Detention is defined as which of the following?

• A. A long-term confinement in a facility
• B. A day of community service
• C. A detention situation exists when an officer detains a juvenile for a short period for investigative purposes.
• D. A warrant for arrest

Answer: (C)

Detention is a temporary hold of a juvenile by a law enforcement officer for the purpose of investigation. It’s a short, time-limited stop used to determine what happened and gather information, not long-term confinement or punishment. That’s why the option describing a short-term detention for investigative purposes best fits. The other ideas refer to different actions: long-term confinement in a facility is custody or placement, community service is a penalty, and a warrant for arrest is a legal document authorizing arrest, not the act of detaining for questioning.