A new national study has revealed troubling disparities in the treatment of incarcerated youth, showing that neurodivergent youth of color — particularly Black children and teens — are disproportionately vulnerable to physical assault by staff while in custody. These findings highlight urgent concerns about systemic racism, disability rights violations, and the unsafe environments that persist within America’s youth detention and prison systems.
At Sustainable Action Now, we continue to shine a light on injustice and call for accountability where vulnerable populations are most at risk. This latest research underscores the ongoing crisis inside youth detention facilities and strengthens the call for reform, oversight, and alternatives to incarceration. To explore how this connects with broader systemic issues, visit our section on private prisons and incarceration.
The Study: Uncovering Disparities in Youth Custody
The research, based on a national survey of young people in custody, examined reported incidents of physical assault by staff members. What it found was deeply concerning:
- Black youth reported higher rates of staff assault compared to their white peers.
- Neurodivergent youth — those living with autism, ADHD, or other neurological differences — faced an even greater likelihood of physical aggression from staff.
- When race and neurodivergence overlapped, the disparities became even more pronounced, with neurodivergent youth of color reporting the highest vulnerability.
This data is not only statistically significant — it reveals a lived reality for thousands of young people across the United States who are trapped in facilities meant to rehabilitate but that often become sites of trauma.
Why Neurodivergent Youth Are Targeted
Experts suggest several factors behind these alarming patterns:
- Misinterpretation of Behavior – Neurodivergent youth often communicate or react differently in stressful environments. What may be a self-regulating action, such as stimming, or an overwhelmed response, is too often misread as defiance or aggression.
- Lack of Training – Many detention staff members are not adequately trained in recognizing and supporting neurodiverse needs, leading to punitive or even violent reactions instead of compassionate interventions.
- Systemic Racism and Bias – Black youth, particularly those with disabilities, are doubly marginalized. Implicit bias and structural racism amplify their vulnerability to mistreatment within already hostile environments.
The result is a cycle where the very youth who need protection, therapy, and education are instead subjected to violence and trauma at the hands of the adults responsible for their care.
The Bigger Picture: Private Prisons and Profit Motives
This crisis cannot be separated from the broader conversation about youth incarceration, private prisons, and profit-driven detention systems. When facilities prioritize cost-cutting and surveillance over proper training, rehabilitation, and mental health services, vulnerable populations suffer most.
As highlighted in our work at Sustainable Action Now, the privatization of prisons has created an environment where accountability is lacking, oversight is minimal, and abuse too often goes unchecked. You can learn more about these systemic issues in our private prisons section.
Human Rights and Disability Justice
From a human rights perspective, these findings point to a clear violation of both racial justice and disability rights. Neurodivergent youth of color are not only more likely to be incarcerated due to systemic inequities in schools, policing, and poverty, but once inside, they face higher risks of violence from authority figures.
Disability justice advocates argue that the treatment of neurodivergent youth in detention mirrors broader failures in schools and social services, where supports are underfunded and punitive approaches dominate. Rather than addressing behavioral needs with therapy and resources, institutions too often respond with force.
Toward Solutions: What Needs to Change
The findings demand immediate action on multiple fronts:
- Training & Oversight – All detention staff must receive mandatory training in understanding and working with neurodivergent populations, as well as implicit bias and de-escalation practices.
- Independent Investigations – Allegations of staff assault should trigger automatic, independent reviews to ensure accountability.
- Investment in Alternatives – Instead of funneling youth into incarceration, communities need increased funding for mental health services, mentorship programs, and diversion initiatives.
- End the Profit Motive – Transitioning away from private prison contracts would help shift the focus from cost-cutting and profit to rehabilitation and safety.
Sustainable Action Now: Why This Matters
At its core, this is about protecting children. No young person should endure violence from staff in a facility meant to help them. Neurodivergent youth of color deserve safety, dignity, and support, not punishment for who they are.
By shining a spotlight on these disparities, this study adds momentum to the movement for youth justice reform. It is another reminder that until we dismantle the systems that criminalize and exploit the most vulnerable, true justice will remain out of reach.
For more in-depth reporting and resources, visit our dedicated page on private prisons and incarceration reform.
👉 Sustainable Action Now calls for action: This is not just data — it’s the lived experience of children. It is time to demand accountability, restructure the system, and ensure that every young person in custody is treated with dignity, respect, and compassion.
