After years of Federal legislation and legal precedents, the number of juveniles held in adult jails declined in the 1970s and 1980s. However, juvenile detention in adult jails has increased during the 1990s, from 1,000 in 1993 to 1,586 in 1994. This growth has continued despite the ethical and legal issues raised from jailing juveniles with adults. Combined incarceration is dangerous because jails lack classification systems that separate aggressive inmates from nonaggressive inmates. The results too often are gang rapes and vicious brutality that adversely affect youths for the rest of their lives. Juveniles who experience brutality and victimization from older offenders sometimes commit suicide rather than live with the shame of their newly imposed status. Thus, confined incarceration negates any rehabilitative potential juveniles' have after leaving jail and could transform some into predators. Suicides and suicide attempts can result in lawsuits against jail administrators. Therefore, confining juveniles in adult jails is an unlawful and undesirable practice that could result in serious legal consequences for jailers. Case citations and 18 references