On May 29, 1975, juveniles confined in the State Youth Development Center (YDC) in Utah filed a class action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah against the Governor, the Department of Social Services, the Division of Family Services, and the Utah State Youth Development Center. The class consisted of all juveniles who were or would be committed to the YDC. The ACLU, the National Juvenile Law Center, Utah Legal Services Corporation, and private counsel represented the class. The plaintiffs sought injunctive and declaratory relief, alleging that the conditions at the YDC violated the statutory right to receive individualized treatment in the least restrictive manner and setting, and the constitutional guarantees of due process and equal protection.

After discovery and negotiation, the parties reached an agreement. On January 22, 1981, the District Court (Chief Judge Aldon J. Anderson) entered a stipulated order. The purpose of the order was to "achieve a safe, humane, caring environment and access to required services that will provide for normal growth and development and allow youth to lead lives as close to normal as possible." The order provided for the placement of juveniles in the least restrictive alternative, and notification for the juveniles of the rules and policies at the YDC. All juveniles were to be provided with rooms equipped with a bed and bedding, a shower daily, the right to retain personal clothing, an hour of exercise daily, educational programs, visitation, access to the telephone, and products required to maintain personal hygiene. The order further provided for limitations on the use of behavior modifications, restrictions on the use of isolation and prohibited physical, psychological, or verbal abuse. The detention of juveniles pre-adjudication, the censorship of mail, and the interstate transfer of juveniles were prohibited.

The only document we have in this file is the stipulated order.

Kristen Sagar - 11/27/2007


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