Bucks County Youth Center

Bucks County Youth Center basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. The facility's direct contact number: 215-340-8300

This facility is for juvenile residents.

The Bucks County Youth Center is a medium to low-security detention center located at 1750 Easton Rd Doylestown, PA that is operated locally by the Juvenile Justice Department and holds youths awaiting the determination of punishment for the crimes which they are accused. Most of the adolescents are here for less than two years.

The Bucks County Youth Center is a temporary holding facility (detention center) for alleged and adjudicated delinquent juveniles. It is operated under the authority of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Human Services, Title 55, PA Code 3800 – Secure Detention Facility. Youth between the ages of 10 years and 18 years, alleged to have committed a crime and under the authority of the Bucks County Juvenile Court, are remanded to the secure care of the center. They remain under the care, custody and control of the Youth Center until a disposition has been finalized by the Juvenile Court.

The Youth Center also operates a Non-Secure, Community Based Residential Service Unit for males and females. The Residential Program offers individual, group and family counseling for its residents and operates under a Restorative Justice Model.

Phone Use:
Residents of BCYC are permitted to make collect phone calls to their parents, grandparents and brothers and sisters 21 years of age and older. All calls by residents must be outgoing as they cannot receive incoming calls. Residents will be issued a phone code that will allow him/her to call only those individuals who are on their approved phone list.

What Residents May Have at BCYC:
Residents will be issued items including bedding, a towel, washcloth, hygiene supplies and clothing. Residents may also have three pieces of reading materials in their room (books, magazines, letters). They are also permitted religious reading material in addition to other reading materials. Residents may also have three photographs once they reach Level 1. Once a resident reaches Level 2 they may have a radio in their room supplied by their family. Radio must be in good repair and cannot have batteries.

All other items not mentioned will be considered contraband and will be removed from the resident’s possession. Issued items cannot be altered in any way.

Clothing Guidelines:
Upon admission, residents will be issued BCYC clothing. When a resident advances to Level 1 they will be permitted to wear their own clothing that has been approved by BCYC staff. Residents are permitted two additional sets of clothing. Clothing must fit properly; pants cannot drop below the waist. Residents are not permitted to have the following: thong style underwear, underwire bras, cropped shirts that show the abdomen, belts, clothing with drawstrings, zippers other than a zipper fly, hooded sweatshirts. All clothing should be marked with the resident’s full name using a permanent laundry marker. Clothing cannot be exchanged once it is received except for seasonal change due to weather.

Education:
Residents of BCYC are expected to participate in school classes led by the Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22. They will also be involved in Life Skills classes, Physical Education and other recreational programming. Questions and concerns about a resident’s educational needs should be directed to the Bucks County Intermediate Unit at 215-348-2940.

School Lunch Program
The Bucks County Youth Center participates in the National School Lunch Program. This program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.

Mail:
Residents of BCYC may write letters for delivery outside of the facility. Postage is supplied by BCYC. Residents may not write to other juvenile court programs or to former residents of BCYC. Mail cannot be received by residents from former residents or from other juvenile court programs. Mail is not sent or received on weekends or holidays. All mail coming to resident must be received through the US Mail. The address for a resident to receive mail must include the following info:

visitation Info

Bucks County Youth Center – Visitation

Visiting Policy:

Residents are permitted to receive visits with approved family members (parents/legal guardians, grandparents, brothers/sisters 21 years of age and older).  Any other visitors must be approved by the Deputy Director of Program and Bucks County Juvenile Probation.  Visiting times and days will be provided to parents when they are contacted by BCYC staff for intake information.  All visitors must show photo identification before entering BCYC.