Deinstitutionalization Law and Legal Definition
Deinstitutionalization is the process of releasing institutionalized people, from an institution for placement and care in the community. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 called for a "deinstitutionalization" of juvenile status offenders, requiring them to be removed from secure detention facilities. Throughout the history of the juvenile justice system, numerous movements have been formed to ensure that youths are not unnecessarily kept in secure detention and correctional facilities.
