<P> There is a large percentage of incarcerated juveniles who are diagnosed as students with special needs . Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), youths with disabilities in correctional facilities are entitled to special education and related services . The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) requires State Education Agencies to ensure that special education services are being provided at juvenile facilities . </P> <P> All youth who have a disability, regardless of incarceration status, are authorized and eligible for their special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Being that there is a wide variety of juvenile detention and confinement facilities across the nation, the type and quality of special education services provided to the youth greatly varies . There has been a history of juveniles with disabilities not receiving their mandated accommodations and modifications . With the passing of IDEA in addition to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, juvenile correctional facilities have become seen as federally funded institutions and thus there prevails the mandated right to serve all students with disabilities as such institutions regardless if it is a short term or long term stay . </P> <P> There is a grave presence of juveniles who are classified as youth with disabilities . The disabilities most prevalent in incarcerated juveniles include, mental retardation, learning disabilities, and emotional disturbances . Surveys and studies have found that a high number of incarcerated youth suffer from emotional disturbance disabilities as opposed to youth in general public schools . Even with key court decisions and acts, it has been found that a large number of juveniles held at both detention centers and confinement facilities are not being served the special education services they should be provided by law . It has been found that many juvenile detention institutions have struggling special education programs, especially for those centers that detain youth for short periods of time . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This section possibly contains original research . Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations . Statements consisting only of original research should be removed . (April 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Confinement is the primary goal of imprisonment of juvenile offenders