Youths’ Comfort Communicating With Staff in Juvenile Detention: The Roles of Fairness, Safety, and Feeling Cared for

Positive relationships with detention staff characterized by comfort are associated with prosocial outcomes for youth experiencing detention. However, little is known about the specific institutional conditions that foster this kind of comfort. This study examined whether two institutional factors, perceptions of rule fairness and safety in detention, are associated with youths’ comfort communicating with staff. In addition, we investigated whether feeling cared for by staff mediated these associations. Survey data from 429 youth released from two juvenile detention facilities in the southwestern U.S. indicated that youth who perceived rules as fair and the detention environment as safe were more comfortable speaking with staff. Feeling cared for by staff was a significant mediator. These findings highlight perceptions of rule fairness, safety, and care as critical relational signals that can promote communication between youth and detention staff, offering actionable targets for staff practices aimed at fostering supportive relationships between youth and staff in detention settings.