* When there is no legal right to time credit, it is often up to the judge's discretion. In Hawaii, for example, a juvenile defense attorney told NPR judges will often count the time in detention, even though it's not required by law.
** Laws granting kids a right to time credit differ across states. Even in some states where there is a statutory right to credit, juvenile defense attorneys told NPR that there are limitations that render it less meaningful in practice in some cases. In South Carolina and West Virginia, for example, kids who are going to privately run facilities do not receive credit.