Prohibiting Detention of Youth Status Offenders Act of 2015

Prohibiting Detention of Youth Status Offenders Act of 2015

Amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, with respect to the detention of a juvenile status offender (a juvenile arrested for an offense that would not be a crime if committed by an adult) who violates a valid court order, to require the court placing such juvenile in detention to issue a written order that: (1) identifies the valid court order that the juvenile has violated; (2) specifies the factual basis for determining that there is reasonable cause to believe that the juvenile has violated such order; (3) includes findings of fact to support a determination that there is no appropriate less restrictive alternative available to placing the juvenile in a secure detention or correctional facility, with due consideration to the best interest of the juvenile; (4) specifies the length of time, not to exceed three days, that the juvenile may remain in such facility and includes a plan for the juvenile's release; and (5) may not be renewed or extended.

Requires that procedures be put in place to ensure that a juvenile held in a secure detention or correctional facility does not remain in such facility longer than three days or the length of time authorized by the court, or authorized under state law, whichever is shorter. Prohibits the detention of a juvenile more than once in any six-month period.

Prohibits, one year after the enactment of this Act, a state that receives a formula grant under the juvenile justice and delinquency prevention program from using a valid court order to place a juvenile status offender in a secure detention or correctional facility. Allows a state that demonstrates hardship to apply for a single one-year extension of time to comply with the requirement to eliminate such use of court orders.