DT

She knew, because she had held him, that he suffered DT's. Behind the initials was a metaphor, a delirium tremens, a trembling unfurrowing of the mind's ploughshare.

If a child is dangerous, likely to run or if his parents cannot be found, he is placed in detention, often called DT. Detention officers may then release the child from detention as soon as his parents are contacted, or they may keep the child in DT until the next court day, when a detention hearing will be scheduled.