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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 10:29 pm
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Results for young adult offenders
78 results foundAuthor: Howard League for Penal Reform Title: Access to Justice Denied: Young Adults in Prison Summary: The Howard League for Penal Reform legal service provides a unique body of evidence which shows that unaddressed legal problems lead to social exclusion and further economic and social cost. This cycle of unmet need and related cost underlies our call for young adults to have meaningful access to justice. Young people need to understand and develop the confidence to assert their rights through good quality lawyers. Our ‘access to justice’ service has revealed: the gaps in the provision of legal services for young adults in prison; the need for appropriate working methods for legal practitioners; and the need to ensure that services are targeted to the needs of young people. This briefing coincides with Ministry of Justice’s policy analysis of publicly-funded legal services. It makes the case for access to justice to be promoted at a time when all areas of public services face savage cuts; good quality legal services save costs and protect against the risk of injustice. Details: London: The Howard League, 2010. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2010 at: http://www.howardleague.org/fileadmin/howard_league/user/online_publications/Access_to_Justice_Denied.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.howardleague.org/fileadmin/howard_league/user/online_publications/Access_to_Justice_Denied.pdf Shelf Number: 120157 Keywords: Assistance to the PoorLegal AidYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons Title: Resettlement Provision for Children and Young People: Accommodation and Education, Training and Employment Summary: Resettlement is one of the main tests against which the Inspectorate judges the health of a prison. This thematic review, commissioned by the Youth Justice Board, examines accommodation and education, training and employment (ETE) resettlement provision for sentenced young men aged 15 to 18 in young offender institutions. It reports on the work carried out in custody to prepare young people for release, using survey data as well as indepth interviews with 61 sentenced young men, their case supervisors and follow-up information on what happened to them on release. The heads of resettlement and learning and skills in each institution provide an establishment perspective. Ensuring that young people have suitable and sustainable accommodation and ETE on release from custody is a vital first step to reduce reoffending and enable young people to successfully reintegrate into the community. This is no small task – in our sample of 61 young men more than eight out of 10 (84%) had an accommodation and/or ETE need identified. In our survey almost half of young men said they were under 14 when they were last at school and 86% said they had been excluded at some point. All establishments had a strategy to drive forward resettlement work but in most cases these did not involve external agencies and had not been informed by a recent needs analysis of the population. The training planning process should be central to coordinating work to address young people’s individual needs, with targets set for a young person’s time in custody and plans for their release. We found from our fieldwork that several establishment case supervisors, who oversaw the training plan, had a good knowledge of the young people in their caseload. Most young men reported that training plan targets had been discussed with them, although less than two-thirds in our case sample knew what their targets were and only half said they had had a say in the targets set for them – this then had a real impact on whether they tried to achieve them. In custody, the range and quality of education and training provision was generally satisfactory and it was clear that, where possible, a young person’s preferences had been taken into account when allocating them to ETE. Most, although not all, young men said they were involved in some form of ETE at the time of interview and three-quarters said they had received or were working towards a qualification – 62% thought that these would be useful on release. Although it could often have been better tied to resettlement planning, at several establishments the use of release on temporary licence (ROTL) was improving, with some good quality work placements on offer. Case supervisors realised the importance of accommodation and ETE in resettlement work and reported that these issues were considered from the point of a young person’s arrival in custody. However, training planning targets often placed the onus only on the young person and did not specify what resources would be put in place or how they would be helped to achieve them. The main focus was on how they spent their time in custody and there were few long-term targets aimed at those responsible for ensuring plans were in place for their release. Establishments reported that this was the responsibility of youth offending teams (or social workers for looked after children). At the Heron unit at Feltham young people also had a resettlement broker who was involved in resettlement planning while young people were in custody, but who also offered intensive support to them for at least six months following release. Despite their key role, the attendance of social workers at training planning meetings for looked after children was poor. In contrast, relationships with community-based youth offending teams (YOTs) were well developed and YOT case managers normally attended training planning meetings. However, plans were not always finalised in time for the pre-release meeting which, understandably, worried young people and frustrated case supervisors. Two of the 61 young men interviewed said that not having accommodation had prevented their early release, but no establishments monitored this. It was not evident that discussions were taking place about whether accommodation arrangements set up at the point of release were suitable and sustainable. In our case sample, 61% of young men said they would be living with family on release and the majority were optimistic about it as they felt their family’s support was the key to their successful resettlement. Although establishments realised the importance of young people maintaining contact with family where appropriate and encouraged it, more structured work needed to be done to rebuild or maintain relationships while young people were in custody. This left two-fifths of our sample who required accommodation to be arranged for their release, which was a vital step before other release plans could be put in place. Case supervisors reported a range of barriers to finding suitable accommodation, including a limited supply of local authority housing and issues around the young person’s behaviour or offence. They also reported a range of barriers to arranging ETE for release, including limited availability in the community. At the time of interview, only 14 of the 48 young men who said they wanted to continue education had a place arranged. Worryingly, of the 42 young men who said they wanted to work (either full-time or part-time alongside education), only nine reported that they had a job arranged on release – and for seven of these it had been arranged through family, without help from the establishment or the YOT. Follow-up information was requested from case supervisors on what happened to the young men in our case sample on release and a month later, with information received for 41 and 37 of the young men respectively. Only 13 young men (32%) had both suitable accommodation (as assessed by case supervisors) and ETE on release. Two, including a looked after child, were forced to report as homeless. One in five were placed in accommodation assessed as unsuitable by case supervisors; this included three young men who had had to go into bed and breakfast lodgings – one was still there a month later – and two who were living with family where this was a cause for concern. Only a third of young men had an ETE placement arranged on release, only half of these were still attending a month later and only a fifth of those who had not got a placement on release had one confirmed a month later. Where ETE placements had fallen through, case supervisors felt this was due to unstable accommodation, a lack of family support, the young person’s lack of motivation or problems due to the timing of course start dates. A month after release six of the young men were in custody and one was ‘on the run’ – three of the young people who had returned to custody were looked after children. This report raises a key question – how effective is the resettlement work conducted in custody in terms of the actual outcomes for young people? This was not monitored by establishments and our follow-up information highlights the need to look beyond the gate in order to evaluate the effectiveness of resettlement work. Overall the outcomes for our sample were very disappointing. The Heron unit, although we can make no conclusions based on our small sample, seemed a promising initiative, as did the resettlement consortia, although the young offender institutions involved were not visited for this report. These are being formally evaluated and we look forward to seeing the results. Although our recommendations are to the Ministry of Justice, Youth Justice Board and National Offender Management Service we recognise that, to ensure all young people have suitable accommodation and ETE on release from custody, a joint approach with other government departments and external agencies is required. The starting point should be an acceptance that vulnerable young people released from custody are children in need. This would go some way toward focusing the joint effort that is needed to prevent them from returning to custody and becoming entrenched at an early age in a life of crime. Details: London: HM Inspectorate of Prisons, 2011. 118p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2011 at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmipris/Resettlement-thematic-june2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmipris/Resettlement-thematic-june2011.pdf Shelf Number: 121879 Keywords: Correctional EducationCorrectional ProgramsHousing for Ex-OffendersJuvenile Offenders (U.K.)ReentryRehabilitationYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Culhane, Dennis P. Title: Young Adult Outcomes Of Youth Exiting Dependent Or Delinquent Care In Los Angeles County Summary: This report investigates the young adult outcomes of youth who age-out of or otherwise exit Los Angeles County’s child welfare supervised foster care system and/or juvenile probation system. Two cohorts of young adults from both systems were selected for analysis. Within the two cohorts, this study focuses on three groups of youth exiters: (i) The child welfare (CW) group is comprised of youth who exited from a child welfare out-of-home placement between the ages of 16 and 21; (ii) the juvenile probation (JP) group is made up of youth who exited from any type of juvenile probation supervision between the ages of 16 and 21; and (iii) the crossover group is comprised of all youth who exited an out-of-home child welfare placement between the ages of 16 and 21 and who also had a record of involvement with the juvenile probation system. The adult outcomes of youth in each of these three groups are analyzed by linking their administrative records from Los Angeles County’s Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and/or Probation Department with administrative databases from seven County departments providing an array of public services to residents of Los Angeles County, as well as from two California statewide agencies. In performing this investigation, this study features several novel approaches toward examining the adult outcomes of youth aging-out of the child welfare system. While several studies have examined the adult outcomes of this population, there has been no such study looking specifically at adult outcomes among the sub-group of “crossover” youth who are involved in both child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and who may be at a particularly high risk for poor outcomes in adulthood. Despite the concern that has been raised about adult outcomes in this population, no prior studies have looked at adult outcomes of crossover youth, nor among the more general group of children who exit the juvenile justice system as adults. Along with providing findings on the adult outcomes of these latter two groups, this study also provides a basis for outcome comparisons across the three groups among these outcomes. Here, we can assess the assertion that crossover youth represent a group that stands out among their peers who are only involved with either the child welfare or juvenile justice systems, as a particularly at-risk population for undesirable outcomes in adulthood. Additionally, this study looks at outcomes across a variety of public programs and thus offers an opportunity to better understand the relationship and dynamics between a number of adult domains including the educational, occupational, health, mental health, criminal justice and public welfare systems. Details: Report Supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundations, 2011. 125p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 30, 2011 at: http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/images/stories/Downloads/media_resources/Young_Adult_Outcomes_of_Youth_Exiting_Dependent_or_Delinquent_Care_in_LA_County_Report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/images/stories/Downloads/media_resources/Young_Adult_Outcomes_of_Youth_Exiting_Dependent_or_Delinquent_Care_in_LA_County_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 123491 Keywords: Child WelfareCrossover YouthJuvenile Offenders (California)Juvenile ProbationRecidivism, Juvenile OffendersYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Costello, Meghan Y. Title: An Environmental Scan of Best Practices in Supporting Persistent Youth Offenders in the Transition to Adulthood Summary: The purpose of this study was to understand how persistent youth offenders in Alberta can be best supported as they transition into adulthood. In addition, this report intended to name best and promising practices in North America and internationally by considering programs and services that address the risk factors and needs that a persistent youth offender faces during the transition age. The objectives of this project were to: (1) Establish an understanding of the risk factors present among persistent youth offenders as they transition to adulthood; (2) Establish an understanding of the needs of persistent youth offenders as they transition to adulthood; and (3) Determine best practice in supporting persistent youth offenders as they transition to adulthood. In order to address these objectives, two research methodologies were employed. First, a literature review was conducted to establish the risk factors present among persistent youth offenders in their transition to adulthood, as well as their specific needs during this time. Second, an environmental scan was conducted in North America and internationally to identify best and promising practices that support persistent, transition-aged youth offenders as they progress into adulthood. Details: Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family, 2011. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 14, 2012 at: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Transition_to_Adulthood_Best_Practices_Report-Final_Dec-2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Transition_to_Adulthood_Best_Practices_Report-Final_Dec-2011.pdf Shelf Number: 125259 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile to Adult Criminal CareersYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Burnett, Ros Title: Found in Transition? Local Inter-Agency Systems for Guiding Young Adults into Better Lives: Final Report of the Formative Evaluation of the T2A Pilots Summary: Three Transition to Adulthood (T2A) pilots were introduced as part of a movement to give prominence and priority to services for ‘young adults’ in the criminal justice system, recognising that this is a stage in life when the adjustments and passages in the life-course are at their most challenging and when those already involved in offending are at risk of becoming the most prolific. The Barrow Cadbury Trust has been at the forefront of this movement, funding a commission of inquiry, an alliance of interested organisations and three pilots to pioneer appropriate services in their locale. The broad purpose of the T2A movement has been to put ‘young adulthood’ on the map used by criminal justice and community services so that it is more conspicuous as a distinct area of need, and to achieve a more joined-up approach across the age divide separating services, and across the different sectors. Categories of young adults with different needs or additional challenges – ethnic minority, female, disabled, mentally ill, substance addicted – are particularly within the ambit of the initiative, because of their combined vulnerabilities. The pilots are in London, Birmingham, and Worcestershire respectively. Two are led by voluntary sector services: the St Giles Trust runs the one in South London as part of its SOS project, and YSS (not an abbreviation) runs the one in Worcestershire. The third one, in Birmingham, is delivered by the Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust. They commenced operation as T2A teams during the period December 2008 and July 2009, though the two voluntary sector teams were able to embed this work within existing projects. Still with one year to run, in effect they have a dual function: on an operational level, they are demonstrating effective work with young adults at risk; on an institutional level, they are blazing a trail for inter-agency policies that will bridge gaps between services and ensure joined up provision for young adults. The pilots have made great progress in putting into practice the purposes set for them by BCT’s Commission for Transition to Adulthood and the subsequent T2A Alliance. The inroads they have made are on two main fronts: their present work with service users (that is, at the beneficiary level) and their more future oriented strategic planning with other agencies (that is, at the institutional level). The work on these two fronts includes many strands. They add up to a complex package which – especially with reference to continuity in the future – might be summed up as the development of local inter-agency systems for guiding young adults into better lives. Details: Oxford, UK: University of Oxford, Centre for Criminology, 2010. 119p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 27, 2012 at: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Oxford-CfC-Final-Evaluation-Report-2011.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Oxford-CfC-Final-Evaluation-Report-2011.pdf Shelf Number: 126114 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile Offenders (U.K.)Rehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Meek, Rosie Title: The Role of Sport in Promoting Desistance from Crime: An Evaluation of the 2nd Chance Project Rugby and Football Academies at Portland Young Offender Institution Summary: More than half of all crime is committed by people who have previously been through the Criminal Justice System (Home Office, 2006) and reoffending rates within the young adult prisoner population are among the highest. Prison therefore presents a critical opportunity to engage with offenders through interventions and programming. Previous research has identified a clear need for specialist delivery and carefully planned methods of motivating offenders to make positive life changes, and sport presents a unique opportunity to engage with even the most challenging of young people caught up in a cycle of offending and imprisonment. This report summarises the evaluation findings of the 2nd Chance Project football and rugby academy, a two year initiative at HMP YOI Portland which uses sport as a way of engaging with young adult male prisoners in identifying and meeting resettlement needs and facilitating the transition from custody to community. The report is made up of eight key sections: Chapter 1 provides a contextual overview of the role of sport as a crime prevention initiative; Chapter 2 outlines the background to and delivery of the sports academies at Portland Young Offenders Institution; Chapter 3 introduces the evaluation process. Chapters 4-5 present the qualitative and quantitative research findings, and Chapter 6 is dedicated to a discussion of the key results. Chapter 7 explores the key recommendations generated by the research, and Chapter 8 summarises the suggested future research directions. The report concludes with a series of illustrative case studies presented in Chapter 9. Details: Southampton, UK: University of Southampton, 2012. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://assets.sportanddev.org/downloads/42541_rugby_football_report_under10mb.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://assets.sportanddev.org/downloads/42541_rugby_football_report_under10mb.pdf Shelf Number: 126178 Keywords: Prisoner RehabilitationSports (U.K.)Young Adult Offenders |
Author: Stephenson, Martin Title: Access, Participation and Progression in the Arts for Young People on Detention and Training Orders Summary: Arts Council England commissioned a research study in 2002 from the Nottingham Trent University (NTU) to look at access, participation and progression in the arts by socially excluded young people and young people on Detention and Training Orders (DTOs). The research was conducted between September 2002 and April 2003. The fieldwork was carried out by ECOTEC Research and Consulting, working in partnership with NTU. The aim of the research was to examine the extent to which young people on DTOs had access to, and participated and progressed in, the arts. The main objectives of the research were to: • establish benchmarks for access, participation and progression in the arts for young people on DTOs • identify what young people perceive as the critical barriers to their participation and progression in the arts • explore what associated professionals perceive to be the critical barriers to the participation and progression of the young people with whom they work within the arts • establish how far arts interventions are used in the community part of the Detention and Training Order through Youth Offending Teams (Yots) The research consisted of: • a desk study of relevant literature • structured face-to-face interviews with 109 young people on DTOs in custody • a survey of 176 socially excluded young people • a comparison group survey of a nationally representative sample of 471 young people • structured telephone interviews with 33 Yot practitioners • structured face-to-face interviews with seven education managers and nine arts practitioners in secure establishments. This report presents findings from the interviews carried out with young people on DTOs, as well as interviews with education managers, and arts and Yot practitioners. The report also incorporates findings from the control group survey. Details: London: Arts Council England, 2005. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 38: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/documents/publications/detentionandtrainingorderspdf_phpIVpLCa.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/documents/publications/detentionandtrainingorderspdf_phpIVpLCa.pdf Shelf Number: 126216 Keywords: Arts in PrisonsArts Programs (U.K.)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: James, Nalita Title: Theatre As A Site for Learning: The Impact of Drama on the Development of Oracy Among Young Adult Offenders Summary: This report documents the development of, and findings from, a nine month pilot project joint funded by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and Arts Council England. The project explored and evaluated the use of theatre as a site for learning, and the methods and processes of drama as ‘learning tools.’ Of particular interest was the impact of theatre and drama in supporting the personal and social development of young offenders, with particular emphasis on the development of oracy. The project was developed in response to the research gap in exploring the impact that drama and its creative processes can have on young adults at risk of offending, particularly in relation to oracy. Further, this project will explore the under-researched area of the role drama plays in young offenders’ resettlement. The project is situated within the current policy context, which seeks to reduce young adults’ exposure to risks of offending and re-offending, and simultaneously increase their social inclusion. A key strand of this policy development is the recognition of the potential of the arts to engage young adults and positively contribute to their personal and social development. Simultaneously, skills development particularly around literacy, language and numeracy is also seen as an effective response to (re)engaging young offenders with learning and education, and in contributing to a reduction in re-offending. Many art forms such as drama offer excellent opportunities for promoting expression and communication, and are increasingly being used as an explicit means of skills development among young offenders. The project team worked with two groups of young male offenders held in a prison estate in the East Midlands. The young men were aged between 16-25 and were either on remand or had been sentenced to custody at Glen Parva YOI, Leicester. A central element of the research project was engaging the young men in a dedicated ten-week drama programme run once a week in the custodial estate. A grid was created that enabled a shared comprehension and context within which the research team could reflect upon the demonstration and situational appearance of elements drawn from the speaking and listening framework within the Adult Literacy Core Curriculum. The findings demonstrated that: Theatre provided the young men with an informal site for learning. It offered them an environment for learning that involved creativity, and enabled them to challenge preexisting behaviours, beliefs and experiences within a supported, inclusive and managed context. The skills required to access the theatre making process are absolutely concerned with effective communication. The activities the young men were involved in during the drama sessions involved a rich diversity of opportunities to speak and listen. The informality of theatre gave the young men an opportunity to invest themselves in a creative process of discovery; to identify with real situations and draw on their own personalities and experiences in shaping the drama scenes. The creative processes involved in drama provided an opportunity for the young men to shape their identity and skills by reinventing or drawing upon existing personal identities and life experiences. The young men recognised that they were not just learning ‘how to be actors’, but also developing a range of other transferable skills and qualities. The young men’s ‘journeys’ through the drama programme, and following the development of oracy, were never linear. Critically, the drama programme allowed them the time and space to reflect upon their own speaking and listening, as well as explore issues and experiences relevant to their own lives. This had introduced new perspectives and knowledge about themselves specifically in terms of what was achievable for them in employment and/or education, and also in attitudes and behaviour towards other people. In other words, the drama programme had acted as a ‘structural enabler’ in the young men’s learning transitions. The artists’ role to facilitate and support the learning process as a ‘creative facilitator’ as opposed to being a ‘teacher’ was an important approach to learning that underpinned the drama programme, and one which the artists continually reflected upon, and evaluated as part of their practice. The effectiveness of theatre as a site for learning, and the methods and processes of drama in developing the young men’s oracy and personal and social development, contributed to developing an understanding of the processes of their identity formation, and the transition pathways the young men took. This is evident in the (re)engagement of the young men in both the learning taking place throughout the drama programme and the future learning the young men could imagine for themselves. Details: London: Arts Council and the Department for Education and Skills, 2006. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://shop.niace.org.uk/media/catalog/product/d/r/drama-final-report.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://shop.niace.org.uk/media/catalog/product/d/r/drama-final-report.pdf Shelf Number: 126230 Keywords: Arts in PrisonsArts Programs (U.K.)At-risk YouthRehabilitationTheatre ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Kilsby, Mark Title: Independent Evaluation of the Vulnerable Learners Apprenticeship Project Summary: The Vulnerable Learner Apprenticeship Project (VLP) is a pilot funded through Kent County Council (KCC) focussing on early intervention for 4 groups of vulnerable people aged 16 to 24 years, considered ‘NEET’. The cohorts are i) Young Parents ii) Young People with Learning and/or Physical Disabilities and/or Mental Health Issues iii) Young Offenders iv) Looked After Children Leaving Care. The VLP intervention aimed to enable 20 young people from each group to access local apprenticeship opportunities and help them to engage/re-engage more fully in the labour market. KCC paid the salary of each young person (£105pw) for 12 months with the support of local specialist teams. Ten Training Providers delivered the assessment and training aspects of the apprenticeships. This evaluation covers the progress of the project for the first 19 months from September 1st 2010 to March 31st 2012. Details: Cardiff: Kilsby/Allan Consulting, 2012. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2012 at: http://base-uk.org/sites/base-uk.org/files/knowledge/Evaluation%20of%20the%20Vulnerable%20Learner%20Apprenticeship%20Project/final_vlp_eval_july2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://base-uk.org/sites/base-uk.org/files/knowledge/Evaluation%20of%20the%20Vulnerable%20Learner%20Apprenticeship%20Project/final_vlp_eval_july2012.pdf Shelf Number: 126239 Keywords: Ex-OffendersLearning DisabilitiesPrisoner Reentry (U.K.)Young Adult Offenders |
Author: Briggs, Sarah Title: Offender Literacy and Attrition from the Enhanced Thinking Skills Programme Summary: A sample of 39 offenders identified as having literacy problems was compared with a sample of 50 offenders for whom no literacy problems were identified. · The samples were broadly similar with respect to gender, ethnicity, history of breach, broad categories of index offence, and OGRS risk of reconviction scores. · Offenders with identified literacy problems were more likely to drop out at every stage between sentence and final completion of post programme psychometric tests · We can be at least 90% confident that there is a significant difference in programme retention between the literacy problems group and the control group. Confidence in the finding is enhanced by repeated observation of an apparent literacy problem effect at each of the stages observed. · There was also an effect of age on attrition, with younger offenders more likely to be retained. This enhances confidence in the finding of an effect of literacy problems, since the literacy problems group tended to be younger on average. · Psychometric test papers examined in the course of this research showed a consistent low level of literacy. This raises the question of whether systematic identification of literacy problems takes place, and whether the number of offenders with these problems is higher than we are currently aware. Details: West Yorkshire, UK: West Yorkshire Probation, 2003. 10p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2003 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 126243 Keywords: Cognitive SkillsEducationJuvenile Offenders (U.K.)LiteracyProbationersRehabilitationYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Northern Ireland. Department for Employment and Learning Title: Pathways to Success: Establishing an initial broad strategic direction and supporting cross- Departmental actions to reduce the number of young people most at risk of remaining outside education, employment or training (NEET) Summary: The issue of young people not in education, employment or training is a high priority for me, for Executive colleagues, for the young people themselves and for our society as a whole. While my Department initially took the lead on the earlier Scoping Study I have developed this suggested strategic approach on behalf of the other main Government Departments which have a key role to play in reducing the numbers of young people most at risk who fall into this category. Although this problem has been around for many years I am determined to ensure that the draft strategy is forward looking, comprehensive and will provide the foundation for the development of an approach to deal successfully with this issue. I clearly see the need to intervene early to engage young people in learning and address the risk factors that might cause them to disengage. I recognise that this issue needs to be considered in the context of cross departmental work and particularly with the Department of Education. Confirming the work in the Scoping Study, the recent Assembly Employment and Learning Committee Report, which I welcomed, stressed that the NEETS group is not a homogenous group and the barriers faced by these young people can be myriad, complex and, in many cases, interwoven and multi-layered. The report recommends that a strategy tackling the issues they face must be about coordination, co-operation, multi-agency working, referral and collective accountability, requiring all stakeholders to work together within a framework. Executive Departments, the community and voluntary sector, the different sectors of education, employers and businesses all have a role to play. The suggested strategic focus is in two interlinked parts, designed as an integrated package of active measures to prevent young people from becoming NEET; and to focus on re-engaging those young people, particularly in the 16-19 age group, who are already outside education, employment and training, and who are most at risk of remaining there. In addition to a range of actions it is recognised that we will need to put in place structures or mechanisms to co-ordinate and make these more effective. These structures will begin to set and monitor the detailed outcomes sought and adjust these as required and as new information comes to light. With all our combined good practice, experience and goodwill we are confident we can make a difference to the lives of our young people who are most at risk. (from the Minister for Employment and Learning Forward) Details: Balfast: Northern Ireland Department for Employment and Learning, 2011. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 10, 2012 at: http://www.delni.gov.uk/pathways-to-success-consultation-document.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.delni.gov.uk/pathways-to-success-consultation-document.pdf Shelf Number: 126285 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.)Educational and Training ProgramsEmploymentJobsRehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Carpenter, Craig Title: Young People and Desistance from Crime: Perspectives from New Zealand Summary: This thesis examines the process by which young people stop, or „desist‟ from, criminal offending in New Zealand. It does so by presenting insights on desistance gained from observations and interviews with young ex-offenders and those who work closely with them. In doing so, it avoids the exaggerated responses to youth crime expressed in political rhetoric and the popular media, and instead focuses on factors that are deemed most valuable in desistance by those most involved. This primary research is presented in the context of the existing literature that establishes desistance as a process influenced by the interaction of multiple variables including individual, social, and structural factors. Analysis of structural factors highlights the need for young people, especially those who experience economic marginalisation or racial discrimination, to be provided with opportunities to change. While the current New Zealand youth justice system generally does well to limit the negative impact of formal system contact for young people, it is noted that the focus on individual plans and strategies fails to adequately address social relations and structural conditions that are integral to desistance processes. The results of this study show that young desisters have mainstream aspirations for stable employment and relationships. Key factors of desistance identified in this study include the influence of „growing up‟, family support and positive relationships. In other words, desistance from crime was the result of moving towards something positive in life. It is therefore argued that desistance is also more likely to be sustained with ongoing personal and social support. Rather than being passive victims of structural inequalities, or completely rational actors, this study found young desisters to be influenced by a combination of structural, social and individual factors. The ultimate recommendation is to enhance existing policy through wider strategies that address structural issues, such as poverty and unemployment, together with the development of social and cultural capital, so that desistance processes can be further encouraged in New Zealand‟s young offenders. Details: Wellington, NC: Victoria University of Wellington, 2012. 122p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed September 11, 2012 at: http://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10063/2047/thesis.pdf?sequence=2 Year: 2012 Country: New Zealand URL: http://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10063/2047/thesis.pdf?sequence=2 Shelf Number: 126293 Keywords: DesistanceJuvenile Offenders (New Zealand)RehabilitationYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Phillips, Liz Title: Evaluation of the YJB Pilot Resettlement Support Panel Scheme Summary: The Youth Justice Board (YJB) made funding available in July 2009 to enable six selected Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) in Wales to expand resettlement for young people aged 12 to 17 who are leaving custody. The funding is also aimed at preventing young people from entering custody in the first place. The pilot resettlement schemes are a new approach to addressing the issues faced by young people in custody. They fit in with the priorities of the All- Wales Youth Offending Strategy (AWYOS) Delivery Plan, in particular, reducing reoffending and the use of custodial sentences, and increasing effective resettlement. The pilot resettlement schemes are a new approach to addressing the issues faced by young people in custody. They fit in with the priorities of the All- Wales Youth Offending Strategy (AWYOS) Delivery Plan, in particular, reducing reoffending and the use of custodial sentences, and increasing effective resettlement. The RSPs’ main objective is to coordinate multi-agency support for the resettlement of young people through addressing substance misuse, accommodation problems, mental health and education issues. The Panels also assist young people in accessing education, employment and training opportunities, mediate with families and peers, and encourage more appropriate use of leisure time. Developing young people’s life skills, budget management, healthy living, and raising their self-esteem and confidence to facilitate positive decision-making are also RSP objectives. RSPs typically have membership from social services, education, health (particularly Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), the police, local authority housing department, housing providers, careers advisers, YOT personnel, Young Offenders’ Institutions (YOIs), and Youth Services. The six Welsh LAs who took part in the evaluation were Bridgend, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent, Conwy and Denbighshire, Gwynedd and Ynys Mon, Merthyr Tydfil and Wrexham. All RSPs are required to review the delivery of resettlement support plans and outcomes for participating children and young people. Bridgend and Wrexham, however, have an enhanced review function. This means that they are required to scrutinise individual cases to ascertain whether resettlement support could have been delivered differently to offer a more effective community-based alternative to custody. The aims of the evaluation are to conduct a: Process evaluation which examines: • the setting up and functioning of the RSPs particularly with regard to ‘buy in’ from member agencies, and working together • the role and impact of the resettlement support worker and the supervision support worker • the role and effectiveness of the review body, and an: Outcome evaluation to determine: • the effectiveness of the scheme in improving outcomes for young offenders • the extent to which partners commit resources to resettlement support plans. Recommendations for more effective implementation of the scheme based on the conclusions are also included. Details: Cardiff, Wales: Welsh Government Social Research, 2012. 149p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2012 at: http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/publications/WYJT01/WYJT01.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/publications/WYJT01/WYJT01.pdf Shelf Number: 126318 Keywords: At-risk YouthJuvenile Offenders (Wales, UK)Juvenile ReentryRehabilitationReoffendingResettlementYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Burman, Michele Title: Time for Change: An Evaluation of an Intensive Support Service for Young Women at High Risk of Secure Care or Custody Summary: The Time for Change Young Women’s Project (TfC) provides dedicated and gender-specific services for vulnerable girls and young women aged 15 to 17 years at referral (18 only if exceptionally vulnerable on account of care listing) who are at high risk of secure care or custody, and for whom other mainstream options have proved unsuitable. TfC was set up to include those who were chaotic and extremely vulnerable in transition from secure accommodation and prison and in response to concerns regarding the very limited service provision for girls and young women who either offend or are at risk of offending in Scotland, and against a backdrop of an increasing female prison population (McIvor and Burman 2011). Scottish Government turned down the initial bid but changed their view after the SOPHIE report on Secure Accommodation and the number of 15-17 year olds in prison. In reality, by the time TfC started there were no 15 year olds and most girls were 17 years of age. A key change to Scottish youth justice policy and practice which also serves as important background context for TfC has been the implementation of the ‘whole system approach’ to dealing with under 18 year olds who offend. This is founded on the principles of early intervention and is designed to seek opportunities to engage young people more productively in education, skills and positive activity, by putting in place a more streamlined and consistent response that works across all systems and agencies to achieve better outcomes (Scottish Government 2011). The principles of early, and effective intervention that is timely, supportive and appropriate, and the linking of risk taking behaviour to the expression of unmet need, together with the aim of the prevention of custody and secure accommodation, were encapsulated in the development of TfC. The key aims of TfC are to: provide dedicated intensive, relationship-based, support of young women and girls in order to minimise the escalation their offending and /or involvement with the youth and adult criminal justice systems; to assist them resolve current or past conflicts or trauma, familial difficulties and emotional issues associated with their offending behaviours, and to: enhance their positive social relationships, interests and access to suitable education, in line with research findings on resilience and desistance and with an asset-focused, strengths-based approaches to practice. The TfC service is delivered on an outreach basis and includes elements of practical support, partnership, one to one focused work and an on-call help-line. TfC also has access to facilities for residential placements, through the Up-2-Us parent organisation resource team which provides respite to vulnerable young people in times of crisis. TfC key workers respond to all calls for service provision, with managerial support, via a duty on-call system. TfC also offers consultation and advice to other agencies. The evaluation of TfC was conducted by researchers from the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) between 2009 and 2011. The evaluation utilised a mixed method approach, and included data from semi-structured interviews with: TfC key workers and manager, criminal justice social workers, children’s and families social workers, and other stakeholders, and with young women service users. It also included analysis of case file information and the TfC data-base which records information on referral source, reasons for referral, key presenting issues (e.g. health, addiction), familial circumstances, legal status, history of anti-social or offending behaviour, and current accommodation, as well as any history of statutory involvement. The evaluation sought the views and experiences of TfC staff, stakeholders and service users, in order to: · gain understanding of the complexities of the client group, both in regard to levels of need and risk, and the practice challenges encountered by TfC; · obtain feedback from service users and stakeholders on key elements of the TfC service and its collaboration with other agencies, including the model of service delivery and principal practice approaches; · examine the impact of TfC on the young women using the service, and; · ascertain how the work of TfC and its model of service delivery could be improved. Details: Glasgow: Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research, 2012. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Reprot No. 02/2012: Accessed September 18, 2012 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/documents/FINAL%20Time%20for%20Change%20Report%2003%2004%202012%20kh.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/documents/FINAL%20Time%20for%20Change%20Report%2003%2004%202012%20kh.pdf Shelf Number: 126367 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Scotland)Delinquency PreventionFemale OffendersJuvenile Justice PolicyRehabilitationSocial ServicesYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Great Britain. HMI Probation Title: Transitions: An Inspection of the Transitions Arrangements from Youth to Adult Services in the Criminal Justice System Summary: This inspection of the quality of the work undertaken to promote effective transition of young people from youth-based services to adult-based provision was agreed by the Criminal Justice Chief Inspectors’ Group, following consultation with key stakeholders, as part of the Joint Inspection Business Plan 2010-2012(1). The process of transition from youth to adult services is important because when managed well it can promote continuity in service provison and lead to the delivery of more effective services. The involved visits to Youth Offending Teams and Probation Trusts in six areas of England and Wales, and four Young Offenders Institutions, to establish what practitioners did to help young people in custody and under community supervision make an effective transition, at or around the age of 18. We gauged the quality of front line practice by speaking to young people (those aged under-18) and young adults (those aged 18 and over) about their experiences, as well as inspecting case records. We also held discussions with practitioners and managers from criminal justice agencies, and others, such as health and education, training and employment who worked in partnership with them to provide interventions. During the inspection we were looking for evidence that young people had experienced consistency and continuity in their work with youth-based and adult-based services; and that the achievement made in youth-based services had been consolidated after transfer. For these outcomes to be achieved, practitioners needed to keep young people informed; prepare young people for work throughout the whole sentence; share information with other services about ongoing needs and risks; ensure that offending-related factors identified in youth-based services continued to be addressed in adult-based services, and be responsive to the needs of the individual young person at a time of change. Although we found examples of individual good practice, work to promote effective transition of young people from youth-based to adult-based services did not always receive sufficient attention. In the community, some young people were not identified as eligible for transfer and, in those cases which were identified, transfer was often undertaken as a procedural task. Young people were not as informed or involved as they should have been. Overall, there was insufficient timely sharing of information between the youth-based and adult-based services to enable sentence plans to be delivered without interruption. The situation was similar in custody, where insufficient forward planning and communication led to a hiatus in sentence planning and delivery of interventions after young people had transferred to an over-18 YOI/prison. Positively, there were examples of local written arrangements for transition in the community although they needed to be better understood and used by practitioners. There was little sharing of information between education, training and employment staff in YOTs and their counterparts in Probation Trusts. Although health staff had not been heavily involved in transfers of young people between YOTs and Probation Trusts there were indications that local policies encouraging greater attention to the transition of young people were starting to have a positive impact on practice. Details: London: Criminal Jsutice Joint Inspection, 2012. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2012 at: http://www.hmcpsi.gov.uk/documents/reports/CJJI_THM/OFFM/cjji-transitions-thematic.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.hmcpsi.gov.uk/documents/reports/CJJI_THM/OFFM/cjji-transitions-thematic.pdf Shelf Number: 126750 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ServicesJuvenile OffendersOffender Supervision (U.K.)Young Adult Offenders |
Author: Burton, Patrick Title: Country Assessment on Youth Violence, Policy and Programmes in South Africa Summary: It is increasingly recognised that young people are central to issues of crime and violence in South Africa. While research, policy and programming have historically focused on children and adults, there is a growing emphasis on youth as both victims and perpetrators of violence. This report presents the findings of a country assessment commissioned by the World Bank to support its Incorporating Human Rights into Youth Violence Programming and Policy Dialogues in Mexico and South Africa project. This aims to encourage policy dialogue on youth and violence with the South African government and other stakeholders. The report: examines the current situation of youth violence in South Africa; summarizes the policy response by the government and the prevailing legal and institutional framework; identifies innovative programming by civil society organisations; and identifies entry points for deeper policy dialogue and improved interventions to address youth violence. Details: Washington, DC: Social Development Department, The World Bank, 2012. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2012 at: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2012/07/03/000333038_20120703041946/Rendered/PDF/707330WP0South00Box370051B00PUBLIC0.pdf Year: 2012 Country: South Africa URL: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2012/07/03/000333038_20120703041946/Rendered/PDF/707330WP0South00Box370051B00PUBLIC0.pdf Shelf Number: 126822 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersViolent CrimeYoung Adult OffendersYouth and Violence (South Africa) |
Author: Inter‐American Commission on Human Rights. Rapporteurship on the Rights of the Child Title: Juvenile Justice and Human Rights in the Americas Summary: The Inter‐American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has had multiple occasions to deal with the issue of juvenile justice and its relationship to human rights when examining and deciding the petitions and cases submitted to it, and the precautionary measures requested of it, when conducting its visits and adopting reports on the situation of human rights in the member States of the Organization of American States (OAS), and at the public hearings convened during its sessions. Based on the information it received, the Commission has decided to prepare a thematic report to examine juvenile justice in the Americas and to make recommendations to the member States with a view to strengthening and improving their institutions, laws, policies, programs and practices in the area of juvenile justice and to ensure that those systems are implemented in accordance with the international corpus juris on the rights of children and adolescents. To make the preparation of this report possible, the IACHR signed a memorandum of understanding with the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and with the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). It also received financial support from the Inter‐American Development Bank (IADB), Save the Children ‐ Sweden, and the Government of Luxemburg. The Commission also wishes to acknowledge the cooperation of the Special Representative on Violence Against Children Office. The States of the region are confronted every day with the problems associated with criminal offenses committed by persons under the age of 18. International law has clearly established that a juvenile justice system must be in place for children and adolescents who violate criminal laws. But this special justice system does not apply to all children; instead, it applies only to those who have reached the minimum age at which they can be held accountable for violations of criminal law. Once that minimum age has been reached, the juvenile justice system must be applied to all children and adolescents, without any exceptions. Therefore, it is unacceptable for States to exclude from that system any person who has not yet attained adulthood, which, under international law, is at the age of 18. The report adopted by the IACHR identifies the international principles of human rights that juvenile justice systems must observe. This report underlines the member States’ obligations vis‐à‐vis the human rights of children and adolescents accused of violating criminal law. The report makes it clear that a juvenile justice system must ensure that children and adolescents enjoy all the same rights that other human beings enjoy; but it must also provide them with the special protections that their age and stage of development necessitate, in keeping with the main objectives of the juvenile justice system, namely, the rehabilitation of children and adolescents, their comprehensive development and their reincorporation into society to enable them to play a constructive role within it. In its report, the Commission observes that juvenile justice systems must respect the principles of law that specifically apply to minors, and the special ways in which the general principles of law are applied to persons who have not yet attained their adulthood. For example, a juvenile justice system must respect the principle of legality, which means that the system cannot impinge upon the life of children and adolescents by invoking a supposed need for protection or prevention of crime; instead, juvenile justice systems must be applied solely on the basis of pre‐existing law in which a certain conduct has been classified as a criminal offense. Juvenile justice systems must also guarantee the principle of last resort, which means, for example, that it must consider alternatives to adjudication in the case of violations of criminal law, and non‐custodial measures or other forms of deprivation of liberty, which in the case of persons under the age of 18 is to be used only as a last resort. Accordingly, the Commission urges States to move in the direction of eliminating penalties of incarceration in the case of children and adolescents. Furthermore, juvenile justice systems must be specialized, which means that they must feature laws, procedures, authorities and institutions specifically designed for children and adolescents alleged to have violated criminal law. All those working within the juvenile justice system must have received special instruction in children’s rights and be trained to work with children. In its report, the Commission also highlights the point that the due process guarantees, such as the right to a competent judge, the presumption of innocence, the right of defense, the right of appeal and others, must be fully respected in juvenile justice proceedings. The Commission explains the special ways in which these guarantees are observed when persons under the age of 18, who require specific protections, are involved. The Commission commends the legislative strides that many States have taken in recent years. It notes that most States of the region have a special legal framework in place in the area of juvenile justice. In many cases, the framework adopted measures in conformity with international standards on the subject. The Commission also recognizes the efforts made by some countries to bring their juvenile justice practices, institutions and facilities into line with international standards, especially in those States where economic resources are limited. However, the Commission is troubled by the weaknesses within the juvenile justice systems in the region, despite the legislative progress made in many countries since the adoption of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. Indeed, the Commission observes that there is a significant gap between the language of the States’ laws and the experiences of children and adolescents accused of violating criminal laws. In this report, the Commission examines how, with the exception of a few examples of best practices, the juvenile justice systems of the Americas are characterized by discrimination, violence, lack of specialization, and an abuse of the measures used to deprive juvenile offenders of their freedom. One of the chief causes of concern to the Commission is the fact that in a number of States of the Americas, very young children are held responsible and accountable for violations of criminal law; in some States, children as young as 7 can face criminal prosecution. The Commission is also disturbed by the fact that in the vast majority of States in the region, children and adolescents of 15, 16 and 17, are denied access to the specialized juvenile justice systems and are frequently tried in the ordinary adult criminal justice system, even though they are minors. Under some juvenile justice systems, children and adolescents are often transferred to ordinary courts, where they receive adult sentences and are forced to serve their sentences in adult prisons. Many children and adolescents in the region are thus being denied the protections afforded by the juvenile justice system. In summary, the IACHR is troubled by the practice on the part of some States of denying or offering fewer procedural guarantees, lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility, and stiffening penal sentences. The Commission is also troubled by the fact that in some cases, children below the minimum age at which they can be held criminally responsible, are deprived of their liberty through so‐called “protective” proceedings that end in punitive measures against the minor; all too often these proceedings are not conducted in strict observance of due process guarantees. The information compiled shows that on occasion, children and adolescents who have been abused, are indigent or have been deprived of their social and economic rights, are treated as criminals or routinely held responsible for violations of criminal law because of their condition in life, and are subjected to the juvenile justice system without ever having violated any criminal law. The same thing happens in the case of children and adolescents deemed to be “beyond parental control,” children and adolescents in “irregular situations,” children and adolescents accused of “status offenses,” i.e., acts they committed that would not be criminalized if committed by adults, or children or adolescents who have mental illnesses or diminished mental capacity who are criminalized instead of being given the proper medical care. The first contact of children and adolescents with the juvenile justice system is through the police, and is frequently a traumatic experience. The police often treat children and adolescents in a discriminatory manner and selectively arrest those that are poorest, belong to minorities, or those identified as belonging to certain groups because of their appearance. The IACHR has learned of police practices in which children and adolescents are routinely detained based on their appearance, or simply for being in certain places or because they are assumed to be 'at‐risk', or abandoned because they are living on the streets or wandering around; the police sometimes round up such children and adolescents because of an increase in crime in some area, or because they are assumed to be gang members. It often happens that children and adolescents who commit or are accused of committing crimes are removed from any contact with family and community ‐ contacts which are essential for the enjoyment of their rights and their development. Despite the international laws requiring that whenever possible, alternatives to adjudication are to be used in the case of children and adolescents, the IACHR report reveals that alternatives of this type are rarely used in most States of the region. The Commission also observes that in some States, officials of the judicial system, especially those outside the major cities, have little or no training in the area of children and human rights. Thus, the proceedings conducted in the juvenile justice system do not always observe due process guarantees and the principle of the best interests of the child. Similarly, although deprivation of liberty should be used only as a last resort in the case of children and adolescents, and should be for the shortest time possible, the Commission’s report shows that most juvenile justice systems in the Americas resort to deprivation of liberty, both before trial and after conviction. The IACHR also observes that the principles that must govern the sentences administered, such as the principle of proportionality, are often ignored in favor of prolonged sentences on the pretext that such sentences aid in the “rehabilitation” of children and adolescents. In some member States, this criterion leads to the imposition of indefinite sentences in which the children and adolescents will remain deprived of their liberty until such time as the person is deemed “rehabilitated” or reaches a certain age. The IACHR is also troubled by the failure to observe the human rights of children and adolescents when they are deprived of their liberty. In its report, the Commission observes that conditions in the facilities in which children and adolescents are deprived of their liberty are, in general, inadequate and often breed violence among the children or adolescents, or by State authorities. Furthermore, the detention conditions do not always properly guarantee the other rights of children and adolescents, rights that must never be restricted they are in custody, such as the right to life, to physical integrity, to health, to food, and to education and recreation. The report also examines how corporal punishment, solitary confinement, the use of psychotropic drugs to control juveniles, and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment continue to be used to discipline children and adolescents deprived of their liberty in the Americas, despite the fact that these punishments are strictly prohibited under international human rights law. The foregoing is compounded by the fact that, in many States, there are no mechanisms for filing complaints or securing independent supervision of the situation of children and adolescents accused of violating criminal laws or deprived of their liberty; in those States that do have such mechanisms, they are underfunded and therefore have very little effect. Thus, the States are not complying with their obligation to adequately prevent, investigate, punish and repair human rights violations of which children and adolescents are frequently victims during all phases of the juvenile criminal justice system. In its report, the Commission calls upon the member States to undertake to comply with their international obligations to protect and guarantee the human rights of children and adolescents in their juvenile justice systems. It also makes a number of specific recommendations concerning the measures that the States must take to adapt their juvenile justice systems to international standards in this area. Details: Washington, DC: Organization of American States, 2011. 179p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2012 at: http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/children/docs/pdf/JuvenileJustice.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/children/docs/pdf/JuvenileJustice.pdf Shelf Number: 126980 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice Systems (Americas)Juvenile Justice, Administration of (Americas)Juvenile OffendersLegal Rights of ChildrenYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Graham, John Title: Policing Young Adults: A Scoping Study Summary: This report presents the findings of a small scoping study on the policing of young adults. Its main aim is to highlight key issues and challenges and identify a future agenda for research, policy and practice. It draws on a small number of interviews with young adults, police officers and individual experts (e.g. policy makers, community safety experts and relevant literature). The study focuses on encounters between young adults and the police, particularly those involving stop and search and the night-time economy, and how well the police handle – and are trained to handle – such encounters. Details: London: Police Foundation, 2013. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2013 at: http://www.police-foundation.org.uk/uploads/catalogerfiles/policing-young-adults/policing_young_adults.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.police-foundation.org.uk/uploads/catalogerfiles/policing-young-adults/policing_young_adults.pdf Shelf Number: 127846 Keywords: Police BehaviorPolice LegitimacyPolice-Citizen InteractionPolice-Community RelationsPolicing (U.K.)Young Adult Offenders |
Author: Ludbrook, Maria Title: Youth Therapeutic Programmes: A Literature Review Summary: There is no doubt that youth offenders (i.e. those under 20) are a population of concern. New Zealand statistics show that youth aged 14 to 20 have the highest apprehension rates across major offence categories (MOJ 2010). Following release from prison, under 20 year-olds have the highest reconviction (88%) and reimprisonment (71%) rates within a 60-month period, with almost a quarter reoffending within three months of release, and almost half reoffending and returning to prison within 12 months. Prior incarceration increases the likelihood that youth will return to prison after any given release. First-timers to prison are 66% likely to return, and recidivist youth 88% likely to return within 60 months (Nadesu 2009b). Offenders at or near their peak offending age (i.e. those under 25) cause the most harm to society in any given year. Intervening before they reach their peak offending age gives more opportunity to prevent harm (Hughs 2010). While many youth grow out of criminal offending (or desist from crime more quickly), a small group persists and become New Zealand’s chronic low or high rate adult offenders. Nadesu (2009) suggested that intervening with young offenders within prisons should be a Departmental priority, as effective interventions are likely to have significant downstream benefits. This review was undertaken to identify the characteristics of effective programmes for young offenders. Effective programmes: are underpinned by sound theory and principles (cognitive behavioural, social learning); embody ‘therapeutic’ philosophies (i.e. involve development of new pro social skills); are cognitive behavioural in nature, and include anger management/aggression control and interpersonal skills training components in addition to the other core modules. They adhere to the principles of risk (i.e. interventions are commensurate with risk level), need (they target multiple criminogenic needs relevant to youth) and responsivity (i.e. CBT content and delivery are adapted to account for the differing characteristics of youth offenders). Effective programmes are implemented to a high quality, with close monitoring of treatment fidelity and programme integrity. Sound programmes also plan for generalisation, reintegration and after-care. Facilitators selected to deliver such programmes possess the desired interpersonal influence skills, and have adequate qualifications and/or training in CBT principles and techniques as they apply to the programme. Clinical supervision is delivered by a person who knows about the relevant programme. Details: Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Department of Corrections, 2012. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 18, 2013 at: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/641219/COR_Youth_Therapeutic_Program_WEB.pdf Year: 2012 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/641219/COR_Youth_Therapeutic_Program_WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 128005 Keywords: Intervention ProgramsJuvenile AftercareJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Offenders (New Zealand)Rehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: McNeil Education, Training and Research Title: Process Evaluation of the Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (Phase II): Final Report Summary: The Welfare-to-Work Partnership (The Partnership), later known as Business Interface, Inc. (BI), was awarded funding by the Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL/ETA) in January 2003 to conduct a Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (DSYODP). Under this grant, The Partnership served as an intermediary in connecting employers in four sites with young ex-offenders and youth at-risk of court involvement between the ages of 18 and 25. The DSYODP initiative built on the experience of The Partnership in serving welfare recipients under a DOL grant for the Welfare-to-Work program. The DSYODP initiative also built on the experience of DOL/ETA through three rounds of the Youth Offender Demonstration Project (YODP), which began in 1999. The goals of the YODP were to assist youth at-risk of court or gang involvement, youth offenders, and gang members ages 14-24 to find long-term employment at wage levels that would prevent future dependency and would break the cycle of crime and juvenile delinquency. McNeil Education, Training and Research (McNeil ETR) worked with DOL/ETA to conduct evaluations of both YODP and DSYODP Phases I and II. Phase II of DSYODP began in July 2005 when it received a Task Order contract from DOL/ETA to conduct a process evaluation of the demonstration project in four cities: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C. The purpose of the evaluation was to determine: (1) the efficacy of the business intermediary model implemented by the grantee; and (2) the impact of the services delivered on the employment, earnings and retention of youth ex-offenders and youth at-risk of court or gang involvement. Further, DOL/ETA expects that the evaluation will also “determine lessons from the implementation and operation of the DSYODP Phase II which can be shared with other communities wishing to replicate the business intermediary approach to serve ex-offenders and at-risk youth.” Details: Chapel Hill, NC: McNeil Education, Training and Research, 2008. 189p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2013 at: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Process%20Evaluation%20of%20the%20Demand-Side%20Youth%20Offender%20Demonstration%20Project%20Phase%20II%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Process%20Evaluation%20of%20the%20Demand-Side%20Youth%20Offender%20Demonstration%20Project%20Phase%20II%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 128075 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.S.)Delinquency PreventionEmployment Training ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentJuvenile OffendersYoung Adult OffendersYouth Employment |
Author: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales Title: Youth to Adult Transitions Framework: Advice for managing cases which transfer from Youth Offending Teams to Probation Trusts Summary: The point of transfer from youth to adult justice services is a critical time for a young person and for the justice professionals who must work to ensure that a young person’s welfare is properly safeguarded and that any risks they pose to the public are minimised. Improving the transition from youth to adult services will produce better outcomes for young people as they are supported through the process during a fragile time in their lives. Making improvements in the way that information is shared between Youth Offending Teams (YOTs), under-18 YOIs and probation trusts and young adult YOIs will lead to more informed assessments, continuity in interventions and advances in addressing the needs of young people. There is evidence to suggest that improved practice in this area may also have an impact on reoffending rates. This framework has been developed by the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB) in conjunction with the National Offender Management Service (NOMS). It provides advice to YOTs and local probation trusts that manage the transition of young people from youth to adult justice services in the community. It contains information about the essential elements of the transition process and seeks to empower local agencies in finding creative solutions and developing systems to aide transition. In addition, it promotes current good practice and encourages YOTs and probation trusts to consider this when agreeing an appropriate local approach. National Standards for Youth Justice Services require YOTs to have a local transition protocol in place. This should be developed in a way that builds on the content of this framework and takes into account local arrangements. Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2012 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 7, 2013 at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/youth-justice/youth-to-adult-transitions/youth-to-adult-transitions-framework Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/youth-justice/youth-to-adult-transitions/youth-to-adult-transitions-framework Shelf Number: 129572 Keywords: Juvenile Offenders (U.K.)Juvenile ProbationProbationYoung Adult OffendersYouth to Adult Transitions |
Author: Clinks Title: Integrated Offender Management Cymru All Wales Youth to Adult Transition Model Summary: This report summarises the views of criminal justice and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Sector practitioners working in Wales. These stakeholders were asked about their views in relation to service provision for young adults (16-25 year olds) in the Criminal Justice System (CJS), and specifically how Integrated Offender Management (IOM) could be utilised to support a new approach. The IOM Cymru board initiated this work to establish how an all-Wales IOM strategy could support young adults (16-25 years old) in the CJS. Young adults were recognized by IOM Cymru as a priority group within the system, with distinct needs, for whom a number of gaps exist between youth and adult services. This report has been written by Clinks (www.clinks.org) and is supported by Transitions to Adulthood Alliance (www.t2a.org.uk), a broad coalition of organisations and individuals that promotes the need for a distinct and radically different approach to young adults in the CJS. The views and opinions represented are that of practitioners from across Sectors who work with young adults in the CJS. Over 200 practitioners attended three events, as well as three separate online surveys targeted at different stakeholders providing a further 48 responses. The responses from practitioners and service managers provided us with two broad strands of information: - an overview of young adult services, and - the role of IOM in supporting young adults. These two strands have provided Clinks and IOM Cymru with a wide range of existing good practice, some clearly identified development needs, a view on the role IOM Cymru could play in designing services, and how IOM could practically deliver targeted services for young adults. We have supplied 17 recommendations as a result of the consultation exercise. These represent an opportunity to improve services for young people in their transition to adulthood, hopefully diverting them away from crime and helping them to positively contribute to their communities and wider society. There is overwhelming support from practitioners for a new approach that recognises young adults as an important and distinct service user group. Much can be achieved without the need for legislative change and without the need for large-scale investment in new services. They look at an approach which is about inter-agency cooperation, better service design, responsive approaches, a better understanding of maturity and how to support clients transitioning from youth to adult services which so often radically differ from one another. It is also clear that IOM is seen as a good vehicle through which to implement a different, multi-agency, and more coherent approach to supporting young adults in the CJS. The recommendations in this report are intended to spur on change in Wales. We recommend that stakeholders with an interest in the young adult agenda consider their priorities in relation to this report's recommendations and assign appropriate resources to assist in the undertaking of these activities. This will require human resources to take forward, and if possible should not be left to chance but should invest in the development of better services at this early stage in the development of IOM services for young adults so as to ensure the best possible outcome. Details: London: Clinks, 2013. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 31, 2014 at: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Clinks_2013_IOM__young-adults-in-Wales_CONSULTATION.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Clinks_2013_IOM__young-adults-in-Wales_CONSULTATION.pdf Shelf Number: 131817 Keywords: Offender ManagementOffender RehabilitationYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: National Justice Chief Executive Officers Group Title: Staying Strong on the Outside: Indigenous Young Adults: Final Report Summary: The Staying Strong on the Outside project, an initiative of the National Justice Chief Executive Officers (NJCEOs) Group, sought to identify factors that contribute to positive outcomes for Indigenous young adults aged 18 to 25 years released from custody and to highlight programs and initiatives that offer promise in this area. - The Project was undertaken in 2008 to 2009 and had three components: a review of research; a practice survey distributed throughout Australia and New Zealand; and a Forum attended by more than 80 policy-makers and practitioners from both countries. - The over-representation of Indigenous persons in custody has been well documented. The Australian Bureau of Statistics National Prisoner Census indicates that on 30 June 2008, 24% of the adult prisoner population were Indigenous, despite this group making up only 2% of the Australian population. There were 1,795 Indigenous persons aged 18 to 24 years in custody, which equates to 6.5% of the total prison population. Around one third of these young adults were imprisoned in New South Wales. Māori, particularly young adults, are also over-represented within the New Zealand prison population. - Stakeholders engaged through this project supported the decision by the NJCEOs to focus on Indigenous young adults, given this is a pivotal point marked by the transition to adulthood and in light of the intergenerational effects of Indigenous incarceration. They also highlighted the importance of considering the needs of particular sub-groups within this population, including young women and persons from rural and remote locations. - The practice survey identified 36 programs in Australia or New Zealand that offer re-entry services to Indigenous young adults. Of the 36 programs, only two were aimed exclusively at the 18 - 25 year age group. Both programs were in New South Wales. Nevertheless, most of the programs aimed to offer an individualised and holistic service, and were therefore able to address the specific needs of Indigenous young adults. - While generally focused on any adult prisoner, the 36 practice examples considered for this project were highly diverse. They addressed a variety of risk factors, involved a range of partners, had varied funding and had been operating for different time periods. Programs ranged from initiatives to create pathways to employment (Western Australian Mining Industry Employment Linkages); to provision of identification to exiting prisoners (Larrakia Nation Proof of ID); to programs to address offending behaviour in a cultural context (Queensland's Ending Offending Program). - Nine of the 36 examples had been evaluated and four of the nine evaluation reports were provided to the Project Team. While some of these evaluations are now quite dated, the findings were generally positive. Nine of the 36 initiatives commenced in 2008 and therefore it is too early for any evaluation results to be available. This applied to the Bugilmah Burube Wullinje Balund-a (Tabulam) centre in New South Wales and the Konnect Program in Victoria. - A number of key principles were identified through the three components of the project as important contributors to the successful reintegration of Indigenous young adults. These are: - interventions should address the cognitive and behavioural causes of offending. Research suggests that cognitive-behavioural skills programs are among the most effective in offender rehabilitation. - programs should be designed, developed and delivered in a culturally appropriate manner. Evidence suggests that participants in programs that are delivered in a culturally appropriate manner are more likely to complete the program and less likely to re-offend. - services aimed at reintegration should be provided from the beginning of a sentence and continue post-release (throughcare). - interventions should be holistic and, in particular, should ensure that practical health and welfare needs are met so that the client can effectively address behavioural change. -interventions should acknowledge the strengths of Indigenous young offenders, recognizing achievements, ability and potential, while addressing the need to build capacity. - interventions should empower individuals by imparting practical 'life skills', building self-sufficiency and encouraging active participation in rehabilitation. - effective partnerships, information sharing and joined up service delivery are fundamental to the success of initiatives. - the needs of victims should be recognised and addressed, particularly where the victim lives in the same community as the offender. - The project identified the following as key areas of need that should be addressed by interventions: - ensure that connections are made with education, vocational training and employment services; - where possible, maintain, re-establish and strengthen family and community relationships, and involve family members in the reintegration process; and - address substance abuse, as drug and alcohol abuse are risk factors for offending. - The project also identified those features of program delivery that contribute to better outcomes for young Indigenous offenders: - trained and committed staff; - programs targeted at high risk offenders; - treatment styles matched with the learning styles of participants; and - investment in lengthy and intensive programs. - Program evaluation is necessary to identify obstacles to implementation and to determine whether the desired outcomes are achieved. Allied to this issue is the need to provide adequate and long-term funding for programs to ensure a degree of continuity and allow sufficient time for those programs to develop, mature and show results. Details: Canberra(?):Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2009. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2014 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/stayingstrong.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/stayingstrong.pdf Shelf Number: 131939 Keywords: Indigenous PeoplesInterventionsPrisoner ReentryRehabilitationYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Criminal Justice Alliance Title: Prosecuting Young Adults: The potential for taking account of maturity at the charge and prosecution stage of the criminal justice system Summary: The Criminal Justice Alliance has produced a paper, funded by the Barrow Cadbury Trust, looking at the Crown Prosecution Service and prosecuting young adults. The CPS published a new Code, which for the first time explicitly included taking the maturity of an individual into account as part of the 'public interest test', alongside other more established factors such as learning difficulties and mental health problems. This development represents a new opportunity for prosecutors to more explicitly and transparently consider the maturity of young adults, as is currently the case within the youth justice system. This research study investigates how the inclusion of the concept of maturity will work in practice, using the expertise of prosecutors to help us to understand how the concept of maturity is currently applied within the youth justice system and what lessons can be learnt to ensure the successful implementation for young adults. The document is available here. Details: London: Criminal Justice Alliance, 2013. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 31, 2014 at: http://criminaljusticealliance.org/cps&maturity.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://criminaljusticealliance.org/cps&maturity.pdf Shelf Number: 132031 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformMaturityProsecutionYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Britton, Shane Title: First Generation: One Year On Summary: A review of how Police and Crime Commissioners are shaping local responses to young adults (18-24), people with multiple and complex needs, and other key groups. The report highlights areas of promising practice, and makes 20 recommendations for PCCs to consider. Details: London: Revolving Doors Agency, 2013. 42p. Source: http://www.revolving-doors.org.uk/documents/first-generation-one-year-on/ Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.revolving-doors.org.uk/documents/first-generation-one-year-on/ Shelf Number: 132314 Keywords: Anti-Social Behavior Costs of Crime Criminal Justice Policy Re-Offending Recidivism Young Adult Offenders |
Author: Bouffard, Jeffrey Title: Reentry Services Project. Process and Outcome Evaluation - Final 2 Year Report Summary: Background on RSP: In July 2003, the Clay County Joint Powers Collaborative (CCJPC) was awarded funding by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Drug Policy and Violence Prevention to develop and implement a Reentry Services Project (RSP). The CCJPC also provided matching funds to begin the RSP program. Two Transitional Coordinators began providing Reentry Services in July of 2003, and evaluation of the program by the North Dakota State University evaluation team began in September of 2003. RSP Goals: In general, the RSP prepares juvenile offenders for successful reentry to the Clay County community after returning from various out-of-home placements. The program aims to achieve its goal by assisting youthful offenders in becoming productive, responsible, and law abiding citizens through strategic and comprehensive reentry plans. These plans address the following Reentry components: 1. Obtaining and retaining long term employment, if appropriate; 2. Maintaining a stable residence by providing intensive services to high risk juvenile offenders leaving out-of-home placements, with an emphasis on seamless and comprehensive treatment, intensive case management, and the involvement of local communities; 3. Successfully addressing substance abuse issues; 4. Successfully addressing physical and mental health issues; and 5. Establishing a meaningful and supportive role in the community. Details: Fargo, ND: North Dakota State University, Department of Criminal Justice and Political Science, 2005. 119p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2014 at: http://www.claycountycollaborative.org/meetings/files/RSP2003-2005FinalReport.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: http://www.claycountycollaborative.org/meetings/files/RSP2003-2005FinalReport.pdf Shelf Number: 147750 Keywords: AftercarePrisoner ReentryTreatment ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Frowein, Philippa Title: Breaking Out of the Cycle: Sports, Recreation, Education and Culture Centre at the Leeuwkop Juvenile Prison Summary: Economic circumstances in the wake of historical political turbulence have lead to criminal behaviour, and the cyclical nature of criminal patterns. Growing crime rates are a feature of countries around the world, and various governments have attempted to deal with offenders by adopting 'tough on crime' strategies. Nevertheless, crime rates are increasing, and new research has shown that rehabilitation is becoming more relevant than punishment in the fight against recidivism. In the White Paper on Corrections, published in 2005, the Department of Correctional Services identified the actual prison environment as a route cause of crime, calling the prison a "university of crime." Gang violence, rape and intimidation cause prisoners to commit crimes in an attempt to survive. On their release, they have the potential to be damaged individuals who pose a greater threat to society than before their incarceration. The White Paper suggests that rehabilitation of prisoners is the only way to deal with criminal reoffending and The Department of Correctional Services has fully committed to the theory of rehabilitation in its legislation. Unfortunately most of the actual prison buildings in South Africa were designed purely for incarceration and punishment of offenders, and little thought has been given to spaces for rehabilitation. This thesis deals with the retrofit of rehabilitation programme in existing problematic prison infrastructure in an attempt to deal with the high levels of recidivism in South Africa. South African prisoners have the right to sports, recreation, education and culture [SREC] activities, but currently participation is documented at only four percent. The juvenile prisoners at the Leeuwkop Prison Farm form part of the majority of young offenders without good SREC facilities, and it is the aim of this thesis to investigate the culture of Leeuwkop Prison and determine what is needed for both prisoners and prison staff in terms of offering rehabilitation and SREC facilities. This thesis will also focus upon the way in which a new SREC building can be used to integrate prisoners and the public in an attempt to address the stigmas associated with offenders in South Africa. Details: Johannesburg, South Africa: University of the Witwatersrand, 2013. 193p. Source: Internet Resource: Master's Essay: Accessed July 28, 2014 at: http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/13088 Year: 2013 Country: South Africa URL: http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/13088 Shelf Number: 132801 Keywords: Juvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersPrison ProgramsPrisonerPrisons (South Africa)RehabilitationYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Bateman, Tim Title: 'Nothing's really that hard, you can do it' . Agency and fatalism: the resettlement needs of girls in custody Summary: This report presents the results of a qualitative study, funded by the Sir Halley Stewart Trust, of the resettlement needs of 17-year-old young women in a single young offender institution in England and Wales. Using in depth qualitative interviews with 16 girls in custody and two follow up interviews in the community, the study aimed to give expression to the girls' views on what support they thought would be required, both while in prison and in the form of resettlement provision on release, if they were not to reoffend. The sample size, while small, is equivalent to the capacity of the young offender institution where field work was conducted and to around one third of the total female population of the secure estate on any one day. Field work was conducted between December 2011 and November 2012. Girls constitute a small proportion of children below the age of 18 in custody and have consequently tended to be 'invisible' from a research perspective. Yet girls in prison are among the most vulnerable young people in society and recent falls in youth imprisonment have tended to amplify that vulnerability, as less serious cases have been diverted to community based interventions. Such developments have posed additional challenges for the already difficult task of providing effective resettlement. Details: Bedfordshire, UK: University of Bedfordshire, 2013. 106p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed October 27, 2014 at: https://www.beds.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/245134/Nothings-really-that-hard.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.beds.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/245134/Nothings-really-that-hard.pdf Shelf Number: 133822 Keywords: Female Juvenile OffendersFemale Offenders (U.K.)Juvenile Offender ReentryYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Rigby, Paul Title: Young People and MAPPA in Scotland Summary: The majority of young people in Scotland involved in offending behaviour are dealt with via the Children's Hearing system, which provides an integrated approach to addressing both welfare needs and offending or criminal deeds. While a small minority who are involved in sexual offending will be processed through the criminal courts and become subject to supervision and monitoring under Scotland's Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), international guidelines and best practice indicate that children (all persons under the age of 18 years) should not be prosecuted in adult court and processed in the same systems as adult offenders. The present research was an exploratory study to provide a baseline for future investigation of the responses across Scotland to children and young people involved in sexual offending and sexually harmful behaviour, and to examine comparative profiles and practices in MAPPA and Child Protection/Children's Hearing arrangements to establish shared principles for effective risk management. The aims were to: - Profile the needs and risks presented by young people subject to MAPPA - Establish a coherent overview of risk management practices and processes - Understand how risks and needs of children and young people under 18, and the protection of the wider community, are managed A multi-methods approach was adopted for the study, and due to the sensitive nature of the work, developed through a staged process of ethical and methodological approval. In conjunction with staff at Scottish Police Services Authority a data collection tool was developed to collate data from the secure Violent and Sex Offender Register (ViSOR) electronic record system. A second tool was also designed to collect data from local authority staff working with young people subject to MAPPA. Nine follow up interviews were also held with social work staff. Mid November 2011 was the agreed date for accessing the data. Details: Edinburgh: Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice, 2014. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 27, 2014 at: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Young-people-and-MAPPA-final.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Young-people-and-MAPPA-final.pdf Shelf Number: 133825 Keywords: Juvenile Offenders (Scotland)Juvenile Sex OffendersMulti-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPAYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Kivivuori, Janne Title: Correlates of Violent Behaviour among Finnish Adolescents Aged 12 to 18: Exploring the Feasibility of a Health Survey in Criminological Analysis Summary: Due to recent incidents of massacre-type violent crime committed by young adults, juvenile violence has become a particular point of interest in Finland and the other Nordic countries. In the future, there is a need to integrate public health and criminological perspectives in the study of youth crime. In this research brief, we explore whether the Adolescent Health and Lifestyle Survey can be used in the analysis of violence. We first describe the prevalence of violent behaviours by age and gender in the nationally representative AHLS data. We then explore the correlates of violent behaviour in each of the four age cohorts, with a particular focus on using the available measures as indices of criminological theories. We use data from the Adolescent Health and Lifestyle Survey in 2011 (Raisamo et al. 2011). The AHLS is a nationwide (Finland) monitoring system of health and health behaviours of adolescents. The study targets a nationwide sample of 12-, 14-, 16-, and 18- year-olds. In 2011, the number of respondents was 4566 and the overall response rate was 47 per cent. The respondents could answer via the Internet with personal usernames and passwords or via a paper questionnaire. The first request was sent in February 2011. Since response rates and sample sizes vary by gender/age group, we calculated weights to adjust for such differences. Regarding the measurement of violence, this research brief is based on the methodology of a self-report delinquency survey. The method is widely used in contemporary criminology globally and also in Nordic crime research (Kivivuori & Bernburg 2011; Kivivuori 2011). It is generally regarded as manifesting high reliability and satisfactory validity, especially in young age cohorts (Kivivuori 2007). Details: Helsinki: National Research Institute of Legal Policy, 2012. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Brief 26/2012: Accessed February 27, 2015 at: http://www.optula.om.fi/material/attachments/optula/julkaisut/verkkokatsauksia-sarja/9hcn8gXTT/26_research_brief.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Finland URL: http://www.optula.om.fi/material/attachments/optula/julkaisut/verkkokatsauksia-sarja/9hcn8gXTT/26_research_brief.pdf Shelf Number: 134731 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Offenders (Finland) Violent Crime Violent Offenders Young Adult OffendersYouth and Violence |
Author: Arthur, Raymond Title: Evaluation of Prince's Trust Fairbridge Programme - Holme House Prison Project Summary: The goal of the evaluation was to examine how the Prince's Trust Programme at Holme House Prison works as a rehabilitative strategy, outlining both the dynamic processes involved and their immediate/short-term and medium/longer-term impacts on the lives of participants. This model was based on qualitative feedback from participants themselves as well as an analysis of the existing literature on the rehabilitation of young people leaving custody. The programme began running in October 2012 with funding for two years. The programme is underpinned by using Kolb's Learning Theory, Choice Theory and Reality Therapy. The key findings from the research suggest that participation in the Prince's Trust programme can potentially provide the starting-block for positive change in the lives of participants. Participants experience sustained positive, emotional, psychological and behavioural improvements. Engagement with this programme provides the potential to help give young offenders a chance to become non-offenders in the future by: - acting as a catalyst for change in the lives of offenders; - significantly improving confidence, listening and communication skills, tolerance, levels of self-expression, ability to cope with stress; - enhancing participants levels of engagement with further education and training; - positively impacting on the emotional well-being of the participants; - being responsive to the particular needs of participants. Details: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Northern Rock Foundation, 2014. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2015 at: http://www.nr-foundation.org.uk/downloads/X_PTrust_HolmeHousePrisonEval_FinalReport_March2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.nr-foundation.org.uk/downloads/X_PTrust_HolmeHousePrisonEval_FinalReport_March2014.pdf Shelf Number: 135250 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsInmatesPrisoners (U.K.)RehabilitationYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Clarke, Rebecca Title: London Probation Trust Peer Mentoring Evaluation Report Summary: London Probation Trust (LPT), in their aim to reduce reoffending, improve compliance with supervision and provide a more holistic service for offenders decided to work in partnership with voluntary and community sector organisations to provide mentoring services for offenders in London to improve their rehabilitation prospects. The two strands of projects that were evaluated were: - A peer mentoring service for 100 young offenders aged 18-25 who were subject to Intensive Alternative to Custody orders or licenses. Mentoring was offered to support offender management, encourage motivation and enable compliance. Catch22 and St Giles Trust jointly designed and delivered this service. - A mentoring service for women and testing the 'personalisation' agenda to reduce the risk of re-offending. This included an enabling fund to allow women and their mentors to address any unmet needs that supported their rehabilitation. Catch22 designed and delivered this service. The over-arching outcomes for the services were: - Reduced re‐offending rates - Improved attendance/compliance Additional outcomes were: - Improved offender manager and sentencer understanding of the support that can be provided to offenders through mentoring - Increased positive life outcomes through practical and motivational support. - Reduced social exclusion of offenders. - Increased access to community interventions for offenders. - In the case of peer mentoring, peer mentors develop personally and socially through supporting others to develop, keeping their own focus on rehabilitation and boosting their self-‐esteem and confidence. - Develop integrated partnership working with the third sector. Key Findings In the first year: 152 referrals were made to the peer mentoring project (against a target of 150) and 71 referrals were made to the women's project (against a target of 70). - For many young men on the peer project progress in relation to the area of ETE was prioritised. Mentors supported individuals to complete steps towards being ready for and accessing work both in practical terms (with a CV, completing applications) and in relation to their motivation and/or confidence. - The availability of and access to settled and suitable housing was unsurprisingly identified as a key goal for some mentees, with mentors acknowledging the challenge in supporting progress in other areas without resolving this. Both projects recorded some very positive outcomes for service users in relation to housing, inevitably though the mentor plays a specific role support and advocacy and is reliant on other providers prioritising their clients. - The profiling information for the peer project indicated that just over one fifth of the young men referred were assessed and flagged as 'gang involved' by probation staff within their case management system. Details: Manchester, UK: Manchester Metropolitan University, Policy Evaluation & Research Unit (PERU), 2014. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2015 at: http://www.mmuperu.co.uk/assets/uploads/files/LPT_PM_Interim_report_FINAL.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.mmuperu.co.uk/assets/uploads/files/LPT_PM_Interim_report_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 135274 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationDelinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersMentoring Programs (U.K.)PeersYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Thomas, Rachel Natasha Title: Using 'Equine-Assisted Therapy' to Aid the Rehabilitation of Young Offenders: An Evaluative Case Study of 'TheHorseCourse' Charity Summary: Interest in the potential of equine-assisted therapy and learning, where horses are incorporated in therapeutic, rehabilitative and learning interventions to ameliorate mental, emotional, behavioural and social issues, has increased over the past half century. Most recently, equine-assisted therapy has been adopted to aid the rehabilitation of offenders within the context of prisons. However, there is a demonstrable lack of peer-reviewed research and published evaluative studies examining the effectiveness of these emerging programmes. The purpose of this research was to produce a case study of TheHorseCourse, an equine-assisted offending behaviour programme at HMP/YOI Portland, and contribute to the evidential base regarding the programme's effectiveness. Given the infancy of research within this field, this research also aimed to contribute to the emerging knowledge base regarding the benefit of equine therapy interventions. The perceived impact and personal experiences of seventeen young offenders who participated on the course were explored. Secondary analysis of existing qualitative, semi-structured interviews with offenders following the completion of the course was conducted, drawing upon an open coding process to identify emergent themes. Results illustrated that TheHorseCourse has the potential to transform dysfunctional attitudes, thoughts and behaviour, improve engagement with the prison regime and develop skills in psychological resilience, emotion management and anger management. Based on these findings it appears possible to argue with some confidence that TheHorseCourse is an effective programme, contributing to the resocialisation and rehabilitation processes of offenders. There is a definite need for rigorous research that empirically validates the benefit of equine-assisted therapy if the programme is to be accepted and advanced. In the meantime, this research suggests that TheHorseCourse is a promising and innovative intervention, advancing further evidence of the potential value of this emerging therapeutic programme. Details: Southampton, UK: University of Southampton, 2013. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 20, 2015 at: http://www.thehorsecourse.org/docs/thehorsecourse-dissertation-rachel-thomas.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.thehorsecourse.org/docs/thehorsecourse-dissertation-rachel-thomas.pdf Shelf Number: 135276 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsHorsesJuvenile DelinquentsRehabilitation Programs (U.K.)Therapeutic ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Moore, Simon Title: A brief evaluation of Cardiff Triage Summary: Triage takes an holistic approach in addressing multiple aspects of clients' lives in order to reduce the incidence of First Time Entrants to the Criminal Justice System with a view to preventing their reoffending. Actions are taken by Triage through referring youth to appropriate services in order to address and support youngsters' problems that may relate to (but are not limited to) matters concerned with their family, substance use and education. Cardiff Triage is managed by Media Academy Cardiff (MAC). MAC is a private limited company founded in May 2010 that works to engage vulnerable young people in South East Wales. In August 2010 MAC won the tender to deliver Triage in conjunction with Cardiff and Vale Youth Offending Services (YOS). Triage is primarily delivered in Cardiff Bay Police Station, the central arrest point for the city of Cardiff. The aims of Triage are to reduce First Time Entrants and reoffending among 10-17 year olds and to provide provision to support and meet the needs of young people and their families, helping them to address those risk factors that are associated with reoffending. Triage is a multiagency approach and, in its current form in South Wales, has (within two years) attracted national recognition (e.g.Cardiff Triage was nominated for the national award in the Times Educational FE awards in the "Outstanding Contribution to the Community" category and received a Careers Wales Award). Triage is delivered by the MAC Director, three case workers (all youth workers who are employed by MAC), one victim worker (who also supervises Triage staff), two volunteer family workers, a sessional worker and a half-time seconded drug and alcohol worker. Volunteers also contribute to delivery of the project. The implementation of Cardiff Triage is associated with a reduction in First Time Entrants of 65%. Having Triage Case-Workers located in the Cardiff Bay Custody Suite means referrals can be immediate and therefore saves police time and resources. Triage has been in place for just over two years and therefore data relating to long-term outcome is unavailable. Efforts should be made to capture these data, including data from clients as they transition into adulthood, so that the long-term effectiveness and likely cost-savings of Triage might be captured. Triage provides a service to vulnerable youngsters that most likely mitigate long-term risk to themselves, their families and their community's well-being. Triage successfully integrates a range of services and provides an important focus at which the community and service providers can work together towards reducing crime and the impact of crime in both the short and in the long-term. Though involving victims, offenders, the police service and service providers Triage demonstrates early opportunities for realigning resources towards a robust proactive and preventative model and away from a reactive punitive approach. The veracity of the services provided through Triage are undermined by funding uncertainties; uncertainties that diminish long-term strategic planning, training opportunities, and the further development of expertise required for closer collaboration with partner agencies and the retention of valued staff. While a reduction in reoffending in the client group is a key outcome for Triage, activity spills over into more intangible measures, including a reduction in fear of crime, improving the relationship between partner agencies, including the police and the local community, and facilitating cross agency networking and engagement. Details: Cardiff, Wales: Violence & Society Research Group Cardiff University, 2012. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 25, 2015 at: https://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/youth-justice/effective-practice-library/cardiff-triage-evaluation.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/youth-justice/effective-practice-library/cardiff-triage-evaluation.pdf Shelf Number: 135397 Keywords: Juvenile Offenders (Wales)RecidivismRehabilitationReoffendingTreatment ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Costello, Liza Title: Turnaround Youth: Young Adults (18-24) in the Criminal Justice System. The case for a distinct approach Summary: This report gathers together the significant existing body of international research that demonstrates that several factors place young adults more at risk of becoming involved in offending behaviour and make the prison system an inappropriate and counterproductive means of dealing with young adults. Key findings in the report: - Young adults are more amenable to rehabilitation and change than older adults who commit the same crimes; - The brain and maturity continue to develop beyond adolescence and into one's mid-twenties - the right interventions can support desistance but the wrong interventions can deepen offending behaviour; - Young adults aged 18-24 are disproportionately represented in the prison population: 20% of prison population compared with 9% of general population; - Young adults aged 18-24s have highest rates of reoffending on release from prison (68% compared with 53%) - Interventions and good practice that have proven successful in the youth justice system should be extended to young adults aged 18-24; - Supervised bail support, diversion programmes, intensive community orders, and restorative justice practices are among the more effective responses to crimes committed by young adults. Details: Belfast: Irish Penal Reform Trust, 2015. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 14, 2015 at: http://www.iprt.ie/files/IPRT-Turnaround-web-optimised.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Ireland URL: http://www.iprt.ie/files/IPRT-Turnaround-web-optimised.pdf Shelf Number: 135646 Keywords: At-Risk YouthYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Duncan, L. Title: Youth Reoffending in Northern Ireland (2010/11 Cohort) Summary: This bulletin provides information on the one year proven reoffending rate for a cohort of youths who received a non-custodial disposal at court, a diversionary disposal or were released from custody during 2010/11. A youth is defined as anyone aged 17 and under at this point. Of the 3,248 young offenders included in the 2010/11 youth cohort, 772 (24%) committed a proven reoffence within a year following being released from custody, given a non-custodial disposal at court or receiving a diversionary disposal. Almost half (47%) of the 772 who reoffended committed their first reoffence within the first three months following being given a non-custodial disposal, receiving a diversionary disposal or release from custody. The number of reoffences within the year ranged from one to 55. In terms of offending history, 47% had committed previous offences ranging from one to 72 distinct offences. Reoffending rates largely increased as the number of previous offences increases. Overall, 14% of females and 27% of males had reoffended. Of the 32 youths released from custody, 25 committed a proven reoffence. The one year proven reoffending rate for youths who received a community disposal at court requiring supervision was 54%. The one year proven reoffending rate for youths who received a community disposal at court not requiring supervision was 43%. The one year proven reoffending rate for youths who received a diversionary disposal was 19%. The highest reoffending rates were found amongst those who had committed a baseline offence in the "Burglary" category (36%), followed by "Public Order" (33%). Details: Belfast: Analytical Services Group, Department of Justice, 2014. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 21, 2015 at: http://www.dojni.gov.uk/index/statistics-research/stats-research-publications/reoffending-stats-and-research/6-2014-youth-reoffending-in-ni-2010-11-cohort.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.dojni.gov.uk/index/statistics-research/stats-research-publications/reoffending-stats-and-research/6-2014-youth-reoffending-in-ni-2010-11-cohort.pdf Shelf Number: 135740 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRecidivismReoffendingYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: ICF GHK Title: 'London Reducing Reoffending Programme' Evaluation Summary: The 'London Reducing Reoffending Programme' (LRRP) was an innovative Payment by Results (PbR) programme that aimed to reduce youth reoffending in London. The evaluation involved extensive qualitative fieldwork with stakeholders from across the programme, including young offenders themselves. In total 185 interviews were conducted including 93 with young offenders participating in the programme. A proven re-offending study was conducted to explore whether a cohort of young people supported by LRRP had a conviction recorded in the twelve months since joining the programme. It compares the twelve months before the cohort of young people joined the programme with the twelve months after they joined, whether or not these participants were in custody or in the community at the time of registration. 'DIESEL'3 is the database developed for performance management of the ESF programme by the LDA and provides information about the young people engaged by LRRP; Police National Computer (PNC) data provides data about the number and type of convictions recorded for those young people. The cohort of young people for this study is all of those registered with LRRP from the inception of the programme in April 2010 to the end of October 2010. This is so a period of twelve months, plus six months for any convictions to be processed within the criminal justice system, can be analysed. This is the standard approach to the period of time to consider in studies of re-conviction carried out by the MoJ and Home Office. But we have not been able to take account of when any participants were released from custody when we know they served a custodial sentence, due to limitations of the data available to the evaluation. This is an important caveat in the analysis that means it does not meet the other elements of what would be expected in a standard approach. Although the analysis provides the strongest approach possible with the available data, in addition to the caveat relating to missing custody release data the approach also means that no young offenders who engaged with LRRP from October 2010 - and as the programme matured - are included. To include all programme participants would require an analysis beginning in 2014 (to enable the twelve plus six months for all). Thus there are two very important caveats to consider when drawing conclusions from the analysis. There is also no counterfactual or comparison group for the evaluation. This is because LRRP was pan-London in approach and therefore there was not geographical targeting to enable within London comparisons to be identified. It was not feasible to seek the engagement of areas outside of London within the resources available to the evaluation (with time and commitment required from other authorities) and the initial timescale for analysis and reporting. The evaluation also includes: the analysis of DEISEL data; a self-assessment survey; and data from the assessment tools used with young offenders (ASSET for those aged up to 17 years and OASys for those aged 18 years and over). These latter two elements are not included in this summary due to low numbers of cases. The evaluation was structured using a programme theory, or 'theory of change' approach. It was peer reviewed by academic experts. Details: Birmingham, UK: ICF GHK, 2013. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2015 at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Specs%202-4%20Evaluation%20Final%20Report%20-%20Full%20report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Specs%202-4%20Evaluation%20Final%20Report%20-%20Full%20report.pdf Shelf Number: 135917 Keywords: RecidivismRehabilitationReoffendingYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Delgado, Sheyla A. Title: Perceptions of Violence: Surveying Young Males in New York City. Summary: Violent crime in New York City declined sharply during the previous two decades, but some neighborhoods remain highly vulnerable to gun violence. In 2011, the City Council's Task Force to Combat Gun Violence recommended the implementation of a new "Crisis Management System" (CMS) in five New York City neighborhoods. The CMS approach includes strategies from the Chicago-based Cure Violence model along with other social and legal services. The Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College began assessing the implementation and effects of these efforts in 2013. One element in the project involves in-person surveys with young men (ages 18-30) in many of the neighborhoods implementing the strategy. The study operates under the brand name, "NYC-Cure." This report contains survey results from the first four neighborhoods to be involved in the NYC-Cure study. The survey instrument measures personal attitudes towards violence and experiences with violence, as well as each respondent's awareness of local violence prevention efforts. Additional surveys are being conducted in these and other neighborhoods around New York City in an effort to detect any changes over a three-year period. The study relies on Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) methods to recruit survey respondents. Key Findings: 1. According to surveys conducted from March through June of 2014, Cure Violence programs have established a strong presence in New York City neighborhoods. The majority of young males in each neighborhood surveyed for this study recognized the educational materials (e.g. flyers, pamphlets, etc.) used by the organizations to promote their services. When asked if they recognized any staff from the programs (using unlabeled photographs), the majority of the survey respondents recognized at least one staff member. 2. Gun violence in these neighborhoods remains a real concern. When respondents were asked about their exposure to guns and gun violence, the majority reported hearing gunfire in their neighborhood at least once in the past 12-months and almost one-quarter (23%) heard gunshots more than 10 times. 3. Violent victimizations are common in these neighborhoods. Almost one in five survey respondents reported being stabbed at some time in the past, and almost 40 percent reported that they had been the target of gunfire in the past. 4. Contact with law enforcement was also common. Nearly 80 percent of all survey respondents reported that they had been "stopped, questioned, and frisked" in their neighborhoods at least once within the past year. Details: New York, NY: Research & Evaluation Center, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 2015. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2015 at: https://jjrec.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/perceptionsofviolence.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://jjrec.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/perceptionsofviolence.pdf Shelf Number: 136077 Keywords: Gun-Related ViolenceNeighborhoods and CrimeViolent CrimeViolent OffendersYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Huttunen, Kristiina Title: The Effect of Rehabilitative Punishments on Juvenile Crime and Labor Market Outcomes Summary: This paper estimates the effect of a rehabilitative punishment on the post-release outcomes of juvenile criminals using a unique Finnish data set on sentences and punishments merged with the longitudinal population census for 1990-2007. The rehabilitative program was aimed at improving the social skills and labor market attachment of young offenders aged 15 to 17. A variety of research designs are used to isolate the effect of the juvenile punishment and to control for observable characteristics of the young offenders. The juvenile punishment experiment was initially conducted in certain criminal courts only and was applicable for youths aged under 18, giving rise to a differences-in-differences and triple differences setup. The juvenile punishment reduced reoffending during the year immediately after sentencing, but had no long-term effect on reoffending nor on labor market outcomes Details: Bonn: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 2014. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: IZA Discussion Paper No. 8403: Accessed July 20, 2015 at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp8403.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Finland URL: http://ftp.iza.org/dp8403.pdf Shelf Number: 136110 Keywords: Employment Juvenile Offenders Juvenile Rehabilitation Punishment Recidivism Young Adult Offenders |
Author: Murray, Kath Title: Evaluation of the Whole System Approach to Young People who Offend in Scotland Summary: The Scottish Government's Whole System Approach for Children and Young People who Offend (WSA) aims to prevent unnecessary use of custody and secure accommodation wherever possible, through the availability and use of services; and to seek opportunities to engage such young people, by putting in place a more streamlined and consistent response that works across all systems and agencies (a 'whole system' approach) to achieve better outcomes for young people and their communities. This evaluation, commissioned by the Scottish Government, examines the operation of the WSA in three Scottish local authorities. It combines scrutiny of WSA policy documentation and guidance notes, with a set of 33 qualitative interviews with WSA practitioners and stakeholders, observations of WSA meetings in each case study area, and quantitative analysis of relevant management data. Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, 2015. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2015 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Evaluation-of-the-WSA-approach.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Evaluation-of-the-WSA-approach.pdf Shelf Number: 136407 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Correctional Association of New York Title: Greene Correctional Facility: 2012-2014 Summary: Greene C.F. has one of the highest concentrations of young people in any New York State prison, and also some of the highest reported allegations of staff violence, harassment, and intimidation against incarcerated persons. The Correctional Association of New York (CA) Prison Visiting Project (PVP) visited Greene C.F. on November 8 and 9, 2012, and received updated information about Greene from incarcerated persons and staff in 2014. The median age of people incarcerated at Greene is 22, there were over 40 children aged 16 or 17 at the prison as of October 2014, and 82% of the people incarcerated at Greene were Black or Latino. Although a medium security prison, Greene ranked as one of the worst CA-visited prisons on almost all indicators of safety and alleged physical abuse of incarcerated persons by security staff. Worse still, staff physical abuse, intimidation, racial and verbal harassment, retaliation, and use of solitary confinement were reportedly most directed at young people at Greene, including teenagers and youth into their early twenties. The CA did find some positive aspects at Greene, including a large number of programs. Yet, the levels of reported abuse of young people are unacceptable and far overshadowed any positive aspects. DOCCS and state policy-makers must stop all abuses taking place, remove all 16- and 17-year-olds from Greene and all adult prisons and jails, and create a more supportive, developmentally-appropriate environment for young people into their mid-twenties, and indeed for all people incarcerated. Details: New York: Correctional Association of New York, 2014. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 20, 2015 at: http://www.correctionalassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Greene-C.F.-Report-Final.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.correctionalassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Greene-C.F.-Report-Final.pdf Shelf Number: 136510 Keywords: Correctional InstitutionsCorrections OfficersPrison ConditionsPrison GuardsPrisonsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Holmgren, Janne Title: Pilot Project: Evaluating the Effects of an Asset Building Program for Young Offenders Summary: This pilot project explored the experience and impact of a six week Asset Building Program (ABP), delivered in Fall 2011 to 6 male youth ages 16-20 in custody at the Calgary Young Offenders Centre (CYOC). This project is not a program evaluation; it is an assessment of the impact of the program on the youths' resiliency development (to build positive personal identities, develop competent social skills and promote positive social values) and their lived experiences as program participants. The theoretical framework for this study draws upon positive psychology (Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi, 2000), a non-pathology model that emphasizes the strengths and resources of individuals, as well as a solution-focused therapy orientation, which is future-focused, goal-directed, and focused on solutions rather than on the problems (Berg and de Shazer, 1993). The study applied a mixed methods design aligned with contemporary resiliency research that suggests a strengths-based therapeutic intervention approach affirming that all youth have strengths to build on and demonstrate resilience. The ABP fostered participant planning of their own treatment program; this study evaluated its outcomes using quantitative and qualitative measures. Six clients voluntarily consented to be part of the program; four completed the sessions (67%). Generally, pre-post program surveys completed by both the participants and their key workers revealed definite improvements. Based on four post-program interviews with the clients, five main themes emerged regarding the ABP: - focused on individual learning styles and individual needs; - identified "stress" as being a past and current issue (including institutional stress); - assisted individuals in learning new coping strategies; - focused on individual positive attributes; and - enhanced personal communication styles and acceptance of other people. The nature of developing and evaluating the impact of a program in a secure facility such as CYOC comes with its own difficulties; however, a few limiting areas could be improved. Five recommendations for future programming are outlined as follows: - Group dynamics were at times challenging due to participants' maturity, skill and ability variance - different groups might be considered based on similarities, - Group session and individual session length too short - increased time for group and individual sessions is recommended, - Key worker support - participants shift key workers when they move from one unit to another; Programs Area staff may be better designates to support the participation of the clients, - CYOC Program Area support - a staff member assigned to assist participants with issues stemming from sessions and support participants' learning between sessions, and - Program process - program facilitator and co-facilitator need to deliver pre-program surveys to provide overview of the program and evaluate comprehension - enhance program content customization. Due to the promising initial results of this pilot study, it is recommended that this project and its impact outcomes serve to inform a future larger research project where 4 to 6 ABPs are facilitated within a year serving a larger population providing a richer dataset, enhanced statistical strength, and greater opportunity for generalization. Details: Calgary, AB: Centre for Criminology and Justice Research, 2011. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 26, 2015 at: http://www.mtroyal.ca/cs/groups/public/documents/pdf/pdf_assettbuildingprogram.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.mtroyal.ca/cs/groups/public/documents/pdf/pdf_assettbuildingprogram.pdf Shelf Number: 131270 Keywords: RehabilitationTreatment ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Clairmont, Don Title: Crime Prevention and Youth Case Processing: Where and How to Invest and Intervene Summary: The evaluation assessment has been fully summarized in seventeen points on pages 57 to 59 of this report. Essentially the John Howard Society and its restorative justice agency initially had a broad set of objectives for the project wherein the YCLW would play both a liaison role to the CJS for youth and an outreach role vis-a-vis the accused youths and their families. Government specification centered strongly on the liaison role - getting the youth engaged more quickly in the court process via legal aid, to their own and to the justice system's benefit. The governmental emphasis reflected clearly that the project was largely a response to the recommendations of the Nunn Inquiry concerning processing youth cases. As it turned out the project's emphasis was indeed on the contacting the young offenders and encouraging them to make arrangements with Legal Aid if they had not already done so. There was little further contact if the youth was lawyered up or readily indicated an intention to do so or simply did not want any assistance from the YCLW. Lack of adequate contact coordinates and significant transiency among the youth meant that a large proportion of the youth who were referred to the YCLW, or appeared on the court dockets subsequently made available to the YCLW, were never contacted. Few youths were referred by the police agencies which of course largely eliminated the possibility of their being contacted by the YCLW worker prior to first court appearance. There was little emphasis on a more active and continuing outreach role for the YCLW for several basic reasons - narrow interpretation of the role's formal mandate and a strict adherence to that in practice, such that linking the youth to NSLA, and / or making them aware of the need and value to obtain such counsel, became the almost exclusive objective; lack of effective 'buy-in' to the project by many CJS officials which limited police collaboration and led few other court role players to utilize the services of the YCLW; turnover among the YCLW workers which limited the build-up of rapport with officials and familiarity with the young accuseds; no compellability for youths to meet with or talk to the YCLW worker. The contact of the YCLW with the young accused usually occurred over the telephone when such information was provided by police officials or by attendance at youth court but for various reasons the contact was quite limited and only in the last months of the project were they beginning to become more than a single short encounter. The YCLW in concert with the RJ agency staff did develop a YCLW manual, job description, information cards, and promoted and explained the initiative to CJS officials in both Truro and New Glasgow, especially in Truro where the worker had an office. There was a modest input into NSLA practices (i.e., suggestions for simplifying the process of certification for youth). Few services were provided other than encouraging the youths to link up with NSLA and only in last month or so, were a few significant contacts established with youth and/or parent/ guardians. There were also significant lessons and insights that could be drawn from this largely unsuccessful project, in large measure because the competent project management and staff did their best to carry out their mandate and thus, analyses of shortcomings has to focus not on them but on the major structural and problem specification issues such as effectively reaching the small number of multiple repeat offenders - a grouping we have labeled "the 15" since in so many jurisdiction in Nova Scotia roughly that number generate much of the youth crime and a much larger proportion of "secondary" crime (i.e., administration of justice crime). The project perhaps inadvertently highlighted the central query for crime prevention, namely where to put the emphasis, where to make more investment. The overall policy relevance of the YCLW project may well have been to sharply underline that the pivotal policy problem issue for crime prevention and for youth court administration is not the average length of time in processing youth cases. Rather, it is the fact that a small number of multiple repeat offenders - "the 15" as we have labeled them - cause a disproportionate amount of court time and account not only for much crime but also for perhaps as much as 75% of all the administration of justice or "secondary" criminalization which does take court time and limit effective court action. They constitute the proverbial "elephant in the room" for crime prevention and case processing. The YCLW project was not focused on this central problem and did not have the mandate or the tools to deal with it. A different model would appear to be required, a youth intervention outreach model, a model that does not exist in Nova Scotia but does have some modest commonality with the NSLA approach in HRM and the MLSN court worker approach in the Aboriginal community. In this evaluator's viewpoint such a multi-tasked youth intervention approach pinpointing the central youth crime problem highlighted by the YCLW project could be a major step forward for the justice system in Nova Scotia. Details: Dalhousie, Nova Scotia: Atlantic Institute of Criminology, Dalhousie University, 2010. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2015 at: http://ns.johnhoward.ca/images/YCLWFinalEvaluationReport.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://ns.johnhoward.ca/images/YCLWFinalEvaluationReport.pdf Shelf Number: 136635 Keywords: Case ProcessingJuvenile CourtJuvenile OffendersLegal AidYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Vaswani, Nina Title: ISMS: Experiences from the first two years of operation in Glasgow: Full Report Summary: The Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004 gave the Children's Hearings System the power to impose a Movement Restriction Condition (MRC) as part of a supervision requirement on young people aged 12 or over. This meant that from Monday 4th April 2005 a young person subject to this condition could be required to remain at home, or some other specified location, for a period of up to 12 hours per day. Compliance with this condition is monitored by an electronic tag. In addition to this monitoring, and in accordance with the welfare approach of the Hearing's System, any young person subject to a 'tag' also receives an intensive package of support that is tailored to address their individual needs and 'deeds'. The resultant combination of both monitoring and support is known as an Intensive Support and Monitoring Service, herein known as 'ISMS'. This report follows the interim report published in June 2006, and as such should be read in conjunction with that report. Readers who are interested in the policy context, literature review and details of the structure, processes and operations of the Glasgow ISMS service in particular should refer to the interim report, available on the Glasgow City Council website www.glasgow.gov.uk. The purpose of this report is to: a. Assess the effectiveness of ISMS across the first two years, by answering some important questions, b. Review progress against the recommendations for the future from the interim 2006 report c. Discuss the implications of the findings d. Make further recommendations for the future, both for local development and national policy decisions. Details: Glasgow: Glasgow Social Work Services, 2007. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 5, 2015 at: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=29412&p=0 Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=29412&p=0 Shelf Number: 136661 Keywords: Antisocial BehaviorElectronic MonitoringElectronic TagOffender SupervisionYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Vaswani, Nina Title: Intensive Support and Monitoring Service (ISMS): ISMS and Beyond...A snapshot of the service in the last two years and a longer term follow up Summary: ISMS was launched in Glasgow, and six other Phase One sites, in April 2005, in order to provide a direct community-based alternative to secure care. An intensive, multi-agency service package is co-ordinated around each young person according to their individual needs and risks. Where necessary, a young person can be subject to a Movement Restriction Condition (MRC) that is monitored by use of an electronic tag. ISMS has been comprehensively evaluated, both locally (see www.glasgow.gov.uk) and nationally (www.scotland.gov.uk) and has been proven to be an effective way of working with high-risk young people. In response to this evidence the Scottish Government rolled-out the facility for ISMS to all 32 Local Authorities in 2008 and published best practice guidance, in which the Glasgow model is held up as one example of good practice. Since roll-out, less emphasis has been placed on the MRC element of the order (originally this was a requirement for an ISMS order), and Local Authorities now have more flexibility in the use of the MRC. In Glasgow the ISMS service has continued to develop in response to an action plan stemming from the original local evaluation published in 2007. Purpose The purpose of this report is twofold. Firstly it will comprise a short examination of the service, covering the period from 1st April 2007 to 31st March 2009 (following on from where the previous evaluation left off). This is to ensure that the service remains focused, targeted and effective at reducing offending. Secondly the report will revisit the original cohort of young people who were subject to an ISMS order during the first two years of operation (1st April 2005 to 31st March 2007), in order to establish the longer-term outcomes for young people since leaving the service. This report should be read in conjunction with the earlier evaluations, particularly for readers interested in more about the background and detail of the ISMS service in Glasgow. Details: Glasgow: Youth Justice, 2009. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 5, 2015 at: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=21093&p=0 Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=21093&p=0 Shelf Number: 136662 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Electronic Monitoring Electronic Tag Offender Supervision Young Adult Offenders |
Author: Schiraldi, Vincent Title: Community-Based Responses to Justice-Involved Young Adults Summary: This paper raises important questions about the criminal justice system's response to young adults. Recent advances in behavior and neuroscience research confirm that brain development continues well into a person's 20s, meaning that young adults have more psychosocial similarities to children than to older adults. This developmental distinction should help inform the justice system's response to criminal behavior among this age group. Young adults comprise a disproportionately high percentage of arrests and prison admissions, and about half of all young adults return to prison within three years following release. At the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), we see the opportunity to reduce future criminal activity - and consequently the number of future victims - by having a justice system that appropriately responds to criminal behavior, helps young adults rebuild their lives, and is not overly reliant on incarceration. The authors outline a number of thoughtful recommendations aimed at making our justice system more developmentally appropriate in its response to young adults. At OJP, we are committed to collaborating with our local, state and tribal partners on this important issue so that we can help all of our communities become safer, stronger and more stable. Details: Cambridge, MA: Harvard Kennedy School, Program in Criminal Justice Policy and Management, 2015. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2015 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/248900.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/248900.pdf Shelf Number: 136893 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity Based CorrectionsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Changes to Sentencing Practice: Young Adult Offenders Summary: Changes to Sentencing Practice examines the effect on young adult offenders of recent changes to sentencing options in Victoria. In particular, the analysis shows an increase in the use of the community correction order, a sentencing option introduced in Victoria in 2012. This report examines the extent to which recent changes to intermediate sentencing options in Victoria have influenced sentencing practices for young adult offenders (18 years or over and under 21 years at the time of sentencing) in Victoria. This group of offenders is a subset of the group of offenders aged under 21 that are defined as 'young offenders', by section 3 of the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic). The analysis examines the longitudinal trends for sentencing for this age group in two ways. First, the variations in the number of young adult offenders sentenced are considered. Second, the differences in the sentencing outcomes for those offenders are explored. This report demonstrates that there has been a large decline in the number of young adult offenders sentenced in Victoria in recent years. The analysis also demonstrates that, for young adult offenders who are sentenced, there has been a notable increase in the use of the recently introduced community correction order (CCO). The report concludes by discussing some possible reasons for these trends and outlining directions for future research. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2015. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2015 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Changes%20to%20Sentencing%20Practice%20Young%20Adult%20Offenders.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Changes%20to%20Sentencing%20Practice%20Young%20Adult%20Offenders.pdf Shelf Number: 136956 Keywords: Community Based CorrectionsSentencing ReformYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Pathways through youth justice supervision: further analyses Summary: This report looks at the complete youth justice supervision history of 24,102 young people in Australia, who experienced supervision, both in the community and in detention, between 1 July 2000 and 30 June 2014 when they were aged 10-17. More than one-third (37%) of young people experienced the most common pathway of sentenced community-based supervision only. Young people spent a median of 303 days (about 10 months) under supervision in total, and completed a median of 2 periods of supervision. About 11% of young people had a pathway that was considered 'extensive', and these young people accounted for about one-third (32%) of the total days of supervision and nearly half (45%) of all supervision periods. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2015. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series No. 19: Accessed October 15, 2015 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129553111 Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129553111 Shelf Number: 136982 Keywords: Community-Based CorrectionsJuvenile Offender SupervisionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: World Health Organization Title: Preventing Youth Violence: An Overview of the Evidence Summary: Each year an estimated 200 000 young people aged 10-29 years are murdered, making homicide the fourth leading cause of death for this age group. Millions more sustain violence-related injuries that require emergency medical treatment, and countless others go on to develop mental health problems and adopt high-risk behaviours such as smoking and alcohol and drug abuse as a result the violence they experience. Produced with the financial support of the Jacobs Foundation, German International Cooperation, and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Preventing youth violence: an overview of the evidence aims to help policy-makers and planners - particularly in settings with limited human and financial resources - to address youth violence using an evidence-informed approach. Twenty-one strategies to prevent youth violence are reviewed, including programmes relating to parenting, early childhood development, and social skills development, as well as policies related to the harmful use of alcohol, problem oriented policing, and urban upgrading. Details: Geneva, SWIT: World Health Organization, 2015. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2015 at: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/181008/1/9789241509251_eng.pdf?ua=1&ua=1 Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/181008/1/9789241509251_eng.pdf?ua=1&ua=1 Shelf Number: 137011 Keywords: Evidence-Based PracticesFamily InterventionsJuvenile DelinquencyViolenceViolence PreventionViolent CrimeYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Berkovitz, Melody Title: Rethinking Rikers: Moving from a Correctional to a Therapeutic Model for Youth Summary: "Children are not little adults . . . neurological research has made that clear." Consequently, a different system, or a different set of responses, is necessary to address the needs of young adults in the criminal justice system. Yet, New York City has lagged behind other jurisdictions, including New York State, in modernizing its treatment and punishment of youth offenders. Significantly, New York remains one of only two states in the country to treat 16 and 17-year olds as adults in its courts. More than 500 youth languish in New York City's Department of Correction facility on Rikers Island and over 75% of them are awaiting trial. Such a system of large-scale youth correctional facilities provides little benefit for long-term public safety. On the contrary, it wastes vast sums of taxpayer dollars, and more often than not, harms the well-being and dampens the future prospects of the youth behind bars. Each year, the United States invests 6 billion dollars to incarcerate youth, and within two to three years of their release, 70-80% of these youth are rearrested on a new offense. New York City spends $167,000 per year to hold a young person on Rikers Island. Instead of existing costly and ineffectual practices, policymakers should be working towards narrowing the pipeline of youth entering the criminal justice system. For those that do enter, New York City should adopt effective charging and bail policies, change case processing methods, and increase alternatives to incarceration and other services to improve outcomes for individuals. These practices would significantly reduce the number of youth in detention. Implementation of these necessary practices, however, is not within the control of the Board of Correction and is beyond the scope of this report. This report addresses effective practices for those youth who will be detained in secure facilities. Effective policy requires a fundamental shift to a therapeutic approach with practices that are specialized for and dedicated to youth rehabilitation. This begins with the pressing need to eliminate the use of solitary confinement. Solitary confinement for incarcerated youth across the United States has increasingly captured public attention. Although the definition varies, for purposes of this report, solitary confinement consists of extreme isolation for 22-24 hours a day with minimal human contact. The severe emotional, mental and physical harm caused by such practices is well documented. While isolation might be sparingly utilized for short periods of time in some circumstances, solitary confinement for lengthy periods is detrimental. Moreover, the practice itself has proven to be unnecessarily costly and a substantial contributor to increased recidivism rates. Some states have eliminated solitary confinement altogether. Others, including New York, continue to utilize solitary confinement for adults and children alike, irrespective of the burgeoning scientific data highlighting its harmful effects. Research in the past three decades demonstrates that heavy reliance on solitary confinement and more generally, on punitive-based models for incarceration of youth, is counterproductive. It does not work to reduce aggressive, violent, impulsive, or disobedient behaviors. In fact, solitary confinement increases these behaviors. Overall, the Rikers Island correctional model is damaging and in need of significant change. Solitary confinement is but the most extreme of the harmful practices. New York's current political climate provides an ideal opportunity to redesign the current youth detention system on Rikers Island. New York City should look to the flourishing success of models and practices in other jurisdictions and follow a fundamentally different approach to its treatment of youth in detention. We must embrace a shift from the traditional and oft-ineffective correctional facility model to the proven success of a residential treatment facility model. This report examines the emerging research and the characteristics and models adopted by other states that are effective in the treatment of youth. It makes recommendations to change existing practices for youth on Rikers Island. These include placement of youth into closely supervised small groups, access to group therapy and positive behavioral management, extensive staff training and reorientation of staff to a therapeutic approach, alternatives to discipline, procedural safeguards and methods to carefully assess and evaluate the programs. Details: New York: Yeshiva University, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, 2014. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 22, 2015 at: https://cardozo.yu.edu/sites/default/files/YJCFeb2_1.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://cardozo.yu.edu/sites/default/files/YJCFeb2_1.pdf Shelf Number: 137050 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionRikers IslandSolitary ConfinementYoung Adult OffendersYouth DetentionYouthful Offenders |
Author: Adler, Joanna R. Title: What Works in Managing Young People who Offend? A Summary of the International Evidence Summary: This review was commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and considers international literature concerning the management of young people who have offended. It was produced to inform youth justice policy and practice. The review focuses on the impact and delivery of youth justice supervision, programmes and interventions within the community, secure settings, and during transition into adult justice settings or into mainstream society. Approach A Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) was conducted to assess the international evidence systematically. In line with English and Welsh youth justice sentencing, young people were taken to be 10-17 years old when considering initial intervention, programmes and supervision, and up to 21 years old when considering transitions into the adult criminal justice system and resettlement post release from custody. Evidence was considered from any country where studies were reported in English, and published between 1st January 1990 and 28th February 2014. The majority of these findings are from evaluations conducted in the United States of America and their transferability to an English and Welsh context should be considered given the different legal and sentencing frameworks, as well as economic and social contexts. Key findings Key elements of effective programmes to reduce reoffending In line with most previous reviews, effective interventions in reducing youth reoffending considered the factors set out below. - The individual's risk of reoffending: assessing the likelihood of further offending and importantly, matching services to that level of risk with a focus on those people who are assessed as having a higher risk. - The needs of the individual: focusing attention on those attributes that are predictive of reoffending and targeting them in rehabilitation and service provision. An individual's ability to respond to an intervention: maximising the young person's ability to learn from a rehabilitative programme by tailoring approaches to their learning styles, motivation, abilities and strengths. The type of programme: therapeutic programmes tend to be more effective than those that are primarily focused on punitive and control approaches. Therapeutic approaches include: skills building (e.g. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy; social skills); restorative (e.g. restitution; victim-offender mediation); counselling (e.g. for individuals, groups and families) and mentoring in some contexts. The use of multiple services: addressing a range of offending related risks and needs rather than a single factor. Case management and service brokerage can also be important. Programme implementation: quality and amount of service provided and fidelity to programme design. The wider offending context: considering family, peers and community issues. Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2016. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Justice Analytical Series, 2016: Accessed February 23, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/498493/what-works-in-managing-young-people-who-offend.pdf Year: 2016 Country: International URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/498493/what-works-in-managing-young-people-who-offend.pdf Shelf Number: 137942 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRecidivismRehabilitationReoffendingYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Broderick, Roisin Title: Young People in Custody 2015 Summary: This Bulletin, which deals specifically with young males held by the Scottish Prison Service in HMYOI Polmont, is one of a number of thematic commentaries presenting the key findings from the 2015 Prisoner Survey. The Prisoner Survey was introduced to the Scottish Prison Service in 1990 as a mechanism to inform and support the Service's business planning process. The focus of the Survey has expanded over the years. The Survey continues to focus upon the core elements of prison life: living conditions, family contact, healthcare, relationships, atmosphere and perceived safety. The Survey informs and shapes change by contributing to establishment and corporate business plans. The Survey was carried out between June and July 2015 on an establishment-by-establishment basis. Prisoners' views were collected by means of a self-completion questionnaire, which was distributed and collected personally by the member's prison staff. The Survey involves all prisoners and all establishments. The 15th Survey achieved an overall prisoner response rate of 55%. A total of 327 male young people participated in this survey, a response rate of 73%. Over a quarter (29%) of prisoners said that they were on remand at the time of completing the 2015 prisoner survey; 71% had been sentenced. Respondents' remand and custodial sentence history is outlined in Table 1. This shows that young people were most likely to report having been on remand between 1 and 5 times (57%), followed by having 'never' previously been on remand (31%). Four in ten young people (42%) had 'never' previously served a prison sentence, while over half (53%) had served between 1 and 5 sentences. As expected, a higher percentage of the adult population had previously served a sentence 6-10 times (12%) and over 10 times (17%). Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Prison Service, 2016. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: http://www.sps.gov.uk/Corporate/Publications/Publication-3908.aspx Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.sps.gov.uk/Corporate/Publications/Publication-3908.aspx Shelf Number: 138390 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Allen, Rob Title: Meeting the Needs of Young Adult Women in Custody Summary: This report looks at how best the prison system can meet the needs of young adult women. It follows T2A's 2013 report 'Young Adults in Custody: the way forward' which considered the broader issues relating to young adults in prison. That report coincided with proposals by the Coalition Government to dispense with specific young offender institutions (YOIs) and instead to detain young adults in mixed establishments - a practice that has been increasing over the last few years1. The Government's plans were put on hold pending the outcome of Lord Harris's independent review into self-inflicted deaths in custody of 18-24 year olds which reported on July 1st 2015. The Government responded to the review in December 2015. In the meantime the House of Commons Justice Select Committee has embarked on a major inquiry into young adults in the criminal justice system. Details: London: T2A Transition to Adulthood, 2016. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 13, 2016 at: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Young-Adult-Women-in-Custody_LR2.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Young-Adult-Women-in-Custody_LR2.pdf Shelf Number: 139010 Keywords: Criminal Justice ReformFemale InmatesFemale OffendersYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Allen, Mary Title: Young Adult Offenders in Canada, 2014 Summary: Young adult offenders in Canada, 2014: highlights - Police-reported data show that young adults aged 18 to 24 have the highest rates of criminal offending of any age group. In 2014, there were over 183,000 young adults accused of crimes by police, representing a rate of 5,428 individuals accused per 100,000 young adults. In comparison, the rates of accused for youth aged 12 to 17 (4,322 per 100,000 youth) as well as for adults aged 25 to 29 (4,712) and 30 to 34 (4,022) were notably lower. - Between 2009 and 2014, the rate of all individuals accused of crime by police in Canada fell 22%. Over this timeframe, the overall rate for young adults accused declined 31%. However, the drop was greatest among young adults aged 18 and 19 (-37%), similar to that for youth aged 12 to 17 (-39%). The drop among 20- to 24-year-old young adults accused of crime was slightly smaller (-24%), but still greater than for adults aged 25 to 29 (-10%) and those aged 30 and older (-10%). - The criminal offences most frequently committed by young adults were theft of $5,000 or under (727 per 100,000 young adults), common assault (682 per 100,000 young adults), and mischief (585 per 100,000 young adults). Almost one quarter of young adults accused of crime were accused in offences against the administration of justice (1,286 per 100,000 young adults)- primarily failure to comply with the conditions of a sentence, breach of probation and failure to appear. In addition, rates of individuals accused of cannabis possession were also high among young adults (747 per 100,000). - Rates of individuals accused of homicide and attempted murder, as well as assault (levels 1, 2 and 3), were highest among young adults compared to older adults and youth. In addition, young adults had the highest rates of mischief, disturbing the peace, Criminal Code traffic violations (primarily impaired driving), and "other" Criminal Code offences. - As a group, young adults had the highest rates of drug offences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Two-thirds (67%) of all young adults accused in drug crimes were accused of cannabis possession. While cannabis possession peaked at age 18 in 2014, the rates of individuals accused of non-cannabis drug offences peaked later at age 21. - Although property crimes, such as theft of $5,000 or under, were common among young adults, they were generally more frequent among youth. Youth aged 12 to 17 had higher rates than young adults for many property crimes, most notably break and enter and theft of $5,000 or under. Youth also had higher rates than young adults for robbery and uttering threats. In addition, youth had the highest accused rates for sexual assault level 1 and sexual violations against children. - Police-reported data show that, in 2014, overall criminal offending in Canada peaked at age 17 and then declined steadily with age, but the nature of the age-crime distribution differed by type of offence. For some offences, most notably theft of $5,000 or under, break and enter, uttering threats, robbery, motor vehicle theft, and sexual offences, accused rates peaked among youth before age 18, and were considerably lower by age 25. - Rates of homicide and attempted murder as well as major assault, mischief, and cannabis possession peaked among young adults, but were notably lower by age 30. For other crimes, offending declined with age, but the aging-out process appeared to be more gradual. These include common assault, criminal harassment, impaired driving, non-cannabis drug offences, as well as disturbing the peace. - The Territories show a notable variation from the association between criminal offending and age shown nationally. Instead, the rate of individuals accused of crime in the territories in 2014 peaked at age 24 and continued to remain high until about age 50. This is mainly the result of high rates of non-violent offences, primarily mischief and disturbing the peace. Details: Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2016. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Juristat, 36(1): Accessed May 18, 2016 at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2016001/article/14561-eng.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Canada URL: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2016001/article/14561-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 139068 Keywords: Crime StatisticsJuvenile OffendersYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Madon, Natasha Sam Title: Intersections of Youths' Perceptions: Youths' Perceptions of Their Treatment by the Criminal Justice System and Other Social Institutions Summary: In three studies, I explore the manner in which young people's encounters with the justice system affects their views of the system as whole. Framed within the procedural justice perspective, I examine how adolescents perceive their treatment by criminal justice actors and explore the relationship of these views to their views of other parts of the justice system and to their views of other social institutions (e.g., the education system and employment sector). In this way, this research seeks to examine whether treatment by the justice system matters to young people in the same way that it has been reported to be important for adults. The findings, although somewhat mixed, suggest that treatment does matter to young people, but that the ways in which they understand the police, courts, and corrections may differ from the more cohesive or consistent views of adults. Young people appear to be in the process of developing their views of the criminal justice system during adolescence and have not forged generalized views of the criminal justice system as a whole. Rather, they distinguish their experiences and views of the police from those of the courts and corrections. Similarly, young people do not appear to possess a negativity bias to all authority figures and social institutions, with the findings here suggesting that the ways in which young people view their treatment by criminal justice actors and the legitimacy of the criminal justice system are quite different from how they are viewing teachers and the educational system as well as future employment and success in later life. Taken together, the findings point to a more nuanced perspective on the nature of youths' views of the criminal justice system and other civic institutions. Details: Toronto: Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies, University of Toronto, 2015. 210p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 21, 2016 at: https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/71567/3/Madon_Natasha_S_201511_PhD_thesis.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/71567/3/Madon_Natasha_S_201511_PhD_thesis.pdf Shelf Number: 139751 Keywords: Criminal Justice System Police-Citizen Interactions Procedural Justice Public Opinion Young Adult Offenders |
Author: Forman, Benjamin Title: Viewing Justice Reinvestment Through a Developmental Lens: New approaches to reducing young adult recidivism in Massachusetts Summary: Residents ages 18 to 24 are the most likely demographic to find their way into Massachusetts prisons and the quickest to return to them upon release. Innovative models to serve justice-involved young adults have enormous potential to reduce recidivism. These new approaches are also central to increasing public safety in high-crime neighborhoods, where young adults are generally responsible for the most destructive violence. The second installment in our Justice Reinvestment Policy Brief Series, this paper contrasts the sharp drop in juvenile offending in Massachusetts- driven in part by the adoption of an intervention model informed by the latest developmental science - with the more moderate decline in young adult offending over the past decade. The brief concludes with a series of recommendations to reduce recidivism among justice-involved young adults through evidence-based policy and practice. Details: Boston: MassINC, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://massinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/young.offenders.brief_.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://massinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/young.offenders.brief_.pdf Shelf Number: 139832 Keywords: Evidence-Based PoliciesJustice ReinvestmentRecidivismYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Title: Harmful Sexual Behaviour Among Children and Young People Summary: This guideline covers children and young people who display harmful sexual behaviour, including those on remand or serving community or custodial sentences. It aims to ensure these problems don't escalate and possibly lead to them being charged with a sexual offence. It also aims to ensure no-one is unnecessarily referred to specialist services. 'Young people' refers mainly to those aged 10 to 18 but also includes people up to 25 with special educational needs or a disability. This guideline does not discuss people who have experienced sexual abuse. NICE will publish a guideline on child abuse and neglect in September 2017. Recommendations This guideline includes recommendations on: multi-agency approach and universal services early help assessment risk assessment for children and young people referred to harmful sexual behaviour services engaging with families and carers before an intervention begins developing and managing a care plan for children and young people displaying harmful sexual behaviour developing interventions for children and young people displaying harmful sexual behaviour supporting a return to the community for 'accommodated' children and young people Who is it for? Social workers, social and residential care practitioners and foster carers Child and adolescent harmful sexual behaviour and mental health services Neighbourhood and community support police officers and youth offending teams Schools and youth services National adolescent forensic services Primary care, sexual health, drug and alcohol services People who exhibit harmful sexual behaviour, their families and other members of the public. Details: London:The Institute, 2016. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 23, 2016 at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng55/resources/harmful-sexual-behaviour-among-children-and-young-people-1837514975173 Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng55/resources/harmful-sexual-behaviour-among-children-and-young-people-1837514975173 Shelf Number: 140436 Keywords: Child Sex OffendersSex OffendersYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Sandhu, Jatinder Title: 'Young Adult Offender Volunteer Mentoring' Project Evaluation Summary: In early 2013, the Safer Nottinghamshire Board (SNB) through the Reducing Reoffending Delivery Board, provided Nottinghamshire Probation Trust (NPT) with funding to shape a number of 'reoffending reduction' interventions with young adult offenders. Further to consultation with members of the Young Adult Offender (YAO) Project Group and Offender Managers working in the semi-specialist young adult team within the NPT, on ideas for using this funding a decision was made to use a proportion of these monies to design and deliver mentoring interventions for a small cohort of young adult offenders. Broadly, offenders were considered in-scope of this pilot project, providing they fulfilled the following criteria: 1) Aged 18-25 (originally intended for 18-21 year olds, but due to operational considerations, this was later expanded to include 22-25 year olds) 2) County or conurbation residents 3) Referred by Offender Managers working in the semi-specialist young adult team 4) Undertaking a community order or under supervision as part of their licence conditions The project was managed by the Mentor Co-ordinator within the REACH project, who in turn was supported by NPT's Employment, Training, Accommodation and Benefits Manager. The project was a small scale scheme, which was funded at $1500 for the costs of recruitment and training of volunteer mentors but did not cover the coordination and management costs, which were added on to the existing commitments of the REACH scheme. There were three key stakeholders associated with the project - volunteer mentors (VMs), mentees and Offender Managers from the 'young adult' semi-specialist team. The intention was for individuals to be referred if they were deemed to be in need of extra coaching/support to help them in their 'journey from crime'. Importantly, this project has not been designed as a 'peer mentoring' pilot project. Instead, all mentoring interventions were to be delivered by volunteer mentors (VMs) recruited through the Nottinghamshire Community Voluntary Service (NCVS). The intention of the pilot project was to match 25 young adult offenders with ten VMs. With the project formally ending in March 2014, nine volunteer mentors had been recruited, but had only been matched with five mentees. The implication of achieving just 20 per cent of the anticipated mentee/mentor 'matches', is that the 'three way process' between the mentors, mentees and Offender Managers was not operating as originally intended (see Aims and Objectives of the project). Details: Nottingham, UK: Nottingham Trent University, 2014. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 28, 2016 at: http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/3182/1/219992_PubSub2254_Sandhu.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/3182/1/219992_PubSub2254_Sandhu.pdf Shelf Number: 140491 Keywords: MentoringPeer MentoringVolunteersYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Medina, Carlos Title: Peer Effects and Social Interactions of Crime: The Role of Classmates and Neighbors Summary: We analyze delinquent networks of adolescents and youth in Medellin, Colombia. Particularly, using a very detailed dataset of individuals attending schools during the years 2004 and 2005 and matching this data set with individuals who were captured during the period 2006-2010, we estimate peer effects on the likelihood to become a criminal, for a sample of students attending public schools, using as reference group individuals in their same grade, and also in their same the classroom. We estimate a social interaction model with a network structure, with the presence of endogenous, contextual, correlated and group fixed effects, following the identification strategies proposed by Lee (2007), Lee, Liu and Lin (2010), and Liu and Lee (2010). These methods satisfy the necessary and sufficient conditions for identification mentioned by Bramoull, Djebbari and Fortin (2009). We find that peer effects (endogenous effect) are positive and significant when our socio-matrices, "W", are constructed taking into account neighborhood-classmates and neighborhood-grade information. Details: Bogota: Banco de la Repblica, 2012. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2016 at: http://fsi.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/165.peereffects.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Colombia URL: Shelf Number: 145081 Keywords: Delinquent NetworksJuvenile OffendersPeer EffectsSocial NetworksYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Great Britain. House of Commons. Justice Committee Title: The treatment of young adults in the criminal justice system Summary: Our inquiry considered a range of questions about the treatment of young adults—18 to 24 year olds—in the criminal justice system, taking into account recent research into the subject and the work of others, including the report by Lord Harris of Haringey into self-inflicted deaths in custody of 18-24 year olds. Our principal conclusions and recommendations are presented in Chapter 4 of this Report. They take the form of a blueprint for a strategic approach to the treatment of young adults, under the ownership of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) but with the involvement of a range of criminal justice agencies. In Chapter 1 of the Report we consider evidence on the needs and characteristics of young adults in the criminal justice system, including propensity to criminal behaviour arising from factors such as their social background, and research into young people’s psychological and neurological maturation and issues such as brain development, learning disability and acquired and traumatic brain injury. Our conclusion from this evidence is that “there is a strong case for a distinct approach to the treatment of young adults in the criminal justice system” and that “[d]ealing effectively with young adults while the brain is still developing is crucial for them in making successful transitions to a crime-free adulthood” (paragraph 24). In Chapter 2 we look at the current approaches of the Ministry of Justice, the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and other criminal justice agencies towards young adults, examining questions of governance, policy and practice. On the issue of governance, we conclude that existing arrangements are “unsatisfactory” and that “the various age definitions applied by the [MoJ] are … confusing and do not inspire [a] coherent approach …” (paragraph 32). In respect of their policies and guidance, it is our view that the MoJ and NOMS do not give sufficient weight to the implications of brain maturation for young adult men and women aged 21 to 25 (paragraph 44). We welcome the MoJ’s commitment to develop a screening tool for assessing psycho-social maturity for use in prisons and also potentially community settings, although we consider that the omission of certain factors such as mental disorders from the screening process may be a missed opportunity (paragraph 53). Similarly, we welcome the inclusion of the considerations of maturity in the Crown Prosecution Service Code and Sentencing Council guidelines, while noting that it is not clear what impact this has had in practice (paragraph 77). On the question of probation services following the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms we welcome robust measures put in place by the Youth Justice Board, the National Probation Service and NOMS to handle the transition from the youth justice system to adult services (paragraph 84). In Chapter 3 of our Report we consider the merits of various options proposed to us in evidence to improve the way young adults are treated in the CJS, such as extending the youth justice system to include young adults, improving screening tools and assessments, preventing and countering violence and self-inflicted harm, ensuring developmentally appropriate interventions designed to encourage desistance from crime, and introducing reforms to practices in courts, prisons and the community with the same objectives. Our discussion of these options informs the blueprint for a strategic approach which we present in Chapter 4 of our Report. Details: London: House of Commons, 2016. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Seventh Report of Session 2016–17: HC 169: Accessed November 7, 2016 at: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/justice-committee-report-on-young-adults-in-the-CJS-October-2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/justice-committee-report-on-young-adults-in-the-CJS-October-2016.pdf Shelf Number: 145314 Keywords: Treatment ProgramsYoung Adult OffendersYouthful Offenders |
Author: Lewis, Alexandra Title: Violent Crime and Fragility: A Study on Violent Offending among Children and Young People in Yemen Summary: This thesis examines the relationship between violent young offending that has no clear political motive and state fragility. It does so by conducting an in-depth evaluation of crime, underdevelopment and crime control systems in Yemen, using existing theories of criminology and international development to suggest new ways of understanding and responding to violent criminal behaviour in that country and elsewhere. While one of the stated goals of this thesis is to generate new theoretical understandings of criminal violence in Yemen, its main contribution to knowledge is that it brings criminological theory into the discourse on international socio-economic underdevelopment in order to open up a new conduit for the academic analysis of fragility. In so doing, it merges criminological theory with the study of international development and state fragility, where the two academic disciplines have previously remained quite separate. The above aims are achieved through an extensive study of the Yemeni development context, based upon a combination of field research interviews conducted with prominent stakeholders in Yemen, distance research by phone and online conducted with Yemeni stakeholders, and expert consultations conducted with important analysts working either on Yemen directly or more broadly in the area of security and justice reform. The research itself, meanwhile, also provides a detailed overview of relevant theory and literature on criminology, justice reform and state fragility, while being supported by Yemeni criminal justice statistics. In light of the theoretical emphasis of this investigation, the findings of this thesis are suggestive rather than empirical. The author argues that the absence of state services, legitimate opportunities and socialising activities for young people, along with their exposure to significant levels of violence, produces extreme economic, psychological and socio-cultural stresses that lead to their increased aggression and rejection of state legitimacy, all of which combine to raise the likelihood of violent young offending in Yemen. It is argued that these trends yield a coherent analytical framework with relevant lessons for other fragile states, notwithstanding that Yemen's cultural specific cities and tribal communities have produced unique influences that distinguish it from other fragile settings. Details: York, UK: York University, 2012. 290p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 13, 2017 at: http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/3960/1/Alexandra_Lewis_PhD_-_Violent_Crime_and_Fragility.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Yemen URL: http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/3960/1/Alexandra_Lewis_PhD_-_Violent_Crime_and_Fragility.pdf Shelf Number: 144454 Keywords: Juvenile Offenders Socioeconomic Conditions and Crime Violent Crime Violent Offenders Young Adult Offenders |
Author: Shortt, Joann Wu Title: Predicting Intimate Partner Violence for At-Risk Young Adults and Their Romantic Partners Summary: Intimate partner violence (IPV) in young men and women's romantic relationships is widely recognized as a significant public health problem due to its high prevalence, consequences for physical and mental health, and persistent nature. Work is needed on identifying both the developmental precursors to IPV and the pathways by which early risk increases susceptibility to IPV in order to develop targeted, timely, and effective interventions. The work funded under this National Institute of Justice award combined a prospective longitudinal component on how developmental risk factors in childhood predicted IPV in young adulthood with a proximal component on how concurrent contextual risk factors were related to IPV. Study Aims were tested using data collected over a 15-year period. Secondary analyses with 323 young adults (184 women, 139 men; average age 21 years) and their romantic partners (146 women, 177 men; average age 22 years) participating in the community-based Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers (LIFT) Study were conducted to examine pathways (i.e., prospective mediational models) predictive of IPV. The models were based on Dynamic Developmental Systems theory, which specifies how family, peer, and adolescent adjustment factors, and how couple and young adult adjustment factors (proximal associations), are related to IPV. The long-term impacts of the LIFT preventive intervention, which was intended to prevent aggression during and following elementary school, on IPV were also examined. Results Findings from five major sets of analyses were presented in journal articles. Areas of interest included examining pathways to IPV from childhood (i.e., prospective mediational risk models) with family and peer risk factors, examining young adult (proximal) IPV associations with substance use and relationship quality, as well as investigating the long-term effects of the LIFT intervention on IPV. Couples' IPV prevalence rates were relatively high. Most IPV was bidirectional or mutual, with men and women both perpetrating and being victims of IPV. Findings on developmental risk factors in childhood supported the intergenerational transmission of violence hypothesis. Childhood experiences of interparent IPV and experiences of coercive parenting (i.e., unskilled parenting) in the family-of-origin heightened the risk of IPV involvement in young adult romantic relationships. Findings also suggest that intergenerational processes and developmental pathways may be gendered. Pathways from family risk factors to IPV were via increased likelihood of problematic development in the youth, such as adolescent antisocial behavior, particularly for young men. Association with delinquent peers during adolescence was identified as a pathway to later IPV. Findings on contextual risk factors within young adulthood suggest important partner influences, such that partner characteristics of antisocial behavior and delinquent peer association also predict IPV above and beyond childhood risk factors. Men and women within couples were similar in levels of substance use, and there were associations between substance use and IPV particularly for men and for poly-substance users. Lastly, although the LIFT prevention program improved children's social and problem-solving skills and reduce physical aggression during childhood, the LIFT intervention did not appear to prevent IPV during young adulthood. Details: Eugene, OR: Oregon Social Learning Center, 2016. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2017 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/250668.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/250668.pdf Shelf Number: 145301 Keywords: Anti-Social BehaviorAt-Risk YouthDrug-Related CrimeIntimate Partner ViolencePeer InfluencesYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Howard League for Penal Reform Title: Judging Maturity: exploring the role of maturity in the sentencing of young adults Summary: substantial and growing evidence base has found that young adults aged 18-25 are a distinct group, largely because they are still maturing. Reaching adulthood is a process, not an event, and the key markers of adulthood, such as independent living, employment and establishing relationships, happen at different times for different young people. Young adults face an increased risk of exposure to the criminal justice system compared to older adults. Contact with the criminal justice system also raises the risk of adverse outcomes for young people and increases their risk of reoffending. Although hundreds of thousands of young adults are sentenced each year, in contrast to the wealth of guidance and case law concerning the sentencing of children, there is no set of principles to guide sentencers through this process or ensure that they take a tailored approach to young adults. The sentencing process presents an opportunity to apply the wealth of expertise concerning the development of young adults to achieve better outcomes. Senior court judgments and guidance concerning children, which acknowledge the reduced culpability of a person who is not yet fully mature, set a blueprint for an approach that could be consolidated and applied to young adults. This research explores 174 senior court judgments with a view to capturing current judicial treatment of young adults, with a particular focus on how judges view the concept of maturity. Key findings from the sample show: - In almost half of all sentence appeal cases involving young adults neither age nor maturity were considered. - The inclusion of age and/or lack of maturity in sentencing council guidance has not made a significant difference as to whether or not maturity is considered. - Where the relevant sentencing guideline included age and/or lack of maturity, and the court considered that factor, it was more likely to result in a reduction in the sentence on appeal. In addition, the research explored a number of references by the Attorney General in respect of sentences deemed to be unduly lenient and judgments reviewing the positive maturation of young adults who committed the offence of murder as a child. These cases illustrate that the courts are capable of taking a nuanced and thoughtful approach based on the actual development of the individual. The research suggests that professionals need to be encouraged to bring these factors to the court's attention and sentencers need to be encouraged to consider these factors of their own will. It also indicates that guidelines can make a positive difference and empower sentencers to reduce sentences on account of lack of maturity and/or age. To bring about this change, the Sentencing Council should work towards developing formal sentencing principles for young adults, similar to the principles that are in place for children. Details: London: The Howard League, 2017. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2017 at: http://howardleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Judging-maturity.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://howardleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Judging-maturity.pdf Shelf Number: 146627 Keywords: Juvenile SentencingMaturityYoung Adult OffendersYouthful Offenders |
Author: John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Prisoner Reentry Institute Title: Building Communities, Changing Lives: The NYC Justice Corps Community Benefit Projects Summary: The NYC Justice Corps aims to change the dynamic between justice system-involved young adults and the communities in which they live. At the heart of the program are community benefit projects - from renovation and restoration projects to educational and arts initiatives - designed and carried out by Corps members. Community beneft projects promote transformation on several levels. By taking the lead in all aspects of creating and completing their service projects, Corps members learn the hard and soft skills needed for their return to education or entry into training and the workforce. As they seek input from Community Advisory Board members and carry out projects in community centers, parks, and other important local sites, Corps members come to view themselves as contributors to the vibrant fabric of their neighborhoods, developing a stronger connection to the physical landscape and people around them. As one Corps member said: "So [we] give back to them and put ourselves in a different light, definitely. It's wonderful." Neighborhoods, too, beneft from transformational physical improvements and the positive engagement of their young people. One community leader noted that Justice Corps members had come at the "opportune time" and "stepped up" to complete their service project. Community benefit projects have the potential to pave the way for a shift in community members' perception and experience of young people with criminal histories. Young adults aged 18-24 returning to their communities after criminal justice involvement are at a turning point. As criminologist Shadd Maruna notes, individuals at the reentry "'threshol... shed their former identities, but what they shall become is not yet known. They stand outside the normal structures of society in a liminal state characterized by jeopardy and promise." The NYC Justice Corps ofers young people a chance to change their paths through youth-led, collaborative service work in the form of community benefit projects, structuring their program participation to reduce the "jeopardy" and maximize the "promise" of reentry. Details: New York: The Institute, 2017. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 29, 2017 at: https://kf4fx1bdsjx2as1vf38ctp7p-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/NYC-Justice-Corps-Community.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://kf4fx1bdsjx2as1vf38ctp7p-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/NYC-Justice-Corps-Community.pdf Shelf Number: 146932 Keywords: Community-Based ProgramsPrisoner ReentryRehabilitation ProgramsWork ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Baldwin, Molly Title: From Evidence-Based Practices to a Comprehensive Intervention Model for High-Risk Young Men: The Story of Roca Summary: Researchers of criminal behavior are taking a more data-driven approach to community corrections. Rather than focusing solely on professional experience or anecdotal successes - key factors that often drive public policy in social services - they are identifying evidence-based practices that rely on empirical research and produce measurable outcomes. The challenge for providers is to bridge the gap between theoretical best practices and practicable intervention models that reduce recidivism rates and keep communities safe. One organization that is finding success in bridging this gap is Massachusetts-based Roca, Inc. Established in 1988, Roca has worked with high-risk young people in various communities across Massachusetts. Roca has served thousands of young men and women facing multiple challenges, including young parents, immigrants, youth involved in gangs, and other at-risk young people. Along the way, though, Roca witnessed a troubling reality: Despite its commitment to help youth stay out of harm's way, and the fact that individuals were attending programming in large numbers and the organization was thriving, the same individuals were in trouble again days, weeks, or months later. As a result, Roca leadership grew less confident that it was doing more good than harm. It started searching for a different path. Around this time, meta-analysis of practices in the field, conducted by the Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) at Community Resources for Justice and the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) in 2002, identified a set of eight methods proven successful in reducing recidivism. Roca found the move toward evidence-based practices (EBP) refreshing: These practices were based on specific principles that had been proven successful based on data, rather than anecdotes, and the idea that some interventions work significantly better than others was appealing. The challenge, though, was to develop a comprehensive intervention model based on these practices and to transform the organizational culture into one that embraces data and evidence. Over more than a decade, Roca has undergone tremendous changes. The organization has rigorously examined its practices, collected and analyzed data, changed its interactions with other institutions, and incorporated only those practices that were proven effective. The result of these efforts is Roca's High-Risk Young Men Intervention Model - a four-year, non-mandated model dedicated to serving 17- to 24-year-old men at the highest risk of future incarceration. The Model was implemented in 2011 and now operates in four sites, serving 21 communities across Massachusetts. Roca's rigorous data track ing allows the organization to measure its success in reducing recidivism and increasing employment among high-risk young men. Roca's baseline is the existing criminal justice system outcomes pertaining to young adults: In Massachusetts, 76 percent of the 18- to 24-year-olds released from Houses of Corrections are rearraigned within three years (Mosehauer et al., 2016), and nationally, 78 percent of those released from state or federal prison at the ages of 18 to 24 are rearrested within three years (Schiraldi, Western, and Bradner, 2015). Roca's outcomes are dramatically different. Roca retains 84 percent of participants annually, despite the fact that these are high-risk young people who are not ready, willing, or able to participate in programming. After completing the first two years of the program, participants significantly reduce their criminal behaviors: 93 percent are not rearrested, 95 percent are not reincarcerated, and 88 percent of those on probation comply with their conditions. In addition, graduates demonstrate significant employment gains: Although 83 percent of participants come to Roca with no employment history, 84 percent of those enrolled longer than 21 months are placed in a job; 92 percent of them keep the job longer than three months, and 87 percent keep it for six months or more. This paper focuses on the gap between research- and theory-based practices and a fully functioning intervention model, and how Roca has worked to bridge this gap and achieve the above-mentioned outcomes. Part I reviews the eight evidence-based practices in community corrections as identified by CJI and NIC. Part II explores how Roca learned of these principles and how it worked internally to integrate them and develop its Intervention Model. Part III explains Roca's Intervention Model and revisits the eight evidence-based practices, explaining how each one is implemented in the Model. The conclusion draws some lessons from Roca's work with evidence-based practices and suggests that Roca's Model is an alternative to traditional community corrections. Details: Cambridge, MA: Harvard Kennedy School Program in Criminal Justice Policy and Management, 2017. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: New Thinking in Community Corrections: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/centers/wiener/programs/pcj/files/NTCC_Evidence-based_practices_final_laser_8-28-17_508_v2.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/centers/wiener/programs/pcj/files/NTCC_Evidence-based_practices_final_laser_8-28-17_508_v2.pdf Shelf Number: 147679 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity CorrectionsCriminal Justice PolicyEvidence-Based PracticesRecidivismYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Pierce, Barbara Title: Roca's High Risk Youth Intervention Model: Initial Implementation Evaluation Report Summary: It is estimated that 15 percent of the population between ages 16 and 24 is disconnected. While there are some variations in the definition of this concept, there appears to be some general agreement that disconnected youth are those young people between 16 and 24 who are not in school and not employed (others have added that they are also not married). The United States Government Accountability Office defines disconnected youth as "youth aged 14 to 24 who are not in school and not working, or who lack family or other support networks." A longitudinal study by MaCurdy et. al. using National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth show that 93 percent of those who disconnect for the first time reconnect within three years. This is promising except that subsequent disconnection episodes are likely, particularly among youth in disadvantaged families. More than 16 percent of males disconnect again in a year, 33 percent in 2 years, and 44 percent within three years. The figures for young women show that one in ten disconnects a second time by the one year mark, one quarter by the end of two years and a third by year three. It is clear that longer term interventions are needed for those most at risk. The greatest concern is for those young people who are disconnected for extended periods of time. It is this group which in adulthood is more likely to have lower incomes, no health insurance, difficulty obtaining and retaining employment, and to contribute to increased crime rates and a greater number of children living in poverty. In addition, young women who remain disconnected for three or more years are more likely to receive public assistance in adulthood.6 While it has been determined that young people who "participated in some sort of job training, job search, or school‐to‐work program during their high school years were less likely to experience disconnection than youth who did not participate in this type of program," we know that there are many young people who will not and do not participate in such programs even when available. In a July 2009 article published in Child Trends, Hail et. al. suggest that recruiting and holding on to this group, the group which does not participate, may "require stronger and more persistent outreach, more intensives services, and more long‐term participation." Roca, Inc., a community‐based organization in Chelsea, Massachusetts has developed a High Risk Youth Intervention Model to address the issues discussed above. It serves the areas of Chelsea, Revere, and East Boston, Massachusetts, and surrounding communities, in which the risk factors for disconnection occur in relatively high concentrations. The risk factors related to disconnection include family poverty level, single‐ parent homes or young people not living with either parent, parental unemployment, lower educational achievement of parents and welfare receipt. Three‐quarters of Roca's participants live in the cities of Chelsea and Revere. Twenty‐four percent of Chelsea residents had incomes below poverty level (compared with 10% statewide); Revere's rate is 11 percent. In the first quarter of 2009, Both Chelsea and Revere had higher unemployment rates than Massachusetts as a whole. Forty‐one percent of Chelsea's residents have less than a high school education; the figure for Revere is 23 percent (compared with 15% statewide).12 Roca purposely seeks out those young people who do not and will not participate in school or other community programs which may prevent or repair disconnection. Roca recognizes that the young people are not participating and engages them in relationships designed to work with them over the course of up to five years so that they can benefit from life skills, educational, and employment programming. They outreach to these young people multiple times per week each week not only for recruitment but to retain them and support them until they are sustaining reconnections to education and employment. In addition to targeting disconnected youth, Roca targets disengaged youth, those still in school, but who are on the verge of dropping out, and refugees, immigrants and others who are only tenuously connected to educational and social institutions. It is engagement with these institutions that assist a young person along the pathway to productive adulthood. Wald and Martinez estimate that 20 of every 100 youth are at risk before age 25, "yet, only five to seven percent will reach age 25 without connecting in a meaningful way to employment and social support systems." It is the five to seven percent with whom Roca works. This report provides a brief history of Roca and where Roca is today. Next there is an overview of the core components of the High Risk Youth Intervention Model and a description of the evaluation of the model. The initial, descriptive implementation evaluation findings follow and are organized according to the logic model. First is a description of the inputs or resources necessary for the implementation of the intervention model. Next is a description of both the organizational level and client level strategies. Lastly is a brief overview of next steps for the implementation and impact evaluation of the High Risk Youth Intervention Model. Details: Boston: Crime and Justice Institute, 2009. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October October 13, 2017 at: http://www.socialimpactexchange.org/files/Roca_Interim_Implementation_Evaluation_Rpt_Dec09.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.socialimpactexchange.org/files/Roca_Interim_Implementation_Evaluation_Rpt_Dec09.pdf Shelf Number: 147681 Keywords: At-Risk YouthDisadvantaged youthDisconnected YouthIntervention ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Delgado, Sheyla A. Title: Denormalizing Violence: The Effects of Cure Violence in the South Bronx and East New York, Brooklyn Summary: New York City launched its first Cure Violence program - which uses community outreach to interrupt violence - in 2010 with funding from the U.S. Department of Justice. Today, there are 18 programs around the city. This report examines two of them: Man Up! Inc. in East New York, Brooklyn; and Save Our Streets South Bronx. Each of the two neighborhoods was compared with another neighborhood that had similar demographics and crime trends but no Cure Violence program. As detailed in this report, the comparisons provide promising evidence that the public health approach to violence reduction championed by Cure Violence may be capable of creating safe and healthy communities. The Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (JohnJayREC) began an evaluation of Cure Violence in 2012 with support from the New York City Council. Researchers visited program sites and interviewed staff about the Cure Violence model. They also assembled data about violent incidents in the city from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the New York State Department of Health (DOH). Between 2014 and 2016, the study team also conducted annual surveys of young men living in a dozen neighborhoods, some with and some without Cure Violence programs. During the study period, New York City's various Cure Violence programs received financial and administrative support from the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice, the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the New York City Council, New York State's Division of Criminal Justice Services, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation of Princeton, New Jersey. Cure Violence is a neighborhood-based, public-health oriented approach to violence reduction. The program relies on the efforts of community-based "outreach workers" and "violence interrupters" in neighborhoods that are the most vulnerable to gun violence. These workers use their personal relationships, social networks, and knowledge of their communities to dissuade specific individuals and neighborhood residents in general from engaging in violence. When Cure Violence strategies are implemented with high levels of fidelity, the program may theoretically begin to "denormalize" violence in entire communities (Butts et al. 2015). As of 2016, New York City's Cure Violence programs employed approximately 130 workers, including two dozen program managers and directors, at least 15 supervisors, and more than 80 front-line workers. Before joining Cure Violence, staff members typically undergo a 40-hour training workshop by the National Cure Violence training team, which is based in Chicago. Additional training sessions are provided in New York City by locally based trainers. During their training, Cure Violence workers learn about active listening, conflict mediation, suicide prevention, and motivational interviewing tactics as well as procedures for record keeping and database management. Staff members at some Cure Violence programs, including those operated by the Center for Court Innovation in New York City, receive additional training in human resources policy, organizational management, and staff supervision techniques. Details: New York, NY: Research & Evaluation Center, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 2017. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 16, 2017 at: https://johnjayrec.nyc/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/CVinSoBronxEastNY.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://johnjayrec.nyc/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/CVinSoBronxEastNY.pdf Shelf Number: 148198 Keywords: Cure ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceNeighborhoods and CrimeViolent CrimeViolent OffendersYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Oregon Justice Resource Center Title: Youth and Measure 11 in Oregon: Impacts of Mandatory Minimums Summary: For more than twenty years, people convicted under Oregon's Measure 11 law have faced mandatory minimum sentences for serious crimes. Children as young as 15 can be charged under Measure 11 and prosecuted as adults. A new report, published by the Oregon Council on Civil Rights in collaboration with us, takes an in-depth look at the impact of Measure 11 on Oregon's young people and whether the law is out-of-step with legal and scientific developments of recent years. This report looks at Measure 11 and its impact on youth from a variety of perspectives for a thorough review. It includes: Brain Science - While research shows that young people's brains aren't fully developed until their mid-to-late 20s, Measure 11 allows children to be sentenced as though they had the culpability of adults. The report looks at how scientific understanding of development has grown and how the law should respond. Legal Developments - A series of US Supreme Court decisions has prompted an overhaul of youth sentencing laws in light of growing understanding of brain science. More than half of states have changed sentencing laws for youth to respond to the updated Supreme Court decisions, but not Oregon. Interviews with Youth - We spoke to young people who are currently serving sentences following Measure 11 convictions about their experiences in the criminal justice system, their backgrounds, what led up to their offenses and how much they understood during the legal process. Data Analysis - Analysis of data tracked since Measure 11 began in 1995 shows disproportionate impact on Oregon youth of color. Figures from 2012 reveal black youth were 26 times more likely to be indicted for a Measure 11 offense than their white counterparts. RECOMMENDATIONS - "Youth and Measure 11 in Oregon" recommends four reforms to address problems with Measure 11 and youth sentencing in Oregon: Remove all youth from automatic adult prosecution under Measure 11 and return Oregon to a "discretionary waiver" system." This would put much-needed discretion back in the hands of judges, in contrast with the current system that allows prosecutors sweeping authority to decide how to prosecute Oregon youth. This modest reform would still allow judges to levy severe sentences against serious child offenders, but would restore the court's ability to look at the mitigating circumstances particular to each case. More transparent data collection from prosecutors' offices and law enforcement. One critical problem with prosecutors' vast discretionary power is that: "[their] offices are mostly a black box with little transparency." 3 4 Police officers similarly share a key role as gatekeepers to the criminal justice system. To facilitate smart, data-driven policy-making, counties across the state should provide demographic data on youth referrals to prosecutors' offices. In addition, they should provide the public with more descriptive information about felony filings to adult court, updated annually. Give all young people the option of a "second-look hearing." Every young person should have the chance to prove to a judge that they can grow and change. The U.S. Supreme Court, relying on the most up-to-date cognitive science available, has said clearly that young people have a tremendous capacity for change and positive growth, regardless of the severity of their crimes. Measure 11 has stripped away the opportunity for young people to demonstrate this potential. A second-look hearing not only allows youth to prove their positive change in front of a judge, but also presents a clear incentive for good behavior and a start on the path toward rehabilitation while in custody. This commonsense approach also recognizes the reality that nearly all Measure 11 youth will, at some point, return to society. Addressing root causes. - Oregon should boost investment in safety net programs that decrease involvement with the criminal justice system. In addition, Oregon should expand access to job training and programs that foster non-violent problem solving so that young people can avoid harsh sentences in the first place. Along with preventative measures, stakeholders throughout the criminal justice system - including judges, prosecutors, public defenders and law enforcement - should be trained in trauma-informed care, cultural responsivity and brain development. Details: Portland: Oregon Justice Resource Center, 2018. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2018 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/524b5617e4b0b106ced5f067/t/5a6fbb95c830254f3376ef75/1517272032695/Youth+and+Measure+11+in+Oregon+Final.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/524b5617e4b0b106ced5f067/t/5a6fbb95c830254f3376ef75/1517272032695/Youth+and+Measure+11+in+Oregon+Final.pdf Shelf Number: 148955 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransfersJuvenile Justice PolicyJuvenile SentencingMandatory MinimumsWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction)Young Adult Offenders |
Author: Forty, Rachel Title: Using family court data to explore links between adverse family experiences and proven youth offending Summary: Risk factors linked to adverse family experiences such as family conflict, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect are some of the strongest predictors of youth crime. This report presents analysis conducted to explore proven youth offending rates of those in contact with the family justice system as a child. It has a specific focus on children that have been named in a public law case, where the local authority has intervened to protect their welfare. Findings from this analysis are associations and do not necessarily represent causal links between contact with the public law system and offending, nor can they tell us about the direction of any relationship. This analysis, conducted by Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Analytical Services, uses linked data, matching extracts from the Police National Computer (PNC) and the family justice case management database (FamilyMan) for the first time. An evidence review of the related international literature was also conducted to place the results within the wider research context. This project is part of a broader programme of work to link large-scale administrative datasets from both within the department and across government, drawing out further insights on the drivers and patterns of offending behaviour to inform policy development and practice. Key findings - Those in contact with the public law system were more likely to offend and commit multiple offences between the ages of 10 and 17 than those of the equivalent age group in the general population. They also, on average, started offending earlier than offenders of the same age in the general population. - Findings from the evidence review suggest that the link between offending and public law may be explained to a large extent by shared risk factors, including family poverty and parental neglect or abuse. - Wider evidence indicates that when children have been taken into local authority care, placement type and instability have been linked to higher offending rates. There is, however, concern about unnecessary criminalisation of children in care homes and this may explain, in part, the higher offending levels for this group. - Results from this analysis suggest that children in contact with the public law system in their early teenage years for the first time were more likely to offend than those who were involved at any other age. - Wider evidence indicates that maltreatment and going into care as a teenager may have a stronger association with youth offending than maltreatment or care only experienced in childhood. Young people's offending may also be affected by the type and instability of the care placement experienced. That said, teenagers can have preexisting issues with offending that may have influenced placement decisions. - Results suggest that for females in their early teenage years, contact with the public law system was linked to a greater increase in likelihood of offending, prolificacy and violent offending than for males. However, young males in contact with the public law system still have a higher likelihood of offending than females of the same age. International research indicates that experience of out-of-home placement can be more strongly linked to offending for females. Details: London; Ministry of Justice, 2017. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Analytical Summary 2017 : Accessed march 8, 2018 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/653037/using-family-court-data-to-explore-links-between-adverse.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/653037/using-family-court-data-to-explore-links-between-adverse.pdf Shelf Number: 149325 Keywords: Children Exposed to ViolenceFamiliesFamily CourtsFamily ViolenceJuvenile OffendersYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: McCann, Ellen P. Title: The District's Youth Rehabilitation Act: An Analysis Summary: On December 22, 2016, Mayor Bowser requested that the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) conduct analysis on the District's Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA). The specific questions to be examined include: how is the YRA applied; what is the recidivism rate of those who received it; and, what programming is available to those sentenced under YRA? In addition to the Mayor's research request, on the same day, Councilmember Allen requested that the CJCC address: how many times YRA was applied to felonies, and later resulted in a set aside; how many later committed another felony, particularly with a weapon or a crime of violence; and how are programs identified for these persons, and the details of their supervision. Responses to Councilmember Allen's requests were submitted February 1, 2017, and informed the analysis conducted herein. The research conducted in response to the Mayor's request examines all eligible offenses, cases, and offenders that were convicted in the DC Superior Court in 2010, 2011, and 2012. This timeframe was selected to offer at least two years after the completion of a term in order to gauge reoffending. Overview of the YRA According to the Youth Rehabilitation Amendment Act of 1985, persons convicted of, and sentenced for, an offense under the age of 221 are eligible for a set aside, or sealing, of conviction at the successful completion of their term, in addition to potentially different sentencing options. Those with a charge of murder, including murder that is part of an act of terrorism, are not eligible. When determining a sentence for a YRA-eligible offender, judges have the option to impose a sentence under the YRA based on the information already available, or, prior to imposing a sentence may order a "youth study" performed in order to aid in a determination about whether a YRA sentence is appropriate. It is intended to determine if the person is likely to be rehabilitated, and to give the offender the opportunity to have the conviction set aside at the conclusion of his term. Authority to formally set aside a conviction belongs to the sentencing judge; in the case of a person who is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Parole Commission, the Commissioner may set aside the conviction sentenced under the YRA. YRA Analysis From 2010-2012, the DC Superior Court handled the disposition of 70,454 cases. Cases eligible for YRA sentencing represented 7% of the disposed cases during this period. How is the YRA applied? There were 5,166 cases that were eligible, and 3,960 persons who were eligible for a YRA sentence during the three-year period studied. In that time, 53% (2,726 of 5,166) of eligible cases were sentenced under YRA, and 60% (2,384 of 3,960) of eligible persons were sentenced under YRA. The offenders sentenced under YRA are convicted of similar offenses to those seen in the superset of all persons eligible for YRA in 2010-2012. Offenses that carried a mandatory minimum sentence were found for just 6.7% of all eligible offenders, and were less likely to be sentenced under YRA, particularly when there were multiple charges that carried a mandatory sentence. Of those eligible persons who had completed their sentence by April 1, 2017, nearly half (976 of 2,135) successfully had their conviction set aside. Younger persons with less of a criminal history (fewer past arrests and convictions and juvenile commitments) were more likely to be sentenced under YRA. Younger offenders with less of a criminal history who were female, as well as those with weapon offenses, were more likely to have their conviction set aside. In this analysis, weapon offenses include only those offenses of possessing a weapon or ammunition illegally. Also of note, persons convicted of felonies were conversely less likely to be set aside. What is the recidivism rate? Based upon the analysis, persons whose convictions were set aside were less likely to be re-arrested and/ or reconvicted than persons who were sentenced under the YRA but whose convictions were not successfully set aside. This held true when controlling for demographics, criminal history factors, and the offense that resulted in the YRA sentence. This highlights the need for more information, as the impact of interventions used during an offender's sentence is not accounted for, and may be instructive to further improve outcomes. When comparing similarly situated persons who were and were not sentenced under the YRA, there was no difference in reoffending from the point they were sentenced. The two groups had similar chances of being re-arrested or reconvicted over the next two years, demonstrating that the sentence itself does not act as a point at which behavior changes, but instead that the sentence merely sets the stage for a person to have the conviction set aside at the end of his or her term. What programming is available? The examination of programming revealed two main points. First, there are no programs targeted to the YRA population. Second, there are programs that a YRA offender might access, such as Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency's (CSOSA) Young Adult Program, Federal Bureau of Prison's (FBOP) standard programming, and the Department of Correction's (DOC) standard programming, but a YRA sentence is not a qualifying criteria for any of the existing programs. Findings and Considerations There is broad consensus that the propensity for youthful offenders to commit crimes desists once they reach their mid-20s. Across the United States, young adult offenders who are able to show an amenability to rehabilitation have been able to receive concessions such as conviction sealing and expungement if they do not reoffend. This is the case both nationwide and locally in the District of Columbia. Neurological development indicates that young people develop reasoning and maturity starting from adolescence, and are well-developed by eighteen years of age. A person can distinguish right from wrong by their mid-teens; however, persons cannot gauge risk, understand consequences fully, or delay gratification until well into their 20s, a phenomenon referred to as the "maturity gap." The age-crime curve supports biological conclusions in this sense, as persons who are criminally active tend to slow down or stop offending by their mid-20s. Young adult offender programs utilized across the United States vary widely, including Young Adult Courts, probation and parole programs, district attorney-led programs, community-based partnerships, hybrid partnerships, and prison-based programs. At the same time, in many jurisdictions there is legislation that directs either courts, government agencies, or both to address young adult offenders in ways distinct from those approaches taken with older adult offenders. Unfortunately, while there is a national consensus on the need to hone practices specific to the young adult offender population, research identifies best practices thus far for only two distinct groups: juveniles and adults. While programs that are known to be effective with other age groups may also be effective with young adult offenders, the evidence base simply has not caught up. After a full review of the findings, as well as the testimony from Councilmember Allen's Roundtable on Sentencing in the District of Columbia: Agency Roles and Responsibilities (February 9, 2017), and the relevant national literature, some opportunities emerged. The findings here show that it is possible to improve the utilization of YRA, be more effective in outcomes for young adult offenders and enhance public safety. This can be done through legislation, as well as through appropriate programming, both of which can help better inform decision-making and help better prepare the offender to successfully attain the set aside of his or her conviction at the end of term. Details: Washington, DC: Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, 2017. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 12, 2018 at: http://www.jrsa.org/pubs/sac-digest/vol-27/dc-yra-analysis.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.jrsa.org/pubs/sac-digest/vol-27/dc-yra-analysis.pdf Shelf Number: 149442 Keywords: Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile RehabilitationRecidivismTreatment ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Lynch, Mathew Title: Arches Transformative Mentoring Program: An Implementation and Impact Evaluation in New York City Summary: The Arches Transformative Mentoring program (Arches) advances New York City's commitment to maintain public safety through community-based programming that supports personal development as a mechanism to avoid future criminal activity. Through a combination of credible messenger mentoring and an evidence-based curriculum, Arches reduces one-year felony reconviction by over two-thirds and reduces two-year felony reconviction by over half. These findings demonstrate the promise of combining an evidence-based curriculum and credible messenger mentoring to achieve recidivism reduction. This evaluation report reflects the findings of a qualitative and impact evaluation of Arches, a group mentoring program serving young adult probation clients ages 16 to 24. Arches uses an evidence-based interactive journaling curriculum centered on cognitive behavioral principles, delivered by mentors with backgrounds similar to those of their mentees, known as "credible messengers," direct service professionals with backgrounds similar to the populations they serve, often including prior criminal justice system involvement. Launched in 2012 as part of the NYC Young Men's Initiative (YMI) and with private funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies and oversight from the Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity), Arches is managed by the NYC Department of Probation (DOP) and currently operates with City funding at 13 sites across the five boroughs. The evaluation was conducted using a matched comparison group to assess the impact of Arches on participant outcomes, including recidivism reduction; to explore participant and staff experiences in and attitudes toward the program; to identify practices associated with successful programmatic operation and positive outcomes; and to develop recommendations for program enhancement. The evaluation finds that Arches participants are significantly less likely to be reconvicted of a crime. Relative to their peers, felony reconviction rates among Arches participants are 69 percent lower 12 months after beginning probation and 57 percent lower 24 months after beginning probation. This impact is driven largely by reductions among participants under age 18. The evaluation also indicates the program helps participants achieve improvement in self-perception and relationships with others. Pre- and post-assessment show gains in key attitudinal and behavioral indicators, including emotion regulation and future orientation. Qualitative findings show that participants report very close and supportive relationships with mentors, attributed to mentors' status as credible messengers, their 24/7 availability for one-on-one mentoring, and a "family atmosphere" within the program. The report presents several recommendations to enhance the Arches program model and capitalize on its success, including better tailoring the content of the curriculum to reflect the lived experience of the participant population, increasing the frequency and length of programming to support participant engagement, and introducing wraparound and aftercare services. The report highlights the potential for expanded collaboration across Arches providers to improve knowledge sharing and adoption of best practices, as well as enhanced partnerships between Arches providers and other young adult programming to supplement service delivery and grow community awareness of the program. The report also calls for expanded mentor supports, including opportunities for full-time employment and advanced training. This evaluation confirms that Arches is an impactful program with demonstrated ability to reduce participant recidivism and great promise to produce sustainable attitudinal and behavioral change for justice system-involved young adults. New York City has already formalized its commitment to Arches through the new allocation of City funding to sustain the program following the completion of Bloomberg Philanthropies grant funding. Additionally, as part of the Mayor's Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety, the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice has launched the Next STEPS program, a modified version of Arches targeted to serve young adults at risk of justice-system involvement who reside in select high-crime New York City Housing Authority developments Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2018. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 19, 2018 at: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/96601/arches_transformative_mentoring_program.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/96601/arches_transformative_mentoring_program.pdf Shelf Number: 149523 Keywords: Cognitive Behavioral ProgramsEvidence-Based ProgramsFelony OffendersMentoringProbationersRecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: White, Elise Title: Changing the Frame: Practitioner Knowledge, Perceptions, and Practice in New York City's Young Adult Courts Summary: With funding from the New York Community Trust, the Center for Court Innovation sought to change standard approaches and resultant poor outcomes by creating age-appropriate programming for criminal defendants up to age 24 across the city. By expanding services and court mechanisms already in place for 16- and 17-year-olds, the Center developed short-term alternative-to-incarceration programs for young adults (age caps varied across boroughs).1 Services included short-term counseling; developmentally-appropriate community service; educational and vocational services; substance abuse treatment, mental health and trauma counseling; and cognitive behavioral therapy sessions. Through a variety of programs, the Center worked with courtroom practitioners to make use of alternative, age-appropriate interventions in lieu of incarceration, criminal convictions, fines, or other sanctions. Methodology The study included two components: - Sentencing Practices Survey: A 42-item online survey was administered to courtroom practitioners across three boroughs with active young adult court programs (Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan) to identify current practices, attitudes, and knowledge among general practitioners. The link was distributed by supervising attorneys at each agency to their staffs, reaching an estimated 1202 practitioners, 194 of whom participated, for a response rate of 16%. Note that 727 of these were 18B attorneys reached via use of a listserv, only 9 of whom participated. The response rate for the remainder of the sample was 39%. - Practitioner Interviews: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten legal practitioners across four agencies centrally involved in Brooklyn's Young Adult Court (the most active of the young adult court parts) to obtain a clear understanding of its mechanics and evolving attitudes regarding appropriate court responses to young adults. The Young Adult Court Model The implementation of the young adult court model differs by borough. The Brooklyn Young Adult Court represents the most extensive implementation of the model, and is consequently featured in this report as a case study. Launched in 2012, the first iteration of the young adult court in Brooklyn was the Adolescent Diversion Program (ADP). As described earlier, through this initiative, specialized courtrooms were established in each borough for the cases of 16- and 17-year-olds. Specially-trained judges with an expanded array of dispositional options available to them presided over the ADP court calendars. The goal of the court was two-fold: (1) to connect teenage defendants with services that might enable them to avoid future criminal justice system contact and (2) to avoid the legal and collateral consequences associated with criminal prosecution. In 2014, practitioners embarked on a second iteration: expanding to include 18- to 24-yearolds in Red Hook and Brownsville, two neighborhoods where the Center runs operating projects with the capacity to support programming for defendants. Finally, in 2015 the Center, in partnership with the Kings County District Attorney's Office, received funding through the U.S. Department of Justice Smart Prosecution Initiative. In 2016, practitioners created the third iteration of the initiative, further expanding the court to include the cases for all 16- to 24-year-olds charged with misdemeanors in Brooklyn.2 Findings Interview Findings in Brooklyn Interview findings suggest that practitioners in Brooklyn generally feel that the specialized court is functioning well, with several key factors driving that success: 1. Strong judicial leadership; 2. A mandatory referral process, facilitated by the Office of Court Administration, in which all age-eligible cases not resolved at arraignment are automatically routed to the young adult court (rather than allowing defendants to opt out); 3. Training in topics relevant to the adolescent and young adult target population, provided to all interested providers by the Center for Court Innovation; and 4. Prosecutorial buy-in and collaboration. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2017. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 11, 2018 at: https://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2018-03/changing_frame_nyc_young_adult_courts.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2018-03/changing_frame_nyc_young_adult_courts.pdf Shelf Number: 150159 Keywords: AdolescentsYoung Adult CourtsYoung Adult OffendersYouthful Offenders |
Author: Stacey, Christopher Title: A life sentence for young people: A report into the impact of criminal records acquired in childhood and early adulthood Summary: This report is part of the charity's Unlocking Experience project, 1 which aims to investigate, highlight and seek solutions to structural barriers that young adults in England and Wales face as a result of criminal records. The report combines a number of activities that we've carried out as part of our work on this project, including: 1. Freedom of Information requests to the DBS and Disclosure Scotland to better understand the number of people affected by the official disclosure of criminal records through criminal record checks. 2. A survey of people who acquired a criminal record in early adulthood. 2 3. Work with the Justice Committee into their short inquiry into the disclosure of youth criminal records. 3 To ensure consistency, a number of terms are used throughout this report: 1. Childhood - People under the age of 18 2. Early adulthood - People aged 18-25 3. Youth or young people- People aged 10-25 (a collective term to refer to people in childhood and early adulthood) 4. Criminal record - Criminal convictions and cautions The original focus was to be on a criminal record acquired in early adulthood. However, in the course of undertaking the survey, it became clear that seeking to separate experiences according to whether the offense occurred before or after the age of 18 was a false dichotomy, particularly for those who were convicted both as a child and as a young adult. As a result, we expanded our focus to include criminal records acquired in childhood and early adulthood. This approach complements other developments around criminal records, such as the Justice Committee's inquiry into the disclosure of youth criminal records (which looked at both children and young adults). It also builds on the review of the youth justice system carried out by Charlie Taylor, within which the impact of criminal records featured prominently. Finally, with an eye to the Supreme Court case later this year, which involves a number of challenges to the DBS's filtering system, 4 it is hoped that this report serves as a useful addition in demonstrating the need for change. The overwhelming message from the survey was that people are held back because of old criminal records (particularly on standard and enhanced checks). Given that the survey was unable to provide a sense of the scale of the problem, we carried out some additional research, primarily by making Freedom of Information Act requests to the DBS and Disclosure Scotland. The data collection exercise provided valuable insight into the number of people affected, and highlighted the wealth of data that is available (and is not published by DBS). There is scope for further and more detailed research into the numbers and types of people affected by the disclosure of childhood and young adult criminal records. Details: Maidstone, Kent, UK: Unlock, 2018. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2018 at: http://www.unlock.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/youth-criminal-records-report-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.unlock.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/youth-criminal-records-report-2018.pdf Shelf Number: 150192 Keywords: Criminal RecordsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile RecordsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Drummond, Caroline Title: 'Have you got anybody you can stay with?' Housing options for young adults leaving custody Summary: Safe and stable housing is a critical factor in reducing reoffending rates for young people leaving custody. It provides the foundations for a young person to rebuild their life and move forward into a positive future away from crime. However, many young custody leavers face severe challenges in accessing accommodation on release; a situation which can push them into homelessness, chaotic housing situations and reoffending. Centrepoint and Nacro have conducted this research to examine the housing options and support in place for young people as they leave the prison system. The research is based on interviews with young custody leavers aged 18 to 25, and interviews with the practitioners who support them across a range of agencies. This research was carried out in late 2017, before the implementation of the Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) and before the clarification from Government that all young people under 21 who have secured accommodation would be able to claim housing costs through Universal Credit. Our analysis highlights three thematic requirements and associated barriers which we believe need to be addressed to enable young people to access safe and secure accommodation on release from custody. While we continue to call for a joined up, cross government Housing Strategy which meets the needs of vulnerable people, including young people that leave the criminal justice system each year, we have identified some practical solutions, that if adopted in the current system could make a real difference to young people leaving custody and experiencing barriers to accessing safe and stable housing. a) Young people leaving custody need the right preparation: - Young people leaving custody should have a resettlement plan to ensure that their housing needs are met and necessary services are in place prior to their release; however, many of the participants in the research reported that planning was insufficient and not done far enough ahead of their release to be effective. - Disruptions such as transfers to different prisons during a sentence can hinder effective pre-release planning and mean that young people miss out on the engagement and support they need. - Inconsistencies in joint working between prisons, community rehabilitation companies (CRC) and the National Probation Service (NPS) make it difficult to offer consistent pre- and post-release preparation and assistance. Practitioners also highlighted high workloads and insufficient resources as barriers to providing meaningful support. - Young people in custody for short periods or recalled to custody may not have the opportunity to engage with housing and post-release planning, increasing the risk of poor housing outcomes and reoffending upon release. - Home Detention Curfew (HDC) can ease the transition from custody, improve access to employment and training opportunities and assist resettlement in general. However, practitioners expressed concerns that some young people who would be eligible cannot access HDC because they do not have housing to go to or provide unsuitable home addresses. b) Young people leaving custody need access to a safe and stable home with an ongoing support network: - Too many young people experience homelessness after leaving custody. Across Centrepoint's accommodation, young custody leavers are almost twice as likely to have slept rough as those without experience with the prison system. This risks them turning to negative support networks and reoffending in order to secure a bed for the night. - Historically some local housing authorities have not assessed young people until they have left custody, even though pre-release work with probation and rehabilitation services may begin months before. This means young people are only able to engage at a point of crisis, undermining efforts to prevent homelessness. - Prior to the HRA some young custody leavers are seen as having made themselves 'intentionally homeless' by their local authority on the basis of having been convicted of a crime, and in general are not seen as being in priority need for homelessness assistance despite their vulnerability. The implementation of the HRA provides an opportunity to ensure this is no longer possible. - While supported accommodation is often the most suitable option for young people leaving custody, proposed changes to funding may put services at risk, particularly those that support people without a statutory right to housing. - The private rented sector is largely inaccessible for young custody leavers, with high upfront costs which are unaffordable for many prison leavers. Interviewees also highlighted landlords' reluctance to let to young people in general and especially young custody leavers. - Returning to the family is often a young person's best accommodation option after leaving custody and the retention of family links throughout a sentence can decrease the chance of reoffending. However, this does not work for those young people who have come from an unstable family situation, and should not be assumed as the best option in every case. c) Young people leaving custody need financial security: - Making a claim for Universal Credit can be difficult while in custody, where access to the internet and Job centre Plus work coaches is limited and inconsistent and where young people may not have the documentation they need to complete an application. However, these barriers are leading to unacceptable delays in receiving essential financial support after release. - Lower entitlements to benefits make it much more difficult for custody leavers to access appropriate housing they can afford. The Shared Accommodation Rate (SAR) drastically limits the accommodation available and can force custody leavers into shared housing which may not be appropriate for their needs. - The discharge grant someone receives when leaving prison has remained at L46 for over 15 years. For young custody leavers trying to make a fresh start whilst looking for employment or waiting for benefits to be processed, this amount is not enough for them to get back on their feet. - Finding and sustaining employment is key to securing accommodation and reducing reoffending. The research highlights some innovative and effective training programmes, building in wraparound support around employment, but found that provision is inconsistent across the wider prison and probation estate. - Criminal records present a major barrier for young custody leavers looking to access employment, with both employers and applicants unsure what legally needs to be disclosed. Details: London: Nacro; Centre Point, 2018. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Report: Accessed June 15, 2018 at: https://www.nacro.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Nacro-Centrepoint-Report-Have-you-got-anybody-you-can-stay-with-June-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.nacro.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Nacro-Centrepoint-Report-Have-you-got-anybody-you-can-stay-with-June-2018.pdf Shelf Number: 150557 Keywords: HousingJuvenile ReentryOffender ResettlementPrisoner ReentryYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: van Koppen, M.S. Title: Doorgroeiers in de misdaad: De criminele carrieres en achtergrondkenmerken van jonge daders van een zwaar delict Summary: Young perpetrators of a serious crime often face serious and diverse problems in the family and at school. Nevertheless, the combination of problems among these young people is not by definition a precursor to a growth in serious crime. Only a small part of this group actually grows into the serious crime. This is shown by research by the VU University Amsterdam among more than 1,000 young perpetrators. The research was carried out in collaboration with the Police Unit Amsterdam and Youth Protection Region Amsterdam on behalf of the Research Program Police and Science. There appears to be only a limited number of distinguishing characteristics between stoppers and career groups. The later growers have more debt and use more soft drugs than stoppers. The contact with Youth Protection is also difficult and involves a negative prognosis at the end of their treatment process. The reason for the research was the often-heard hypothesis that a new generation of young criminals in Amsterdam has grown into serious crime. They have been known for years by emergency services and police, but have nevertheless become serious criminals. In this study, the criminal careers of more than 1000 young perpetrators of a serious offense were studied, who were first suspected in 2000 of a serious violent crime or an offense for which a prison sentence of at least 9 years can be imposed. They are young people who were between 12 and 30 years old in 2000 and who lived in Amsterdam. Subsequently, all antecedents up to and including 2013 that preceded the serious offense were identified. The research shows that only a small part of this group actually grows into the serious crime. Which young perpetrators of a serious offense grow into serious crime and which do not? Some of the young people were accompanied by Youth Protection at a young age, because there were serious concerns about their development. Based on the Youth Protection Files, an exploratory analysis has been carried out into the distinguishing characteristics of 50 career groups and 49 stoppers. This shows that both groups are characterized by serious problems in the family and at school. Many of them grew up in families with financial problems in which little structure was offered and in which young people could not always count on loving involvement of their mother or father. At school, behavioral problems were often signaled and there was a lot of absenteeism. Relatively many of these young people left school prematurely. Although these problems do not in themselves predict whether a young perpetrator stops or continues to grow in crime, the combination of problems can. Early school leaving, soft drug use and having bad friends are together predictive of growing into serious crime. Young people in whom the supervision by Youth Protection Region Amsterdam was less flexible, could, as it were, be flagged as risky and had a greater chance of growing into serious crime. (Google Translation) Details: Apfeldoorn: Politie & Wetenschap, 2017. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 26, 2018 at: https://www.politieenwetenschap.nl/cache/files/5b32816483e81PW100.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Netherlands URL: https://www.politieenwetenschap.nl/cache/files/5b32816483e81PW100.pdf Shelf Number: 150709 Keywords: Criminal CareersJuvenile OffendersYoung Adult OffendersYouth Violence |
Author: Victoria (Australia). Auditor General Title: Managing Rehabilitation Services in Youth Detention Summary: At any time in Victoria, there are around 200 children and young people aged between 10 and 24 years old incarcerated in youth justice centres. Around 32 per cent are on remand and awaiting trial, and 68 per cent have been convicted of an offence. In 2017-18, 961 young people received a total of 1 332 sentences and 460 young people received 777 remand orders. Between 1 November 2017 and 31 January 2018, young people on remand spent an average of 25 days and young people sentenced spent an average of 58 days in youth detention. Young people in youth detention have complex needs-they have often experienced socio‐economic disadvantage, family breakdown, trauma, neglect, drug abuse and violence. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are over‐represented in this cohort, as are young people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. According to the Youth Parole Board, around a quarter of young offenders have diagnosed intellectual impairments, and 40 per cent have mental health problems. Evidence from other jurisdictions, academic research and consultation with stakeholders suggests that these figures are likely understated. A key aim of youth detention is reducing young people's risk of reoffending. Addressing the underlying causes of offending, ensuring good primary and mental health, and enabling education are all steps that can reduce reoffending. Victoria's youth detention system operates two centres-the Parkville Youth Justice Precinct (Parkville), which accommodates boys aged 10-17 and girls and young women aged 10-24, and the Malmsbury Youth Justice Precinct (Malmsbury), which accommodates boys and young men aged 15-24. There are plans to open an additional facility, Cherry Creek, in Melbourne's west in 2021. On 3 April 2017, responsibility for youth justice was transferred from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to the Department of Justice and Regulation (DJR). DJR now manages Victoria's two youth detention centres at Parkville and Malmsbury. Through Justice Health (JH), DJR also manages the contract with the Youth Health and Rehabilitation Service (YHaRS), a service provider of primary and mental health, health case management and offending behaviour services. This contract was transferred to DJR, under the same terms, conditions and reporting arrangements that DHHS established. Following the July 2017 report by Ms Penny Armytage and Professor James Ogloff AM, Youth Justice Review and Strategy: Meeting needs and reducing offending (Youth Justice Review), the government invested $50 million for reform. The Department of Education and Training (DET) operates Parkville College (PC), a registered specialist government secondary school. PC operates at both Parkville and Malmsbury and offers classes six days a week, 52 weeks a year, to all young people in youth detention in Victoria. It also operates the Flexible Learning Centre for those recently released. PC aims to re‐engage young people in education and help them to complete educational qualifications. In this audit, we examined a sample of 40 young people incarcerated between 1 January 2017 and 30 June 2017. We examined how well the rehabilitation services, including educational services, provided by DJR, YHaRS and DET- including PC-are meeting the developmental needs of children and young people in the youth detention system, and reducing their risk of reoffending. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2018. 99p. Source: Internet Resource: PP no 425, Session 201418 : Accessed August 15, 2018 at: https://www.audit.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-08/20180808-Youth-Detention.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://www.audit.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-08/20180808-Youth-Detention.pdf Shelf Number: 151135 Keywords: Juvenile Corrections Juvenile Detention Juvenile Offenders Juvenile Rehabilitation Rehabilitation Vocational Education and Training Young Adult Offenders |
Author: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Title: Children and Adolescents in the United States' Adult Criminal Justice System Summary: 1. As a result of its visits and of the information it received, the IACHR observes that a significant number of children are being consistently treated as adults in the U.S. criminal justice system, in violation of their basic right to special protection and to be tried in a specialized juvenile system1. This issue is the main focus of this report. The IACHR has also observed that this phenomenon of child criminal defendants being treated as adults is part of a broader nationwide pattern in the United States of failure to protect and promote the rights of children, and failure to uniformly define "child" under the law in order to protect the fundamental human rights persons under the age of 18. 2. The United States has played an important role in promoting and establishing a specialized approach to youth within the criminal justice system, with the aim of rehabilitating, rather than simply punishing, youth who are convicted of a crime. The world's first juvenile court division was created in the U.S. state of Illinois in 1899, and within 25 years all but two of the states had followed suit and established similar juvenile court systems. However, the Commission notes with grave concern that in the 1980s, this began to change. By the year 1990, many states across the U.S. had passed highly regressive changes to their legislation and policy with regard to youth involved in the justice system. The changes varied in the details of their implementation, but the broad theme was the denial of access to rehabilitative juvenile justice systems, and consequent mandatory processing of juveniles in the more punitive adult systems. 3. The Commission notes with grave concern that according to the information it received, as a result of state laws requiring or allowing youth in conflict with the law to be tried as adults, an estimated 200,000 children and adolescents in conflict with the law are tried in adult criminal courts each year in the United States. The IACHR is aware that the majority of U.S. states still have laws, policies, and practices in place that enable them to incarcerate children in adult facilities. The Commission is also gravely concerned about the lack of data available regarding children in contact with the adult criminal system. 4. According to information received by the Commission, there are three main ways in which children and adolescents enter the adult criminal justice system in the United States, based on the particular legislation of each state. First, by way of laws that grant jurisdiction to the adult criminal courts for persons under 18 years of age. Second, through laws that allow for a child's case to be transferred from the juvenile system to the adult system. Third, as a result of hybrid sentencing laws that operate between the jurisdictions of the adult and juvenile systems, as well as other provisions with similar effect, such as "once an adult, always an adult" laws. 5. According to the information received by the Commission, the rights of children and adolescents who are charged with committing crimes in the U.S. are not duly protected at each stage of the proceedings, which in turn, has further negative consequences for those who are transferred and sentenced in the adult system. In particular, the IACHR has received information regarding: the absence of quality legal counsel; the possibility that youth can waive their right to legal representation; the fact that youth undergo long periods of time awaiting the disposition of their cases; and the possibility that many youth end up in the adult system as a result of plea agreements, without fully comprehending the consequences of such agreements. 6. In light of the information it received and examined, the IACHR finds that under the current state of the law in the U.S. related to children in contact with the criminal justice system, certain laws, policies, and practices have a disproportionate and discriminatory impact on certain groups, resulting in the over-representation of members of such groups in the criminal justice system. This is the case for children who are tried in the adult criminal justice system and confined in adult detention facilities. According to information received by the Commission, these disparities increase with each step further into the criminal justice system, beginning with arrest and referral to the juvenile system, through transfer to adult courts, to sentencing and confinement in adult correctional facilities. 7. States are not legally required to separate youth from adults in adult facilities. While the federal law for juvenile justice, i.e., the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) as reauthorized in 2002, does establish the separation of youth from adults as one of its core custody-related requirements, its provisions do not apply to children and adolescents in the adult system. This has very detrimental and grave impacts on children and adolescents, among them, according to information reported by several large jails and prisons systems, more than 10% of the children housed there are subjected to solitary confinement, while smaller facilities have reported that 100% of the children they hold are in isolation. Furthermore, no federal or state legislation in the United States prohibits solitary confinement of youth held in adult facilities; only a few states expressly refer to the use of isolation in their statutes. 8. Multiple studies in the United States have shown that adult jails and prisons are detrimental for children, as these facilities are designed for adults and are not equipped to keep children safe from the elevated risks of abuse and harm that they face inside them. Some of these include: youth are five times more likely to suffer sexual abuse or rape in an adult facility as compared to those held in juvenile facilities. Youth incarcerated in adult facilities are also twice as likely to be physically abused by correctional staff, have a 50% higher chance of being attacked with a weapon, and have a high probability of witnessing or being the target of violence committed by other prisoners. 9. This report will examine the situations in which U.S. law fails to protect the rights of children in the criminal justice system. In this context, the IACHR will analyze provisions in U.S. legislation that apply to children, in light of the State's international obligations to protect and guarantee the human rights of children and adolescents before the criminal law, particularly the right to be treated as children. Details: Washington, DC: The Commission, 2018. 146p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2018 at: http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/reports/pdfs/Children-USA.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/reports/pdfs/Children-USA.pdf Shelf Number: 153513 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransfersJuvenile Justice PolicyJuvenile OffendersJuvenile SentencingRights of ChildrenWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction)Young Adult Offenders |
Author: Jarjoura, G. Roger Title: Evaluation of the Mentoring Enhancement Demonstration Program: Technical Report Summary: Introduction -- In 2012, OJJDP launched a demonstration field experiment, the Mentoring Enhancement Demonstration Program (MEDP) and Evaluation to examine: (1) the use of an "advocacy" role for mentors; and (2) the use of a teaching/information provision role for mentors. The overall goal of MEDP was to develop program models that specified what advocacy and teaching look like in practice and to understand whether encouraging the general practice of advocacy and teaching could improve youth outcomes. The American Institutes for Research (AIR) conducted a rigorous process and outcome evaluation of programs funded by OJJDP in 2012. The evaluation was designed to rigorously assess the effectiveness of programs that agreed to develop and implement enhanced practices incorporating advocacy or teaching roles for mentors, including providing focused prematch and ongoing training to mentors, and providing ongoing support to help mentors carry out the targeted roles. The Mentoring Enhancement Demonstration Program MEDP grantees comprised collaboratives that would offer coordinated implementation of the same set of program enhancements in three or four separate established and qualified mentoring programs located within the same regional area. The MEDP collaboratives varied widely in their geographical locations, their size and experience in mentoring, and the structure of their mentoring programs. The types and structures of mentoring programs also varied across, and sometimes within, collaboratives. All the collaboratives proposed enhancements in the way they would train mentors for their roles, and in the way they would provide ongoing support to the mentors and in some cases, the matches. The evaluation of MEDP was designed to: (1) provide rigorous evidence about whether the enhancements improved youth outcomes and reduced risk for delinquency, and (2) describe the practice models and program characteristics associated with these improvements. This combined outcome and implementation analysis was guided by a theory of change. The MEDP Evaluation -- Based on recent research and theory in mentoring as well as the broader field of youth development, the theory of change posited that mentors exposed to enhanced training and support should be more likely to engage in the types of behaviors encouraged through the initiative, and through these behaviors promote more positive, longer-lasting relationships with their mentees, which should, in turn, promote stronger positive outcomes for youth. The implementation evaluation focused on understanding how different the proposed enhancements were from the existing (i.e., the business-as-usual) program practices and whether these differences were big enough to lead us to expect that they might result in differences in match and youth outcomes. We also examined the extent to which the enhanced program practices were delivered as intended. Finally, we wanted to understand what it took for the programs to implement their planned programmatic enhancements. The impact evaluation was designed to understand whether the programmatic enhancements had an impact on the intermediate and distal youth outcomes. We were also interested in understanding - based on the theory of change-what processes led to these outcomes, and whether mentor experiences could be shaped by exposure to the enhanced program practices. Sources of data for the evaluation included program documents, mentor training rosters, notes from site visits, notes from staff focus groups, surveys of staff, and baseline and follow-up surveys of youth, parents, and mentors. Throughout the initiative, the research team took a collaborative approach to working with the program staff who supported data collection activities, to increase their capacity to participate in the evaluation and to ensure data quality. Details: American Institutes for Research, 2018. 233p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2018 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/252167.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/252167.pdf Shelf Number: 153846 Keywords: Cognitive Behavioral ProgramsDelinquency PreventionEvidence-Based ProgramsMentoringRehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |