Annually in King County, there are over 750 youth booked into Juvenile detention, with a daily average of 50 youth in detention. Very often, the youth that end up in detention are coming from hard places – experiencing childhood traumas that range from neglect and abuse to sex trafficking and homelessness. Just as often, they don’t have stable families or communities to which they can go when they get out of detention, which fuels an unhealthy cycle of incarceration. DCC serves these youth while incarcerated through mentorship, worship services, and special projects.
Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart. (Zechariah 7:9-10)
God’s care for his image bearers is clear throughout Scripture, seen in part through the regular call to execute impartial justice. The biblical concept of Justice includes both the punishment of wrongdoing and enabling right relationships with God and neighbor. In working with youth already entangled in a web of broken relationships, systemic factors and personal sins and their consequences, we seek to show God’s love – through his character of being both Just and Merciful in the person and work of Jesus.
If you are interested in some ways you can continue to learn and get involved alongside others in our church, join our Mercy Focus: Juvenile Detention group on Church Center! Email us at if you have any questions.