If a youth is questioned and is suspected of committing a crime and in the investigating officers’ judgment, needs to be detained, the youth will be arrested, cited, and transported to and held in the Missoula County Juvenile Detention Facility. The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office operates this facility. A Juvenile  Probation Officer must be notified of this incarceration when it takes place.

Whenever a youth is detained, a "detention hearing" must take place within 24 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) of the youth's incarceration. Youth Court personnel make every attempt to contact the youth's parent or guardian prior to this hearing. At this time, the youth will be brought before a District Court Judge to determine the justification for detention. If continued detention is requested, the Juvenile Probation Officer and/or County Attorney will advise the Judge of the reason(s) why this is deemed necessary. The Juvenile Probation Officer will also inform the judge if there exists any less restrictive alternatives to detention. If the judge deems it proper, he or she may release the youth to the less restrictive environment, order the youth be screened for such release or order the youth released on their own recognizance.

Youth Court utilizes a number of secure detention alternatives some of which are:

• Release to parent/guardian without appearance before a District Court Judge after consultation with the Probation Officer and other involved individuals
• Release under court-ordered "conditions of release" imposed at the hearing
• Release to a "shelter care bed" on a temporary basis depending upon availability. In Missoula County those services are operated by Youth Homes, Inc.) and  Watson Children's Shelter serving youth 0-14 years of age
• Release to the Missoula Youth Court Home Arrest Program 

If a youth is continued in detention, charges must be filed within 7 working days and a hearing on those charges must take place within 14 days.