, sheds light on the troubled state of D.C.'s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. She reveals how the promise of reform has faltered, leading to overcrowded detention centers filled with youth experiencing 'dead time' without access to necessary programs. Dungca discusses the emotional struggles of families, the rise in juvenile crime, and the urgent need for systemic changes to prioritize rehabilitation over punitive measures.
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NH's Dead Time Experience
- NH, a young man from D.C., was unexpectedly detained in the juvenile justice system after repeated arrests.
- He described his time waiting in detention as "dead time," feeling like he was in limbo without knowing when he would be released.
Understanding Dead Time
- Dead time is the long wait between a teen's commitment to DYRS and placement in a rehabilitation program.
- This wait adds extra time beyond the sentence, trapping teens in uncertain detention stretches.
Reforming Juvenile Facilities
- D.C.'s juvenile facilities were historically prison-like, unsafe, and unlivable, leading to decades of court oversight.
- The 2004 reform aimed to create smaller, more humane detention and rehabilitation-focused programs.