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Date: August 17, 2024 Sat
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Results for juvenile offenders
749 results foundAuthor: North Carolina. Governor's Crime Commission Title: Gangs in North Carolina: A 2009 Report to the General Assembly Summary: Beginning with the 2006-2007 legislative session, the General Assembly has appropriated funds on an annual basis to the Governor's Crime Commission for the purpose of funding state and local gang intervention, prevention and suppression programs. Pursuant to Session Law 2008- 187 this study reports on the progress and accomplishments of those grant programs that were funded through the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 state appropriations. Emphasis will be placed on assessing these grant programs based on their individual and unique goals and objectives as defined and originally written in the grant application. Significant highlights or success stories will also be included in an effort to document the impact and efficacy of these programs on reducing gang activities in the local communities. Performance measurement data is included and analyzed where applicable in an effort to provide quantitative support for program impact. This report also includes an update on the nature and extent of gang activity across North Carolina drawing upon data as extracted from the state's new GangNET information database. Aggregate state data as well as some county level information is provided on the number of agencies using the system and on the total number of gangs and gang members which have been validated and entered into the database. Limitations of this data and its uses are discussed in order to provide the reader with a better understanding of this new system and to clarify the interpretation of the numbers being reported as a snapshot of gangs and gang activity and not as a definitive count on the exact number of gangs in the state. Details: Raleigh, NC: Governor's Crime Commission, 2009. 94p. Source: Accessed April 17, 2018 at: https://files.nc.gov/ncdps/documents/files/Gang%20Grant%20Rpt%20to%20Gen%20Assembly.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: https://files.nc.gov/ncdps/documents/files/Gang%20Grant%20Rpt%20to%20Gen%20Assembly.pdf Shelf Number: 117103 Keywords: Gang SuppressionGang-Related ViolenceGangsJuvenile OffendersYouth Gangs |
Author: Ireland. Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform Title: Report on the Youth Justice Review Summary: This analysis provides a broad picture of youth offending and detention in Ireland in recent years. Details: Dublin: The Stationery Office, 2006 Source: Year: 2006 Country: Ireland URL: Shelf Number: 115787 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Ballester, Coralio Title: Delinquent Networks Summary: Delinquents are embedded in a network of relationships. Social ties among delinquents are modeled by means of a graph where delinquents compete for a booty and benefit from local interactions with their neighbors. Each delinquent decides in a non-cooperative way how much delinquency effort he will exert. Using the network model developed by Ballester et al (2006), the authors characterize the Nash equilibrium and derive an optimal enforcement policy, called the key-player policy, which targets the delinquent who, once removed, leads to the highest aggregate delinquency reduction. The authors then extend their characterization of optimal single player network removal for delinquency reduction, the key player, to optimal group removal, the key group. The authors also characterize and derive a policy that targets links rather than players. Finally, the authors endogenize the network connecting deliquents by allowing players to join the labor market instead of committing delinquent offenses. The key-player policy turns out to be much more complex since it depends on wages and on the structure of the network. Details: Bonn, Germany: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 2009 Source: IZA Discussion Paper No. 4122 Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 114315 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Apel, Robert John Title: The Effect of Criminal Justice Involvement in the Transition to Adulthood Summary: The last 30 years in the United States have witnessed unprecedented expansion in criminal justice institutions. In an era of rapidly declining crime rates, scholars have begun to call into question the wisdom of continued expansion. There are at least two reasons for such reservations. First, the crime-control potential of expansion in the use of criminal justice sanctions is limited by the law of diminishing returns. Holding constant the composition of the offender pool (e.g., criminal propensities, offense mix), at a certain point the number of crimes prevented by sanctioning one additional offender (via deterrence or incapacitation) will begin to decrease. This is to say, simply, that a newly sanctioned offender today is less of a danger to society, on the margin and all else equal, than a newly sanctioned offender 30 years ago. Second, if criminal justice involvement has adverse causal effects on life outcomes that are correlated with criminal offending, large-scale growth in formal sanctioning might have the perverse effect of sustaining criminal behavior rather than deterring it. Indeed, evidence is mounting that formal sanctions stigmatize an ever larger class of individuals and potentially disrupt conventional achievements in a variety of life domains such as employment, education, civic involvement, and family formation and stability (Hagan and Dinovitzer, 1999). Steadily rising prison admissions, in particular, have given rise to increased attention by researchers and policymakers on issues of reentry and reintegration (Petersilia, 2003). By way of example, from the 1930s through the early 1970s, the U.S. incarceration rate hovered around 110 per 100,000 residents, at which point it began a steady increase that by midyear 2005 had attained 738 per 100,000 (Harrison and Beck, 2006). At yearend 2006, moreover, the total population confined in jails and prisons was almost 2.4 million (Sabol, Couture, and Harrison, 2007). The growth and scope of incarceration is truly impressive, so much so that contemporary discourse is increasingly attuned to the collateral consequences of so-called "mass imprisonment" policies (Garland, 2001; Mauer and Chesney-Lind, 2003; Pettit and Western, 2004; Useem and Piehl, 2008). The rather stark realization of the emerging reentry literature is that virtually all of these offenders will return to the community at some point (Travis, 2005). It is an unmistakable irony that policies of mass imprisonment might actually exacerbate the crime problem over the long run if these released offenders struggle to maintain a law-abiding lifestyle because of the stigma associated with their confinement experiences. What the discussion thus far implies is that criminal justice involvement is a catalyst that initiates a causal sequence of downward mobility for sanctioned offenders, ultimately resulting in persistence (if not escalation) in criminal offending. In other words, a criminal record causes further crime (in part) through its indirect effect on an offender's status attainment prospects. The empirical evidence for an inverse correlation between criminal justice involvement and status attainment, especially with respect to employment success, is voluminous. Extant theory and research provide a number of plausible explanations for such a relationship: The problem of civil disabilities or employer discrimination, the accumulation of a spotty work history, a lack of legitimate job contacts, and a dearth of good neighborhood-based employment opportunities, among others. Although the precise mechanism is not yet well understood, existing findings do suggest (not universally, it should be noted) that criminal justice involvement tends to reduce the probability of employment, increase the length of unemployment, lower wages and earnings, and promote high-school dropout. Studies that take such factors into consideration also tend to suggest that sanctioned individuals fare the worst when they are comparatively minor offenders (e.g., property or drug offenders), when they are of higher social status (e.g., middle-class individuals), and when they experience incarceration (as opposed to arrest or conviction). Yet a longstanding problem is ascertaining whether these unintended consequences of criminal justice involvement are attributable to the causal role that it has on status attainment as opposed to factors that jointly determine criminal justice involvement and low status attainment. The latter is known as the selection problem. In words, individuals with a criminal record might fare poorly in the legitimate labor market and drop out of high school because they had low prospects to begin with, not because criminal justice involvement acts as a genuine turning point in their work and education careers. The brute fact is that sanctioned offenders, in all likelihood, suffer deficits that would greatly limit status attainment even in the absence of an official sanction. It is this pernicious question-whether the relationship between criminal justice involvement and low status attainment signifies a causal effect or a selection artifact-that guides the present study. In this Executive Summary, we provide an overview of the results from a large-scale investigation of the causal effect of criminal justice involvement in the late teens and early twenties on later status attainment. The remainder of the summary proceeds as follows. First, we briefly describe the data and methodology used in the study (a summary of Chapter Two in the final report). Second, we present the key findings with respect to the relationship between incarceration and status attainment (a summary of Chapter Three). Third, we summarize the findings with respect to the effect of conviction on status attainment (a summary of Chapter Four). Fourth, we make some concluding remarks with an emphasis on the policy implications that flow from our findings (a summary of Chapter Five). Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, 2009. 146p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 8, 2018 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/228380.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/228380.pdf Shelf Number: 116668 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersLongitudinal StudiesRecidivism |
Author: Ward, Liz Title: Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP) Phase 1: Overview of Key Trends from a Monitoring Programme Summary: The Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP) was a Home Office-led intensive, time limited initiative which aimed to reduce the carrying of knives, related homicides and serious stabbings among teenagers (aged 13-19). It was launched in response to a number of high profile knife-related murders and serious stabbing among young people. The programme was implemented in ten police force areas in England and Wales and was delivered in partnership with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the police and a range of other government agencies. Details: London: Home Office, Research, Development and Statistics Directorate, 2009 Source: Research Report 18 Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 115635 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersViolent CrimeWeapons |
Author: Arthur, Pat Title: Juvenile Justice Reform in Arkansas: Building a Better Future for Youth, Their Families, and the Community Summary: Arkansas has long struggled with the development of a juvenile justice reform plan that will best meet the needs of the youth of the State. The purpose of this report is to establish the framework by which the Arkansas Division of Youth Services intends to embark on building a long range strategic plan for reform that will best serve the needs of the youth, their families and the communities in which they reside. Details: Little Rock, AR: Arkanses Division of Youth Services, 2008 Source: Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 114755 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Great Britain. Metropolitan Police Authority Title: Seen and Heard - Young People, Policing and Crime: An MPA Report Summary: The Metropolitan Policing Authority Youth Scrutiny was conducted between September 2007 and May 2008. The focus of this youth scrutiny was the causes, effects and impact of young people's involvement in crime as victims, witnesses and perpetrators and how this influence their interactions and relationships with the Metropolitan Police Service and other service providers who have a mandate to support and protect them. Details: London: 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 116246 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenilesPolice-Community RelationsWitnesses |
Author: Baltimore City Health Department. Office of Epidemiology and Planning Title: Examination of Youth Violence in Baltimore City, 2002-2007 Summary: Youth violence is a serious concern for Baltimore City officials. Especially important are discussions surrounding prevention, intervention, and treatment efforts which incur greater and greater financial and societal costs in terms of violence. This report, utilizing data from several Baltimore City agencies, takes a retrospective look at interactions in child-serving administrative Baltimore City agenices among youth victims and perpetrators of violence. Details: Baltimore City, MD: Baltimore City Health Department, 2009 Source: The Office of Youth Violence Prevention Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 116261 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile VictimsViolent Crime |
Author: Hensengerth, Oliver Title: Social and Political Fractures After Wars: The Role of Youth Violence in Post-1993 Cambodia Summary: This study examines the situation of juveniles and the origin in youth violence in the post-1993 socio-political set up, which has been dominated by a triple transformation process of democratization, market reforms, and pacification. This project aims at explaining the levels of youth-violence in Cambodia's post-war society. Details: Duisburg, Germany: Institute for Development and Peace, 2008 Source: Social and Political Fractures after Wars: Youth Violence in Cambodia and Guatemala; Project Working Paper No. 4 Year: 2008 Country: Cambodia URL: Shelf Number: 114768 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersViolent Crime |
Author: Hudson, Nina Title: Wakefield Youth Alcohol Diversion Pilot Program: Final Evaluation Report Summary: This report presents findings of the evaluation of the Wakefield Youth Alcohol Diversion Pilot Program (YARN). YARN is a youth alcohol diversion and community education program to be piloted in regional South Australia from 1 February 2006 to January 2008. The evaluation of YARN was divided into two main components. A process component sought to monitor the process of project implementation, operation and coordination. An outcomes component sought to establish whether YARN 'works'. This report has a primary focus on the outcomes and impact of YARN and a secondary focus on process issues. Details: Adelaide: South Australian Department of Justice, Office of Crime Statistics and Research, 2007. 299p. Source: Year: 2007 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 116305 Keywords: Alcohol AbuseAlcohol Related Crime, DisorderJuvenile DiversionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Evans, Alyson Title: Persistent Young Offenders: A Study of Children Identified as Persistent Young Offenders in Scotland (2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06). Summary: This research looks at trends in the children identified as persistent young offenders in Scotland, specifically the gender, age and local authority areas and how long the children continued to meet the persistent young offender definition. Details: Stirling, Scotland: Scottish Children's Reporter Administration, 2007. 22p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 117365 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersPersistent Young Offenders |
Author: Hanson, Lucy Title: Children Referred to the Reporter with a Low Level of Offending Summary: From the executive summary: "this research examines a group of children and young people who have been referred to the Children's Reporter with a low level of offending. Low level offending is defined here as children who had been referred to the Reporter on offence grounds either once or twice." Details: Stirling, Scotland: Scottish Children's Reporter Administration. 21p. Source: Year: 0 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 117366 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersScotland |
Author: Holdaway, Simon Title: National Evaluation of the Youth Justice Board's Final Warning Projects Summary: Under the Final Warning Provisions, if a juvenile's first offense is within a prescribed range of severity, he/she receives a Final Warning, which is delivered by a police officer in the presence of parents or a responsible adult. This report presents an evaluation of 30 YJB-funded development projects that sought to establish Final Warning intervention programs. Details: London: Youth Justice Board, 2004. 45p. Source: Year: 2004 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 117602 Keywords: Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Hawkins, Stephanie R. Title: Reentry Experiences of Confined Juvenile Offenders: Characteristics, Service Receipt, and Outcomes of Juvenile Male Participants in the SVORI Multi-site Evaluation Summary: This report presents SVORI Multi-site Evaluation findings from the pre-release and post-release interviews conducted with released juveniles in four impact sites. It describes the characteristics, service receipt, and outcomes on juvenile males who participated in the SVORI evaluation. Details: Research Triangle Park, NC: RTI International, 2009. 138p., app. Source: Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 117856 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersMale Juvenile OffendersReentry (Juvenile Offenders)RehabilitationReintegration |
Author: Hales, Jon Title: Longitidinal Analysis of the Offending, Crime and Justice Survey 2003-06 Summary: This report presents longitudinal analysis of self reported data on offending, drug use and anti-social behavior among young people (initially ages 10 to 25) from the U.K. Offending, Crime and Justice Survey, which was carried out annually between 2003 and 2006. The analysis identifies a small group of young people described here as prolific offenders, who accounted for a disproportionate number of offenses, including serious offences. Details: London: Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate, 2009. Source: Research Report 19 Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 117354 Keywords: Antisocial BehaviorDrug Abuse and AddictionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Tarling, Roger Title: National Evaluation of the Youth Justice Board's Mentoring Projects Summary: This report presents the results of a national evaluation of the Youth Justice Board's mentoring program within the youth justice system of England and Wales. Details: London: Youth Justice Board, 2004. 60p. Source: University of Surrey, Institute for Social Research Year: 2004 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 117601 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersMentoring |
Author: Knuutila, Aleksi Title: Punishing Costs: How Locking Up Children Is Making Britain Less Safe Summary: Locking up children and young people for non-violence offenses is costing the U.K. taxpayer millions, while doing little to reduce the amount of crime. This report presents results on the full cost to society of the use of prison. It outlines a policy to change the pattern of public spending for a safer and more inclusive socity. Details: Source: London: nef (New Economics Foundation), 2010. 73p. Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 117865 Keywords: Costs of Criminal JusticeJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Antrobus, Simon, Chair Title: Dying to Belong: An In-Depth Review of Street Gangs in Britain. A Policy Report by the Gangs Working Group Summary: This report analyses the nature and scale of gang culture in Britain. It looks at who is involved and what they are involved in; how Britain has reached this point; and what society can do to tackle it. Highlighting and learning from models of best practice in both the UK and America, it sets ut a blueprint for tackling Britain's growing gang problem. Details: London: Centre for Social Justice, 2009. 228p. Source: Breakthrough Britain Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 113927 Keywords: GangsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Bradshaw, Paul Title: On the Right Track: A STudy of Children and Young People in the Fast Track Pilot. Summary: This research considers the backgrounds and characteristics of children identified as persistent young offenders in the Fast Track Pilot areas and examines the extent to which the principles and processes of Fast Track impacted differently on different individuals with particular reference to change in offending behavior. Details: Stirling, UK: Information & Research Team, Scottish Children's Reporter Administration, 2006. 49p. Source: Year: 2006 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 118106 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquents (Rehabilitation)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Cusick, Gretchen Ruth Title: Crime During the Transition to Adulthood: How Youth Fare as They Leave Out-of-Home Care Summary: This study examines criminal behavior and criminal justice system involvement among youth making the transition from out-of-home care to independent adulthood. It considers the importance of earlier experiences with maltreatment and within the child welfare system on criminal behavior during the transition to adulthood. In addition, it examines whether social bonds predict criminal behavior and the risk for criminal justice involvement among former foster youth. Details: Unpublished report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2010. 83p. Source: Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118076 Keywords: Child MaltreatmentChild Welfare AgenciesCriminal CareersFoster CareJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Fitzgerald, Robin Title: Parenting, School Contexts and Violent Delinquency Summary: This study examines the relationship between parental monitoring and youth violent delinquency in Canada, as well as the extent to which this relationship may be influenced by the school context. Findings support the hypothesis that the negative influence of low parental monitoring is magnified when youth are also exposed to a pool of delinquent peers, and further suggests that the effectiveness of particular parenting strategies may vary depending on the environments to which youth are exposed. Details: Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2010. 17p. Source: Crime and Justice Research Paper Series Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: Shelf Number: 116296 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersParentingPeer InfluenceSchool Environment |
Author: Gibbs, Penelope Title: Children: Innocent Until Proven Guilty. A Report on the Overuse of Remand for Children in England and Wales and How It Can Be Addressed Summary: This report focuses on the over-use of remand for under-18 year olds in England and Wales and how it can be addressed. Details: London: Prison Reform Trust, 2009. 39p. Source: Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 115389 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Swayze, Dana Title: Youth in Minnesota Correctional Facilities: Responses to the 2007 Minnesota Student Survey Summary: This report presents the results of the Minnesota Student Survey, a survey administered every three years to public school students. This 2007 survey was also administered to youths attending schools in 15 juvenile correctional facilities. The survey is a 126 item questionnaire that includes questions about a wide variety of youth attitudes, behaviors and health indicators. Analyses examined differences in responses between public school students and students in juvenile correctional facilities. Details: St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs, 2008. 55 p. Source: Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118095 Keywords: Juvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersStudent AttitudesStudent Survey |
Author: Roman, John K. Title: Cost-Benefit Analysis of Reclaiming Futures Summary: This report outlines and costs and benefits of the Reclaiming Futures initiative, a community-based demonstration project to combat juvenile drug use and delinquency. The evaluation found improvements in treatment delivery and effectiveness, cooperation and information-sharing among service providers, and family involvement in youth care. Details: Portland, OR: Reclaiming Futures National Program Office, Portland State University, 2010. 37p. Source: A Reclaiming Futures National Evaluation Report Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 117814 Keywords: Cost-Benefit AnalysisDrug Abuse TreatmentJuvenile Delinquency PreventionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Wilson, Debbie Title: Young People and Crime: Findings from the 2005 Offending, Crime and Justice Survey Summary: This report presents the first findings from the 2005 Offending, Crime and Justice Survey. It focuses on levels and trends in youth offending, anti-social behavior and victimization among young people aged from 10 to 25 living in the general household population in England and Wales. The survey does not cover young people living in institutions, including prisons, or the homeless, and therefore excludes some high offending groups. Details: London: Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate, 2006. 108p. Source: Home Office Statistical Bulletin, 17/06 Year: 2006 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 116676 Keywords: Juvenile Crime StatisticsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Poortvliet, Matthew van Title: Trial and Error: Children and Young People in Trouble with the Law, A Guide for Charities and Funders Summary: This report explores the issue of youth offending and highlights some of the innovative and promising ways that charities are helping young people to stay out of trouble. The report, aimed at charities and funders, examines strengths and weaknesses within the youth justice sector in the U.K., outlines the role government plays, and highlights areas where investment could create greatest impact. Details: London: New Philanthropy Capital, 2010. 83p. Source: Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 118218 Keywords: CharitiesJuvenile Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Rehabilitation |
Author: Willison, Janeen Buck Title: Reforming Juvenile Justice Systems: Beyond Treatment Summary: Reclaiming Futures is an initiative designed to improve outcomes for drug-involved youth in the juvenile justice system. The Urban Institute evaluated the initiative between 2002 and 2007. The study team assessed the dvelopment, implementation, and effectiveness of Reclaiming Futures and published a series of reports detailing their findings. This report serves as a companion to the previous evaluation reports. It describes several critical issues that were part of the context for the Reclaiming Futures initiative as well as the evaluation. This report explores the concept of evidence-based decision-making and views Reclaiming Futures through that policy lens. Details: Portland, OR: Reclaiming Futures, Portland State University, 2010. 33p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118331 Keywords: Drug Offenders (Juveniles)Juvenile Justice SystemJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Deitch, Michele Title: From Time Out to Hard Time: Young Children in the Adult Criminal Justice System Summary: This report provides a look at how the nation treats young children who commit serious crimes, analyzes the available data with regard to the transfer of young children to adult criminal court, documents the extremely harsh and tragic consequences that follow when young children go into the adult criminal justice system, examines international practices, and offers policy recommendations to address this situation. Details: Austin, TX: The University of Texas at Austin, LBJ School of Public Affairs, 2009. 116p. Source: Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 115642 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransferJuvenile Justice, Administration ofJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Mackin, Juliette R. Title: Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court Outcome and Cost Evaluation Summary: Drug courts are designed to guide offenders identified as drug-addicted into treatment that will reduce drug dependence and improve the quality of life for them and their families. Benefits to society often take the form of reductions in crime committed by drug court participants, resulting in reduced costs to taxpayers and increased public safety. This report presents the costs associated with the Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court programs, as well as an analysis of outcomes of participants as compared to a sample of similar individuals who received traditional court processing. Details: Portland, OR: NPC Research, 2010. 41p. Source: Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118420 Keywords: Drug Abuse TreatmentDrug OffendersJuvenile Drug CourtsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research Title: Research and Practice in Risk Asessment and Management of Children and Young People Engaging in Offending Behaviours: A Literature Review Summary: This study provides an evaluation of the literature on research and practice in relation to the risk assessment and risk management of children and young people engaging in offending behaviors, to be used to inform the Risk Management Authority's future work in these fields. The study incorporates two aspects: a review of national and international literature on the topic, with particular reference to violent offending and sexually harmful behavior, and a review of current practice in reference to the assessment and management of these young people at risk of harm and re-offending in Scotland. Details: Glasgow: Risk Mamangement Authority, 2007. 107p. Source: Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 113632 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Sex OffendersRisk AssessmentRisk ManagementViolent OffendersYoung Offenders |
Author: Gagnon, Joseph C. Title: Making the Right Turn: A Guide About Improving Transition Outcomes of Youth Involved in the Juvenile Corrections System Summary: This guide was developed to assist professionals in the workforce development system in gaining a better understanding of the needs of youth involved, or at risk of being involved in the juvenile corrections system. The "workforce development system" includes all national, state, and local organizations that plan and allocate resources, and operate programs that assist individuals in obtaining education, training, and job placement, as well as assist employers with training and job recruitment. Details: Washington, DC: National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, Institute for Educational Leadership, 2008. 61p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118405 Keywords: Education, Juvenile OffendersEmployment, Juvenile OffendersJob Training, Juvenile Offenders (U.S.)Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Ruddy, Sally A. Title: A Profile of Criminal Incidents at School: Results From the 2003-05 National Crime Victimization Survey Crime Incident Report Summary: This report uses U.S. National Crime Victimization Survey data from three calendar years, 2003-05, to examine a range of characteristics of criminal incidents that occur at school, such as the location at school where the incident occurred, time of day when the incident occurred, whether the police were notified, and characteristics of offenders including their age, race, and whether they carried a weapon. Details: Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, 2010. 25p., app. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118556 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersSchool CrimeSchool ViolenceTheft |
Author: Van der Heul, F.W.T. Title: Adjustment to Life in Custody Among Canadian Serious and Violent Young Offenders: Physical Aggression, Perceived Level of Support From Correctional Staff, and Feelings of Personal Safety Summary: Two theoretical explanations - importation and deprivation - are commonly used to explain inmate adjustment to the correctional environment. This study examined the effects of selected importation and deprivation factors on youth's perceived level of support from correctional staff, their perceived level of personal safety, and whether or not they engage in physical aggressive behavior while in custody. The study controlled for gender, age, race and prior incarceration time. In addition, the effectiveness of the importation, deprivation, and integrated model individually have were investigated. Self-reported data and information from institutional files, collected from 63 serious and violent young offenders in two of British Colombia's major custody centres, were used. The results showed no significant effects of the importation and deprivation factors on whether or not youth engage in physical aggressive behavior in custody. However, results did reveal significant importation and deprivation predictors of perceived level of support from correctional staff and perceived level of personal safety in custody. Youth who reported higher levels of institutional violence and fewer visits from caregivers, perceived less support from correctional staff. In addition, youth who were older and reported higher levels of institution violence, were found to perceive lower levels of personal safety. Finally, victims of physical abuse reported lower levels of personal safety than youth who were not a victim of physical abuse. Findings tended to support the independent effect of the deprivation approach; however, support was also found for the intergrated approach, which combines the importation and deprivation factors, in explaining juveniles' adjustment to imprisonment. Finally, the deprivation and integrated model were only able to predict 32% to 36% of the explained variance in perceived level of support and personal safety in custody, which indicates that further research is essential in order to increase the predictive accuracy of adjustment to life in custody among juvenile offenders. Details: Utrecht, The Netherlands: Department of Development Psychology, Utrecht University; Burnaby, BC, Canada: School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, 2009. 49p. Source: Master's Thesis Year: 2009 Country: Canada URL: Shelf Number: 118357 Keywords: Juvenile Corrections (Canada)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Van Vleet, Russell K. Title: Evaluation of Utah Project Safe Neighborhoods: Final Report Summary: This report evaluates the Utah Project Safe Neighborhoods program, a comprehensive, multi-agency intervention designed to reduce gun crime. The evaluation determined the effectiveness of PSN Partnerships, examined successful gun prosecutions, evaluated changes in felony firearm use, and measured the effectiveness of the public awareness campaign, training, and outreach programs. Details: Salt Lake City, UT: Criminal and Juvenile Justice Consortium, College of Social Work, University of Utah, 2005. 154p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 111247 Keywords: Gun ControlGun ViolenceJuvenile OffendersPartnershipsPublicity CampaignsViolent Crime |
Author: Solanki, Aikta-Reena Title: Fine Art or Science? Sentencers Deciding Between Community Penalties and Custody for Young People Summary: This report presents the findings of a study of sentencing decisions made by U.K. courts to identify why some young people are sentenced to custody and others to community sentences. The research examines cases involving young offenders aged 10 to 17, and explores the issues that may have an impact on sentencing at an individual level. It gives an account of the sentencing decisions made by a sample of 62 sentencers, including magistrates, district judges and Crown Court judges across 16 youth offending team areas in England and Wales. It documents their approaches to sentencing and decision-making process, as well as offering an insight into their attitudes towards custodial and non-custodial penalties. The research highlights a wide range of differenc factors that were reported by sentences to encourage or discourage the use of custody in borderline cases that were deemed to lie on the brink between a custodial and community sentence. Details: London: Youth Justice Board, 2009. 85p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 118822 Keywords: Community Based CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Offenders, Sentencing (U.K.)Sentencing (U.K.) |
Author: Leone, Peter Title: Addressing the Unmet Educational Needs of Children and Youth in the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems Summary: Children and youth involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, like all children, deserve a quality education that allows them to develop the skills and competencies necessary for them to become productive adults. Regrettably, this is infrequently the case. Many of these children and youth leave school without a regular diploma, and still others graduate without the academic skills and social-emotional competencies that constitute twenty-first learning skills. School-related problems are similar for students in both systems, which frequently serve the same children and youth. This paper explores the work that is being done in each system to better meet the educational needs of students within each system and those who are known to both - so-called crossover youth. The paper further challenges the two systems to think more holistically about how to operate in a seamless manner in meeting those needs. Details: Washington, DC: Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, Georgetown University, 2010. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2018 at: http://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/CJJR-AddressingtheUnmetEducationalNeeds-2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118680 Keywords: Child Welfare AgenciesCorrectional Education, JuvenilesEducationJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Noetic Solutions Pty Limited Title: Review of Effective Practice in Juvenile Justice. Report for the Minister for Juvenile Justice Summary: This report forms part of a broader review of the New South Wales juvenile justice system. The purpose of the review is to propose a plan for future policy, programs, and practices within the NSW juvenile justice system. The report identifies and describes effective practice in juvenile justice, and reviews important international and Australian juvenile justice systems and draws from the what works literature to evaluate a range of programs, as well as traditional penal and get tough programs including juvenile incarceration. Specific issues of reducing Indigenous overrepresentation, and realizing and coordinating whole-of-community action are also duscussed. The report will be used to build a comprehensive evidence base from Australian and overseas in order to test current practice and new ideas in the NSW context. Details: Griffith, Australia: Noetic Solutions Pty Limited, 2010. 73p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 119135 Keywords: Juvenile Justice (New South Wales)Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Reform |
Author: Murphy, Peter Title: A Strategic Review of the New South Wales Juvenile Justice System: Report for the Minister for Juvenile Justice Summary: This report presents a strategic and comprehensive review of juvenile justice in New South Wales. The review recommends a strategic change in juvenile justice, with a new emphasis on a justice reinvestment approach. Details: Manuka, ACT, Australia: Noetic Solutions Pty Limited, 2010. 208p., app. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 119176 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice Systems (New South Wales)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Williams, Sarah Title: The City of Easton Weed and Seed Initiative: Evaluation 2008 Summary: This report is an evaluation and needs assessment of Easton Weed & Seed carried out between September snd November 2008. It includes background on the program and target neighborhood, a description of the Weed & Seed programs, the results of focus groups conducted with target residents and surveys of community residents. It concludes with overall impressions and recommendations. Details: Bethelmen, PA: Lehigh Valley Research Consortium, 2008. 23p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 119151 Keywords: Cognitive Behavioral TherapyCorrectional EducationCrime PreventionDelinquency PreventionDrug Abuse and AddictionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersJuvenile RehabilitationWeed & Seed Program |
Author: Bostwick, Lindsay Title: Mental Health Screening and Assessment in the Illinois Juvenile Justice System Summary: In 2000, Illinois piloted the Mental Health Juvenile Justice Initiative which links youth in detention facilities to mental health services. The program serves all Illinois counties and any youth who have had any contact with the juvenile justice system. As Illinois is attempting to create a solid network of mental health services for juvenile system-involved youth, information is lacking about practices currently used by the system to identify youth with mental health needs. This study surveyed practitioners in various components of the juvenile justice system between November 2008 and March 2009 to determine mental health screening and assessment practices. Survey results indicated a lack of standardized mental health screening and assessment across the juvenile justice system. This report provides information on the screening and assessment tools used by respondents, and other tools that can be adopted to identify mental health needs, including reliability and validity studies and construct measurement. Finally, the report also discusses the concerns voiced by practitioners on mental health in the Illinois juvenile justice system. Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2010. 71p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 119239 Keywords: Juvenile Justice System (Illinois)Juvenile OffendersMental Health Services, Juveniles |
Author: Scotland. Community Justice Services Title: Review of the Hamilton & Airdrie Youth Courts: Report Summary: Pilot Youth Courts were established at Hamilton Sheriff Court in June 2003 and at Airdrie Sheriff Court in June 2004. This review assesses the Youth Courts' impact on reoffending rates, with regard to the impact on the Youth Courts of the recent reforms of summary justice. Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Government, 2009. 25p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 119226 Keywords: Juvenile CourtsJuvenile OffendersRecidivismYouth Courts (Scotland) |
Author: Western Australia. Office of the Auditor General Title: Performance Examination: The Juvenile Justice System: Dealing With Young People Under the Young Offenders Act 1994. Summary: The Young Offenders Act 1994 and its later amendments set out how the Western Australian government expects the justice system will deal with young people who have come into contact with the law. The Act recognizes that there should be special provisions for the fair treatment of young people. For this reason, the Act requires police to consider, under suitable circumstances, directing young people away from courts, by using cautions and referrals to juvenile justice teams. The Act also requires police to use detention on remand as a last resort, by releasing the young persons on bail under the supervision of a suitable responsible adult. After a good start and concerted efforts to implement the Act in its early years, the critical strategies have started to lose momentum. This examination found that in recent years, fewer young people who have come into contact with police have been kept out of the court system, and this cannot be fully explained by trends in juvenile crime. Police referrals to juvenile justice teams have also been on the decline, along with the use of cautions. A supporting paper presents a cost savings to the Western Australian Government of pre-sentencing direction measures - police cautions; referrals to juvenile justice teams by the police; referrals to juvenile justice teams by the Children's Court; and court conferences. Details: Perth: Auditor General, 2008. 54p., 76p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 117637 Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration, JuvenilesCost-Benefit AnalysisJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice Systems (Western Australia)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Prospero, Moises Title: Evaluation of Project 180 for Gang Offenders Summary: Project 180 is a gang prevnetion and intervention program that is part of West Valley City's strategy to implement the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model. Project 180 integrates all elements of the Comprehensive Gang Model but the program focuses on social intervention by providing an approximately three month long program that includes mentoring and life skills groups and recreation activities. This evaluation found that Project 180 has had some early successes in increasing community involvement and decreasing antisocial attitudes, school suspension and arrests. Additionally, the evaluation revealed improvement in the participants' interpersonal behavior, such as cooperating with rules, talking to others in a friendly way, and not physically fighting with family or peers. Details: Salt Lake City, UT: Utah Criminal Justice Center, S.J. Quinney College of Law, University of Utah, 2008. 39p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 114822 Keywords: Gangs (Utah)Juvenile OffendersRecidivismRehabilitation |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Title: Migrant Smuggling by Air Summary: This report presents the findings from an UNODC Expert Group Meeting in Vienna on 7 to 9 December 2009 aimed at increasing understanding of migrant smuggling by air, with the objective of better preventing and combating the phenomena. The Expert Group Meeting specifically aimed to gain a better understanding of: 1) the modus operandi of migrant smugglers who use air routes to commit their crimes; 2) good practice of law enforcement and other actors involved in responding to this problem; 3) what the gaps in knowledge of and response to this particular method of migrant smuggling are; and 4) how UNODC and other international actors can better assist states in strengthening capacities to prevent and combat the smuggling of migrants by air. Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2010. 21p. Source: Internet Resource; Issue Paper Year: 2010 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 119248 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersMentoringMentorsMigrant SmugglingMigrantsPrevention, Juvenile Delinquency |
Author: Rosay, Andre B. Title: Juvenile Probation Officer Workload and Caseload Study: Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice Summary: This report describes results of a study to measure and analyze the workload and caseload of Juvenile Probation Officers (JPOs) within the Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice. More specifically, this study assessed the resources needed in both rural and urban Alaska to adequately meet minimum probation standards, to continue the development and enhancement of system improvements, and to fully implement the restorative justice field probation service delivery model. Details: Anchorage, AK: Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage, 2010. 48p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 119286 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Probation (Alaska)Probation OfficersRestorative Justice |
Author: Gallinetti, Jacqui Title: Getting to Know the Child Justice Act Summary: This publication is intended to provide a simple overview of the contents of the Child Justice Act 75 of 2008 (South Africa). It attempts to reduce the legalise of the Act; remove constant cross-references to other sections; and bring themes together in a logical and user-friendly manner. Details: Belleville, South Africa: Child Justice Alliance, 2009. 67p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: South Africa URL: Shelf Number: 119269 Keywords: Juvenile JusticeJuvenile Justice LegislationJuvenile Offenders |
Author: May, Tiggey Title: Exploring the Needs of young Black and Minority Ethnic Offenders and the Provision of Targeted Interventions Summary: This study explores the needs of young Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) offenders and the provision of targeted interventions by youth offending teams (YOTs) in the U.K. The focus of the study was to identify whether there are differences in needs between ethnic groups and to assess the preparedness of YOTs and establishments within the secure estate to respond to them. Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2009. 119p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 119266 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice System (U.K.)Juvenile OffendersMinority Groups |
Author: Kirkwood, Louise Title: Evaluation of the Whanganui-a-Tara Courts and Health (WATCH) Project: Final Report Summary: The Whanganui-a-Tara Courts and Health (WATCH) Project was implemented from October 2006 to March 2007 to reduce repeat offending and improve health outcomes for young adult offenders with high and implicative addiction needs. The evaluation findings are based on a range of data including review of relevant documentation, client file review and interviews with WATCH participants and their family/whanau, interviews with key stakeholders, and analysis of court data relating to number and types of charges faced. Details: Wellington, NZ: Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand, 2008. 77p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: New Zealand URL: Shelf Number: 119265 Keywords: Alcohol AbuseAlcohol Related Crime, AbuseDrug Addiction and CrimeDrug OffendersJuvenile OffendersSubstance Abuse Treatment |
Author: Beals, Fiona Title: Crime Families in the News: Exploring Media Reports of Young Offenders and Their Families Summary: This study examines the ways in which the families of young offenders were represented in New Zealand print media between 2002 and 2007. It comprises a literature review of studies on the representation of families in news media, a content analysis of published newspaper articles and a qualitative exploration on the types of constructions used in newspaper articles. Details: Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Families Commission, Blue Skies Fund, 2010. 37p. Source: Internet Resource; Blue Skies Report No. 33/10 Year: 2010 Country: New Zealand URL: Shelf Number: 119288 Keywords: Crime and the PressCrime in Mass MediaJuvenile OffendersMass Media and Criminal Justice |
Author: Great Britain. HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Title: The Management of Gang Issues Among Children and Young People in Prison Custody and the Community: A Joint Thematic Review Summary: This thematic review, carried out as part of a service level agreement with the Youth Justice Board, examined youth offending teams and young offender institutions to find out how in practice the police, probation and prison services at local level were dealing with gang-related crime involving under 18 year-olds. It found that, in spite of central nitiatives, there was a lack of coordination and of clear and effective guidance on local implementation. Details: London: HM Inspectorate of Prisons, 2010. 79p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 119299 Keywords: Juvenile GangsJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersYouth Gangs |
Author: MacLeod, Shona Title: An Analysis of Youth Offending Teams' Inspection Reports Summary: This research examined annual performance assessments of services for children and young people undertaken by Ofsted in 57 local authorities from January 2006 to April 2009, together with relevant data relating to the national performance indicators on youth offending issues. The findings cover YOTs' performance with regard to: management and leadership; work in courts; work with children and young people in the community; work with children and young people with custodial sentences; and victims and restorative justice. The research found that there has been an improvement in the quality of management and leadership of YOTs and while some areas of work are very good, others show room for improvement. This report is important reading for all those working in YOTs and for policy makers seeking to understand the performance of YOTs over time. Details: Slough, UK:: National Foundation for Educational Research, 2010.40p. Source: Internet Resource; LGA Research Report Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 119292 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ServicesJuvenile OffendersJuvenile RecidivismJuvenile RehabilitationYouth Offending Teams |
Author: Gallinetti, Jacqui Title: Child Justice Alliance: A Baseline Study of Children in the Criminal Justice System in 3 Magisterial Districts Summary: This research report constitutes an attempt to obtain baseline data on the present criminal justice processes pertaining to children in three magisterial districts, namely Wynberg in the Western Cape, Pretoria in Gauteng and Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. It is intended to form the basis of ongoing monitoring research that will examine the implementation of the Child Justice Bill, once enacted. Therefore, this study represents the first phase of a broader monitoring process. Details: Bellville, South Africa: Child Justice Alliance, 2007. 46p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2007 Country: South Africa URL: Shelf Number: 119231 Keywords: Juvenile Justice Systems (South Africa)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Frondigoun, Liz Title: Building Safer Communities: An Evaluation of the Enhanced Policing Plan in the Shettleston, Ballieston and Greater Easterhouse Area of Glasgow Summary: This research was commissioned by Strathclyde Police to evaluate the Enhanced Policing Plan (EPP) in the Shettleston, Ballieston and Greater Easterhouse area of Glasgow. This area has historically been characterized by the endemic problem of violence and gang activity. The EPP is an innovative approach to policing aimed at: reducing crime, gang and anti-social behaviour and territorialism; creating a safer environment; building public confidence; and improving community opportunities for people so that they are less likely to commit offences or re-offend. This research accordingly aimed to establish: baseline information on crime levels before and after the EPP; the views of the police, community planning partners, local small businesses, youth workers and young people about what it is like living in the East End of Glasgow; the effect gang and violent behaviour has had/is having on their neighbourhood; the community views and perceptions of the effectiveness of the EPP in tackling these behaviors, and in increasing public reassurance within the area; and what youths need to encourage them to make attitudinal changes in making life choices. Details: Glasgow: Glasgow Caledonian University, 2008. 103p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 114746 Keywords: Gangs (Glasgow)Juvenile OffendersPolicingViolence (Glasgow) |
Author: Shaw, Margaret Title: Strategies and Best Practices in Crime Prevention in Particular in Relation to Urban Areas and Youth at Risk. Proceedings of the Workshop held at the 11th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Summary: This report presents the proceedings of a UN workshop that focused on strategies, practices, and lessons for urban areas, as well as strategies, practices, and lessons for youth at risk. Details: Montreal: International Centre for the Prevention of Crime, 2007. 184p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2007 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 113419 Keywords: Crime PreventionJuvenile OffendersUrban AreasYouth Crime |
Author: Arifuku, Isami Title: An Assessment of the Enhanced Ranch Program Santa Clara County Probation Department Summary: In 2006, the Santa Clara County Probation Department (SCCPD) changed its approach to serving youth in two of its juvenile justice programs--the William F. James Boys' Ranch and the Muriel Wright Center. The overarching objectives of the change were to provide specific therapeutic services to youth and families while maintaining a commitment to public safety. The new cognitive-behavioral model marks a vastly different structure and philosophy, patterned after the evidence-based program developed by the Missouri Division of Youth Services. The new model, entitled the Enhanced Ranch Program, targets youth heavily entrenched in the juvenile justice system and emphasizes positive, peer-based group interactions and a holistic approach to developing individual case plans. Specially trained teams of staff work with small groups of youth offenders. Teams function as therapeutic units that share the daily activities of life with youth and focus on their critical thinking, personal development, and group processes. The Enhanced Ranch Program serves high-risk, high- need youth with gang affiliations, substance abuse issues, and significant criminal histories. This model was designed to improve outcomes for youth with extensive criminal histories by ensuring that they receive the most appropriate and purposeful services. The primary focus is to help youth internalize healthy behavior that will help them succeed. Details: Oakland, CA: National Council on Crime and Delinquency, 2009. 42p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118219 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationRehabilitation, Juveniles |
Author: Currie, Fergus Title: Message in a Bottle: A Joint Inspection of Youth Alcohol Misuse and Offending Summary: This report re-emphasizes the known link between alcohol misuse and health problems, underachievement in schools and offending behaviour and considers whether youth offending and health services are sufficiently engaged and involved in efforts to reduce the impact of alcohol misuse by children and young people who offend. Details: London: HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2010. 55p. Source: Internet Resource; Criminal Justice Joint Inspection Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 119371 Keywords: Alcohol AbuseAlcohol Related Crime and DisorderJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Chater, David Title: Universities of Crime: Young Adults, the Criminal Justice System and Social Policy Summary: A report by the Transition to Adulthood Alliance highlighting the gaps in policy and service provision for young adults in the U.K. criminal justice system. Young adults make up more than a third of those sentenced to prison and have some of the highest re-offending rates of any group, yet the current policy approach to them is confused and ineffective. Details: London: Barrow Cadbury Trust, 2009. 31p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 119419 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: United Nations Children's Fund Title: Assessment of Juvenile Justice Reform Achievements in Albania Summary: A comprehensive system of juvenile justice does not exist in Albania. There is no juvenile justice law, and accused juveniles are prosecuted under special chapters of the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure. Although there is no specialized juvenile court, specialized judges and prosecutors have been appointed recently, in six courts. There are no detention nor correctional facilities exclusively for juveniles. Male juvenile offenders are confined in special sections of pretrial detention facilities and the special section of a prison; adolescent girls are detained and serve sentences in facilities for women. Juveniles under age 14 may not be prosecuted for any crime or offence, and those over age 16 may be prosecuted for any offence; those aged 14 or 15 may be prosecuted only for crimes. The maximum sentence that may be imposed on convicted juveniles is twelve years and six months. There are no closed educational facilities – and indeed, no rehabilitation programmes of any kind – for children under age 14 involved in criminal activity. The number of offences committed by children and juveniles in the most recent year for which data are available is 949, of which 253 were committed by children under age 14.10 The number of juveniles sentenced in that year, 2006, was 268. The number of juveniles deprived of liberty is small: at the time of the assessment mission, there were 13 serving sentences and 59 in detention awaiting trial or the outcome of an appeal. In 2001, UNICEF supported the establishment of an interministerial working group on juvenile justice and in 2004 it supported the preparation of a situation analysis by an international consultant. This report presents an analysis on progress to date and makes recommendations for continued progress in developing a policy on juvenile justice. Details: Geneva: UNICEF, 2009. 48p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Azerbaijan URL: Shelf Number: 119432 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice Systems (Azerbaijan)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: United Nations Children's Fund Title: Assessment of Juvenile Justice Reform Achievements in Armenia Summary: Offending by juveniles appears to have increased in Armenia during the years after its independence from the USSR and those following the conflict with neighbouring Azerbaijan, but began to fall in 199823 and seems to have now reached levels lower than the years before independence. Correspondingly, the number of juveniles serving sentences and the number of juveniles in pretrial detention have decreased by more than two thirds since 1998. At the time of the assessment mission, there were 18 juveniles serving sentences (including four or five over age 18) and 24 juveniles in the pretrial detention facility in the entire country. The structure of the Armenian juvenile justice system has changed little since independence. There are still a Juvenile Police Unit; two 'special schools' whose students include an unknown number of underage offenders and children at risk; one Children's Support Centre in the capital; one correctional facility for convicted juveniles and one centre for juveniles awaiting trial and sentencing; and judges appointed to handle juvenile cases, but no specialized juvenile court. Many of these institutions have undergone extensive reforms, however. The Police have entrusted management of the reception and distribution centre - renamed 'Children's Support Centre' - to an NGO that has converted it into a model centre for children at risk. The Juvenile Police participate in innovative programmes on community-based prevention and treatment, in cooperation with NGOs. Policies and programmes in the juvenile correctional facility have improved, although a coherent approach to rehabilitation is lacking. Some new programmes and institutions have been established. In cooperation with the Police of RA and the NGO Project Harmony, a successful community-based prevention and rehabilitation programme was launched, which is operational in six cities and is included in the National Plan of Action for the Protection of the Rights of the Child 2004-2015. The Public Defender's Office is providing legal services to accused juveniles and the Monitoring Groups are making valuable contributions to the transformation of juvenile justice. There is no framework law on juvenile justice; as in Soviet times, cases involving juvenile suspects and defendants, convicted juveniles and juvenile prisoners are governed by the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Executive Criminal Code and other laws and regulations. Most of the relevant legislation has been amended, and some of the amendments bring the law into greater conformity with international standards. Juvenile suspects have a right to legal assistance as from the moment of detention, and accused juveniles from the moment charges are filed. Representation by a defence attorney is mandatory. Once a juvenile is accused of an offence, only a court may order detention. Those accused of minor offences may not be detained. Prison sentences may not be imposed for minor offences. The maximum sentence for convicted juveniles is ten years, but few receive sentences of more than five years. Training in the rights of the child has had significant positive impact on the Juvenile Police, and the courts. Although many improvements have been made, further progress is required. Some advances are urgent. Police have authority to detain juvenile suspects for 72 hours; cases of abuse and even torture have been reported; and commitment to eradicating these practices is insufficient. Renovation of the physical infrastructure of the facility for convicted juveniles is urgently needed. While physical conditions in the pretrial detention centre have improved, restrictions on activities and movement incompatible with the rights to education, recreation and humane treatment are applied. Further amendments to legislation also are required. Prison regulations still allow solitary confinement as a punishment, in violation of international standards. Legal standards on pretrial detention are too vague, and the maximum period of detention before and during trial should be reduced to comply with the recommendation of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. Similarly, the maximum period of police custody without a court order should be reduced to 24 hours. If one or more special schools remain open, norms governing them, which consist mainly of regulations, should be replaced by legislation compatible with international standards. Other recommendations made by the assessment team include: - The effectiveness of existing institutions and programmes for the prevention of offending and re-offending should be assessed to obtain the information needed in order to take decisions regarding the future of the Community Justice Centres, the Legal Socialization Project and the special schools. - The possibility of designating certain investigators to become specialized in criminal cases involving juveniles should be considered. - The need for a specialized children's court should be assessed, inter alia, by an evaluation of the way specialized judges carry out their duties. - Data on the impact (positive and negative) of custodial and non-custodial sentences on convicted juveniles should be collected and analysed to shed light on the effectiveness of existing sentencing policies and practice. - Consideration should be given to the adoption of a framework law specifically on juvenile justice to eliminate the gaps in existing legislation and norms applicable to both juveniles and adults that are incompatible with the rights of children. - Training should be conducted in the psychology of offenders, the prevention of offending and re-offending (rehabilitation of offenders), the treatment of child victims and the skills necessary to conduct criminological research. - Existing inter-agency coordination mechanisms should be strengthened. - A specialized child rights unit should be created by the Human Rights Defender. - Relevant indicators concerning juvenile justice should be identified and the corresponding data published annually. Details: Geneva: UNICEF, 2020. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 17, 2019 at: https://www.un.am/up/library/Juvenile%20Justice%20Reform%20Achievements_eng.pdf Year: 2020 Country: Armenia URL: Shelf Number: 119433 Keywords: At-Risk YouthJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Percy, Stephen L. Title: Evaluation of the Safe and Sound Initiative in Milwaukee Summary: The Safe & Sound Initiative contracted with the Center for Urban Initiatives and Research (CUIR) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Safe & Sound Initiative. The three prongs of the Initiative include: (1) Safe Places that offer programs and support for youth after school and in the early evening, (2) Community Partners who work in Milwaukee’s neighborhoods as organizers to learn resident concerns about crime and share crime information with law enforcement agencies, and (3) Area Specific Law Enforcement where the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), Safe & Sound, and Milwaukee High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) work together to produce a reduction in violent crime. This comprehensive assessment of the Safe & Sound Initiative utilized an extensive and diverse array of data collection strategies in order to garner knowledge on many different facets of the Initiative and obtain information from a large set of stakeholders. Data collection strategies include: (1) information abstracted from proposals for Safe Places funding, (2) interviews with key staff in Safe Places, (3) interviews with Community Partners, (4) interviews with community leaders, (5) interviews with law enforcement officials, (6) interviews with local elected officials, (7) interviews with neighborhood residents living near Safe Places, (8) focus groups with youth who attend Safe Places, (9) “quickâ€, on-the-street surveys with youth, (10) on-site observations at Safe Places, and (11) examination of crime data. For Safe Places, this evaluation is conducted at two levels of analysis. The first level explores the full array of 35 Safe Places operating during 2007 and the second examines, more intensely, eight selected Safe Places that together represent diversity with regard to type of organization (i.e., some operated as branches of larger organizations and some were single entity nonprofits), geographic location within the city, programming, and size of budget. The eight intensive study sites are: Running Rebels, Latino Community Center, Mary Ryan Boys and Girls Club, Agape Community Center, Parkland YMCA, Silver Spring Neighborhood Center (at the John Muir Community Learning Center), COA Golden Center, and Davis Boys and Girls Club. Details: Milwaukee, WI: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Center for Urban Initiatives and Research, 2008. 257p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 119517 Keywords: Community ParticipationDelinquency PreventionDrug TraffickingJuvenile CrimeJuvenile OffendersViolent Crime (Milwaukee) |
Author: Sims, Barbara Title: Final Report: An Evaluation of the PCCD-Funded Police-Probation Partnerships Projects Summary: In April, 2002, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) began funding three Police-Probation Partnership (PPP) projects in Lackawanna, Lehigh, and Mercer Counties. These programs are modeled after the Operation Night Light (ONL) program that began in Boston, Massachusetts in 1992. The goals of the PPP projects are to reduce recidivism among selected juvenile and/or adult probationers, to reduce police calls for service and criminal activity in the target areas, to increase public perceptions of safety in the neighborhoods where PPP projects are operating, and to strengthen linkages between the police departments and county probation departments. The purpose of this study was to determine: (1) whether the three funded sites have implemented the program according to the specified goals and objectives of the program; (2) whether the sites are meeting the expectations of the PCCD related to the goals and objectives of PPP programming in general; and (3) the nature and extent of the impact of PPP programming in the targeted areas. Details: Philadelphia: Center for Research, Evaluation and Statistical Analysis, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, 2006. 119p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 119531 Keywords: Adult Probation (Pennsylvania)Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Probation (Pennsylvania)PartnershipsPolice Calls for Service |
Author: Frondigoun, Liz Title: An Evaluation of the Inverclyde Initiative Summary: The Inverclyde Initiative is an innovative approach to policing, focused on addressing the problem of groups of youths deemed to be at risk and the associated issues of child protection, which aimed to raise parents awareness of the activities their children are involved in; challenge youths' behaviour patterns; educate them to the dangers they are placing themselves and others in by pursuing such activities; provide them with information and opportunities to encourage them to adopt positive life choices; and inform on community opportunities to reduce the likelihood of re-offending. This research aimed to establish: baseline information on crime levels before and after the Inverclyde Initiative; the views of the police, their partner agencies, young people and their families about what it is like living in Greenock; the role of the media in disseminating and supporting this initiative; the perceptions of parents and young people on the effects of youth crime particularly that of gang, violent, and anti-social behaviour in their neighbourhoods; their views and perceptions on the success of the Initiative; what youths need to discourage them from engaging in these anti-social behaviours; and what they need to encourage them to make attitudinal changes towards making more positive life choices. Details: Glasgow: Glasgow Caledonian University, 2009. 88p. Source: Internet Resource; Report prepared for the Strathclyde Police Force Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 119539 Keywords: Antisocial BehaviorGangsJuvenile OffendersMediaPolicingProblem Youth |
Author: Geoff Berry Associates Title: Evaluation of the WMTTS Mediation Project in Birmingham Summary: The West Midlands Mediation and Transformation Service (WMMTS) was established in late 2004 and emerged from dialogue between police and community regarding the escalation of gun related violence. The scheme is now an integral part of an overall strategy designed to address gang violence across Birmingham. The aims of the scheme seek to both facilitate a cessation of gang related shootings and provide a pathway for those who wish to exit the gun and gang culture to do so. Operating with a team of six mediators, all trained and accredited, the scheme has three broad strands, namely; Proactive intervention: to facilitate negotiation between factions Post-event intervention: To mediate and prevent retaliation and escalation Facilitate delivery of support: to encourage those who wish to exit the gun and gang culture to do so. There is strong evidence that demand for the services of the scheme is growing and while strategic linkages have been made with a community based group, Increase the Peace UK (IPUK), it is important that demand is managed such that the team is not over-burdened. Details: Stafford, UK: Geoff Berry Associates, 2006. 27p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2006 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 119540 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Birmingham, UK)Juvenile OffendersViolent Crime |
Author: Raguski, Mike Title: From Wannabes to Youth Offenders: Youth Gangs in Counties Manukau Summary: This research is part of a cross-sectoral, multi-faceted response to a call for significant government intervention in Counties Manukau after increased reports about escalating youth gang activity and violent assaults in the area. The first section of the research report outlines the methodology for the research, while the second section sets the context by looking at the demographic profile of Counties Manukau, and at definitions of youth gangs and the history of youth gangs in New Zealand. The third section looks specifically at youth gangs in Counties Manukau by profiling youth gangs, discussing whether the prevalence of youth gangs can be determined, and discussing factors that may contribute to youth gangs and youth delinquency. This third section also lists participants' suggested responses to the issues associated with youth gangs and youth delinquency. The report ends with an addendum that focuses on a plan of action, which is a key part of government's longer-term response. The plan sets out 26 actions that government is undertaking now to improve outcomes for young people in Counties Manukau and other key areas across Auckland, to better support young people to succeed. Details: Wellington, NZ: Centre for Social Research and Evaluation; Ministry of Social Development, 2006-2008. 24p.; 62p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: New Zealand URL: Shelf Number: 119556 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionGangs (New Zealand)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Australia. Parliament. House of Representatives, Standing Committee on Family, Community, Housing and Youth Title: Avoid the Harm - Stay Calm: Report on the Inquiry into the Impact of Violence on Young Australians Summary: This report attempts to answer the following qustion - What needs to be done to curb youth violence and address the concerns of young people and of the wider Australian community? As such, it reports on the impact of violence on young Australians with particular reference to: perceptions of violence and community safety among young Australians; links between illicit drug use, alcohol abuse and violence among young Australians; the relationship between bullying and violence and the well-being of young Australians; social and economic factors that contribute to violence by young Australians; and strategies to reduce violence and its impact among young Australians. Details: Canberra: Parliament of Australia, 2010. 180p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 119529 Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, DisorderDrug Abuse and CrimeJuvenile OffendersVictims of CrimeViolenceViolent Offenders |
Author: Redding, Richard E. Title: Juvenile Transfer Laws: An Effective Deterrent to Delinquency? Summary: In an effort to strengthen the sanctions for serious juvenile crimes, a number of States have enacted laws increasing the types of offenders and offenses eligible for transfer from the juvenile court to the adult criminal court for trial and potential sentencing. These laws have lowered the minimum transfer age, increased the number of offenses eligible for transfer, and limited judicial discretion, while expanding prosecutorial discretion for transfers. Among the principal goals of such transfer laws are the deterrence of juvenile crime and a reduction in the rate of recidivism, but what does the research indicate about their effectiveness in addressing these ends? Several studies have found higher recidivism rates for juveniles convicted in criminal court than for similar offenders adjudicated in juvenile courts. The research is less clear, however, in regard to whether transfer laws deter potential juvenile offenders. This Bulletin provides an overview of research on the deterrent effects of transferring youth from juvenile to criminal courts, focusing on large-scale comprehensive OJJDP-funded studies on the effect of transfer laws on recidivism. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 14, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/220595.pdf; Juvenile Justice Bulletin, June 2010 Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/220595.pdf; Juvenile Justice Bulletin, June 2010 Shelf Number: 119607 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransfersJuvenile CourtsJuvenile OffendersRecidivism |
Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Home Affairs Select Committee Title: Home Affairs Select Committee Inquiry: Young Black People and the Criminal Justice System: Second Annual Report Summary: "This is the second annual report to the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee (the Committee) setting out progress we are making on the range of commitments made in the Government’s response to the report and recommendations of the Committee’s Inquiry on Young Black People and the Criminal Justice System (CJS). This year’s report retains the original chapter headings used by the Committee and continues to outline progress against each recommendation from the Committee’s report (set out with its paragraph reference for ease of reference). In addition, each chapter is now accompanied by an overview of the work being delivered to improve outcomes for young black people, and a summary of future activity, in each of the areas highlighted by the Committee. This allows us to show how the Committee’s recommendations are being embedded into Government policy. Overall, this report demonstrates good progress. Action is in hand to address, and in some cases go beyond, the Committee’s recommendations. However, we are not complacent. The Government fully recognises the scale of the challenge before us and accept that there is more to do. We are confident that we have the right strategies in place to reduce race disproportionality across the CJS. The forthcoming race strategy, to be published shortly by Communities and Local Government, will also ensure that promoting race equality is central to all policy making, in all government departments, and that all public services play their part in tackling inequalities." Details: London: HM Government, 2009. 98p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 14, 2010 at:http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/docs/young-black-people-cjs-dec09.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/docs/young-black-people-cjs-dec09.pdf Shelf Number: 117586 Keywords: Juvenile Justice (U.K.)Juvenile OffendersMinority GroupsRace/Ethnicity |
Author: Canadian Institute for Health Information Title: Improving the Health of Canadians: Mental Health, Delinquency and Criminal Activity Summary: "This report examines the relationships between mental health, delinquency and criminal activity and their various determinants. By better understanding how these issues are related to each other, we can better understand what interventions and policies may be effective at promoting mental health, preventing delinquency and criminal activity and reducing the risk of repeat offending, particularly among those with a mental illness. Section one looks at what mental health– related factors at the individual, family, school/peer and community levels are risk factors for or protective factors against delinquency or criminal activity. Given the focus on delinquency, part one has a heavy focus on youth. This youth focus is also seen in new CPHI analyses of data from Statistics Canada’s National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY). These analyses explore how various mental health–related factors are linked to delinquency in either a protective manner or as a risk factor. Section one concludes with a look at various policies and programs that address both mental health promotion and the prevention of delinquency or criminal activity. Section two looks at people with a mental illness who were or are involved with the criminal justice system. It looks at the characteristics of those with a mental illness and a history of criminal behaviour who are admitted to a mental health bed. It also explores the prevalence of mental illness (including addictions) among those who have committed a crime and are currently involved with Canada’s justice system. Section two concludes with a look at existing policies and programs that have a mental health focus for those presently in or released from a correctional facility." Details: Ottawa: Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2008. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 19, 2010 at: http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/products/mh_crime_full_report_apr11_08_e.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/products/mh_crime_full_report_apr11_08_e.pdf Shelf Number: 110843 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersMental Health (Canada)Mental Health Services (Canada)Mentally Ill Offenders (Canada) |
Author: Irish Youth Justice Service Title: Designing Effective Local Responses to Youth Crime: A Baseline Analysis of the Garda Youth Diversion Projects Summary: Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs) are one of the measures in place to help reduce youth crime. This report is the first part of an improvement programme for GYDPs, as envisaged by the National Youth Justice Strategy 2008-2010. The report was undertaken to provide an account of youth crime as it occurs in local areas and to analyse how GYDPs intend to impact upon youth offending. The report aims to help secure better outcomes for young people engaged with GYDPs and to make a corresponding impact on youth crime. Details: Dublin: Irish Youth Justice Services, 2009. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: http://www.iyjs.ie/en/IYJS/GYDP%20Baseline%20Report.pdf/Files/GYDP%20Baseline%20Report.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Ireland URL: http://www.iyjs.ie/en/IYJS/GYDP%20Baseline%20Report.pdf/Files/GYDP%20Baseline%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 116376 Keywords: Juvenile DiversionJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Weaver, Cynthia Title: Identifying Gendered Trajectories of Offending for a Panel of First Time Youth Offenders: Exploring the Influence of Time-Stable Covariates Summary: Gendered trajectories of juvenile offending over an eight year observation period are specified for a retrospective longitudinal sample of 15,959 female and male first time offenders up to age 18 in a southeastern state. Semiparametric group modeling is used to specify offending trajectories for a response variable operationalized as a frequency count of unique complaints by age. Time-stable psychosocial and systems-level covariates are also investigated as predictors of likely trajectory group membership. The probability of trajectory group membership is investigated as a predictor for secure incarceration. Results specify a three-solution model for juvenile females and a six-solution model for juvenile males. Prior child maltreatment – substantiated as well as alleged but dismissed - is a predictor of moderate- to higher-level offending across all gendered trajectories (with the exception of one higher-level but decreasing male trajectory). Living in a blended family (mother plus stepfather or father plus stepmother), living with grandparents, and living with relatives at first offense are all correlated with moderate -level offending for male juveniles. Living in foster care at first offense is a predictor for both lower-level and higher-level female offending. Both the three-solution female model and the six-solution male model predict incarceration. Further research is warranted to investigate severity of offending as a response variable for the juvenile offending trajectories identified in the dissertation study. Details: Tuscaloosa, AL: School of Social Work, University of Alabama, 2010. 96p. (Thesis) Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 21, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/231199.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/231199.pdf Shelf Number: 119652 Keywords: Child Abuse and DelinquencyGenderJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersLongitudinal Studies |
Author: Weaver, Cynthia Title: Identifying Gendered Trajectories of Offending for a Panel of First Time Youth Offenders: Exploring the Influence of Time-Stable Covariates Summary: Gendered trajectories of juvenile offending over an eight year observation period are specified for a retrospective longitudinal sample of 15,959 female and male first time offenders up to age 18 in a southeastern state. Semiparametric group modeling is used to specify offending trajectories for a response variable operationalized as a frequency count of unique complaints by age. Time-stable psychosocial and systems-level covariates are also investigated as predictors of likely trajectory group membership. The probability of trajectory group membership is investigated as a predictor for secure incarceration. Results specify a three-solution model for juvenile females and a six-solution model for juvenile males. Prior child maltreatment – substantiated as well as alleged but dismissed - is a predictor of moderate- to higher-level offending across all gendered trajectories (with the exception of one higher-level but decreasing male trajectory). Living in a blended family (mother plus stepfather or father plus stepmother), living with grandparents, and living with relatives at first offense are all correlated with moderate -level offending for male juveniles. Living in foster care at first offense is a predictor for both lower-level and higher-level female offending. Both the three-solution female model and the six-solution male model predict incarceration. Further research is warranted to investigate severity of offending as a response variable for the juvenile offending trajectories identified in the dissertation study. Details: Tuscaloosa, AL: School of Social Work, University of Alabama, 2010. 96p. (Thesis) Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 21, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/231199.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/231199.pdf Shelf Number: 119652 Keywords: Child Abuse and DelinquencyGenderJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersLongitudinal Studies |
Author: Taylor-Butts, Andrea Title: Where and When Youth Commit Police-Reported Crimes, 2008 Summary: Using information from the 2008 Incident-based Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (UCR2), this report examines the location, time of year, day of the week and time of day of police-reported youth crimes. Details: Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2010. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 21, 2010 at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2010002/article/11241-eng.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2010002/article/11241-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 119653 Keywords: Crime Statistics, JuvenilesJuvenile Crime (Canada)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: New Mexico Department of Health, Office of Injury Prevention, Injury and Behavioral Epidemiology Bureau, Epidemiology and Response Division Title: Youth Violence in New Mexico: An Assessment of Indicators, Policies, Resources, and Community Readiness Summary: New Mexico (NM) has some of the highest rates of violence in the country. The high rates of violence extend to the youth and young adult (18–24 years old) populations. New Mexico’s youth homicide and suicide rates have been higher than national rates over the last 10 years. This assessment includes analysis of risk and resiliency/protective factors among New Mexico youth. The assessment includes youth perspectives on risk and resiliency factors from several activities and surveys. Among the greatest risk factors identified by youth are drugs and alcohol use, racism, gang involvement, domestic violence, teen pregnancy, and mental health concerns. Youth report resiliency factors as positive relationships with peers and adults, participation in after school activities, and spiritual/religious involvement. Details: Albuquerque, NM: New Mexico Department of Health, 2005. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 21, 2010 at: http://www.health.state.nm.us/pdf/Youth_Violence_in_New_Mexico.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: http://www.health.state.nm.us/pdf/Youth_Violence_in_New_Mexico.pdf Shelf Number: 119208 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquency (New Mexico)Juvenile OffendersYouth Violence (New Mexico) |
Author: Tolan, Patrick Title: Mentoring Interventions to Affect Juvenile Delinquency and Associated Problems Summary: Mentoring is one of the most commonly-used interventions to prevent, divert, and remediate youth engaged in, or thought to be at risk for delinquent behavior, school failure, aggression, or other antisocial behavior. We conducted a meta-analytic review of selective and indicated mentoring interventions that have been evaluated for their effects on delinquency outcomes for youth (e.g., arrest or conviction as a delinquent, self-reported involvement) and key associated outcomes (aggression, drug use, academic functioning). Of 112 identified studies reported published between 1970 and 2005, 39 met criteria for inclusion. Mean effects sizes were significant and positive for each outcome category. Effects were largest (still moderate by Cohen’s differentiation) for delinquency and aggression. However, these categories also showed the most heterogeneity across studies. The obtained patterns of effects suggest mentoring may be valuable for those at-risk or already involved in delinquency and for associated outcomes. Moderator analyses found stronger effects in RCTs compared to quasi-experimental studies, for studies where emotional support was a key process involved in mentoring, and where professional development was a motivation for mentors. However , the collected set of studies are less informative than expected with quite limited detail in studies about what comprised mentoring activity and key implementation characteristics. This limitation encourages caution particularly in interpreting the moderated effects. These findings add to the longstanding calls for more careful design and testing of mentoring efforts to provide the needed specificity to guide effective practice of this popular approach. Details: Oslo: Campbell Collaboration, 2008. 115p. Source: Internet Resource: Campbell Systematic Review, 2008:16: Accessed August 23, 2010 at: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/238/ Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/238/ Shelf Number: 119674 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersMentoringMentorsPrevention, Juvenile Delinquency |
Author: Krisberg, Barry Title: Healthy Returns Initiative: Strengthening Mental Health Services in the Juvenile Justice System Summary: Youth in the juvenile justice system suffer from a variety of mental illnesses, and, if not treated, these issues can become worse. The published literature shows that most of the youth in the system suffer from a debilitating mental illness. Lack of health care coverage also represents a major issue, as there are few services available to youth who do not have coverage. Details: Oakland, CA: National Council on Crime and Delinquency, 2010. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 24, 2010 at: http://nccd-crc.issuelab.org/research/listing/healthy_returns_initiative_strengthening_mental_health_services_in_the_juvenile_justice_system Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://nccd-crc.issuelab.org/research/listing/healthy_returns_initiative_strengthening_mental_health_services_in_the_juvenile_justice_system Shelf Number: 119675 Keywords: Juvenile Justice SystemJuvenile OffendersMental Health ServicesMentally Ill Offenders |
Author: Petrosino, Anthony Title: "Scared Straight" and Other Juvenile Awareness Programs for Preventing Juvenile Delinquency Summary: Programs like 'Scared Straight' involve organized visits to prison facilities by juvenile delinquents or children at risk for becoming delinquent. The programs are designed to deter participants from future offending by providing first-hand observations of prison life and interaction with adult inmates. Results of this review indicate that not only does it fail to deter crime but it actually leads to more offending behavior. Government officials permitting this program need to adopt rigorous evaluation to ensure that they are not causing more harm to the very citizens they pledge to protect. Details: Oslo: Campbell Collaboration, 2002. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Campbell Systematic Review, 2004:2: Accessed August 24, 2010 at: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/13/ Year: 2002 Country: United States URL: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/13/ Shelf Number: 119681 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Orchowsky, Stan Title: A Review of the Status of Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Efforts in Iowa and Virginia Summary: In 2007, the Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA) began a project funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to examine the strategies that have been implemented in Iowa and Virginia to reduce disproportionate minority contact (DMC) in the states’ juvenile justice systems. We were especially interested in using these states as case studies of how states and localities are utilizing empirical information to: (1) identify the extent and nature of the DMC problem; and (2) assess the effectiveness of their efforts to reduce DMC. In each state, we sought to examine both state-level efforts, as well as ongoing efforts in two targeted localities (Johnson and Linn counties in Iowa, and the cities of Newport News and Norfolk in Virginia), to address DMC. To accomplish the goal of the project, staff examined all available documents relating to DMC in both states, with a particular focus on those produced in the last five years. We also conducted interviews with state and local stakeholders in both states and attended meetings of local planning groups addressing DMC issues. We sought data from both states and were able to obtain data from Iowa, which were used to illustrate how local DMC initiatives could be assessed. In October of 2008, JRSA released an interim report on our findings to date (Poulin, Iwama & Orchowsky, 2008). The current report summarizes the overall findings, conclusions and recommendations of our effort. It builds on the findings presented in the interim report and further work that has been done since that report was released. Details: Washington, DC: Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2010. 83p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 24, 2010 at: http://jrsa.org/pubs/reports/dmc-final-report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://jrsa.org/pubs/reports/dmc-final-report.pdf Shelf Number: 119683 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCosts of Criminal JusticeDiscrimination in Juvenile Justice AdministrationJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Offenders (Tasmania, Australia)Minority GroupsRace and Crime |
Author: Yan, Jiahui Title: A Multidisciplinary Study on Juvenile Recidivism and Multilevel Impacts - Risk Factors, Neighborhood Features, and Juvenile Justice Intervention Summary: This study incorporates the economic theories of crime, human capital investment, reasoned action, extended theory of subjective expected utility, as well as developmental criminological theories in a life-course perspective to develop a conceptual model to explore factors related to juvenile recidivism. The study aims to provide information for practitioners to help identify potential chronic and serious offenders, to explore evidence to validate risk and needs assessment tools, and to probe the significant factors to be used as the basis for evidence-based programs. Recidivism is measured as count data in both frequency and severity level of subsequent offenses. Count data are data in which the observations can take only nonnegative integer values and the integers arise from counting. A unique combination of data from five public sources is obtained to examine the influence of individual-level risk factors, neighborhood dharacteristics, and juvenile justice intervention on juvenile recidivism. Exploratory factor analysis and principle component analysis are applied to solve issues related to assessment and census data. Four different regression models for count data are compared to propose the one with the best fit and the most predictive power for each response variable. Results indicate that the most consistent and influential indicators for identifying potential chronic and serious offenders are being older, being male, having a more serious first offense, showing a tendency towards violence, scoring high on the overall factor that represents problematic attitude, behavior, and social relations, and the existence of harmful parental impact. Race is not identified as a significant indicator after controlling other risk factors and socioeconomic differences between youth of different racial groups. Results indicate that where the youth lives matters. As compared with juveniles located in neighborhoods with positive socio-economic characteristics, those from the most disadvantaged areas are found to recidivate more frequently and more seriously. Findings also suggest that available community services might play a role in youth behavior. Cognitive-behavioral and supervisory programs are shown to have great potential in reducing recidivism. However, only when juveniles successfully complete the assigned programs, are they involved in fewer subsequent delinquent behaviors. Details: Columbia, MO: University of Missouri, 2009. 163p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation, University of Missouri: Accessed August 28, 2010 at: https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10355/6128/research.pdf?sequence=3 Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10355/6128/research.pdf?sequence=3 Shelf Number: 119702 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersNeighborhoodsRaceRecidivismSocioeconomic Status |
Author: Piquero, Alex R. Title: Self-Control Interventions for Children Under Age 10 for Improving Self-Control and Delinquency and Problem Behaviors Summary: Self-control improvement programs are intended to serve many purposes, most notably improving self-control. Yet, interventions such as these often aim to reduce delinquency and problem behaviors. However, there is currently no summary statement available regarding whether or not these programs are effective in improving self-control and reducing delinquency and problem behaviors. The main objective of this review is to assess the available research evidence on the effect of self-control improvement programs on self-control and delinquency and problem behaviors. In addition to investigating the overall effect of early self-control improvement programs, this review examines, to the extent possible, the context in which these programs may be most successful. The studies included in this systematic review indicate that self-control improvement programs are an effective intervention for improving self-control and reducing delinquency and problem behaviors, and that the effect of these programs appears to be rather robust across various weighting procedures, and across context, outcome source, and based on both published and unpublished data. Details: Oslo: Campbell Collaboration, 2010. 117p. Source: Internet Resource: Campbell Systematic Review, 2010:2: Accessed August 28, 2010 at: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/792/ Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/792/ Shelf Number: 119703 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersSelf-ControlTreatment Programs |
Author: Morales, Luz Anyela Title: Treatment Effectiveness in Secure Corrections of Serious (Violent or Chronic) Juvenile Offenders Summary: This study examines the outcomes of the best available empirical research regarding the effectiveness of treatment programmes implemented in secure corrections to prevent the recidivism of serious (violent or chronic) juvenile offenders (from 12 to 21 years old). In this review 31 experimental and quasi-experimental studies are analyzed. The global effect size of these 31 studies assuming a random-effects model in terms of the odds ratio was or+ = 1.269, being positive in favour of the treatment groups and statistically significant (p = .005). Its translation into a correlation coefficient was r = 0.072, meaning that the subjects that received any intervention programme exhibited, on average, 7.2% less recidivism into crime than those of the control groups. With relation to serious recidivism, we obtained a significant mean odds-ratio that supported the effectiveness of the treatment (or+ = 1.488). Moderator variables did not show statistically significant results to explain the heterogeneity effectiveness of the treatment. However, we found evidence to suggest desirable effects of cognitive-behavioural treatments and of multi-focused programmes. Details: Stockholm: Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, 2010. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2010 at: http://www.bra.se/extra/measurepoint/?module_instance=4&name=Treatment_effectiveness_in_secure_corrections_of_serious_juvenile_offenders_webb.pdf&url=/dynamaster/file_archive/100609/0b7d97fe2cb2d25c238e8f384376b694/Treatment%255feffectiveness%255fin%255fsecure%255fcorrections%255fof%255fserious%255fjuvenile%255foffenders%255fwebb.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.bra.se/extra/measurepoint/?module_instance=4&name=Treatment_effectiveness_in_secure_corrections_of_serious_juvenile_offenders_webb.pdf&url=/dynamaster/file_archive/100609/0b7d97fe2cb2d25c238e8f384376b694/Treatment% Shelf Number: 119719 Keywords: Juvenile Corrections, Treatment ProgramsJuvenile OffendersRecidivismViolent Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Richards, Kelly Title: Police-Referred Restorative Justice for Juveniles in Australia Summary: This preliminary paper provides an overview of the legislative and policy context of restorative justice measures for juveniles in each Australian state and territory, highlighting the diverse characteristics of current restorative practices. Further, it provides an indication of the numbers and characteristics of juveniles who are referred by police to restorative justice measures and the offence types for which they are most commonly referred. A number of key points about the application of restorative justice measures to juveniles in Australia’s jurisdictions are highlighted, including that juveniles were referred to conferences primarily for property crimes and that Indigenous juveniles comprised higher proportions of those sent to court than to conferencing. This paper argues that more detailed data on the offending histories, offence types and offence seriousness of juveniles referred by police to restorative justice processes would enable a more finely-grained analysis of restorative justice for juveniles in Australia. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, no. 398: Accessed September 1, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/D/3/F/{D3F3C924-7049-49E9-8545-B5D755553BBD}tandi398.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/D/3/F/{D3F3C924-7049-49E9-8545-B5D755553BBD}tandi398.pdf Shelf Number: 119723 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRestorative Justice |
Author: Florida. Attorney General Title: Florida Gang Reduction Strategy 2008-2012 Summary: Criminal gangs steal and destroy property, sell drugs to our children and commit acts of violence and brutality that threaten the safety and security of our citizens. The number of gangs and gang members has been growing steadily in Florida for years. For far too long efforts to address gang problems in Florida have been left to local law enforcement and community leaders with minimal federal and state support and no statewide strategy. In the summer of 2007, at the request of the Attorney General, the heads of affected state agencies and law enforcement associations gathered to address this issue and formulate a statewide strategy to combat gangs. In December 2007, at the suggestion of this executive group, the Office of the Attorney General convened a summit of interested community leaders from around the state to help develop a statewide strategy. This document is the product of the efforts of the executive group and the participants in this summit. The mission of the Florida Gang Reduction Strategy is to increase the safety of the citizens of Florida by empowering Florida’s youth to reject criminal gangs as a viable option and by substantially reducing gang-related crime and violence in Florida. The goals to accomplish this mission are: 1. Stop the growth of criminal gangs in Florida; 2. Reduce the number of gangs and gang members; and 3. Render gangs ineffectual. To meet these goals and accomplish the mission the strategy is built on three pillars: 1. Prevention/Intervention; 2. Law Enforcement and 3. Rehabilitation and Re-entry. The key to the success of the strategy is coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local governments, law enforcement, elected officials, community leaders and the business community. In order to empower Florida’s youth to reject criminal gangs as a viable option a coordinated and cooperative effort of all parties must be focused on the same basic objectives. Details: Tallahassee: Office of the Attorney General, 2010. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2010 at: http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/KGRG-7FVPNR/$file/GangReductionReportWEB.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/KGRG-7FVPNR/$file/GangReductionReportWEB.pdf Shelf Number: 119771 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Northern Ireland. Criminal Justice Inspection Title: Youth Conference Service: Inspection of the Youth Conference Service in Northern Ireland Summary: This inspection looked at how young offenders are dealt with through the Youth Conference Service (YCS). It followed on from a comprehensive evaluation of the service conducted early in its development by Queens University Belfast. Inspectors found that the YCS was delivering an effective and useful service but that it was operating at the boundary of its capacity under its present structures and resources. Staff and management were totally committed to providing a restorative system that worked for the young offenders as well as for victims and they were focused on getting the balance right between the needs of offenders and victims. The key recommendation of this Inspection is that a full system-wide review into current practices in youth offending is now needed with the aim of developing a clearer and more integrated system with restorative practice at its core. Details: Belfast: Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland, 2008. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2010 at: http://www.juvenilejusticepanel.org/resource/items/C/J/CJINIYouthConference2007_EN.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.juvenilejusticepanel.org/resource/items/C/J/CJINIYouthConference2007_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 119740 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRehabilitationRestorative Justice |
Author: Murphy, Kristina Title: Policing Youth: Can Procedural Justice Nurture Youth Cooperation with Police? Summary: Australian crime statistics reveal that young people are the most likely population group to have contact with the police, and persons aged 15 to 19 years are the most prominent group to have contact with police for the commission of a crime. When compared to their older counterparts, young people are more likely to attract police attention, in part because of their high level of involvement in illegal activity. Behaviours that are legal for adults may not be so for youth. Examples include alcohol consumption, temporary absenteeism from school, and driving cars unlicensed. iven young people are also more likely to congregate in public areas they are also often considered a public nuisance, and therefore attract unwanted police attention. Hence, the wider societal culture that deems that young people are a threat tends to provide justification for police to attend to youth in order to avoid potential trouble. Removing youth from visible street locations, often when the youth are not involved in any illegal or deviant behaviour can result in negative opinion toward police by the youth. The extra police attention for not doing anything wrong creates a sense that they are being treated like trouble-makers. This promotes tense and hostile police-youth encounters, and leads many youth to have a pessimistic view of police enacting their authority unfairly. Using survey data collected from a sample of Australian youth, the present study examines factors that lead young people to question police authority, and how such factors can ultimately affect their willingness to cooperate with police efforts to control crime and disorder effectively. Details: Geelong, VIC, Australia: Alfred Deakin Research Institute, Deakin University, 2010. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Alfred Deakin Research Institute, Working Paper No. 06: Accessed September 10, 2010 at: http://www.deakin.edu.au/alfred-deakin-research-institute/publications/workingpapers/adri-working-paper-06.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.deakin.edu.au/alfred-deakin-research-institute/publications/workingpapers/adri-working-paper-06.pdf Shelf Number: 119779 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenilesNuisance Behaviors and DisorderPolice-Community RelationsProblem YouthPublic Opinion |
Author: Dane County (Wisconsin). Enhanced Youth Gang Prevention Task Force Title: Dane County Enhanced Youth Gang Prevention Task Force: Final Report Summary: This report represents the collective work of a highly committed group of community volunteers who care deeply about Dane County, our community. It reflects the concerns of the Enhanced Gang Task Force for the plight of a large segment of our youth population who face difficult challenges and significant risks to their future and to the well being of our community. Gangs, crime and poverty are the underlying causes for these challenges—and these issues represent only the tip of the iceberg among factors affecting our youth. Poor academic achievement and limited job opportunities coupled with high incarceration rates for minority youth are causing significant and long-term damage to their lives and to the quality of life in our community. We are all too familiar with the state of gang violence in our larger urban centers. But make no mistake, gangs and crime impact all segments of our community as was evident in the gang-related shootings in the City of Oregon in 2005. In this case, a group of young men and women set aside their racial, ethnic and class differences and united as a gang to commit a serious crime. Gangs have steadily moved into mid-size cities such as Madison and gang activity is reported in Sun Prairie, Stoughton, Middleton and in many other communities. The root causes are similar in all cases—a lack of opportunities for youth, access to weapons, peer pressure and a demonstrated willingness to resort to violence at the slightest provocation. Clearly, not all youth crime is caused by gangs. But gangs are prevalent in our community and in our schools and they are increasingly responsible for the crime and violence that impacts the perception of safety in our neighborhoods. Law enforcement officials indicate that there are over 30 active gangs in Dane County, including several girl gangs. A recent survey of young adults and youth involved in the Dane County juvenile and adult court systems indicates that 32% of respondents report being current or former gang members. The question is not whether our community has a gang problem, the question is what can we do about it and do we have the willingness to confront the problem and dedicate the appropriate resources to address it? As a community we have an obligation to nurture and to provide for our children. All of us have a stake in the outcome of the recommendations made by this Task Force. If we fail to move on them, the entire community will suffer. The recommendations presented to you reflect the belief that no single strategy will work. If we rely solely or too heavily on law enforcement to solve this problem, we are sure to fail. The Task Force strongly proposes a comprehensive, community based strategy that addresses the needs of families as well as those of our youth. They are grouped into the following categories: Basic Needs, Prevention, Education, Employment Development, Faith Communities, Public Safety and Re-Entry from Incarceration. Details: Madison, WI: Dane County Department of Human Services, 2007. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2010 at: http://www.danecountyhumanservices.org/pdf/gang_task_force_report.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.danecountyhumanservices.org/pdf/gang_task_force_report.pdf Shelf Number: 119784 Keywords: Gang PreventionGang ViolenceGangs (Madison, WI)Juvenile OffendersYouth Gangs |
Author: Jacobson, Jessica Title: Making Amends: Restorative Youth Justice in Northern Ireland Summary: The Youth Conference Service, established in Northern Ireland in 2003, placed restorative justice at the heart of the youth justice system, integrated within both the prosecution and sentencing processes. Since then, the number of young people engaged in youth conferencing has grown year on year and, to date, more than 5,500 referrals have been made to the service. There is sound evidence that victims who attend conferences express high-levels of satisfaction with the process and outcomes, and levels of participation are reasonably high. There are encouraging signs that youth conferencing is leading to a reduction in reoffending rates. The establishment of the Youth Conference Service has also contributed to an overall decline in the use of custody for young offenders, and to an increasing rate of diversion of young people out of the formal criminal justice process. This report, commissioned as part of the Prison Reform Trust’s strategy to reduce child and youth imprisonment in the UK, explores the experience and impact of youth conferencing in Northern Ireland and looks at the potential benefits of introducing a similar model to the youth justice system in England and Wales. Details: London: Prison Reform Trust, 2009. 24p. Source: Internet Resource" Accessed September 13, 2010 at: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/uploads/documents/making_amends.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/uploads/documents/making_amends.pdf Shelf Number: 119785 Keywords: Juvenile DiversionJuvenile OffendersRecidivismRestorative JusticeYouth Conferencing |
Author: Barnardo's Title: From Playground to Prison: The Case for Reviewing the Age of Criminal Responsibility Summary: This report examines the latest available data for 10 and 11 year olds in the U.K. criminal justice system and finds that the current process is not the most effective and cost-efficient way of dealing with their offending. It calls for the government to consider raising the minimum age of responsibility from 10 to 12 for all offences other than murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, rape and aggravated sexual assault. Details: Ilford, UK: Barnardo's, 2010. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 14, 2010 at: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/120910_from_playground_to_prison-2.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/120910_from_playground_to_prison-2.pdf Shelf Number: 119797 Keywords: Age (Law)Juvenile Justice, Administration ofJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Latimer, Jeff Title: The 2008 National Justice Survey: The Youth Justice System in Canada and the Youth Criminal Justice Act Summary: The Department of Justice Canada conducts the National Justice Survey (NJS) on an annual basis to provide the Department with public opinion on current and emerging policy relevant topics. The focus of the 2008 National Justice Survey (the 2nd cycle of this annual survey) was the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the youth criminal justice system in Canada in order to provide policymakers with current information regarding Canadian’s perceptions of youth justice issues. The goals of the 2008 NJS were to measure public confidence in the youth justice system, to identify viewpoints on particular responses to youth criminal behaviour and to assess perceptions of youth crime in Canada. Details: Ottawa: Department of Jsutice Canada, 2008. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 14, 2010 at: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/rs/rep-rap/2008/rr08_yj1-rr08_jj1/rr08_yj1.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/rs/rep-rap/2008/rr08_yj1-rr08_jj1/rr08_yj1.pdf Shelf Number: 118360 Keywords: Juvenile Justice Systems (Canada)Juvenile OffendersPublic Opinion |
Author: Perreault, Samuel Title: Neighbourhood Characteristics and the Distribution of Crime on the Island of Montreal: Additional Analysis on Youth Crime Summary: This study explores the geographic distribution of youth crime on the Island of Montréal. The analysis is based on police-reported crime data from the Incident- based Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2001 Census data, land-use data from the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal and 2002-2003 school attendance data from the ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport du Québec. A previous study on the geographic distribution of crime on the Island of Montréal (Savoie, Bédard, Collins; 2006) found that crime was not evenly distributed on the island, but somewhat concentrated in a limited number of hot spots. The results of this analysis show that, when youth crime is considered separately, crime is distributed over many small hot spots across the entire island. The multivariate analysis showed that neighbourhood socio-economic characteristics alone could predict only a small proportion of youth crime in Montréal. However, factors such as the presence of a secondary school, commercial zoning and education have a minor impact on both violent crime and property crime. These findings are consistent with those of other studies on youth crime (Jacob, 2006; LaGrange, 1999). Some recent studies (Dupéré et al., 2007; Hay et al., 2006; Simons et al., 2005) suggest that for young people, the influence of some neighbourhood characteristics have an influence primarily through their interaction with family or individual factors. In a survey of self-reported youth delinquency in Toronto, Savoie (2007) noted that some individual and family characteristics were significant risk factors for delinquency among young people. Collecting data on victimization and self-reported delinquency at the neighbourhood-level might be particularly useful for the analysis of youth crime. Details: Ottawa: Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada, 2008. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 14, 2010 at: http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/Statcan/85-561-MIE/85-561-MIE2006007.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/Statcan/85-561-MIE/85-561-MIE2006007.pdf Shelf Number: 119799 Keywords: Crime StatisticsJuvenile Delinquency (Montreal)Juvenile OffendersNeighborhoods |
Author: Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress Title: The Face of Urban Violence in Central America Summary: Central America has been identified as a sub-region displaying post-conflict characteristics; with some stages successfully completed, while other have failed or are still in progress. A notable dilemma, however, remains unaddressed: the relationship between violence and youth. Traditionally, this relationship has been perceived as a symbiotic, with youth perceived as violent, as a logical consequence of their presumed lack of maturity or experience. According to this study, the victims of violence in Central America - and worldwide - are youths aged 13 to 29, who come from economically depressed regions, and pockets of urban poverty. They tend to belong to ethnic or racial minorities, live in densely populated areas marked by unemployment, high birth rates and little access to schooling. Many of these youths, both victims and assailants, have been victimized themselves. They have been abused, suffered domestic violence; they have been abandoned, or had little access to education and culture, and are incapable of entering the job market in conditions of equality or security. Details: San Jose, Costa Rica: Arias Foundation for Peace on Human Progress, 2006. 276p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 16, 2010 at: http://www.arias.or.cr/download/INGLES.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Central America URL: http://www.arias.or.cr/download/INGLES.pdf Shelf Number: 116550 Keywords: GangsJuvenile OffendersSocioeconomic StatusViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Menard, Scott Title: Victimization and Illegal Behavior Summary: Research has shown that individuals involved in illegal behavior are more likely to be victims than are those not involved in such activities. The temporal order of the victim-offender relationship has been a focus of interest in recent years. Violent victimization has been found to be an important risk factor for subsequent violent offending. The current study furthers our understanding of this sequence by analyzing waves of the National Youth Survey. The relationship between violent victimization and offending was found to change from adolescence to adulthood. Clearly, if violent victimization is a risk factor for engaging in illegal behavior, policies and programs aimed at preventing victimization may be one of the most effective strategies for at-risk youth. Details: Huntsville, TX: Crime Victims' Institute, Sam Houston State University, 2009. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2010 at: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/VictimizationandIllegalBehaviorpress.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/VictimizationandIllegalBehaviorpress.pdf Shelf Number: 119829 Keywords: At-risk YouthIllegal BehaviorJuvenile OffendersVictimizationViolent Crime |
Author: Stevens, Alex Title: Offender Management Community Scoping of London Gang Demographics: Final Report Summary: This is the final report of the community scoping of London gang demographics, provided to London Probation. It includes: A literature review; A discussion of the drivers and dynamics of serious group offending in London; Initial findings from interviews with probation officers in the field; Thematic Issues arising from stakeholder consultations; A review of alternative models of offender management; and Recommendations for probation practice. Details: Canterbury, UK: European Institute of Social Services, University of Kent, 2010. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 21, 2010 at: http://www.cepprobation.org/uploaded_files/Rep%20STARR%20gangs.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cepprobation.org/uploaded_files/Rep%20STARR%20gangs.pdf Shelf Number: 119852 Keywords: GangsJuvenile OffendersProbation |
Author: Helyar-Cardwell, Vicki Title: A New Start: Young Adults in the Criminal Justice System Summary: The Transition to Adulthood (T2A) Alliance believes that there must be a wholesale shift in the way the UK Government works with young adults in, and at risk of becoming involved with, the criminal justice system. This must be far more than tinkering around the edges of the system, but rather a cross-departmental in-depth look at vulnerable young adults involved in the criminal justice system, and a commitment to find effective ways of working with these young adults in trouble to help them move away from crime. While some modest improvements have been made in recognising issues such as race, gender, juvenile offending and mental health, there has been little progress on young adults. Details: London: T2A Alliance, 2010. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 22, 2010 at: http://www.bctrust.org.uk/pdf/A_New_Start_Young_Adults.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.bctrust.org.uk/pdf/A_New_Start_Young_Adults.pdf Shelf Number: 119270 Keywords: Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation |
Author: Killias, Martin Title: Self-Reported Juvenile Delinquency in Switzerland in 2006: Overview and Explanations Summary: This paper presents the results of the second national self-reported juvenile delinquency survey conducted in Switzerland. The survey was carried out using the standardized questionnaire developed for the ISRD2, to which a few questions were added. This assures comparability with the other participating countries. At the same time, the analysis of crime trends will also be possible because Switzerland participated in the first International Self- Reported Delinquency study (ISRD1) that took place in 1992. It must be mentioned that in the meantime no national surveys were conducted, but some cantonal or city surveys took place (e.g. in the cantons of Zurich and Vaud). The first part of this paper includes a brief sociodemographic and economic description of the country, while the rest of the paper is dedicated to the presentation of the methodology applied in Switzerland and the main results of the survey. Details: Unpublished report to the Swiss National Science Foundation, 2007. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 22, 2010 at: http://www.rwi.uzh.ch/lehreforschung/alphabetisch/killias/forschung/exprojekte/ISRD2.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Switzerland URL: http://www.rwi.uzh.ch/lehreforschung/alphabetisch/killias/forschung/exprojekte/ISRD2.pdf Shelf Number: 113580 Keywords: Crime StatisticsJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersSelf-Report Studies |
Author: MacDonald, John Title: Neighborhood Effects on Crime and Youth Violence: The Role of Business Improvement Districts in Los Angeles Summary: Despite declines in youth violence nationally in the past decade, incidence of youth violence and victimization — from assaults to homicide — continue to be a pressing public-safety and public-health concern. Youth violence is also a particular concern for low-income, minority communities, where poverty, family instability, and unemployment provide a fertile context for gangs and illicit drug markets. Due to public-safety and public-health effects of youth violence and the documented association between community socioeconomic conditions and violence, both public-safety and public-health officials and researchers have invested heavily in developing and examining community-level responses to youth violence. While some of these community-level approaches have shown evidence of effectiveness, they are often expensive, difficult to sustain, and hard to replicate. It is worthwhile then to consider community-level interventions and activities that might address underlying environmental conditions that facilitate youth violence rates in communities. This report examines the impact of business improvement districts (BIDs) on crime and youth violence in Los Angeles (L.A.). BIDs are self-organizing, local public-private organizations that collect assessments and invest in local-area service provisions and activities, such as place promotion, street cleaning, and public safety. Such activities can contribute to community-level attributes that might reduce crime and youth violence by increasing informal social control, reducing visible signs of disorder and blight, improving order maintenance, and providing enriched employment opportunities by facilitating overall improvements in the local business environment. Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2009. 117p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 22, 2010 at: http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/2009/RAND_TR622.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/2009/RAND_TR622.pdf Shelf Number: 113423 Keywords: Business Improvement DistrictsCrime PreventionGangsJuvenile OffendersSocioeconomic ConditionsYouth Violence |
Author: Jacobson, Jessica Title: Punishing Disadvantage: A Profile of Children in Custody Summary: This report shines a light on the level of disadvantage experienced by many of the thousands of children who end up in custody every year in the UK. Involving a census of nearly 6,000 children who entered custody in the last six months of 2008, the report found that the majority of those sentenced to custody in this period were convicted of crimes that would normally result in community sentences, with around half imprisoned for non-violent crimes. Detailed analyisis of the backgrounds of a sample of 200 sentenced children demonstrated the high levels of disadvantage they had experienced. Key findings included that: Three quarters had had an absent father and a third an absent mother; 48% had been excluded from school; One in eight had experienced the loss of a parent and/or sibling(s); 39% had been on the Child Protection Register and/or had experienced abuse of neglect; More than a quarter had been in care at some point; and More than 1 in ten had attempted suicide. Details: London: Prison Reform Trust, 2010. 107p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 6, 2010 at: http://www.outoftrouble.org.uk/sites/default/files/Punishing_Disadvantage_0.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.outoftrouble.org.uk/sites/default/files/Punishing_Disadvantage_0.pdf Shelf Number: 119867 Keywords: Disadvantaged YouthJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile JusticeJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Wartna, B.S.J. Title: Recidivism Report 1997-2006: Developments in the Reconviction Rate of Dutch Offenders Summary: For some years, the Research and Documentation Centre of the Dutch Ministry of Justice (WODC) has conducted a study of the reconviction rate of Dutch offenders. The measurements relate to five study populations: adult offenders sanctioned by court or Public Prosecutor’s Service (PPS), juvenile offenders sanctioned by court or PPS, ex-prisoners, former inmates of juvenile detention centres and former offenders placed under an entrustment order. The Recidivism Monitor study covers almost the entire field of Dutch criminal law application. Nearly all persons in the Netherlands who came into contact with the Dutch judicial system as a suspect occur in one or more of the offender populations. Recidivism among former offenders placed under an entrustment order is reported separately. This fact sheet outlines recidivism in the other four populations. The study includes all persons who were sanctioned by court or PPS or released from a penitentiary institution in the 1997-2006 period. In a former report, published in 2008, 2004 was the last year included in the study period. This report includes two more years. Details: The Hague: Ministry of Justice, 2009. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 6, 2010 at: http://english.wodc.nl/onderzoeksdatabase/actualisering-sancties-2009.aspx Year: 2009 Country: Netherlands URL: http://english.wodc.nl/onderzoeksdatabase/actualisering-sancties-2009.aspx Shelf Number: 119871 Keywords: Adult OffendersJuvenile OffendersRecidivismReconviction |
Author: Biehal, Nina Title: A Report on the Intensive Fostering Pilot Programme Summary: This intervention is targeted at serious and persistent young offenders for whom the alternative to fostering would be custody or an Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme. In 2005, the Youth Justice Board commissioned agencies in three parts of England to pilot the evidence-based intervention Multi-Dimensional Treatment Foster Care model which had been developed by the Oregon Social Learning Centre in the USA and which, in the context of the English youth justice system, was to be known as Intensive Fostering. We conducted an evaluation using both qualitative and quantitative data to explore the successes and challenges of IF implementation. The study examines the experiences and outcomes of the first participants in the programme in England and compares them with the outcomes of a comparison group who were sentenced to custody or an Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP). This study also compares the cost of IF placements with custodial placements and assesses the cost of services used. This study draws on information provided by the IF teams and carers, and the views of young people and their parents. Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2010. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 7, 2010 at: http://www.yjb.gov.uk/publications/Resources/Downloads/A%20Report%20on%20the%20Intensive%20Fostering%20Pilot%20Programme.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.yjb.gov.uk/publications/Resources/Downloads/A%20Report%20on%20the%20Intensive%20Fostering%20Pilot%20Programme.pdf Shelf Number: 119877 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationFoster CareIntensive SupervisionJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation, Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Kim, Jane S. Title: Evaluation of UNICEF Mongolia's Child Protection Programme: Juvenile Justice and Legislative Reform Summary: Mongolia's children and adolescents are a 'transition generation' having to cope on various levels with the challenges of ongoing political, economic and social changes. It is at such times when youth are highly vulnerable in coming into conflict with the law, and generally those children most at risk and requiring protective services come from unstable, vulnerable families. Crimes involving juveniles have doubled in the last decade, rising from 733 in 1991 to 1,437 in 2007. Most of these recorded crimes are for theft. How the State responds to these youth can have a significant impact on whether they successfully make the transition to law-abiding citizens, or become embroiled in a life of crime. Unfortunately, the current response of the State to a child accused of minor crimes such as theft is to punish, usually by detention. It is established practice to incarcerate children below 18 in pre-trial detention centres for a prolonged period, and to sentence first-time juvenile offenders, accused of petty crimes, to imprisonment. Although the law provides for some alternatives to detention, such as probation, conditional sentence and educational and disciplinary measures, there are no provisions for diversion and non-custodial rehabilitation programmes. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC Committee) recently expressed concern about Mongolia's pre-trial detention of juveniles for prolonged periods and its sentencing policy for first time juvenile offenders; probation, community service and suspended sentences were recommended as alternatives to detention. The CRC Committee also expressed concern about other practices adversely affecting juveniles: inadequate access to legal aid and assistance, poor detention and prison conditions, and weak social reintegration services. The Government of Mongolia ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990, and has committed to making reforms in line with the CRC and UN Guidelines, to improve the situation of children in conflict with the law. Since 2005, a juvenile justice project has been successfully implemented by UNICEF in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs. In 2006, the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs established an inter-agency Juvenile Justice Working Group to oversee juvenile justice reform initiatives. In June 2006, a conference on “Juvenile Crime: measures on managing problematic issues†and a subsequent Juvenile Justice Working Group meeting in July identified a number of focus areas for reform. Although diversion is not yet formally recognized under Mongolian law, the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs approved the establishment of a juvenile justice project on a pilot basis in select regions. With UNICEF support, pilot projects have been underway in two districts and one province – Bayangol, Baganuur and Khentii respectively - since September 2006. Government officials, children and families, and communities have voiced deep appreciation for the pilot initiative in these three locations. Discussions are underway regarding the expansion of this pilot initiative to other provinces. Meanwhile, broad legislative reform efforts are in progress to amend existing criminal, administrative, labour, child rights protection and other laws relevant to juvenile justice. Prior to legislative reform and replication, however, a comprehensive evaluation is necessary to better understand the impact, relevance and effectiveness of interventions undertaken thus far. This evaluation has a two-fold purpose: to assess the effectiveness of UNICEF-supported juvenile justice initiatives and to recommend future directions and strategies to assist the Government of Mongolia (GoM) and UNICEF to strengthen the country's justice system for children. Further, this evidence base is put forward to draw lessons for proposed replication, and to facilitate taking this initiative to scale. Lessons, experiences and recommendations from the pilot sites, and elsewhere internationally, will inform the potential replication or adaptation of this project to other areas. Globally, the main focus of UNICEF's juvenile justice programming is the reduction of the number of children held in police custody, pre-trial detention and prisons. This evaluation therefore also aims to provide a better understanding of who are the children referred (in order to identify potential discriminatory practices), the offences they are suspected/accused of, the decision-making authority, the decision-making process, the basis on which JJ decisions are made, as well as an analysis on how current practices comply with national and international standards. Details: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: UNICEF Mongolia, 2009. 133p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2010 at: http://www.createsolutions.org/unicef/Documents/resources/country/ceecis/mongolia/unicefmongoliajjevaluation09full.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Mongolia URL: http://www.createsolutions.org/unicef/Documents/resources/country/ceecis/mongolia/unicefmongoliajjevaluation09full.pdf Shelf Number: 119905 Keywords: Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Sabates, Ricardo Title: Educational Inequality and Juvenile Crime: An Area Based Analysis Summary: This study considers the influence of one form of relative deprivation on crime, namely educational inequality. This is examined through an area-based analysis of the relationship between juvenile conviction rates for a range of offences and educational inequality based on maths Key Stage 3 scores in English local education authorities (LEAs). Using aggregate area-level information from three cohorts of young people (born between 1983 and 1985) within each area, and controlling for other variables which might be supposed to have an effect on juvenile crime rates, we found that there is evidence of a relationship between educational inequality and juvenile conviction rates for violent crime within local areas (significant at the 10% level). There is a further relationship between educational inequality and racially motivated crime (significant at the 5% level). There was no significant relationship between our cohort-based measures of educational inequality and property-related crime. Details: London: Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning, 2008. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Wider Benefits of Learning Research Report No. 26: Accessed October 9, 2010 at: http://www.learningbenefits.net/Publications/ResReps/ResRep26.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.learningbenefits.net/Publications/ResReps/ResRep26.pdf Shelf Number: 119906 Keywords: EducationEducational InequalityJuvenile OffendersSocioeconomic Status |
Author: Hall, Michael Title: Analysis of the Impact of Juvenile Justice Programming in Six New Mexico Counties Summary: The purpose of this project is to contribute to the understanding of law enforcement and juvenile justice system factors, which perpetuate Disproportionate Minority Contact in New Mexico, and analyze the impact of juvenile justice programming in six New Mexico counties. This report is a first effort to understand county-level juvenile justice intervention programs funded by local juvenile justice continuum programs in New Mexico. We discovered that there are variations in programs from one county to another. Additionally, there are variations in the amount of information collected by each program. Standardization of data collection by programs is strongly recommended. In order for the State of New Mexico to accurately know and report on the type of programs and the number and types of clients served by funded programs, a standardized minimum data set is necessary. A data set is necessary to track the program's progress, to analyze the program's trends, to help improve upon the program's practices, and to hold the program accountable for the services provided. To help with that task, the New Mexico Sentencing Commission has developed a proposed minimum data set and provided it to the Children, Youth and Families Department. The current literature generally supports each of the juvenile justice programs discussed in this report. Adherence to model program principles and best practices by the county-level programs will also enhance their operations. Details: Albuquerque, NM: New Mexico Sentencing Commission, 2010. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2010 at:http://nmsc.unm.edu/nmsc_reports/ Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://nmsc.unm.edu/nmsc_reports/ Shelf Number: 119912 Keywords: Juvenile Justice Systems (New Mexico)Juvenile OffendersRehabilitation |
Author: New Mexico Sentencing Commission Title: A Review of Juvenile Justice Programs in New Mexico Summary: The purpose of this literature review is to report on best practices in the area of juvenile justice intervention programs, focused on the four distinct program types that are the subject of this review, namely reception and assessment centers, restorative justice panels, girls circles, and day reporting centers. Details: Albuquerque, NM: New Mexico Sentencing Commission, 2010. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2010 at: http://nmsc.unm.edu/nmsc_reports/ Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://nmsc.unm.edu/nmsc_reports/ Shelf Number: 119914 Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration, JuvenilesIntervention Programs (New Mexico)Juvenile DiversionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Rehabilitation |
Author: Khan, Lorraine Title: You Just Get On and Do It: Healthcare Provision in Youth Offending Teams Summary: Children and young people in the youth justice system are at high risk of multiple health inequalities and poor life chances. Research indicates that these young people have their needs under identified and supported after entry into the Youth Justice System. This paper shows the results of our study of healthcare provision in YOTs in England. We also reviewed mental health diversion work along the youth justice pathway to look at how these services might be better developed to improve outcomes for young people and their families. Details: London: Centre for Mental Health, 2010. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2010 at: http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/pdfs/Centre_for_MH_Healthcare_provision_YOTs.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/pdfs/Centre_for_MH_Healthcare_provision_YOTs.pdf Shelf Number: 119917 Keywords: Juvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersMedical CareMental Health Services |
Author: Khan, Lorraine Title: Reaching Out, Reaching In: Promoting Mental Health and Emotional Well-being in Secure Settings Summary: Young people sentenced to custody have very high levels of mental health problems. They are also more likely to have learning disabilities and speech, language and communication needs, as well as a range of other complex and multiple vulnerabilities that compromise their future life chances and their health and well-being. This study was commissioned by the UK Department of Health to review current levels and standards of mental health provision in the young people’s secure estate in England. Specifically, the study aimed to: consider how provision in the young people’s secure estate compared with mental health services for children and young people in the community; consider the extent to which mental health services in secure settings meet the mental health and emotional well-being needs of young people; and disseminate examples of promising practice. A particular focus was the impact of the additional funding provided by the Department of Health from 2007/08 for the provision of child and adolescent mental health services in young offender institutions (YOIs). This research suggests that the Department of Health funding had resulted in significant improvements in mental health provision and awareness in YOIs. However, it had the unintended effect of throwing into greater relief disparities in the mental health care provision across the whole young people’s secure estate; these commissioning differences result from different commissioning arrangements. A number of areas were identified where further development is needed. Details: London: Centre for Mental Health, 2010. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2010: http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/pdfs/Centre_for_MH_Promoting_mh_in_secure_settings.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/pdfs/Centre_for_MH_Promoting_mh_in_secure_settings.pdf Shelf Number: 119921 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersMental HealthMental Health Services |
Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: The Specific Deterrent Effect of Custodial Penalties on Juvenile Re-offending Summary: It is widely assumed that placing offenders (juvenile or adult) in custody acts as a deterrent to further offending. The present study was designed to see whether juvenile offenders who receive a detention sentence are less likely to re-offend, controlling for other factors, than juvenile offenders given some other form of sentence. Two groups of offenders (152 given an detention sentence, 243 given a non-custodial sentence) were interviewed at length about their family life, school performance, association with delinquent peers and substance abuse. They were then followed up to determine what proportion in each group was reconvicted of a further offence. Cox regression was used to model time to reconviction. The study found no significant difference between juveniles given a custodial penalty and those given a non-custodial penalty in the likelihood of reconviction, even after controlling for factors that differ between the two groups. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 132: Accessed October 13, 2010 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb132.pdf/$file/cjb132.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb132.pdf/$file/cjb132.pdf Shelf Number: 116635 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersRecidivism |
Author: Sturrock, Fiona Title: Effectiveness of Youth Court Supervision Orders: Measures of Re-offending Summary: This research reports on the effectiveness of Youth Court supervision orders in reducing the frequency and seriousness of re-offending. It was conducted to provide information on the outcomes for youth offenders following Youth Court supervision orders. This research involved the analysis of administrative data covering January 2002 to June 2007 from CYF and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Social Development, Centre for Social Research and Evaluation, 2009. 24p. Source: Internet Resoruce: Accessed October 13, 2010 at: http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/youth-court-supervision/index.html Year: 2009 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/youth-court-supervision/index.html Shelf Number: 119946 Keywords: Juvenile CourtJuvenile OffendersRecidivism |
Author: Allard, Troy Title: The Use and Impact of Police Diversion for Reducing Indigenous Over-Representation Summary: This report presents the findings of a project that explored whether there was disparity in the use of police diversion based on Indigenous status and whether the impact of police diversion varied based on Indigenous status. While police cautioning and police referred conferencing are widely used throughout Australia, few studies have explored whether there is disparity in the use or impact of these diversionary processes. Limited evidence suggests that Indigenous young people are less likely to be diverted than non-Indigenous young people and that Indigenous young people are more likely to have recontact than non-Indigenous young people, regardless of the juvenile justice system response. Given that Indigenous over-representation is a perennial problem in the justice system, the current project addressed three research questions: RQ1: What is the extent of Indigenous over-representation in the Queensland juvenile justice system? RQ2: Are Indigenous young people less likely to be diverted by police to a caution or conference than non-Indigenous young people? RQ3: How effective is police diversion at reducing recontact with the juvenile justice system? Addressing these research questions will provide an understanding about whether an increased proportion of Indigenous people could be diverted and whether police diversionary practices could be used to reduce Indigenous over-representation and begin to ‘close the gap’ on Indigenous over-representation in the justice system. Details: Mt. Gravatt, Australia: Griffith University, Justice Modelling, 2009. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Report to the Criminology Research Council: Grant: CRC 15/07-08: Accessed October 14, 2010 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/15-0708.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/15-0708.pdf Shelf Number: 119959 Keywords: Discrimination in Juvenile Justice AdministrationIndigenous PeoplesJuvenile DiversionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Brazier, Laura Title: Post-16 Education and Training Provision for Young People Involved in Crime: Literature Review Summary: This literature review forms part of a wider NRDC research project on improving the literacy, language and numeracy (LLN) skills of young people involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in, youth crime. The NRDC research project aimed to develop LLN provision for young people learning in various youth justice contexts and evaluate its effectiveness. In addition, the project explored improving engagement in education and training through understanding how this group of learners interpret and construct their own leaning over time and in response to various educational contexts. This literature review was designed to inform and contribute to the wider NRDC research project by drawing together key and consistent findings within the diverse and complex bodies of literature examining post-16 education and training provision for young people involved in offending. Details: London: National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy (NRDC), 2010. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 14, 2010 at: www.nrdc.org.uk/download2.asp?f=4693&e=pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 119960 Keywords: Education and TrainingJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Wilcox, Aidan Title: Racially Motivated Offending and Targeted Interventions Summary: The aim of the research was to identify the prevalence of racially motivated offending among young people in England and Wales and to shed light on the response to racially motivated offending within the youth justice system. The research required a multi-method approach and this consisted of the following four strands: a literature review; an analysis of Themis (software used by YOTs and the YJB to record information about young people who offend) data; the distribution of a survey to all YOTs and secure establishments in England and Wales; and site visits to selected YOTs and secure establishments. A literature review was conducted to provide a theoretical basis for the research and this assisted in the development of the research instruments used – survey and interview schedules. The YJB provided the authors of the report with aggregate Themis data for the period from 2002/03 to 2006/07 for the 157 YOTs in England and Wales. This data was analysed and an assessment of trends and the prevalence of racially motivated offending was formulated. The data was complemented with more inclusive data sources, including the British Crime Survey. In order to establish the extent of provision for racially motivated offenders in the youth justice system, a survey was sent to all YOTs and secure establishments. To ensure that a high response rate was achieved, establishments were reminded frequently to return the survey. This persistent approach resulted in a 78.4% response rate. Responding YOTs were found to be representative of all YOTs in terms of geographical location and rural/urban mix. A purposive sample of responding establishments was then visited and interviews were conducted with practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of the different types of intervention in operation. Interviews were also conducted with the young people who had been subject to an intervention for racially motivated offenders, in order to explore the motivations for their offending and ascertain their views of the work they had undertaken during the intervention. In addition to interviewing practitioners and young people, notes of the resources used by each of the establishments were made. It had been hoped to conduct a limited amount of observation of practice, but this did not prove feasible. Twenty-one site visits were made between November 2007 and March 2008, and 38 practitioners and 17 young people were interviewed. Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2010. 200p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 14, 2010 at: http://www.yjb.gov.uk/publications/Resources/Downloads/Racially%20Motivated%20Offending%20and%20Targeted%20Interventions.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.yjb.gov.uk/publications/Resources/Downloads/Racially%20Motivated%20Offending%20and%20Targeted%20Interventions.pdf Shelf Number: 119963 Keywords: Hate CrimesJuvenile OffendersRacially Motivated Crime |
Author: Grossman, Michele Title: Don't Go There: Young People's Perspectives on Community Safety and Policing Summary: This study aimed to find out what young people aged 15-19 in the Brimbank area think about community safety and about the ways in which police and young people interact on these issues. Using a mixed-method study design that collected data through a survey and focus groups, the study sought to answer the following research questions: What helps young people to feel safe? What leads to young people feeling unsafe or at risk when they are in public spaces? What do young people see as the triggers and causes of increased violence and conflict amongst groups of young people? What do young people think about police in their local area and how can relationships between young people and police be improved? How can police and young people work together in improving community safety in the Brimbank area? This project surveyed 500 young people drawn from the general population in Brimbank and engaged a further 44 young people from Sudanese and Pacific Islander backgrounds through focus group discussions, as well as 14 young people drawn from the general population in a focus group looking specifically at strategies for improved youth-police consultation mechanisms on community safety. The evidence base provided through the Don’t Go There study has emerged through detailed and rigorous elicitation and analysis of the perceptions, views and voices of young people themselves. The findings of the research report are essentially ‘data-up’ findings that have been generated through a series of questions and themes that, while they are informed by a range of concerns and interests for Victoria Police as the key stakeholder in the project, have been independently pursued in the research design and have allowed young people to speak freely and in detail about what most concerns them in relation to the main issues canvassed in the study. While the findings presented below are specific to what young people who live in the Brimbank region have said in response to the research questions and themes, the methodology used in this survey, as detailed in Chapter 7 of the report, is fully transferable and can be used to elicit the views and perspectives of young people anywhere in the state to gather similarly rich locale- or regionally-based data. Details: Melbourne: Victoria University, 2010. 204p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2010 at: http://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/mcd/pdfs/dont-go-there-study-may-2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/mcd/pdfs/dont-go-there-study-may-2010.pdf Shelf Number: 119986 Keywords: Community SafetyFear of CrimeJuvenile OffendersJuvenilesPolice-Community RelationsPublic Opinion |
Author: Kemp, Vicky Title: A Scoping Study Adopting a 'Whole-Systems' Approach to the Processing of Cases in the Youth Courts Summary: Little is known about the impact of recent changes in the UK youth justice system on the processing of cases at court, or about the causes of delay and cost increase in the Youth Court. To investigate these issues, the Legal Services Research Centre (LSRC) collaborated with the University of Cambridge Institute of Criminology in a scoping study of Youth Court cases dealt with in a county in England and Wales, referred to as ‘the County’. The purpose of the study was to provide a ‘whole-systems’ overview of the operation and efficiency of the County’s Youth Courts and to report back to the county’s agencies. The study also enabled researchers to consider the feasibility of a comprehensive, multi-agency follow-up of the processing of Youth Court cases. It is important to note that the findings in this report are based on empirical research which was undertaken some time ago. The sample of 166 Youth Court cases, for instance, involved cases completed at court during October and November 2005. The county’s Youth Courts were observed with the final observations taking place in December 2006. It is recognised that there have been a number of developments since this research was undertaken, particularly implementation of arrangements under the Criminal Justice – ‘Simple, Speedy, Summary’ initiative. While these new arrangements are to be implemented across all Youth Courts by December 2008, it is nevertheless considered important to publish these findings, not least because of the dearth of research presently available about this key element of the criminal justice process. This research study also raises a number of issues having implications for inefficiency and delay at a local level. A number of these issues have subsequently been addressed and reference to such changes is made in this report. While this report is critical of some of the processes involved in managing Youth Court cases, it is important to emphasise that practitioners in the Youth Court were seen to be hardworking in what was a particularly challenging environment. The intention of this report is not to criticise those individual efforts but to examine the problems which can arise within the multi-agency processing of cases, which was seen to be exacerbated through the unintended consequences of some national performance targets. Reform of the youth justice system in England and Wales has been a Government priority. Delays at court have been reduced, and the Government has succeeded in meeting its pledge to halve the time taken from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders (PYOs), from 142 to 71 days.1 This is a national average and a number of areas still take 71 days or longer. More general concerns have been raised about the extent to which minor offences are brought unnecessarily to court. Professor Rod Morgan, the former Chairman of the Youth Justice Board, for example, has been critical of the fact that too many minor offences, which would previously have been dealt with informally or out of court, have instead been, ‘pushed into an overstretched criminal justice system’. A number of issues arose following the reforms, apart from the speed of processing cases, and these include: the role of the prosecution, the involvement of defence solicitors, the causes of delay, the nature of adjournments, the type of case brought to court and the impact of the reforms on charging practices and managing cases at court. A ‘whole-systems’ approach was adopted in order to investigate inter-agency interactions. At first a sample of 166 cases concluded in the County’s Youth Courts during late 2005 were systematically analysed using multilevel modelling. The study also included observations in two Youth Courts, an analysis of Youth Offending Team files relating to 120 observed cases, and a series of 16 in-depth interviews with court clerks, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) staff, and defence solicitors. In addition, we convened two focus groups, each involving three magistrates. These data were analysed using a specialist computer software programme. The report sets out the main quantitative findings arising out of the 2005 sample of cases. The main causes of inefficiencies and delays are then highlighted. Finally, the implications for policy-makers are explored. Details: London: Legal Services Research Centre, 2008. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: http://www.lsrc.org.uk/publications/YouthCourtReport.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.lsrc.org.uk/publications/YouthCourtReport.pdf Shelf Number: 119985 Keywords: Juvenile CourtsJuvenile OffendersYouth Courts |
Author: Australia. Parliament. Senate. Select Committee on Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities Title: Indigenous Australians, Incarceration and the Criminal Justice System Summary: This discussion paper has been prepared by the committee secretariat to provide the committee with an overview of Indigenous contact with the criminal justice system in Australia, including the nature of Indigenous offending, and current developments in corrective services. The first section reviews current statistics to build a picture of Indigenous contact with the criminal justice system in Australia. Approximately 25 per cent of prisoners in Australia are Indigenous, and this share is increasing over time. The rate of imprisonment for Indigenous adults is 14 times higher than for non-Indigenous adults and the gap is continuing to widen. Indigenous prisoners are overwhelmingly male, with assault being the major offence. Indigenous prisoners generally receive shorter sentences and spend less time on remand, but recidivism is much higher. The figures for juvenile detention are worse. Fifty-nine per cent of the juvenile detention population in 2007 was Indigenous. The rate of detention was 28 times higher than for non-Indigenous juveniles. The second section considers some of the reasons for Indigenous overrepresentation. The first part analyses some of the factors that contribute to high rates of Indigenous offending such as violence, alcohol, mental health issues and social disadvantage. The second part examines the response to Indigenous offending by the criminal justice system and finds that increasing imprisonment rates are in part a result of stricter sentencing policies. The third section provides information on rehabilitation programs with the potential to reduce offending and recidivism over time. Some of the most promising programs include juvenile treatments such as multi-systemic therapy, adult drug and alcohol programs and post-release support programs. Evidence based principles for successful rehabilitation programs are also presented. This section also includes a discussion of the costs of the criminal justice system in Australia, and the potential for both social and economic benefits as result of innovation in criminal justice. Finally, the results of an audit of programs and innovations in the Australian criminal justice system are presented in section four. Each state and territory was asked to provide information on current criminal justice programs and policies in their jurisdiction. There have been a limited number of evaluations undertaken across Australia. Evaluations have been included where available. Details: Canberra: The Senate, 2010. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2010 at: http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/indig_ctte/Final_RRIC.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/indig_ctte/Final_RRIC.pdf Shelf Number: 120013 Keywords: Criminal Justice SystemImprisonmentIndigenous OffendersIndigenous PeoplesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Choate, David E. Title: Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Among Recently Booked Juvenile Detainees Summary: This special topic report examines the prevalence and characteristics of co-occurring substance abuse and mental health problems among juvenile detainees in Maricopa County. The findings come from the Co-occurring Disorder Addendum used during 2007. The findings reveal that almost 30 percent of juvenile detainees were at risk for a co-occurring disorder, and face significantly greater difficulties across a number of critical factors, including incarceration, homelessness, and victimization. Details: Phoenix, AZ: Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety, Arizona State University, 2009. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2010 at: http://cvpcs.asu.edu/aarin/aarin-reports-1/co-occurring-disorder-addendum/co-occurring-disorders-among-juvenile-detainees/view?searchterm=juvenile detainees in maricopa county Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://cvpcs.asu.edu/aarin/aarin-reports-1/co-occurring-disorder-addendum/co-occurring-disorders-among-juvenile-detainees/view?searchterm=juvenile detainees in maricopa county Shelf Number: 119993 Keywords: Drug Abuse and CrimeJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersMental HealthMentally Ill Offenders |
Author: Minnesota. Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs Title: Juvenile Justice System Decision Points Study: Strategies to Improve Minnesota's Juvenile Justice Data Summary: The purpose of the Juvenile Justice System Decision Points Study is to determine the viability of collecting summary data information about juveniles involved in the justice system in Minnesota. Accurate and comprehensive data at critical decision points in the juvenile justice system statewide allows system practitioners and policy makers to make sound decisions regarding resource allocation and interventions. Additionally, this effort is consistent with Minnesota’s policy commitment to identify and eliminate barriers to racial, ethnic and gender fairness. Collecting this data will make progress toward a more equitable, efficient and effective juvenile justice system in Minnesota. This report includes chapters dedicated to each system stage: Law Enforcement, County Attorneys, Juvenile Courts, Juvenile Probation, and Detention and Residential Facilities. Within each chapter, key decision points affecting youths’ status in the system are identified and ranked both for importance to understanding youth in the juvenile justice system, and for the feasibility of statewide data collection. Recommendations for improved data collection, analysis, and reporting complete each chapter. These chapters, in concert, create the overall data improvement plan for Minnesota. Details: St. Paul, MN: Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs, 2010. 124p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2010 at: http://www.ojp.state.mn.us/cj/publications/Reports/2010JuvenileJusticePolicyReport.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ojp.state.mn.us/cj/publications/Reports/2010JuvenileJusticePolicyReport.pdf Shelf Number: 120027 Keywords: Juvenile CourtsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Probation |
Author: Graham, Lauren Title: Ending the Age of Marginal Majority: An Exploration of Strategies to Overcome Youth Exclusion, Vulnerability and Violence in Southern Africa Summary: As part of its focus on human security, the Southern Africa Trust (the Trust) has sought to understand the extent of youth violence and crime in the SADC region, as well as the underlying or contributing factors that can explain the levels of youth violence. To this end, it commissioned research on the extent and drivers of youth violence and the possible interventions that might be necessary to deal with this and related challenges, within a holistic understanding of the issue. The research involved a review of literature pertaining to youth and violence in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as well as a fieldwork component, which sought to assess youth violence in more detail within five selected countries – the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The findings from both of these components were also shaped by inputs from three stakeholders – One Voice Mobilisation, the Southern Africa Youth Movement (SAYM), and the Youth Development Network (YDN) – during two stakeholder consultation meetings held at different points in the research and data analysis process. In many respects this research is a starting point for understanding youth violence regionally. It is the first study of this type in the SADC region and the exploratory work begun in this research process should be complemented with further research that can establish regional trends more fully. What became clear in the research process was the complexity of youth violence, particularly when a holistic approach is taken to the issues that underpin its manifestation. Rather than providing quick answers about what might provide the most appropriate programming or policy interventions, the research uncovered a range of debates and issues that need to be taken into consideration in designing policy and programme initiatives in respect of youth violence. Details: Midrand, South Africa, Southern Africa Trust, 2010. 195p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 23, 2010 at: http://www.southernafricatrust.org/docs/Youth_violence_civic_engagement_SADC_2010-Full.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Africa URL: http://www.southernafricatrust.org/docs/Youth_violence_civic_engagement_SADC_2010-Full.pdf Shelf Number: 120058 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Allard, Troy Title: The Efficacy of Strategies to Reduce Juvenile Offending Summary: The purpose of this report was to examine the national and international research literature relating to the efficacy of a range of strategies to reduce juvenile offending. These strategies were categorised according to Tonry and Farrington’s (1995) framework of four groupings of crime prevention strategies: (i) developmental and early interventions, (ii) law enforcement and criminal justice approaches, (iii) community crime prevention, and (iv) situational crime prevention (SCP). Specifically, the Tender Document (Appendix 1, p. 167) asked the consultants to: (i) Summarise the strategies that are available to reduce juvenile offending/recidivism as identified by Tonry and Farrington (1995). (ii) Examine the key features of programs that have been implemented within each strategy. (iii) Explore the evidence base of each strategy by examining the effectiveness of programs in terms of reducing juvenile offending/recidivism. (iv) Note the cost of programs and outcomes of any cost-benefit evaluations that have been undertaken (if available). (v) Comment on the feasibility of conducting meta-analyses on the various program options. (vi) Based on available evidence, provide a summary of the effectiveness of each strategy. (vii) Where possible, provide an assessment about the effectiveness of programs for Indigenous young people. Studies included in the review were based on the researchers’ knowledge about intervention programs that had been undertaken, recent reviews that had been conducted, and a search of websites that contained some Australian evidence. Research incorporated in the review was focused on preventing juvenile offending and was scientifically robust, usually having a treatment and control group. While focus was placed on interventions that reduced juvenile offending, many interventions discussed are also likely to result in reductions in adult offending. This is not surprising given the high proportion of young people who initiate offending during their teen years which continues into adulthood. It must be acknowledged that while this review focuses on preventing the initiation of offending and recidivism, there may be other positive outcomes to intervention programs. Examining these other outcomes was beyond the scope of this review. A consistent theme throughout this report is the lack of scientifically rigorous Australian research to determine the efficacy of the interventions examined. In Chapter 1, an overview of the methodologies that have been employed to evaluate programs is provided. While systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been conducted on developmental/early intervention and criminal justice approaches, there was little evidence of the evaluations in other areas reaching the standards required for meta-analyses. For our knowledge of ‘what works’ in preventing juvenile offending and re-offending to advance, it is imperative that programs are rigorously evaluated. Details: Mt. Gravatt, Australia: Griffith University, Justice Modelling@Griffith, 2007. 169p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 23, 2010 at: http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/208120/Efficacy-of-Strategies-to-Reduce-JJ-Offending-2007-Report.pdf Year: 2007 Country: International URL: http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/208120/Efficacy-of-Strategies-to-Reduce-JJ-Offending-2007-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 120060 Keywords: Crime PreventionDelinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersRecidivismTreatment Programs |
Author: Weijters, Gijs Gerard Maria Title: Youth Delinquency in Dutch Cities and Schools: A Multilevel Approach Summary: This study assesses the influence of different social-ecological context on youth delinquency for the Netherlands. Details: Unpublished Dissertation, 2008. 143p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 25, 2010 at: http://dare.ubn.kun.nl/bitstream/2066/73286/2/73286_youtdeind.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Netherlands URL: http://dare.ubn.kun.nl/bitstream/2066/73286/2/73286_youtdeind.pdf Shelf Number: 120073 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersSocial ControlSocial Disorganization |
Author: Moore, Marianne Title: Juvenile Detention in Uganda: Review of Ugandan Remand Homes and the National Rehabilitation Centre Summary: In Uganda, children in conflict with the law are principally the responsibility of the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development. However, the Uganda Police Force and the Judiciary of the Republic of Uganda are also important partners. Detained children are placed in one of the four remand homes in Fort Portal, Gulu, Naguru, or Mbale. In addition, the Kampiringisa National Rehabilitation Centre detains sentenced children from the whole of Uganda. This review of the remand homes and the national rehabilitation centre was carried out during August 2010 in association with the UK and Ugandan charity the African Prisons Project and the Ugandan Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development. An assessment was conducted in all of the functioning juvenile detention facilities against their compliance with international guidelines, particularly the United Nations "Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their liberty 1990 (“The Havana Rulesâ€). The field work consisted of an in depth interview with a representative from each centre or home and a site visit. Interviews were also carried out with the Commissioner for Youth and Children and representatives from the Ugandan based Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI). Following an introductory overview of juvenile justice in Uganda, the report deals with the following subjects: Profile of children in conflict with the law; Safeguarding children; Juvenile justice system; Conditions of detention; Healthcare; Education and training; and Community reintegration. The report makes 36 recommendations, and ends with a conclusion which notes areas of good practice as well as elements which require immediate attention, including a suggestion that an independent auditor be employed to ensure that the welfare of the children in conflict with the law in Uganda is upheld. Details: London: African Prisons Project, 2010. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2010 at: http://www.africanprisons.org/documents/Juvenile-Detention-in-Uganda-October-2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Uganda URL: http://www.africanprisons.org/documents/Juvenile-Detention-in-Uganda-October-2010.pdf Shelf Number: 120088 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Hemphill, Sheryl A. Title: Preventing Youth Violence: What Does and Doesn't Work and Why? An Overview of the Evidence on Approaches and Programs Summary: This paper is designed to inform the development of strategies aimed at preventing violent and antisocial behaviours among young people. The paper summarises the evidence across disciplines and sectors on: • the nature and magnitude of youth violence and antisocial behaviour in Australia (incidence, demographic indicators, trends) • factors that are known to contribute to youth violence and antisocial behaviour together with the strength of the associations with these factors and • policies, programs and strategies that have been proven to work in preventing violent and antisocial behaviour among young people, including the principles upon which they are based and key factors associated with their success. Details: Canberra: Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, 2010. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 28, 2010 at: http://www.aracy.org.au/publicationDocuments/Preventing_Youth_Violence_final.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aracy.org.au/publicationDocuments/Preventing_Youth_Violence_final.pdf Shelf Number: 120116 Keywords: Antisocial BehaviorDelinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersYouth Violence |
Author: Finkelhor, David Title: Juveniles Who Commit Sex Offenses Against Minors Summary: This bulletin presents population-based epidemiological information about the characteristics of juvenile offenders who commit sex offenses against minors. The authors analyze data from the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System to describe the characteristics of the juvenile sex offender population who have come to the attention of law enforcement. Key findings include: •Juveniles account for more than one-third (36 percent) of those known to police to have committed sex offenses against minors. •Juveniles who commit sex offenses against other children are more likely than adult sex offenders to offend in groups, at schools, and to have more male and younger victims. Findings may support the development of research-based interventions and policies to reduce sexual assault and child molestation as perpetrated by juvenile offenders. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2009. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Bulletin, December 2009: Accessed October 29, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/227763.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/227763.pdf Shelf Number: 120130 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Sex OffendersSex OffensesSexual Assault |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Juvenile Justice in Australia 2007-2008 Summary: In Australia, responsibility for juvenile justice lies with the states and territories, and involves both juvenile justice agencies and other justice agencies such as the police and the courts. This report presents information on one aspect of the juvenile justice process: the supervision of young people in the juvenile justice system. There were 4,708 young people under juvenile justice supervision on an average day in 2007–08 in all states and territories except New South Wales, for which data were not available, and 9,540 young people experienced supervision at some time during the year. Most young people were supervised in the community. Around 87% of those under supervision on an average day were under community-based supervision while 13% were in detention. One-quarter of young people who were under supervision during 2007–08 had both community-based supervision and detention during the year. The number of young people in detention on an average day in Australia (excluding New South Wales) rose from 540 in 2004–05 to 630 in 2007–08—a 17% increase. The rate of young people aged 10–17 years in detention during the year increased from 1.7 per 1,000 to 2.0 per 1,000, indicating that a young person aged 10–17 years in 2007–08 was around 1.2 times as likely to be in detention during the year as a young person aged 10–17 years in 2004–05. In 2004–05, just over one-third of the average daily detention population was unsentenced but, by 2007–08, unsentenced young people in detention outnumbered those who were sentenced. The increase in the unsentenced population occurred for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people. Although only about 5% of young Australians are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders, 40% of those under supervision on an average day were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders. Their over-representation was particularly prominent in detention, where over half of those in detention on an average day and 60% of those who were unsentenced in detention were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders. An Indigenous young person aged 10–17 years was 16 times as likely as a non-Indigenous young person of the same age to be under supervision in 2007–08, nearly 15 times as likely to be under community-based supervision as a non-Indigenous young person, and nearly 30 times as likely to be in detention. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2009. 146p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series No. 5: Accessed October 29, 2010 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/juv/juv-5-10853/juv-5-10853.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/juv/juv-5-10853/juv-5-10853.pdf Shelf Number: 120133 Keywords: AboriginalsJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Hanlon, Carrie Title: A Multi-Agency Approach to Using Medicaid to Meet the Health Needs of Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth Summary: Juvenile justice, mental health, and Medicaid agencies have a common interest in meeting the health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system. There is evidence that youth involved in the juvenile justice system have both unmet, and more extensive than average, needs. Better meeting those needs could result in more efficient and effective use of the resources available to the three agencies – and in decreased recidivism, as well as improvements in children’s well-being and their ability to remain in the community. However, these three agencies have different, yet overlapping, program objectives, funding sources, target populations, and partners at the federal, state, and county levels. This situation creates both barriers and opportunities in using these agencies’ resources to meet the health and behavioral health needs of children involved with the juvenile justice system. In mid-2008, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) began work to: (1) identify the barriers to the effective use of the resources available to juvenile justice, mental health, and Medicaid agencies to meet the health and mental health needs of children involved with the juvenile justice system, and (2) surface potential policies and strategies that states could implement to address those barriers. Specifically, with the support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, NASHP staff conducted a literature review and interviewed agency and community stakeholders in five states. Analysis of the interviews found that the barriers cited by informants fell into two categories: Knowledge: Staff from one a local agencies did not know relevant state policies (and vice versa), and there was little data about the health needs of the children served by more than one agency. Interviewees report that some state policies presented barriers for those seeking to access the coverage or services for which children qualified. Finally, this study identified opportunities for improvement and ‘promising practices’ within four strategic areas: • Improving knowledge of how the relevant systems do (or should) work among state agencies and local/state levels, • Improving eligibility policies and processes to ensure that Medicaid eligible children participate in the program, • Improving service coverage policies to ensure that Medicaid beneficiaries in the juvenile justice system receive the Medicaid covered services they need, and • Collaborating among agencies to use their combined resources to meet the needs of these children. Details: Portland, ME: National Academy for State Health Policy, 2008. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 29, 2010 at: http://www.nashp.org/sites/default/files/Multi_Agency_NASHP.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.nashp.org/sites/default/files/Multi_Agency_NASHP.pdf Shelf Number: 120135 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersMedicaidMedical CareMental Health Services |
Author: Independent Commission on Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour (UK) Title: Time for a Fresh Start: The Report of the Independent Commission on Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour Summary: The Commission’s inquiry was prompted by concern about deep-rooted failings in the response to antisocial behaviour and crime involving children and young people. Large sums of public money are currently wasted across England and Wales because: Investment in proven preventive measures and constructive sanctions is too low; Children and young people who could be turned away from a life of crime are not receiving timely help and support; and Those involved in persistent and serious offending are often treated in ways that do little to prevent reoffending – and may make their criminal behaviour worse. The Commission has concluded that the public can be offered better protection against youth crime and antisocial behaviour by: tackling antisocial behaviour, crime and reoffending through the underlying circumstances and needs in children and young people’s lives (a principle of prevention); ensuring that children and young people responsible for antisocial behaviour and crime face meaningful consequences that hold them accountable for the harm caused to victims and the wider community (a principle of restoration); and seeking to retain children and young people who offend within mainstream society or to reconnect them in ways that enable them to lead law-abiding lives. Details: London: The Police Foundation, 2010. 115 p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 1, 2010 at: http://www.youthcrimecommission.org.uk/attachments/076_FreshStart.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.youthcrimecommission.org.uk/attachments/076_FreshStart.pdf Shelf Number: 120139 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile JusticeJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile OffendersRestorative Justice |
Author: Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice Title: Mental Health Issues in California's Juvenile Justice System Summary: Youth with mental health issues pose numerous challenges to California’s juvenile justice system. Despite significant resources dedicated to the provision of mental health services, California’s juvenile justice system has been unable to adequately meet the needs of this population. Youth diagnosed with mental illness have been steadily increasing in the juvenile justice system for nearly a decade, as have the numbers of youth receiving treatment (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 2005). This trend, taken together with independent reports and media accounts documenting the failures of the juvenile justice system, underscores the urgent need for change. One of the difficulties in meeting the needs of youth with mental health issues is highlighted by the tensions inherent in the juvenile justice system itself. The system must respond to delinquent behavior based upon competing mandates and priorities, including the desire to rehabilitate juvenile offenders and treat any potential pathologies believed to have caused them to engage in delinquent behavior, as well as the need to hold them accountable for their behavior and protect public safety. Balancing these competing priorities is an ongoing challenge for probation staff and practitioners. The critical nature of that challenge is especially heightened when the youth has mental health issues. How systems of care respond to this population’s needs significantly impacts probation, mental health service providers, the courts, community-based organizations, and most importantly, the youth themselves and their families. By making the case for universal mental health definitions, screening and assessment, outcomes-based programs, and collaboration, this policy brief offers research-based recommendations on how juvenile justice and other systems of care can better meet the needs of youth with mental health issues. The overarching goal of these recommendations is to enhance the provision of mental health treatment in California’s juvenile justice system by improving the infrastructure that supports service delivery. Details: Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice, University of California, Berkeley, 2010. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Policy Brief Series: Accessed November 1, 2010 at: http://www.law.berkeley.edu/img/BCCJ_Mental_Health_Policy_Brief_May_2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.law.berkeley.edu/img/BCCJ_Mental_Health_Policy_Brief_May_2010.pdf Shelf Number: 120140 Keywords: Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersMental Health ServicesMentally Ill Offenders |
Author: Fraser, Alistair Title: Youth Violence in Scotland: Literature Review Summary: Youth violence remains a contentious public and political issue. A great deal of media attention and public debate is devoted to the phenomenon of youth violence. Yet very little is known about the scale or nature of violence committed by youth, trends in violent youth offending, or the role played by violence in the everyday lives of children and young people in Scotland. The aim of the review is to identify and collate available qualitative and quantitative research data and information about youth violence in Scotland, in order to construct a research-informed picture of ‘what is currently known’ about youth violence in this country. It will form part of a wider programme of work on youth violence currently being conducted within the Scottish Government and, in particular, will complement an ongoing audit of official data sources. This review is intended to facilitate an enhanced awareness of potential gaps in recording procedures within the Scottish Government for capturing data on youth violence, identify areas in which there is a particular dearth of information about youth violence, and suggest areas for future research. Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Government Social Research, 2010. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 1, 2010 at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/326952/0105428.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/326952/0105428.pdf Shelf Number: 120141 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersViolenceViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Krisberg, Barry Title: A New Era in California Justice Justice: Downsizing the State Youth Corrections System Summary: California created a statewide system of youth corrections facilities in 1941. The newly formed California Youth Authority (CYA) was considered a major progressive step forward in juvenile justice. Part of its focus in its early years was programming designed to keep youth close to their home communities. In its first three decades, the CYA population never exceeded 7,000. Leadership and policy changes in the late 1970s and early 1980s, however, started a long period of increase in the CYA population. By 1996, the number of incarcerated youth in the CYA grew steadily to over 10,000 youth. The rise was driven by several major factors: a fear that a growing California youth population was increasingly dangerous; a decrease in state funding to counties for local programs; and the cost savings to counties of sending youth to the CYA rather than county facilities or group homes. After 1996, the trend of a rising youth inmate population turned around, with fewer and fewer young people being held in the CYA. By the end of 2009, the CYA held 1,499 youth. This decline in the CYA population is the largest drop in youth confinement that has been experienced by any state. The research presented here attempts to examine the many factors that may have contributed to that “decarcerationâ€. We also examine concurrent trends in crime, arrests, and the use of other, nonâ€CYA forms of custody for these youth. Details: Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice, University of California, Berkeley; Oakland, CA: National Council on Crime and Delinquency, 2010. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 1, 2010 at: http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/A_New_Era_10-22-2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/A_New_Era_10-22-2010.pdf Shelf Number: 120142 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Zemel, Sarabeth Title: Service Delivery Policies: Findings from a Survey of Juvenile Justice and Medicaid Policies Affecting Children in the Juvenile Justice System Summary: This issue brief from NASHP highlights findings from surveys of juvenile justice and Medicaid agencies in order to determine policies around health care and Medicaid for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The paper focuses on findings related to service delivery and continuity of care policies for juvenile justice-involved youth. Details: Portland, ME: National Academy for State Health Policy, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 1, 2010 at: http://www.nashp.org/sites/default/files/Aug2010MacFoundFinal_0.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.nashp.org/sites/default/files/Aug2010MacFoundFinal_0.pdf Shelf Number: 120143 Keywords: Health CareJuvenile OffendersMedicaid |
Author: Clark, Karen Title: Meeting the Health Needs of Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System Summary: Nearly 100,000 young people are in juvenile justice facilities of some sort on any given day, with more than 2 million arrested in a year. Of those in residential settings, 62 percent are minorities, 85 percent are boys, and many, if not most, lack adequate health insurance coverage. Youth in juvenile justice facilities - including detention centers, shelters, diagnostic centers, group homes, wilderness programs, residential treatment facilities and training schools (where most juveniles are committed) - suffer disproportionately from a host of mental and physical health problems. The presence and severity of health problems may help explain the behaviors that led to their involvement in the criminal justice system and make it critical they receive the appropriate medical services both in the system and upon their release. Most of those arrested do not end up at trial. Of those who are tried, about two-thirds are sentenced to probation after a trial, allowing a true opportunity for therapeutic intervention in the community. Given the preponderance of low-income youth involved with the juvenile justice system, it is likely that many who enter are enrolled in or eligible for Medicaid. States and local governments face stiff challenges in organizing and funding services for troubled youth. One challenge is to make Medicaid work better for this population during those times an individual is not in a public institution. Another challenge is to ensure that quality and effective services are provided to individuals both during and after their involvement in the juvenile justice system. Medicaid presents unique limits and opportunities compared to state and local funding. Services provided to those involved in the juvenile justice system are impacted by these funding matters. This paper describes these limits and opportunities, and highlights a number of promising practices and service models in states. Details: Portland, ME: National Academy for State Health Policy, 2006. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 1, 2010 at: Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 120146 Keywords: Health CareJuvenile OffendersMedical CareMental Health Services |
Author: Dedel, Kelly Title: Validating Multnomah County's Juvenile Detention Risk Assessment Instrument Summary: Reform efforts targeting the detention population focus on two essential processes: 1) limiting the size of the detention population by setting risk-based thresholds to ensure that only those who pose a legitimate threat to public safety are admitted to detention; and 2) developing an array of alternatives to secure detention that offer a range of supervision and programming options. As these two strategies coalesce, jurisdictions committed to reform realize significant reductions in the use of secure detention. Since 1998, Multnomah County has been a national model for jurisdictions interested in enacting detention reform. With support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Multnomah County has implemented nearly all of the key components of a multifaceted reform effort, save for one essential task: validating its detention risk screening instrument to ensure it provides sound guidance in determining who should be admitted to detention. Although its use has led to positive changes and a drastic reduction in the number of youth who are held in secure detention, the County’s Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI) has never been validated. In other words, the strength of the relationship between the items and score on the RAI and the youth’s likelihood of failing to appear in court (FTA) or committing a new offense while in the community pending court has not been tested. By testing the relationship between the RAI items and the outcome variables, we learn which items work best, and in which combinations, to identify youth who can be safely released to the community. A validation study may show that the RAI works best as it is; alternately, it could show that the same or better results could be achieved using a constellation of fewer items. This report presents the key findings of the validation study. Details: Portland, OR: One in 37 Research, Inc., 2007. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 8, 2010 at: http://web.multco.us/sites/default/files/documents/juvenile_detention_risk_assessment_instrument.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://web.multco.us/sites/default/files/documents/juvenile_detention_risk_assessment_instrument.pdf Shelf Number: 120202 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersRisk Assessment |
Author: Males, Mike Title: The California Miracle: Drastically Reduced Youth Incarceration, Drastically Reduced Youth Crime Summary: In a previous report, the Center’s analysis found that large decreases in the imprisonment of California youth in the State’s Division of Juvenile Facilities were followed by large declines in youth crime through 2004, while large increases in adult imprisonment were followed by increases, in adult crime. These findings directly challenged prevailing 'incapacitation' assumptions that more imprisonment leads to less crime. This updated analysis confirms the findings of the CJCJ 2006 report. The analysis of current trends in California juvenile incarceration found that the rate of juvenile incarceration in California between 1980 and 2010, fell by 80 percent. Despite the unprecedented declines in youth incarceration in California the juvenile violent crime rate fell by 39 percent and the juvenile felony rate fell by 60 percent during the period. Details: San Francisco, CA: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, 2010. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2010 at: http://www.cjcj.org/files/The_California_Miracle.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.cjcj.org/files/The_California_Miracle.pdf Shelf Number: 120263 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction) |
Author: Talbot, Jenny Title: Seen and Heard: Supporting Vulnerable Children in the Youth Justice System Summary: It is well established that high numbers of children who come to the attention of UK youth justice services have complex support needs. It is further acknowledged that addressing these needs helps to prevent a range of negative outcomes and reduces reoffending. How staff from youth offending teams (YOTs) identify and support children with particular impairments and difficulties who come to the attention of youth justice services, and what support they receive, was the primary focus of this study. The study shows significant variations between local youth justice services, to the extent that children with impairments and difficulties receive treatment and support as much on the basis of where they live, as on need. Especially concerning was the view, held by most YOT staff, that children with learning disabilities, communication difficulties, mental health problems, ADHD, and low levels of literacy who offend were more likely than children without such impairments to receive a custodial sentence. Although the overall picture from this study was mixed there were many examples where the support needs of children were being identified and met; where youth justice programmes and activities were being thoughtfully and skilfully adapted to include children, and where routine training and support for YOT staff took place. Details: London: Prison Reform Trust, 2010. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2010 at: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/uploads/documents/SeenandHeardFINAL.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/uploads/documents/SeenandHeardFINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 120291 Keywords: Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersLearning DisabilitiesMental Health Services |
Author: Zemel, Sarabeth Title: Findings from a Survey of Juvenile Justice and Medicaid policies Affecting Children in the Juvenile Justice System: Inter-Agency Collaboration Summary: Medicaid is important to juvenile justice-involved youth both as a health care financing mechanism and as a way to access physical and behavioral health services. The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), with the support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, is working with the Models for Change grantee organizations and state policymakers to address the health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system. This issue brief from NASHP is the first in a series that highlights findings from surveys of juvenile justice and Medicaid agencies in order to determine policies around health care and Medicaid for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The paper focuses on findings related to inter-agency collaboration, as well as educating juvenile justice agencies and staff about Medicaid policies, and data collection about the population both agencies serve. Details: Portland, ME: National Academy for State Health Policy, 2009. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2010 at: http://www.nashp.org/sites/default/files/JuvJust.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.nashp.org/sites/default/files/JuvJust.pdf Shelf Number: 120144 Keywords: Health CareJuvenile OffendersMedicaidMental Health Services |
Author: Zemel, Sarabeth Title: Medicaid Eligibility, Enrollment, and Retention Policies: Findings from a Survey of Juvenile Justice and Medicaid Policies Affecting Children in the Juvenile Justice System Summary: This issue brief from NASHP is the second in a series that highlights findings from surveys of juvenile justice and Medicaid agencies in order to determine policies around health care and Medicaid for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The paper focuses on findings related to Medicaid enrollment and retention policies for juvenile justice-involved youth. Details: Portland, ME: National Academy for State Health Policy, 2009. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2010 at: http://www.nashp.org/sites/default/files/MacFound11-09.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.nashp.org/sites/default/files/MacFound11-09.pdf Shelf Number: 120300 Keywords: Health CareJuvenile OffendersMedicaid |
Author: Gibson, Chris L. Title: Crime and Victimization Among Hispanic Adolescents: A Multilevel Longitudinal Study of Acculturation and Segmented Assimilation Summary: The Hispanic population in the United States has increased considerably over the past two decades, accounting for 40% of the nation’s population growth in the 1990s and 49% of the growth between 2000 and 2004 (U.S. Census, 2005). Unlike previous demographic shifts, this increase has been largely fueled by birthrate which has significant impact on the social context in which new generations of Hispanic Americans are socialized. One area in particular is that of crime and victimization among these “new†Hispanic populations and key to understanding these experiences may be rooted in the acculturation process. This study represents a comprehensive effort to illustrate the divergent experiences of first-, second-, and third-generation Hispanic child and adolescent immigrants with respect to their self-reported violent victimization and involvement in criminal offending. Details: Unpublished Report Submitted to the U.S. National Institute of Justice Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232278.pdf Year: 0 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232278.pdf Shelf Number: 120321 Keywords: Hispanic AmericansJuvenile OffendersLongitudinal StudiesMinority GroupsVictimizationVictims of Crime, Juveniles |
Author: Barnoski, Robert Title: Providing Evidence-Based Programs With Fidelity in Washington State Juvenile Courts: Cost Analysis Summary: This report describes a detailed analysis of fiscal year 2008 costs associated with providing state-funded evidence-based programs in the Washington State juvenile courts. Appendix A contains a description of each state-funded evidence-based programs examined in this study. These programs are: Aggression Replacement Training (ART); Coordination of Services (COS); Functional Family Therapy (FFT); Family Integrated Transitions (FIT); and Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST). The first two exhibits in this report summarize the cost of implementing evidence-based programs in Washington State juvenile courts during fiscal year 2008. The remainder of the report provides more detailed analyses of these costs. Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public Policy, 2009. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2010 at: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/09-12-1201.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/09-12-1201.pdf Shelf Number: 120324 Keywords: Cost AnalysisEvidence-Based ProgramsJuvenile Courts (Washington State)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Wang, Shun-Yung Kevin Title: Contingencies in the Long-Term Impact of Work on Crime Among Youth Summary: The impact of jobs on working American youth has not been examined thoroughly and the mechanism between employment and delinquency is not fully understood. Many prior studies that addressed the issue of youth employment and crime emphasized one variable, work intensity, and left plenty of unknown pieces in this puzzle. This study introduces the concept of “ladder jobs†that arguably deter job holders from committing delinquent and criminal behaviors. In this dissertation, “ladder jobs†are those with significant upward-moving occupational positions on a status ladder, and, to adolescents, these jobs encompass potential to be the start of an attractive career. Three promising mediating factors, job income, job stability, and parental control, are also examined. Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 97 and structural equation modeling are used to test hypotheses. Results indicate that “ladder jobs†demonstrated a significant crime-decreasing effect, while employment exhibited a crime-increasing effect. In addition, the magnitude rate of “ladder jobs†versus employment increased as youth aged; that is, the advantages of “ladder jobs†gradually outweigh the disadvantages of employment in the sense of crime prevention. Furthermore, job income partially mediates the crime-increasing effect of employment on delinquency, and job stability partially mediates the crime-decreasing effect of “ladder jobs†on delinquency. However, parental control, which is measured as direct supervision, does not play a mediating role between employment and delinquency. In sum, from a crime-prevention standpoint, a job that pays little now, but improves the chances of a long-term career appears to better than a dead-end job that pays comparatively well in the short-term. The findings also imply that the discussions of employment and of internships among youth should address the importance of future-oriented feature of occupations, and not just the immediate monetary gains from the employment. Details: Tallahassee, FL: Florida State University, College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2010. 215p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232222.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232222.pdf Shelf Number: 120336 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionEmploymentJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. Blueprint Commission Title: Getting Smart About Juvenile Justice in Florida Summary: Florida’s juvenile justice system is blazing a new path. Since the Department of Juvenile Justice was established in 1994, the State and the Department have taken a “Get Tough†approach to juvenile crime. Today, while overall juvenile crime rates are down, policy makers, experts in juvenile crime, youth advocates and community leaders agree that Florida’s juvenile justice system lacks the capacity to provide the spectrum of services needed to significantly impact juvenile crime and public safety for the long term. It is time for Florida to “Get Smart†about juvenile justice. In July 2007, Governor Charlie Crist authorized creation of the Blueprint Commission as a time-limited workgroup charged with developing recommendations to reform Florida’s juvenile justice system. The Blueprint Commission’s 25 members traveled the state, holding public hearings and receiving testimony from a host of stakeholders – community leaders, law enforcement and court officers, representatives of the public school systems, health and mental health officials, parents, youth, advocates, national experts in juvenile justice and Department staff. They learned: Communities, which bear the burden of providing prevention services for at-risk youth, have limited capacity and resources with which to respond; Public school systems – themselves under stress – increasingly are using Zero Tolerance practices to send youth into the juvenile justice system rather than apply alternative methods of discipline; Even in the face of a decline in overall juvenile justice system referrals, the use of secure detention (jail-like setting) is increasing. Florida places youth in secure detention and in residential commitment at rates that exceed national norms; There is a growing proportion of girls in the juvenile justice system, which presents a host of health, mental health and programmatic challenges; There is a disproportionate number of minorities in the system – and the disproportion grows worse the deeper into the system you go; At all levels, across gender and race, the health and mental health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system are extraordinary, with two-thirds of youth, in some cases, having mental-health or substanceabuse issues; Through all of these challenges, the Department of Juvenile Justice is struggling to keep pace. Directcare staff is poorly equipped, compensation is low, and annual turnover ranges from 35% to 66%, depending on the employee category. The members of the Blueprint Commission, working with expert advisors, identified 52 recommendations for change, organized under seven guiding principles and 12 key goals that are designed to be implemented over multiple years. Though the recommendations are extensive and diverse, they can be summarized as follows: The State of Florida needs to invest in a continuum of services that can provide the right services at the right time in the least-restrictive environment, while continuing to provide serious sanctions for youth involved in serious and violent crime, where appropriate; Florida should invest in community-based programs that help keep kids out of trouble; Florida should develop alternative programs and interventions at the community level to prevent youth who do not pose a public safety or flight risk from placement in secure detention; For those youth who require commitment to residential facilities, Florida should provide facilities that are small, that provide good educational and skill-building programs, and that best prepare youth for return to their communities; Florida must provide gender-specific programming that effectively addresses the needs of girls in the juvenile justice system; And it must address the disproportionate presence of minorities in the system. Florida must provide adequate resources to meet the mental and physical health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system; Florida must invest in the human resources that provide direct care services to youth in the system and develop a more professional and stable workforce; And at every point, Florida should implement only those programs and strategies that are evidencebased, that have been demonstrated to be effective in protecting public safety while at the same time providing an optimum future for our youth. The Department of Juvenile Justice’s new Mission, Vision and Guiding Principles outline the Department’s commitment to be child-centered and family focused while, at the same time, reducing juvenile delinquency and improving public safety. The findings and recommendations of the Blueprint Commission are intended to guide and support the Department, and the State, along this new path. Details: Tallahassee: Blueprint Commission, 2008. 148p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://www.djj.state.fl.us/blueprint/documents/Report_of_the_Blueprint_Commision.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.djj.state.fl.us/blueprint/documents/Report_of_the_Blueprint_Commision.pdf Shelf Number: 120352 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice Systems (Florida)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Harris, Phil Title: A CJCA White Paper: Defining and Measuring Recidivism Summary: In October of 2008, OJJDP funded a CJCA all-directors conference in Chicago to begin the process of developing common definitions and measures of recidivism. Speakers at the conference included Steve Aos, Mark Lipsey, Edward Mulvey, and Carol Shapiro. By the end of the conference, a rough set of definitions of recidivism emerged, contingencies such as identifying youths at different levels of risk received support, and the directors recognized that access to needed data would be an obstacle to outcome measurement in some states. This white paper is a product of the proceedings of the all-directors conference and a work group, comprised of directors and researchers, created out of that conference. Over the past year, members of the group submitted ideas, responded to interviews, and edited drafts to advance the group's goal of reaching consensus on how to measure recidivism. The work group is focused on developing a set of standards regarding the definition and measurement of recidivism that will be adopted by all juvenile justice agencies with the ultimate goal of facilitating the development of more effective responses to the problem of delinquency. In October 2009, OJJDP funded a second all directors conference in Chicago to review the proposed White Paper and consider the findings. The directors adopted the White Paper by consensus. Having achieved White Paper consensus an Implementation Subcommittee of the Work Group was formed to develop a comprehensive implementation plan for national recidivism data gathering and measurement. Details: Braintree, MA: Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators, 2009. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: CJCA White Paper: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://cjca.net/cjcaresources/15/CJCA-Recidivism-White-Paper.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://cjca.net/cjcaresources/15/CJCA-Recidivism-White-Paper.pdf Shelf Number: 120353 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRecidivism |
Author: Johnson, Byron R. Title: The Great Escape: How Religion Alters the Delinquent Behavior of High-Risk Adolescents Summary: Does individual religious commitment serve as a buffer in supporting high-risk youth (such as those living in poor inner-city areas) escape drug use and other illegal activities? Inadequacies of support structures in poor inner-city black communities lead many black youth into criminal and other delinquent activities. However, there are protective factors which help numerous youth in those communities stay out trouble. We predict that individual religiosity will demonstrate itself to be one of those shielding factors. We expect that all other things being equal, religious commitment will act as a safeguard in protecting at-risk youth living in poor, inner-city black communities from socially undesirable activities. To test this proposition, we use data from an interview survey of 2,358 young black males from poor neighborhoods in Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia. After analyzing the data, our results indicate that behavioral measures of religious commitment (the frequency with which one attends religious services) significantly reduce non-drug illegal activities, drug use, and drug dealing among disadvantaged youth. However, attitudinal measures of religious devotion (one's response to how important of a role religion plays in his or her life) is not significantly linked to reductions in juvenile delinquency. In this study, we discuss the theoretical and methodological implications of our findings, indicate the shortcomings of previous research, and provide direction for further investigation to focus on individual religiosity as a potentially important protective factor for high-risk disadvantaged youth. Details: Waco, TX: Baylor University, Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion, 2008. 16p. (Originally published: 2002) Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://www.isreligion.org/wp-content/uploads/ISR_Great_Escape.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.isreligion.org/wp-content/uploads/ISR_Great_Escape.pdf Shelf Number: 120354 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersRehabilitationReligion |
Author: Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Bra) Title: Evaluation of the K-model (The Kronoberg Model) Summary: The K-model is a working model used by the police that aims to prevent young people from drinking alcohol in public places and, as an extension to this, to contribute towards reducing juvenile violence in these environments. The model was developed by the police in Kronoberg County (hence The K-model), which is one of Sweden’s 21 Counties and also one of the 21 County Police Authorities. The police’s own experiences and follow-ups of the model indicated that it was both possible to manage in a good way and had the capacity to reduce juvenile violence. . Details: Stockholm: Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, 2009. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: English Summary of Bra rerpot No. 2009:5: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://www.bra.se/extra/measurepoint/?module_instance=4&name=Evaluation_of_the_K_model_summary.pdf&url=/dynamaster/file_archive/091229/c81e66bdea74d8ac3314be4e8c4d531f/Evaluation%255fof%255fthe%255fK%255fmodel%255fsummary.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Sweden URL: http://www.bra.se/extra/measurepoint/?module_instance=4&name=Evaluation_of_the_K_model_summary.pdf&url=/dynamaster/file_archive/091229/c81e66bdea74d8ac3314be4e8c4d531f/Evaluation%255fof%255fthe%255fK%255fmodel%255fsummary.pdf Shelf Number: 120360 Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (Sweden)Juvenile OffendersJuvenile ViolencePolicing |
Author: Sedlak, Andrea J. Title: Youth's Characteristics and Backgrounds: Findings From the Survey of Youth in Residential Placement Summary: To better understand the reasons that youth in confinement have offended, we need to examine their back- grounds and characteristics and review the offenses that led to their custody placement. OJJDP's Survey of Youth in Residential Placement (SYRP) asks youth to identify the offenses they have committed and the personal and environmental factors that may have contributed to their delinquency. SYRP complements related OJJDP researchsuch as the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement. However, as the only national survey that gathers information directly from youth in custody, SYRP provides data that are not available from other sources. This bulletin draws on SYRP's find-ings to examine the characteristics and backgrounds of youth in custody. It describes their demographic characteristics and reports on their current and prior offenses, disposition, family and educational backgrounds, and expectations for the future. Details: Wsahington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2010. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Bulletin, December 2010: Accessed December 14, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/227730.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/227730.pdf Shelf Number: 120507 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Kurdish Info Title: The Punitive-Justice System that Kurdish Chidlren are Subjected to in the 21st Century Turkey Summary: In order to understand the case of the children, who have been included in the police records for many years, it is necessary to know, scrutinise and internalise the incidents that have been going on in the land in which they have born and grew up. This can only be achieved by seeking an answer to the question “who are these children†or questioning the deteriorating effects of the dirty war that has been experienced in the region for almost 30 years. The intense period of conflict (1990-1996) that coincides with the date of birth of these children living in the Eastern and South Eastern regions of which the administration have been surrendered to JITEM (Jandarma Ä°stihbarat ve Terörle MĂ¼cadele - Gendarmerie Intelligence and Counterterrorism) and an armed force consisting of village guards. With their extralegal and inhuman implementations of dirty war for many years, these armed forces inflicted irreparable damages upon the population of the region. Excluding the village guards, every individual, who earned their living through agriculture and animal husbandry in the villages and fields, have been subjected to oppression, violence and forced displacement for being declared potential suspects. Relying on the authority and powers they have been entrusted with, the armed forces have not only targeted the opponents of the system, but also subjected the people, who stood before their personal interests, to inhuman treatment. There have been thousands of unsolved and solved killings in the region, while thousands were forced to leave their homes. Their homes, belongings and even animals have been burned alive in front of their eyes. While some of them resettled in the nearest city centres, a substantial proportion of people had to immigrate to Western cities. The people who have been living on the land for many years, have been denied access to their village to use their land, fields and gardens by the security forces on the pretext of security. Members of the families who were forced to resettle in the cities are unemployed, devoid of any income and continue with their lives in great economic distress. They have found themselves in the midst of a village-city conflict with economic, social, cultural alienation as well as issues in relation to language and identity. During the years of ascendancy of the dirty war (1990-1996), the unity of police, JITEM and Hizbullah (Party of God), caused extrajudicial executions in the cities every day, thousands of detentions as a results of which the bodies have not yet been found, disappearance of people who have been taken away while at home or work as well as thousands of unsolved killings. During these years, many provinces in the region were subject of discussion only in relation to the killings and there have been news of a disappearance every day for years. The dark powers that regenerated the dirty face of war have ended so many lives without distinguishing between shop-owners, office-workers, old, young or child. Today, almost all the children who have been arrested, tried in Diyarbakir, Sirnak, Mardin, Batman and many other cities and sentenced to quarter of century of imprisonment, are the witnesses and belong to families, who are material and psychological victims of the dirty war in the villages and fields, which have been evacuated by the security powers on the pretext of security, of Eastern and South Eastern regions that have been subjected to discriminatory policies and regarded as Region of State of Emergency. The streets that witnessed the slogans and victory signs of children today, have witnessed the unsolved murder or disappearance of one of the family members in those years. The father or some other relative of these children has either been subject to an unsolved murder or disappeared without a trace of body, or whose mother or father have been accused of various crimes and sentenced. The conditions of education and problems in relation to language, identity, discrimination and alienation in their new cities have made quite negative influences on the children, who are in a process of development. The greatest factors that influenced the children to resort to such incidents (stone throwing) are such experiences. The incidents that the children encountered have completely shaped their view of police, soldier and state in a negative manner. It must be emphasised that the state, which disregarded the incidents that made the children resort to such actions in the contexts of conflict, has enacted laws that sentenced the children, seen as individuals, to imprisonment as long as their ages instead of re-organising the political institutions, developing itself, establishing a better framework of administration, and carrying out activities for the peace and liberty of the individual. Today, the security forces that use the authority given to them by the anti-terror law uses violence and detains individuals without distinguishing between male, female, adult or child, and without even considering whether they took part in the incidents or not. During the incidents that took part in the region, security forces have detained many children by looking into their palms to see whether they are dusty or sweaty. Details: Kurdish-info.eu, 2010. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 15, 2010 at: http://www.kurdish-info.eu/media/files/CHILDREN2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Turkey URL: http://www.kurdish-info.eu/media/files/CHILDREN2010.pdf Shelf Number: 119838 Keywords: Human Rights (Turkey)Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersJuveniles |
Author: Hennigan, Karen Title: Five Year Outcomes in a Randomized Trial of a Community-Based Multi-Agency Intensive Supervision Juvenile Probation Program Summary: The long term outcomes of an intensive supervision probation program implemented in several neighborhood afterschool centers in high crime neighborhoods in Los Angeles County California were evaluated. Over a two year period, youth were randomly assigned to this new program or to supervision-as-usual. Of all the boys age 15 or younger who were assessed at low risk for re-offending at program intake, those randomly assigned to the new program were three times more likely to have been incarcerated in prison or the California Youth Authority over the five years following the program (12% vs. 4% in the control program). At the end of the five-year follow-up period, 69% of the younger low risk boys in the new program were out of the criminal justice system altogether relative to 83% of their counterparts in the control program. Certain attitudes and perceptions associated with delinquent behavior in past empirical studies were changed among these boys who participated in the new program. When interviewed after the program, they had lower expectations of being caught and punished for delinquent activities, lower self esteem in the context of school and family, and were more likely to believe they were the type of kid who “gets into trouble†than their counterparts in the “supervision-as-usual†program. Each of these mediators was associated with the negative long term outcomes found among the younger low risk boys in this experimental study. These results are consistent with a social influence model called “deviancy training.†Of all the youth on probation who participated in the intensive probation program, only the younger lower risk boys were negatively affected. The older higher risk youth had favorable outcomes initially but these dissipated over time. One problem that may have contributed to the loss of the immediate advantages is a kind of “catch 22†that is common in intensive supervision programs where the intensity of the supervision can lead to more probation violations and more detention experiences. Youth that accumulate more detention experiences are typically treated more severely in their next encounter with law enforcement due to a labeling effect. Just looking at their records, it appears that their behavior is more serious and harder to control due to the increased sanctions experienced and future sanctions are calibrated in accordance with that view. There was an association between being detained in juvenile hall and the long term rate of incarceration among the older higher risk youth. The authors argue that it is important for those who plan, implement, and manage juvenile justice probation programs to consider the implications of the long term outcomes of this group-based intensive supervision program. Details: Unpublished report to the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice, 2010. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 21, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232621.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232621.pdf Shelf Number: 120558 Keywords: Alternative to IncarcerationIntensive SupervisionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Probation |
Author: Browne, Angela Title: Anticipating the Future Based on Analysis of the Past: Intercity Variation in Youth Homicide, 1984-2006 Summary: Homicide researchers at the Vera Institute of Justice, RTI International, and the Presley Center for Crime and Justice Studies, University of California conducted a comprehensive study of trends in youth homicide offending from 1984-2006 for youth 13 to 24 years of age in 91 of the 100 largest cities in the United States (based on the 1980 Census). The study extends previous work on the perpetration of youth violence by modeling city-specific explanatory predictors influencing annual changes in youth homicide offending within cities during the youth homicide epidemic in the mid-1980s and early 1990s, applying the specified model to emerging trends in youth homicide perpetration for 2000-2006, assessing whether the model applies equally well for juveniles 13 to 17 and young adults ages 18 to 24, and analyzing whether the scope of the model can be extended to perpetration of nonlethal youth violence, particularly robbery and aggravated assault. A unique comprehensive data file representing youth lethal and nonlethal offending by males ages 13 to 24 at the city-level over this 23-year period was also constructed for public use. Findings showed that homicide, robbery, and aggravated assault trends for both juveniles and young adults followed the same general trend between 1984 and 2006. There was an escalation in lethal and nonlethal violence arrest rates in the early years, followed by a significant downturn after the early 1990s, and then a subsequent and significant upturn in the more recent years of the time period. While some factors were consistently associated with youth violence across offense type, time period, and analytic technique, others were significant in only certain situations. Specifically, structural disadvantage was consistently associated with variation in homicide and robbery among juvenile and young adult perpetrators during both the initial escalation of violence in the mid-1980s and early 90s and in more recent years. Additionally, gang presence –activity and drug market activity were consistently associated with the escalation in homicide offending among both juveniles and young adults during both early and later years. Details: Unpublished report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice, 2010. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed Decembe4r 21, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232622.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232622.pdf Shelf Number: 120560 Keywords: HomicideJuvenile OffendersRobberyViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Stovel, Laura Title: Restorative Justice After Mass Violence: Opportunities and Risks for Children and Youth Summary: There is growing interest in the role that restorative justice can play in addressing mass atrocities. This paper describes the associated principles and practices within juvenile justice systems and in societies emerging from mass violence. It also examines the meaning, opportunities and limitations of restorative justice in transitional societies, particularly in relation to the needs of young victims and offenders. We argue that procedural forms of restorative justice, involving redress by offenders, face considerable challenges because communities and governments often lack the coercive capacity or will to hold offenders accountable. In contexts where accountability is lacking we argue that pressuring victims to meet with, and forgive, those who harmed them may be inappropriate. Such encounters should only occur where victims see them as necessary to their own healing. Despite the procedural limitations of restorative justice, this perspective (ontology) helps us analyse the route to reconciliation in different conflict contexts and reveals opportunities and challenges for justice and reconciliation in each case. This ontology reveals that intra-communal and inter-communal (ethnic/religious) conflicts have dramatically different justice and reconciliation challenges. In an intra-communal conflict, such as in Sierra Leone, offenders need to reintegrate into communities that they or their factions harmed. The desire to reintegrate into communities that condemn their crimes while accepting them provides opportunities for young offenders to address their crimes. In ethnically divided societies, offenders are often seen as heroes in their communities and may not have to address their crimes until the communities themselves condemn them. This makes restorative justice and reconciliation much more difficult, as communities do not take on the role of promoting accountability for their own members. In such cases, restorative justice efforts must promote social trust between groups. In both intra-communal and inter-communal conflicts, victims are often marginalized by their own communities and receive inadequate assistance. Restorative justice shows us that much can be done to help young victims, and this should become an explicit part of the justice picture. Finally, we argue that traditional justice is not synonymous with restorative justice. While traditional justice is community based and often meaningful to people, many of its forms are retributive; deny a voice to children, youth and other disadvantaged groups; or place community reconciliation above individual justice. Therefore, traditional justice practices should be assessed case by case if they are to be claimed as restorative justice equivalents. Details: Florence, Italy: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, 2010. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Innocenti Working Paper 2010-15: Accessed December 23, 2010 at: http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/iwp_2010_15.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/iwp_2010_15.pdf Shelf Number: 120628 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Victims of CrimeRestorative JusticeViolence |
Author: University of California at Los Angeles. School of Law. Juvenile Justice Project Title: The Impact of Prosecuting Youth in the Adult Criminal Justice System Summary: The juvenile justice system was founded with the goal to serve the best interests of the child, with an understanding that youth possessed different needs than adults. Transfer laws represent a departure from that traditional understanding of juvenile justice and are contrary to fundamental notions of justice. As the overwhelming majority of research studies show, the adult criminal justice system is ill-equipped to meet the needs of youth offenders at all stages of the process, from trial to sentencing options to incarceration. The findings of this literature review indicate that justice is not served by forcing juveniles through a system never intended to process youth and that transfer laws have exacerbated the problems they sought to address. Details: Los Angeles: UCLA School of Law, Juvenile Justice Project, 2010. 131p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 31, 2011 at: http://www.campaignforyouthjustice.org/documents/UCLA-Literature-Review.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.campaignforyouthjustice.org/documents/UCLA-Literature-Review.pdf Shelf Number: 120635 Keywords: Juvenile JusticeJuvenile OffendersWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction |
Author: Mulvey, Edward P. Title: Substance Use and Delinquent Behavior Among Serious Adolescent Offenders Summary: The nexus between substance use and offending during adolescence has important implications for juvenile justice interventions. Many of the adolescents who get in trouble with the law have problems with substance use, and their offending is tied to their involvement with drugs or alcohol. Gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamic ebb and flow of these behaviors is critical to refining treatment approaches and more effectively targeting prevention efforts for adolescent offenders. The right intervention at the right time in the development of these offenders could forestall a lifetime of substance use and offending that fuel each other in a destructive pattern. Much work has been done on the relationship between adolescent substance use and offending, but most studies have focused on general community samples or samples of at-risk youth as they begin to engage in these behaviors. These efforts have produced a sizable literature documenting the factors related to the onset or maintenance of these behaviors independently of each other. Less research has focused on the reciprocal effects of these behaviors on each other during adolescence. Also lacking is a clear understanding of how these behaviors play out beyond the point in early adulthood when youth with established histories of offending and substance use cease one behavior or the other (see Hussong et al., 2004, for an exception). Information gathered from this vantage point, joined with extant research, will contribute to a more complete understanding of the link between substance use and offending and will enhance the knowledge base available to juvenile justice policymakers and practitioners. One OJJDP-sponsored longitudinal study offers a particularly detailed and rich picture of substance use and offending in serious adolescent offenders over time, using regular interviews conducted over a period of 7 years after court involvement. The study, Pathways to Desistance: A Prospective Study of Serious Adolescent Offenders, follows a large sample of serious (overwhelmingly felony) offenders into early adulthood, providing insight into changes across multiple life domains that contribute to offenders’ desisting from or persisting in antisocial activities (Mulvey et al., 2004) (see “About the Pathways to Desistance Study†on p. 8).1 The Pathways study is important to the juvenile justice field because serious offenders, such as those followed in this study, drive much of the policy debate in juvenile justice (Greenwood, 2006) and present the system with some of its most vexing practical challenges. Among its many goals, the study tests whether the relationships between substance use and offending observed in previous studies of community-based youth or youth in detention also hold for individuals who have more serious and/or chronic problems. The study also observes the joint desistance process for substance use and offending. This bulletin describes what is known about the relationships between substance use and offending based on extant research and the Pathways data. It is the beginning, rather than the end, of an involved story. Researchers have observed several interesting and relevant relationships between these behaviors in the sample overall and in individuals during the 2-year period following their court involvement. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how substance use and offending interact and affect the desistance process in these adolescents. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2010. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Accessed January 31, 2011 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/232790.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/232790.pdf Shelf Number: 120634 Keywords: Drug Abuse and CrimeDrug OffendersJuvenile OffendersSubstance Abuse |
Author: Warburton, William P. Title: The Impact of Placing Adolescent Males into Foster Care on their Education, Income Assistance and Incarcerations Summary: Understanding the causal impacts of taking youth on the margins of risk into foster care is an element of the evidence-base on which policy development for this crucial function of government relies. Yet, there is little research looking at these causal impacts; neither is there much empirical work looking at long-term outcomes. This paper focuses on estimating the impact of placing 16 to 18 year old male youth into care on their rates of high school graduation, and post-majority income assistance receipt and incarceration. Two distinct sources of exogenous variation are used to generate instrumental variables, the estimates from which are interpreted in a heterogeneous treatment effects framework as local average treatment effects (LATEs). And, indeed, each source of exogenous variation is observed to estimate different parameters. While both instruments are in accord in that placement in foster care reduces (or delays) high school graduation, the impact of taking youth into care on income assistance use has dramatically different magnitudes across the two margins explored, and, perhaps surprisingly, one source of exogenous variation causes an increase, and the other a decrease, in the likelihood of the youth being incarcerated by age 20. Our results suggest that it is not enough to ask whether more or fewer children should be taken into care; rather, which children are, and how they are, taken into care matter for long-term outcomes. Details: Bonn, Germany: Institute for the Study of Labor, 2011. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: IZA Discussion Paper No. 5429: Accessed February 1, 2011 at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp5429.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://ftp.iza.org/dp5429.pdf Shelf Number: 120643 Keywords: AdolescentsFoster CareJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Whitman, Julie L. Title: A Review of Minneapolis's Youth Violence Prevention Initiative Summary: Minneapolis’s public health approach to youth violence identifies problems, uses data, creates partnerships, and engages in practical problem solving to create a safer community. The city’s Blueprint for Action: Preventing Youth Violence in Minneapolis attacks the root causes of violence while holding juvenile perpetrators accountable for their actions and offering rehabilitation where appropriate. In the process, the initiative has woven a citywide fabric of partnerships that other jurisdictions can replicate. Community members and professionals from juvenile justice, law enforcement, community programs, and public health—no longer feeling isolated—have a renewed sense of purpose as part of a larger effort, moving in the same direction toward the same goal. Crime statistics are showing preliminary positive effects. A young but promising initiative, the Minneapolis Blueprint offers grounds for further research and potential for the quest to end youth violence Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2010. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: COPS Innovations: Accessed February 1, 2011 at: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/RIC/Publications/e011027253-Minneapolis.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/RIC/Publications/e011027253-Minneapolis.pdf Shelf Number: 120655 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersPartnershipsYouth Violence (Minneapolis) |
Author: Kempinen, Cynthia A. Title: Pennsylvania's Motivational Boot Camp Program: The Impact of Program Completion on Offender Recidivism. 2009 Report to the Legislature Summary: Act 215 of 1990, which created Pennsylvania's Motivational Boot Camp Program, also mandated the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing to evaluate the program and to provide a report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. The 2009 Legislative Report addresses the following questions: 1) What type of offender goes to Boot Camp?; 2) What self-reported attitudinal and behavioral changes occur among Boot Camp graduates?; 3) What are the predictors of program completion?; and 4) What is the impact of program completion on recidivism? The major findings are as follows: Since the opening of the Boot Camp in 1992 through 2007, there have been 6,114 offenders admitted to the Boot Camp Program. The typical offender entering Boot Camp was young, non-white, male, convicted of a drug offense, and from an urban area. Upon admission to Boot Camp, the majority of offenders reported having a high school diploma, being employed, being single, and having at least one child. Most offenders reported having family members and friends who had previously been incarcerated. The vast majority of offenders also had committed prior offenses, consisting primarily of drug dealing, drug use, and DUI. A sizeable number of offenders were arrested as juveniles, though the average age at first arrest was 18 years. Most offenders had used drugs the day of their offense. The average age of onset for drug use was 15 years of age, and marijuana and cocaine were the predominant drugs of choice. The vast majority of offenders were proud that they were accepted into Boot Camp, and felt that it was a positive experience. Upon graduating from Boot Camp, offenders indicated some positive changes including being less impulsive, acquiring better decision-making skills, and experiencing fewer problems with drugs. Additionally, all of these changes endured after offenders were on parole for six months. After Boot Camp, offenders reported that they were more likely to be employed full-time, less likely to use drugs or alcohol, and less likely to associate with their old friends. The Boot Camp has a high graduation rate, with about 93% of the offenders in our study graduating from the program. Offenders were less likely to complete Boot Camp if they were female, young, had a greater number of prior arrests, had lower expectations for personal change, had difficulty controlling their temper, or found complicated tasks to be more challenging. Overall, about 52% of Boot Camp graduates in our study recidivated within two years, with 20% being recommitted for a technical violation and 32% arrested for a new crime. While offenders who completed Boot Camp were less likely to recidivate, this finding was not significant at the multivariate level. Offenders were significantly more likely to recidivate if they were: male, young, non-white, unemployed, less educated, property offenders, incarcerated as juveniles, or repeat offenders. Additionally, those who indicated they have difficulty controlling their temper, were in need of substance abuse treatment, or came from a less close-knit family were more likely to recidivate. Details: State College, PA: Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing, 2009. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2011 at: http://pcs.la.psu.edu/publications/research-and-evaluation-reports/state-motivational-boot-camp-program/ResRptBC2009.pdf#navpanes=0 Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://pcs.la.psu.edu/publications/research-and-evaluation-reports/state-motivational-boot-camp-program/ResRptBC2009.pdf#navpanes=0 Shelf Number: 120713 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationBoot Camp (Pennsylvania)Juvenile OffendersRecidivism |
Author: Equal Justice Initiative Title: Cruel and Unusual: Sentencing 13- and 14-Year-Old Children to Die in Prison Summary: In the United States, dozens of 13- and 14-year-old children have been sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole after being prosecuted as adults. While the United States Supreme Court recently declared in Roper v. Simmons that death by execution is unconstitutional for juveniles, young children continue to be sentenced to imprisonment until death with very little scrutiny or review. A study by the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) has documented 73 cases where children 13 and 14 years of age have been condemned to death in prison. Almost all of these kids currently lack legal representation and in most of these cases the propriety and constitutionality of their extreme sentences have never been reviewed. Most of the sentences imposed on these children were mandatory: the court could not give any consideration to the child’s age or life history. Some of the children were charged with crimes that do not involve homicide or even injury; many were convicted for offenses where older teenagers or adults were involved and primarily responsible for the crime; nearly two-thirds are children of color. Over 2225 juveniles (age 17 or younger) in the United States have been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. All of these cases raise important legal, penological, and moral issues. However, EJI believes that such a harsh sentence for the youngest offenders – children who are 13 and 14 – is cruel and unusual in violation of the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution. These children should be re-sentenced to parole-eligible sentences as soon as possible. Sentences of life imprisonment with no parole also violate international law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been ratified by every country in the world except the United States and Somalia. EJI has launched a litigation campaign to challenge death in prison sentences imposed on young children. This report is intended to illuminate this cruel and unusual punishment inflicted on children, particularly for those who have been without legal help for so long that the procedural obstacles to winning relief in court will be formidable. Increased public awareness, coupled with informed activity by advocacy groups, will be necessary to reform policies that reflect a lack of perspective and hope for young children. Details: Montgomery, AL: Equality Justice Initiative, 2007. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2011 at: http://www.eji.org/eji/files/20071017cruelandunusual.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.eji.org/eji/files/20071017cruelandunusual.pdf Shelf Number: 107666 Keywords: ImprisonmentJuvenile OffendersLife SentenceSentencing, Juveniles |
Author: Steinhart, David Title: A Practice Guide to Juvenile Detention Reform: Juvenile Detention Risk Assessment Summary: Detention risk screening is a fundamental strategy used to evaluate youth and determine the need for secure, locked confinement. The risk instruments developed at Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative sites have been effective in curbing subjective or inappropriate decisions as well as controlling the total admissions to secure detention. This is a practical guide for juvenile justice decision-makers and includes specific recommendations on how to design, test, and implement detention risk-screening instruments. Details: Baltimore, MD: Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2006. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2011 at: http://www.aecf.org/upload/PublicationFiles/JJ3622H5038.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: http://www.aecf.org/upload/PublicationFiles/JJ3622H5038.pdf Shelf Number: 107693 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersRisk Assessment |
Author: Mendel, Richard A. Title: The Missouri Model: Reinventing the Practice of Rehabilitating Youthful Offenders Summary: The state of Missouri’s approach to juvenile detention is designed to help troubled teens make lasting behavioral changes so that they can successfully transition back to their communities. This report explores the success of the model and builds the case for juvenile detention reform. Details: Baltimore, MD: Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2010. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2011 at: http://www.aecf.org/~/media/Pubs/Initiatives/Juvenile%20Detention%20Alternatives%20Initiative/MOModel/MO_Fullreport_webfinal.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.aecf.org/~/media/Pubs/Initiatives/Juvenile%20Detention%20Alternatives%20Initiative/MOModel/MO_Fullreport_webfinal.pdf Shelf Number: 120725 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation |
Author: MacRae, Leslie D. Title: A Study of Youth Reoffending in Calgary Summary: In 2006, the Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family began work on a three-year study of youth offending in Calgary. One objective of the study was to develop a model for better understanding why some youth become more seriously involved in crime, while others do not. The first year of the study established a baseline for this model by developing profiles of youth offending in Calgary.1 With funding from the Alberta Law Foundation, and in partnership with City of Calgary Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Calgary Police Service, the purpose of current report is to use Calgary Police Service data to determine which of the 123 youth profiled in the original study sample went on to reoffend, and further, which factors differentiate repeat from non-repeat offenders. This report will contribute to the body of research on risk and protective factors for youth offending, and further assist the Calgary Police Service, City of Calgary Community and Neighbourhood Services, and other youth-serving agencies, as well as those who work in the youth justice field in general (i.e., judges, lawyers) in developing evidence-based prevention and intervention programs for youth offenders. The objectives of this report are to: Re-examine the files of the 123 youth in the study sample and determine how the study groups differed on individual, family, peer, school, and community factors; Identify factors that are related to youth reoffending; and Determine the factors that are most important in predicting which youth continued to reoffend from those who did not. Details: Calgary, Alberta: Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family, 2009. 107p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2011 at: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Final_Youth_Reoffending_Report_April_2009.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Canada URL: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Final_Youth_Reoffending_Report_April_2009.pdf Shelf Number: 120776 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRecidivismRehabilitationRepeat Offenders |
Author: Smith, Nadine Title: Why is the NSW Juvenile Reconviction Rate Higher Than Expected? Summary: This report examines reasons for the apparent increase in the rate of juvenile reconviction between 2004-05 and 2006-07 in New South Wales, Australia. Observed and predicted reconviction rates were investigated for the 2004-05 (n=4,225) and 2006-07 (n=4,368) cohorts of juvenile offenders given non-custodial sanctions. Various factors (for example, number of prior police cautions) were included in the Group Risk Assessment Model to determine whether they eliminated the discrepancy between the observed and predicted reconviction rates. The profile of re-offences across cohorts was also compared. It was found that two factors may explain the discrepancy between the observed and predicted reconviction rates in 2006-07: (1) a higher than expected rate of reconviction among juveniles dealt with via a Youth Justice Conference; and (2) the absence in the Group Risk Assessment Model of any control for the number of prior police cautions received by a juvenile offender. The higher than expected rate of reconviction among juveniles dealt with via a Youth Justice Conference in 2006-07 appears partly attributable to changes in policing practices. It is recommended that the use of the Group Risk Assessment Model be restricted to young offenders dealt with by way of the Children’s Court. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 146: Accessed February 16, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb146.pdf/$file/cjb146.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb146.pdf/$file/cjb146.pdf Shelf Number: 120778 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRecidivismReconviction |
Author: McNeill, Fergus Title: Research and Practice in Risk Assessment and Risk Management of Children and Young People Engaging in Offending Behaviours: A Literature Review Summary: This study has been undertaken with the main aim of providing an evaluation of the literature on research and practice in relation to the risk assessment and risk management of children and young people engaging in offending behaviours, to be used to inform the RMA’s future work in these fields. The study incorporates two aspects: a) a review of national and international literature on the practices and processes of risk assessment and risk management of children and young people who engage in offending behaviour, with particular reference to violent offending and sexually harmful behaviour, and b) a review of current practice in the assessment and management of children and young people at risk of harm and re-offending in Scotland, carried out by means of telephone interviews with academic researchers and practitioners working in statutory and voluntary sectors across Scotland. Details: Paisley, Scotland: Risk Management Authority Research, 2007. 107p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 17, 2011 at: http://rmascotland.org/ViewFile.aspx?id=327 Year: 2007 Country: International URL: http://rmascotland.org/ViewFile.aspx?id=327 Shelf Number: 120815 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRisk AssessmentRisk Management |
Author: DeGusti, Berenice Title: An In-Depth Examination of School Investment and Extracurricular Activities by a Youth Offender Cohort Summary: The findings from the first year of a study called "A Profile of Youth Offenders in Calgary: An Interim Report" conducted by CRILF in 2007 and released in 2008, examined youth offending trends in Calgary for 2006, compared the criminal histories of 42 Serious Habitual Offenders (SHOs) to a matched sample of 42 non-SHOs, and closely examined the profiles of 123 youth who had various levels of contact with the youth justice system. The results generated a number of further questions regarding school investment and leisure activities. Specifically, the objectives of this study are to: (1) Elaborate on why youth who are more seriously involved with the youth justice system demonstrate less investment in school than others. (2) Elaborate on why youth who are more seriously involved in the youth justice system are less likely to participate in family and extracurricular leisure activities than youth less involved with the justice system. The primary purpose of this report is to provide additional information regarding school and leisure patterns revealed in the interim report. A number of additional quantitative and qualitative variables produced from interviews and probation file reviews of the youth cohort but not used in the initial report were identified and analyzed in order to answer additional questions posed by the patterns observed in the first year of the study. Details: Calgary, Alberta: Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family, 2008. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2011 at: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Final_Report-Youth_Offender_School_Investment_and_Extrac.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Final_Report-Youth_Offender_School_Investment_and_Extrac.pdf Shelf Number: 120817 Keywords: EducationJuvenile OffendersLeisure Activities |
Author: Audet, Ashley Title: Beyond the Law: Assessing the Realities of Juvenile Justice in Sierra Leone Summary: As future leaders, children have a critical role to play in the successful and sustained development of post-conflict societies. As Sierra Leone rebuilds from a decade of civil war, children’s rights and juvenile justice have gained increasing attention. This enhanced focus on children is evidenced in recent legislation and policies such as the National Child Justice Strategy 2006 and the Child Rights Act 2007. Despite these initiatives, however, the number of children in conflict with the law continues to rise. As a result, DCI-SL identified a need for research addressing not only the gaps between international and domestic legal standards, but also exploring the realities of juvenile justice administration in practice. The purpose of the completed report is to encourage stakeholders to acknowledge systemic strengths and weaknesses in the hopes of promoting coordinated efforts for future progress. Details: Freetown, Sierra Leone: Defence for Children International - Sierra Leone, 2010. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2011 at: http://www.juvenilejusticepanel.org/resource/items/D/C/DCIJJAssessment%20SierraLeone10_EN.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Sierra Leone URL: http://www.juvenilejusticepanel.org/resource/items/D/C/DCIJJAssessment%20SierraLeone10_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 120827 Keywords: Juvenile Justice Systems (Sierra Leone)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Millie, Andrew Title: Anti-Social Behaviour Strategies: Finding a Balance Summary: Anti-social behaviour (ASB) has a significant impact on the lives of a minority of people in Britain, particularly in areas of social deprivation and inner cities. But it has little or no effect on the quality of life of the majority of the population. The general population tends to equate ASB with problems they associate with young people, including graffiti, drug use or simple rowdiness. Two-thirds favour preventive action over tough action against ASB perpetrators. In the local neighbourhoods, people were mainly concerned with three issues: general misbehaviour by children and young people; visible drug and alcohol misuse; and neighbour disputes and ‘problem families'. Residents often regarded ASB as a symptom of social and moral decline. Local agencies tended to explain it in terms of social exclusion – especially of young people from deprived backgrounds. Some people, however, thought that much of the behaviour now labelled as ASB simply showed that ‘kids will be kids’. These different perspectives on ASB implied different solutions. Those who saw it as a consequence of declining moral standards tended to favour tougher discipline. Those who saw it as a result of deprivation preferred prevention and inclusion. In all three case-study sites, local ASB strategies have been adopted that balance enforcement with preventive work, and emphasise the need for a graduated and proportionate approach to enforcement. This contrasts with the stronger national emphasis on enforcement. We conclude that both national and local ASB strategies should aim for a balance between enforcement and prevention and that more care is needed in defining ASB and in deciding the limits on the use of civil remedies. Details: Bristol, U.K.: Policy Press for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2005. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2011 at: http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/1861347774.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/1861347774.pdf Shelf Number: 120835 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior (U.K.)GraffitiJuvenile OffendersNuisance Behaviors and Disorders |
Author: Scott, Elizabeth S. Title: Social Welfare and Fairness in Juvenile Crime Regulation Summary: This Article argues that a developmental model of juvenile crime regulation grounded in scientific knowledge about adolescence is both more likely to promote social welfare and is fairer to young offenders than a regime that fails to attend to developmental research. We focus on the less familiar social welfare argument for a separate and more lenient juvenile justice system, and demonstrate that the punitive law reforms of the 1990s have failed to minimize the social cost of juvenile crime. The expanded use of adult incarceration likely contributed to the declining juvenile crime rates since the mid-1990s, but the financial costs have been very high and not justified in terms of crime reduction for many youths. The evidence also supports that juveniles in prison have higher recidivism rates than comparable youths in the juvenile system. Moreover, less costly community dispositions have been shown to be more effective at reducing recidivism in some young offenders and are more likely to enhance the prospect that young offenders will lead satisfying lives. Our social welfare analysis is informed by scientific knowledge of adolescence and youth crime. Developmental research shows that the criminal activities of most young offenders are linked to developmental forces and they can be expected to "mature out" of their antisocial tendencies. Therefore, there is no reason to assume that these youths are headed for a career in crime unless correctional interventions push them in that direction. The research also shows that social context is critically important to the successful completion of developmental tasks essential to the transition to conventional adult roles associated with desistance from crime. The social comntext provided by correctional programs can enhance or undermine this process. Developmental research also provides the foundation for a regime committed to fair and proportionate punishment of young offenders. We challenge the recent scholarly argument favoring an approach to juvenile justice dedicated solely to crime reduction, on the ground that the principle of retribution is a necessary check on government power in this context. The potential for unfairness under a pure-prevention approach is substantial–both in the form of excessive punishment and in the potential for variations in responses to offenders based on considerations related to risk but not linked to the crime itself. This unfairness undermines the legitimacy of the justice system, and it can be avoided by incorporating proportionality as well as prevention into the developmental framework. Details: New York: Columbia Law School, 2010. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Columbia Public Law Research Paper No. 10-243: Accessed March 11, 2011 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1662579 Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1662579 Shelf Number: 120970 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersPunishment, Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Maxwell, Gabrielle Title: Effective Programmes for Youth at Risk of Continued and Serious Offending: Something to Do, Someone to Love, Something to Hope For. Summary: Over the last 30 years an enormous amount of research on the problem of how best to respond to youth offenders has become available. This information provides the opportunity to replace folk wisdom with evidence on best practice. The report is based on that evidence, using information from New Zealand and around the world. Yet evidence alone is not enough. Fundamental values and principles drive choices about how to respond to young people. There is not always agreement around these. In this paper we present a set of values and principles which are consistent with international human rights standards. These emphasise the rights of all children to have the opportunity to learn and grow and be treated humanely, recognising that mistakes that can damage both themselves and others are often part of growing up. The first chapter of this report sets out values and principles that build around the need and right of all children and young people to have ‘someone to love, something to do and something to hope for’. New Zealand needs to be ‘a place to call home’ in all senses of that word – a place where they can belong, a place where they are tangata whenua and have a sense of whanaungatanga, connectedness with community. The second chapter of the report summarises core findings from research that compares the backgrounds of children who do and do not offend. It indicates that factors that increase the risk of offending can be clearly identified. Understanding risks is important if we are to provide children with support early in their lives. But the research also shows that if we are to successfully intervene in the lives of young people who are already offending, then the focus needs to shift to their individual needs. We need to identify new and more appropriate ways of providing good education. We need to build life skills and help young people cope better with their emotions. We need to respond to drug and alcohol dependency. We need to respond to physical and mental health needs. We need to keep these young people safe. Above all, we need to build a web of support, community and opportunity around them so they can take advantage of the skills that can set them on the pathway to adult life. Society has a responsibility to invest in the future of all children and young people. Too often governments and the general public have taken the view that the past behaviour of these young people means that they no longer deserve opportunities that will require the investment of the State. But not investing in these young people now creates an even greater risk to community safety. It also ignores the fact that these young people have almost always been severely disadvantaged throughout their childhood and unable to benefit from opportunities available to their peers. Chapter three focuses on how best to develop and assess programmes. It examines the relationship between outcomes and investment. It describes how best to evaluate the effectiveness of programmes and it identifies the key factors that need to be the concern of those developing and operating programmes. A checklist has been included to assist those concerned to assess and evaluate the effective programme. In an appendix to the report a number of different types of programmes are described and some information is given on how their effectiveness was determined. Details: Wellington, NZ: Henwood Trust; Institute of Policy Studies, 2010. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 11, 2011 at: http://www.henwoodtrust.org.nz/Effective-Programmes.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.henwoodtrust.org.nz/Effective-Programmes.pdf Shelf Number: 120976 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRehabilitation, Juvenile OffendersRepeat OffendersTreatment Programs |
Author: Schnupp, Rebecca J. Title: Adolescent Deviance within Families and Neighborhoods Summary: Much of the research on delinquency has focused on the role that either families or neighborhoods play in the development of criminal behavior. While both of these theoretical traditions have received much empirical support, it is argued that individuals are simultaneously affected by each of these contexts either directly or indirectly (Gephart, 1997). Further, these contexts interact with each other and the individual to produce behavioral outcomes (Bronfenbrenner, 1979, 1986, 1988). A more adequate portrayal for why individuals engage in delinquency, therefore, should not only examine the effects of one context but also how these different contexts function together to either facilitate or impede antisocial behaviors. The primary propose of this dissertation is to try to ascertain if the effects of the more proximal context to the child, the family, is moderated by the more distal context, the neighborhood. Specifically, are the positive effects of “good†parenting found in both “good†and “bad†neighborhoods? Or does the neighborhood a family resides in alter the effects of “good†parenting? Using structural equation modeling, this dissertation will explore the moderating effects of neighborhood factors in the relationship between parenting and antisocial behavior while also considering the individual characteristics of the child. These relationships will be assessed using waves one and two of the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH). The results of this study revealed that although the direct effects of parenting and neighborhood factors are weak, residential instability moderates the effects of parenting. This association remained after considering the reciprocal nature of the relationship between parenting and child’s disposition. The implications of these findings, as they pertain to the current practice of studying contexts in isolation from one another, will be discussed. Details: Cincinnati, OH: University of Cincinnati, Division of Research and Advanced Studies, 2010. 177p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 14, 2011 at: http://etd.ohiolink.edu/view.cgi?acc_num=ucin1285687987 Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://etd.ohiolink.edu/view.cgi?acc_num=ucin1285687987 Shelf Number: 120999 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersNeighborhoods and CrimeParenting |
Author: Murphy, Candy Title: From Justice to Welfare: The Case for Investment in Prevention and Early Intervention Summary: For the small but significant number of children who come into contact with the criminal justice system, it can too easily become the defining event in their young lives. The repercussions of contact with the criminal justice system extend beyond the individual, to societal-wide implications in terms of the structure of communities and the financial costs borne by the State. We know that a criminal justice system based around punishment is an ineffective and costly way to deal with offending behaviour that is often rooted in identified social problems. Approaches to crime that are centred on prevention and early intervention seek instead to build protective factors, reducing the potential negative impacts on a child’s development of unfavourable external circumstances, thereby playing a role in reducing crime and criminality. The prioritisation of prevention and early intervention requires not only a shift in resources, but also a fundamental sea change in how society thinks about the concept of justice. Ultimately, this report champions the possibility of reducing crime - and the costs of crime - through prevention and early intervention, and a redistribution of resources to tackle the root causes of crime. The study examines the role of early intervention and prevention in reducing crime and criminality, drawing on national and international literature. It begins by reviewing the available literature on the characteristics of those involved in crime and spells out the known risk and protective factors in relation to criminality. It then draws out the key findings from the literature on the effectiveness and impact of early intervention and prevention on reducing criminality internationally to inform a wide ranging debate on this important topic in Ireland. Details: Dublin: Irish Penal Reform Trust, 2010. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2011 at: http://www.iprt.ie/files/From_Justice_to_Welfare_-_The_Case_for_Investment_in_Prevention_and_Early_Intervention.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Ireland URL: http://www.iprt.ie/files/From_Justice_to_Welfare_-_The_Case_for_Investment_in_Prevention_and_Early_Intervention.pdf Shelf Number: 121015 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention (Ireland)Early Intervention ProgramsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Mulvey, Edward P. Title: Highlights From Pathways to Desistance: A Longitudinal Study of Serious Adolescent Offenders Summary: This fact sheet presents an overview of some major findings from the Pathways to Desistance Study, a project that followed 1,354 serious adolescent offenders for 7 years following their convictions. The primary findings of the study to date deal with the decrease in self-reported offending over time by most serious adolescent offenders, the relative inefficacy of longer juvenile incarcerations in decreasing recidivism, the effectiveness of community-based supervision as a component of aftercare for incarcerated youth, and the effectiveness of substance abuse treatment in reducing both substance use and offending by serious adolescent offenders. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2011. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2011 at: http://ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/230971.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/230971.pdf Shelf Number: 121101 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersLongitudinal StudiesRecidivism |
Author: Povitsky, Wendy Title: An Evaluation Partnership Project to Enhance the State of Maryland's Capacity to Evaluate Juvenile Justice Programs: Final Report Summary: During 2004, the University of Maryland Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice began a project aimed at providing a model for evaluation of juvenile justice diversion projects in Maryland. The project, funded by the Justice Research and Statistics Association’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Council solicitation, was intended to demonstrate the advantages of using a systematic, collaborative, and coordinated approach to the evaluation of one type of diversion project funded through the Maryland State Advisory Board’s Youth Strategies Grant (YSG) Competition: Teen Courts (TCs). This project applied a model of researcher-practitioner collaboration (Program Development Evaluation, PDE) to develop a framework for evaluation in collaboration with the project and county-level practitioners involved in managing the TCs as well as the state-level administrators charged with overseeing the grants. The evaluation involves (1) a process evaluation to determine whether the TCs met the standards they had created for themselves; and (2) an outcome evaluation utilizing a randomized design to determine the effectiveness of TCs in reducing future recidivism. The PDE process allowed the TC coordinators and Local Management Board representatives to be directly involved in developing both parts of the evaluation. This report summarizes the preliminary findings of the process evaluation. Despite challenges encountered during this evaluation, the broader aims of this evaluation partnership project were met. The PDE method was successfully used to involve researchers and practitioners in a collaborative process resulting in a clear plan for the evaluation of a juvenile justice diversion project in Maryland. The advantages of using a systematic, collaborative, and coordinated approach to evaluate one type of diversion program funded through the YSG Competition have been demonstrated. Details: College Park, MD: Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Maryland, College Park, 2005. 101p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2011 at: http://www.jrsa.org/pubs/juv-justice/reports/maryland-evaluation_partnership.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: http://www.jrsa.org/pubs/juv-justice/reports/maryland-evaluation_partnership.pdf Shelf Number: 121151 Keywords: DiversionJustice Justice SystemsJuvenile Justice (Maryland)Juvenile OffendersTeen Courts |
Author: College of Business. Office of Business and Economic Research Title: Assessment of Disproportionate Minority Confinement in Tennessee’s Juvenile Justice System Summary: A new report, funded and commissioned by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, was the first systematic examination of the problem of minority over-representation in Tennessee juvenile courts. Although the report did not identify any “smoking guns,†it did recommend changes. The report identified risk factors associated with confinement and listed recommendations to address systemic problems. The purpose of the report was to investigate the nature, extent, and causes of disproportionate minority confinement in Tennessee’s Juvenile Justice System. Seven counties, Davidson, Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Madison, Blount, and Washington, were selected for study. Tennessee’s major urban counties had been previously identified as having significant DMC problems. Blount and Washington counties had not and were selected, in part, as control comparisons. The qualitative portion of the research relied upon case studies, interviews, and focus groups in the selected counties. These case studies and the individual file reviews allowed for deeper and a more long-term examination of individual cases, some of which went back more than 10 years with 10 or more appearances before the Juvenile Court. The quantitative research provided the snapshot of what happened in the year 2000. Details: Nashville, TN: Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, 2003. 368p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2011 at: http://www.tennessee.gov/tccy/dmcrep.shtml Year: 2003 Country: United States URL: http://www.tennessee.gov/tccy/dmcrep.shtml Shelf Number: 121201 Keywords: Discrimination in the Juvenile Justice SystemDisproportionate Minority ContactJuvenile Justice Systems (Tennessee)Juvenile OffendersMinorities |
Author: Klima, T. Title: What Works? Targeted Truancy and Dropout Programs in Middle and High School Summary: In 2008, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy was directed by the Legislature to study various aspects of truancy. In the following report, we focus on findings regarding evidence-based practices for truancy reduction and dropout prevention among middle and high school students. Programs implemented by schools, courts, and law enforcement agencies were considered. Based on a national review of the literature, we conclude that:  There are few rigorous studies evaluating the effects of targeted truancy and dropout programs on at-risk students. In this analysis, only 22 (out of 200) studies met our criteria for rigor.  Overall, targeted programs for older student populations make small positive impacts on (1) dropping out, (2) achievement, and (3) presence at school (attendance/enrollment).  When programs are divided based on their central focus or modality, alternative educational programs (e.g., schools -- within-schools) and mentoring programs are found to be effective.  Specifically, Career Academies — an alternative program model that offers a strong career and technical focus — positively impact all three outcomes, as well as high school graduation.  Alternative schools — separate buildings with specialized academic and other services for atrisk students — have a small negative effect on dropping out: more at-risk students drop out of alternative schools than other educational programs. Additional research is required to better understand this finding.  Only one rigorous court-based program evaluation was located; thus, this analysis cannot inform court policy or practices. Because of the key role of the juvenile courts in addressing truancy in many states, additional well-designed studies are imperative. Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public Policy, 2009. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2011 at: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/09-06-2201.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/09-06-2201.pdf Shelf Number: 121213 Keywords: EducationJuvenile CourtJuvenile OffendersMentoringSchool DropoutsTruancy |
Author: User Voice Title: Young People’s Views on Safeguarding in the Secure Estate Summary: This report by User Voice was commissioned by the Youth Justice Board and the Office of the Children's Commissioner to seek the views of young people on safeguarding in the secure estate for children and young people. The report focuses on four areas: the complaints system, use of separation, full searches and helplines. The views of young people given in this report are being used to directly inform the YJB's work in these four areas. Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2011. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2011 at: http://www.yjb.gov.uk/publications/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=493&eP= Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.yjb.gov.uk/publications/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=493&eP= Shelf Number: 121233 Keywords: Juvenile Detention (U.K.)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Scussel, David E. Title: Disproportionate Minority Contact Summary: According to 2009 population statistics gathered by New Mexico’s Children Youth and Family Department (CYFD), minority youth represent 67% of the total youth population in New Mexico. Minority youth are 1.7 times more likely than white youth to be arrested for an offense, and 20% less likely than white youth to have their case diverted from the court system. State statistics present a broad picture of DMC in the juvenile justice system; however, every jurisdiction has their specific issues regarding DMC, and DMC issues should be addressed accordingly. CYFD also provides juvenile population statistics at the county level, which are beyond the scope of this literature review and so are not discussed here. New Mexico is actively addressing issues of DMC. New Mexico has established a steering committee named the DMC Blue Ribbon Panel. The panel has set and established goals to identify, assess, intervene, evaluate, and monitor DMC in New Mexico. The goals of the panel are to collaborate with higher educational institutions for continued research and evaluation of DMC, enhance public awareness and education regarding DMC, implement prevention and early intervention tactics for at-risk youth, monitor and identify data trends, and enhance the cultural competence of law enforcement officers. Details: Albuquerque, NM: New Mexico Sentencing Commission, 2010. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2011 at: http://nmsc.unm.edu/nmsc_reports/ Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://nmsc.unm.edu/nmsc_reports/ Shelf Number: 121218 Keywords: Discrimination in Juvenile Justice AdministrationDisproportionate Minority Contact (New Mexico)Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Richards, Kelly Title: Promising Interventions for Reducing Indigenous Juvenile Offending Summary: Indigenous juveniles (those aged 10 to 16 years in Queensland and 10 to 17 years in all other jurisdictions) are over-represented at all stages of the criminal justice system, and their over-representation becomes more pronounced at the most severe end of the system (ie in detention). Recent figures show that Indigenous juveniles are 24 times as likely to be detained in a juvenile correctional facility as non-Indigenous juveniles. A variety of explanations for this over-representation have been proposed, including: • lack of access or disparate access to diversionary programs; • systemic discrimination against Indigenous juveniles (eg police bias against Indigenous juveniles); • inadequate resourcing of Aboriginal legal services; and • genuinely higher levels of offending by Indigenous juveniles. A range of measures (including diversion and juvenile conferencing programs) has recently been implemented to reduce the over-representation of Indigenous juveniles in detention, and minimise the contact of juveniles with the formal criminal justice system. Diversionary measures can only have a limited impact, however, and reducing offending and reoffending have been identified as critical factors to address if the over-representation of Indigenous juveniles is to be reduced. While acknowledging that other measures designed to reduce the over-representation of Indigenous juveniles are important, this paper reviews the evidence on policies and programs that reduce offending by Indigenous juveniles in Australia. Where relevant, research from comparable jurisdictions, such as New Zealand and Canada, is also discussed. Details: Sydney: Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Brief No. 10: Accessed April 7, 2011 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief010.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief010.pdf Shelf Number: 121267 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionDiscriminationIndigenous Peoples (Australia)Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Guerra, Nancy Title: Youth Crime Prevention Summary: Violence is one of the most pressing social problems in the Americas, with far-reaching social and economic costs. These costs include the direct value of goods and services used in treating violence, non-monetary costs such as pain and suffering, economic costs from reduced productivity, lower earnings, and decreased investments, and the social impact on interpersonal relations and the quality of life. Because adolescents and young adults are at a particularly high risk for both violence perpetration and victimization, it is essential that we design and implement effective violence prevention strategies for this age group. In this module, we will discuss the problem of youth violence in Latin America and the Caribbean. We will examine changes in youth violence rates over the last two decades, with examples from the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. We will review some of the major causes and consequences of youth violence and describe best practices and effective programs. Finally, we will explore local efforts to develop comprehensive strategies for youth violence prevention. Two case studies will be presented. As we point out, there are many causes of youth violence. Because complex problems demand sophisticated solutions, we do not provide simple answers or specific program recommendations, but focus on the importance of understanding the complexities of the youth violence problem and the need for a broad range of solutions. We focus on prevention rather than control, although they are both part of a continuum of action against violence. Details: Washington, DC: World Bank, 2005. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 8, 2011 at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTLACREGTOPURBDEV/Resources/841042-1219076931513/5301922-1250717140763/Youth.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Central America URL: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTLACREGTOPURBDEV/Resources/841042-1219076931513/5301922-1250717140763/Youth.pdf Shelf Number: 121281 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersViolent CrimeYouth Violence (Latin America and Caribbean) |
Author: Ombudsman for Children and Young People Title: Young People in St. Patrick’s Institution Summary: St. Patrick’s Institution is a closed, medium security prison managed by the Irish Prison Service, which holds remand and sentenced young people between 16 and 21 years of age. Adjacent to Mountjoy Prison in Dublin, the Institution’s main buildings are part of a Victorian prison complex dating back to 1850 and were the site of the women’s prison before becoming a place of detention for young offenders. The Institution has a bed capacity of 217. This capacity is spread across four different ‘divisions’ or wings. The majority of young people under 18 detained in St. Patrick’s Institution are accommodated in B Division. With a bed capacity of 44, this division comprises single occupancy cell accommodation with in-cell sanitation. When this capacity is exceeded, young people have to double up and share a cell. Young people under 18 may also be held on C3 landing in C Division, which is the landing for prisoners in the Institution who are placed or request to be placed on protection. They may also be accommodated in D Division, which is the drug-free division in the Institution. The number of young people under 18 detained in the Institution at any one time is slightly less than one third of the prison’s total population and rarely exceeds 60 to 65 young people. Statistics provided by the Irish Prison Service indicate that in early November 2010, when this report was being finalised, there were 46 young people under 18 being detained in the prison, 33 of whom have been in custody previously, either under sentence or on remand. Of the 46 young people under 18, 28 were serving a sentence, 2 for a period of less than 3 months, 17 for between 6 months and one year, and 9 for a period of more than one year. As regards the offences that young people were serving sentences for, the highest number were for burglary (4 young people), assault (4 young people), assault causing harm (3 young people), criminal damage (3 young people), and unauthorised taking of an MPV (3 young people). Under the exclusions set out in Section 11 of the Ombudsman for Children Act, 2002, young people under 18 detained in prison are outside the OCO’s investigatory remit (11(1)(e)(iii)). The OCO’s consultation with young people in St Patrick’s Institution was conducted in accordance with the OCO’s statutory obligations under Section 7 of the 2002 Act to: • consult regularly with groups of children and young people; • highlight issues relating to children’s rights and welfare that are of concern to children and young people themselves; advise Ministers on matters relating to the rights and welfare of children; • monitor and review the operation of legislation relating to children; • encourage public bodies to develop policies, practices and procedures that promote the rights and welfare of children. The Ombudsman for Children has raised concerns about the situation of young people in St. Patrick’s Institution at national and international levels on a number of occasions, including in her 2006 Advice on the proposed changes to the Children Act, 2001, in her 2005 and 2007 Annual Reports as well as with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2006 and with the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights in November 2007. These concerns related to the exclusion of children in prison from her investigatory mandate; the detention of children in adult facilities and alongside adults; and the material conditions of the prison. The OCO’s consultation with young people in St. Patrick’s Institution also builds on: • a previous visit by the Ombudsman for Children to the Institution in November 2007; • an invitation from the Governor to the Ombudsman for Children to meet with young people committed there, which provided the basis for a visit by OCO staff to the prison in 2008; • commitments made by the State in its response to the Council of Europe’s CPT report of 2007, which indicated the State’s openness to visits by the Ombudsman for Children to the Institution. In accordance with provisions under Section 7 of the 2002 Act, the overall aim of this project has been to conduct a consultation with young people under 18 years of age in St. Patrick’s Institution about their experiences of and perspectives on their lives and different aspects of the regime in the Institution. In fulfilling this aim, the Ombudsman for Children’s Office worked to achieve the following project objectives: • to hear directly from young people about their experiences of detention in St. Patrick’s Institution; • to encourage young people to take on responsibility; • to highlight young people’s concerns and ideas for change as regards their situations and conditions in the Institution; • to facilitate due consideration, as appropriate, of the young people’s views and ideas at management level in the Institution and at senior national policy and political levels; • to develop constructive working relationships between the Ombudsman for Children’s Office and both the Irish Prison Service and management and staff in St. Patrick’s Institution, which can be built on in the future. Details: Dublin: Ombudsman for Children's Office, 2011. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2011 at: http://www.oco.ie/assets/files/St%20Pats%20Report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Ireland URL: http://www.oco.ie/assets/files/St%20Pats%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 121300 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Detention (Ireland)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: National Center for Youth Law Title: Improving Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System-- A Review of Alameda County’s Collaborative Mental Health Court. Summary: Studies consistently show that up to 65 or 70 percent of youths held in American juvenile detention centers have a diagnosable mental illness. Further, a congressional study concluded that every day approximately 2,000 youths are incarcerated simply because community mental health services are unavailable. In 33 states, juvenile detention centers hold mentally ill youths without charges. A majority of detention centers report holding children aged 12 and under; and 117 centers reported jailing children 10 and under. Although the causes are numerous and complex, a growing consensus among experts holds that many youths are put under court supervision due to behavior that stems from unmet mental health needs and the lack of community-based service options. Indeed, many youths with serious mental health needs are in the juvenile justice system because other service systems failed them, and because they have no place else to go. But juvenile halls and prisons are not therapeutic environments for young people with psychological disorders; the juvenile justice system is ill-equipped to meet the needs of these youths. Investigations by the US Department of Justice have called into question the ability of many juvenile justice facilities to respond adequately to the mental health needs of youths in their care. Tragically, this leads to youths languishing in detention centers without treatment, and with little hope of getting better or returning home. Additionally, juvenile justice administrators — whether they are prosecutors, judges or probation officers — generally are not equipped to meet the needs of seriously disturbed youths, and typically juvenile halls and prisons are not adequately funded to do so. Many administrators now recognize that disturbed young people do not belong in detention because their behavior is the result of their illness, and will not improve with traditional detention methods. One promising response to this crisis has been the creation of juvenile mental health courts (JMHCs). Modeled on problem-solving drug courts, these courts focus on treatment rather than punishment. They use a collaborative approach involving representatives of the juvenile court, probation, the prosecutor and public defender’s offices, and mental health liaisons. The goal is to divert mentally ill youths from detention to more appropriate community-based mental health services by providing intensive case management and supervision, rather than relying upon the usual adversarial process. Such courts increase the likelihood that young people will safely return home, re-engage in school and the community, gain ongoing access to needed home and community-based mental health services and supports, and avoid further involvement with the juvenile justice system. Alameda County established its own Juvenile Mental Health Court, called the Alameda County Juvenile Collaborative Court (ACJC), in 2007. This effort was based on the model pioneered by the first juvenile mental health court opened in Santa Clara County, California in 2001. Like other JMHCs, the ACJC (also referred to in this report as “the Courtâ€) serves youths with serious mental illness who typically end up in long-term out-of-home placements. This report presents the organizational premises of the Court as well as its structure and procedures. It describes the factors that control admission into the Court and the demographics of the youths who participate. The report also reviews what the participants — professional collaborators as well as the youths and their families — have to say about the Court, and compares the Court’s results with its founders’ intent. Finally, the authors recommend improvements and examine the prospects for sustaining the Court at its current service level and expanding it to reach more youths. Details: Oakland, CA: National Center for Youth Law, 2011. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2011 at: http://fosteryouthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Improving-Outcomes-Pub.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://fosteryouthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Improving-Outcomes-Pub.pdf Shelf Number: 121305 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice System (California)Juvenile Mental Health CourtsJuvenile OffendersMental Health ServicesMentally Ill Offenders |
Author: Fielder, Charlotte Title: An Evaluation of Social Work Posts in Young Offender Institutions Summary: The YJB is an executive non-departmental public body which oversees the youth justice system. It works to prevent offending and reoffending by children and young people under the age of 18, and to ensure that custody for them is safe and secure. It also addresses the causes of their offending behaviour. It is responsible for placing young people aged under 18 years who have been sentenced or remanded to custody. There are three types of secure custodial accommodation: 􀂃 secure training centres (STCs), run by private operators, are purpose-built centres for young offenders up to the age of 17 􀂃 secure children’s homes (SCHs), run by local authorities, are generally used to accommodate young offenders aged 12 to 14, girls up to the age of 16, and 15 to 16-year-old boys who are assessed as vulnerable 􀂃 young offender institutions (YOIs). YOIs are facilities run by the Prison Service and accommodate 15 to 21-year-olds, although under-18s are held in discrete establishments or young people’s wings. YOIs have lower ratios of staff to young people than STCs and SCHs and generally accommodate larger numbers of young people. The specific responsibilities that local authorities have towards such children have been set out in a Department for Education and Skills circular (DfES, 2004). These are: 􀂃 services in relation to children in need 􀂃 action where there are concerns that a child is suffering or likely to suffer harm 􀂃 action when a child dies in a juvenile secure establishment 􀂃 services in relation to looked-after children. In order to support the development of this work it was decided that social work posts should be established in YOIs specifically to undertake tasks relating to the duties listed above. It was felt that, in addition to fulfilling the specific requirements of the DfES circular, such posts would make progress towards addressing some of the broader underlying issues, which were identified by a range of national stakeholders. These issues include: 􀂃 recognition that many young people in custody have a high level of need, and that a significant number of young people in custody are looked-after children 􀂃 concern that previously young people in custody had been ‘neglected’, ‘forgotten’ or ‘sidelined’ by local authorities, even when statutory obligations existed; this meant that young people’s needs were being met neither in custody nor on release 􀂃 concern that prisons were not sufficiently child-centred – for example, prison staff were thought to be unlikely to understand issues relating to looked-after children, or to be equipped with the skills or time to deal with welfare issues. The overall aim of the evaluation was to explore the process and perceived impact of creating children’s social work posts within young people’s YOIs, with a view to informing the future planning and development of the role. More specifically the evaluation addressed the following questions: 􀂃 What activities have been undertaken by the YOI social workers and how is this monitored? 􀂃 How does this relate to their remit as planned? 􀂃 What barriers or challenges were encountered and how (if applicable) were these overcome? 􀂃 What different ‘models’ of implementation are in evidence, and which have been most successful? 􀂃 How do young people who have had contact with a YOI social worker perceive the role? 􀂃 How do other professionals/practitioners (both internal and external to the YOI) perceive the YOI social worker’s role? 􀂃 What perceived impact, if any, has the presence of the posts had on inter-agency working within youth justice and children’s services? 􀂃 What impact, if any, has the role perceived to have had on the safety and welfare of young people? These questions are considered directly in the conclusions and recommendations. section. Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2008. 70p. Source: Online Resource: Accessed April 13, 2011 at: http://www.yjb.gov.uk/publications/Resources/Downloads/An%20evaluation%20of%20social%20work%20posts%20in%20YOIs_final.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.yjb.gov.uk/publications/Resources/Downloads/An%20evaluation%20of%20social%20work%20posts%20in%20YOIs_final.pdf Shelf Number: 121331 Keywords: Juvenile Detention (U.K.)Juvenile OffendersRehabilitationSocial Workers |
Author: Great Britain. Comptroller and Auditor General Title: The Youth Justice System in England and Wales: Reducing Offending by Young People. Ministry of Justice Summary: In England and Wales, young people between the ages of 10 and 17 can be 1 held criminally responsible for their actions. Provisional data shows that young people committed 201,800 offences in 2009‑10. Although they make up only 11 per cent of the population above the age of criminal responsibility, in 2009 people in this age group were responsible for 17 per cent of all proven offending. The youth justice system manages young offenders and contributes to preventing young people committing crimes in the first place. The system is overseen by the Youth Justice Board (the Board), an executive non-departmental public body of the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry). On 14 October 2010 the Ministry announced its intention to take over the functions of the Board. This is subject to Parliamentary approval. Some 60 per cent of proven young offending is dealt with in court, with the 2 remainder handled by the police through reprimands and final warnings. In 2009‑10, the cost of managing young offenders, not including police and court costs, was £800 million, of which £500 million was spent through the Board. Most is spent on young offenders with court sentences. Although only three per cent of offences by young people brought to justice result in a custodial sentence, in 2009‑10 38 per cent of youth justice system expenditure was incurred on custodial places in secure establishments. We estimate that, in 2009, offending by all young people cost the economy 3 £8.5‑£11 billion. Young offenders, as with adults, are most commonly convicted of theft and violence. Although they have had a shorter time to offend than adults, a third of those dealt with each year have previously been reprimanded, warned or convicted in relation to an offence. They also have a high reoffending rate: 56 per cent of those receiving court sentences are proven to reoffend within a year. For all young offenders – that is, those who are convicted in court or receive reprimands and final warnings, collectively known as disposals – the reoffending rate is 37 per cent. Family breakdown, educational underachievement, substance abuse, mental illness 4 and other problems commonly affect young offenders. They are also more likely to have difficulty controlling their behaviour and understanding its impact on others. The youth justice system works on the basis that addressing such risk factors during the course of a sentence is the best way to reduce a young person’s risk of reoffending. The overall goal of the youth justice system is to prevent offending by young people. Local and national government both play important roles in the system. There are 157 Youth Offending Teams in England and Wales, which are multi-agency partnerships with statutory representation from local authorities, the police, probation, health and social services. Youth Offending Teams are responsible for the delivery of youth justice services such as the assessment of offenders and supervision of community-based sentences, with the assistance of their statutory partners and other organisations. Details: London: The Stationery Office, 2010. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2011 at: http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/1011/reoffending_by_young_people.aspx Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/1011/reoffending_by_young_people.aspx Shelf Number: 121359 Keywords: Costs of Criminal JusticeJuvenile Justice Systems (U.K.)Juvenile OffendersRecidivismRehabilitation |
Author: Helyar-Cardwell, VickiTransition to Adulthood (T2A) Title: Young Adult Manifesto: The need for a distinct and radically different approach to young adults in the criminal justice system; an approach that is proportionate to their maturity and responsive to their specific needs. Summary: A report containing 10 recommendations aimed to make the way in which we deal with young adult offenders more effective, fairer and less costly. Details: London: T2A Alliance, 2010. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2011 at: http://www.t2a.org.uk/publications Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.t2a.org.uk/publications Shelf Number: 119283 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice Systems (U.K.)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Juvenile Justice in Australia 2008-09 Summary: In Australia, around 7,200 young people were under juvenile justice supervision on any given day in 2008-09. Most (90%) were under community-based supervision, with the remainder in detention. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people continue to be over-represented, particularly in detention. This report presents information on the young people under community-based supervision and in detention and the type and length of their supervision. For the first time, detailed information on all community-based orders supervised by juvenile justice agencies is presented, as well as new analyses on the remoteness and socioeconomic status of young people's usual residence. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2011. 204p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series, Number 7: Accessed April 20, 2011 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737418606&libID=10737418605&tab=2 Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737418606&libID=10737418605&tab=2 Shelf Number: 121455 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Detention (Australia)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Macallair, Daniel Title: The Impact of Realignment on County Juvenile Justice Practice: Will Closing State Youth Correctional Facilities Increase Adult Criminal Court Filings? Summary: On January 10, 2011, Governor Jerry Brown released his proposed budget for 2011-12, promoting the elimination of the Division of Juvenile Facilities (DJF) by June 30, 2014. This CJCJ report is the first in a series of reports investigating the consequences of the proposed juvenile justice realignment in California. The second in the series is a two-page brief examining the 58 counties’ institutional capacity to absorb the DJF population in 2009 and follows two previous CJCJ reports recommending the realignment and reform of juvenile justice practices. As highlighted in CJCJ’s May 2009 report entitled Closing California’s Division of Juvenile Facilities: An Analysis of County Institutional Capacity, and the October 2010 update, counties have been developing their capacity and ability to serve serious and violent offenders since 2004. However, there remains speculation as to how closure of DJF facilities will impact juvenile justice practices and although analysis is difficult, some indications can be derived from recent trends. As CJCJ’s May 2009 report identified, direct filing of juvenile offenders to adult criminal courts by prosecutors has been steadily rising since 2004 despite the availability of DJF facilities. This trend suggests that direct adult criminal court filing will continue to increase regardless of the future of DJF. This report conducts an analysis of county use of DJF and direct adult criminal court filings in 2009. The results suggest that closing DJF facilities will impact each of the 58 counties differently, but can be broadly classified into several categories. Some counties will be minimally impacted by DJF’s closure, while others will be significantly impacted, requiring a more focused analysis of their needs and appropriate technical assistance, support, and resources to serve their serious juvenile offenders at the county-level. Nevertheless, counties’ willingness to respond to this challenge has been demonstrated by the response to Senate Bill 81 in August 2007, when despite initial reservations many counties not only absorbed the non-violent juvenile offender population previously housed in DJF, but also implemented community-based services for high-risk serious juvenile offenders. Details: San Francisco: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, 2011. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Realignment Series: Accessed April 22, 2011 at: http://www.cjcj.org/files/The_impact_of_realignment_on_county_juvenile_justice_practice.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.cjcj.org/files/The_impact_of_realignment_on_county_juvenile_justice_practice.pdf Shelf Number: 121381 Keywords: Juvenile Detention FacilitiesJuvenile Justice (California)Juvenile OffendersWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction) |
Author: Andrews, Susan James Title: Assessment of the Impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the Juvenile Justice System Summary: When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck the Gulf Coast in August of 2005, the juvenile justice systems in the impacted states were responsible for the welfare of approximately 16,000 youth under their supervision and custody. This report looks at what became of these youth — specifically, how jurisdictions responded to the monumental challenges posed by the storms, what lessons were learned, and how these lessons can be applied to improve the system’s response to future catastrophes. The information on which this report is based comes directly from juvenile justice professionals who were on duty during and in the aftermath of the storms. Their stories were gathered during a series of nine focus groups conducted between mid-February and early March of 2006 as part of a “hurricane impact assessment†designed and implemented by ICF Caliber under a contract with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The purpose of the assessment was to determine the impact of the storms on the lives of justice-involved youth by gathering an oral history of the chain of events leading up to and following the hurricanes, drawing on the perspectives of state and local professionals both in storm-impacted areas and in areas impacted by massive relocation. This report synthesizes the experiences and lessons learned gathered from focus group participants under five “Key Findings.†Each finding is accompanied by recommendations to OJJDP regarding how to support jurisdictions and states impacted by the storms in their recovery from the past crisis, and how to help jurisdictions nationwide prepare effectively for future crises of similar magnitude. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, 2006. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2011 at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/nccd/reports_studies/resources/Combined_Report_With_Cover.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/nccd/reports_studies/resources/Combined_Report_With_Cover.pdf Shelf Number: 121588 Keywords: HurricanesJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersNatural Disasters |
Author: Drake, Elizabeth Title: Washington State Juvenile Court Funding: Applying Research in a Public Policy Setting Summary: During the last 15 years, the Washington State Legislature has taken a number of steps to develop an “evidence-based†juvenile justice system. The central concept has been to identify and implement strategies shown — through rigorous research — to reduce crime cost-effectively. In 2009, the Legislature turned its attention to the mechanism through which Washington’s 33 juvenile courts receive state dollars. That year’s state budget bill directed a committee of stakeholders to develop a new funding formula that emphasizes “evidence-based programs … and disposition alternatives.†The legislation requires state funds for local juvenile courts to be administered as a “block grant.†A block grant is a sum of money distributed to a court with general provisions, resulting in local flexibility in how funds are spent. “Categorical grants,†Washington’s previous mechanism for distributing state funds to juvenile courts, have more restrictive provisions. The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (Institute) was directed by the legislation to report to the Legislature and the Office of Financial Management on the administration of the block grant including (1) criteria used to allocate funding, and (2) report on participants in programs subject to the block grant. To provide a context for this report, we first summarize key policy reforms over the past 15 years that have established an emphasis on providing evidence-based programs in Washington’s juvenile justice system. We then discuss the funding formula developed by the committee. Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public Policy, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2011 at: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/10-12-1201.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/10-12-1201.pdf Shelf Number: 121678 Keywords: Cost-Benefit AnalysisCosts of Criminal JusticeEvidence-Based PolicyJuvenile Court (Washington State)Juvenile Justice SystemJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Rahimi, Sahdi Title: Stopping the Rail to Jail Summary: This report describes how youth flow directly from schools, foster care, mental health and other failed child-serving systems to juvenile jails. Details: Oakland, CA: Community Justice Network for Youth, W. Haywood Burns Institute, 2011. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 11, 2011 at: http://www.burnsinstitute.org/downloads/CJNY%20Publication.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.burnsinstitute.org/downloads/CJNY%20Publication.pdf Shelf Number: 121715 Keywords: Discrimination in Juvenile Justice AdministrationJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Wartna, B.S.J. Title: Recidivism Report 1997-2007 Trends in the Reconviction Rate of Dutch Offenders Summary: In the field of Dutch criminal law there is a comprehensive policy programme called "Working on Reduction of Recidivism". Various measures are being implemented to help reduce the risk of prosecuted offenders relapsing into criminal behaviour. Some years ago, definite targets were formulated with respect to two offender groups. Between 2002 and 2010, the medium-term recidivism for both juvenile offenders sanctioned by court or PPS, and adult ex-prisoners will have to be reduced by 10 percentage points. With regard to the latter group, the target was recently enhanced: by 2020, the reconviction rate of ex-prisoners must be reduced by 25 percent. The Recidivism Monitor study constitutes a means of checking whether the realisation of the target figures holds a steady course. Each year, the WODC calculates the reconviction rate of Dutch offenders. Nearly all persons in the Netherlands who came into contact with the Dutch judicial system as a suspect are included in the study. The measurements relate to five populations: adult offenders sanctioned by court or Public Prosecutor's Service (PPS), juvenile offenders sanctioned by court or PPS, ex-prisoners, former inmates of juvenile detention centres and former offenders placed under an entrustment order. Recently, the relapse among former offenders placed under an entrustment order was reported separately. This fact sheet outlines recidivism in the other four offender populations. Specifically, the study relates to juveniles and adults who were sanctioned by court or PPS or released from a penitentiary institution in the 1997-2007 period. Details: The Hague: Netherlands Ministry of Justice, 2010. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Fact Sheet 2010-6a: Accessed May 18, 2011 at: wodc.nl/images/Factsheet%202010-6a%20_tcm44-357792.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Netherlands URL: Shelf Number: 121747 Keywords: Adult OffendersJuvenile OffendersRecidivism (Netherlands)Reconviction |
Author: Beatbullying Title: Child-on-Child Violence in the UK: A Retrospective Survey Summary: This report indicates that more than a third (37%) of young people report having suffered a severe physical or sexual attack during childhood by a fellow young person – over a quarter of which involved the use of a weapon. The severity of bullying is significant, 52 per cent having sustained physical injuries from the attack, 28 per cent threatened with a weapon and almost a tenth (7%) knocked unconscious, reported the 16 – 25 years olds questioned. A further quarter of those respondents who had suffered child-on-child violence were subjected to a sexual attack by a peer; of these victims 19 per cent were young girls. The research details the emotional and social implications of bullying, revealing that of those who suffered child-on-child violence 15 per cent were also in trouble with the police, compared to just four per cent who were not under any physical attack. Details: London: Beatbullying, 2011. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2011 at: http://www2.beatbullying.org//pdfs/CoCV%20Evaluation.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www2.beatbullying.org//pdfs/CoCV%20Evaluation.pdf Shelf Number: 121750 Keywords: Bullying (U.K.)Juvenile OffendersPeer ViolenceSexual AbuseSibling Violence |
Author: Hartney, Christopher Title: Bed Space Forecast for Baltimore Youth Detention Facility Summary: This report describes the National Council on Crime and Delinquency’s forecast of future bed space needs for youth detained in the adult criminal justice system in the City of Baltimore, Maryland. These youth are processed and, if necessary, detained in the adult system — currently in the Juvenile Unit of the Baltimore City Detention Center (BCDC)— after either being charged with certain crimes that require their automatic involvement in the adult justice system (known as an automatic waiver) or being sent to the adult system by a juvenile court judge (known as a judicial waiver). The State is currently considering options for housing these youth, as the present facility is inadequate. A new facility is in the planning stages and is designed to hold 180 youth, based on a forecast completed by the State in 2007. In a 2010 report by NCCD, the earlier forecast was found to overestimate the number of beds needed in a new facility. Subsequently, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Corrections Services (DPS), along with two local foundations, the Open Society Institute – Baltimore and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, asked NCCD to perform this new forecast to assist in the decision-making process. This report first describes the project’s data sources, methodological assumptions, and results of an examination of trends and circumstances related to arrest and detention rates in Baltimore City and other jurisdictions. It then describes the methods used to perform the forecast and presents the forecast findings, that is, the estimated number of beds the City will require over the next three decades for youth detained in the adult criminal justice system. Finally, the report describes a set of “scenarios†that give estimates of bed space needs if certain changes were made to the way youth are processed. These scenarios represent a few options among many that the State and stakeholders can consider as a means to minimizing the number of youth held in secure custody and, when detention is found to be required, ensuring that youth are held in the most appropriate setting. Details: Oakland, CA: National Council on Crime and Delinquency, 2011. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 24, 2011 at: http://www.campaignforyouthjustice.org/documents/NCCD_Bed_Space_Forecast_for_Baltimore_Youth_Detention_Facility_5_12_11.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.campaignforyouthjustice.org/documents/NCCD_Bed_Space_Forecast_for_Baltimore_Youth_Detention_Facility_5_12_11.pdf Shelf Number: 121823 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Detention (Baltimore, MD)Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Berelowitz, Sue Title: 'I Think I Must Have Been Born Bad': Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health of Children and Young People in the Youth Justice System Summary: This report illustrates the importance of addressing the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people in juvenile detention facilities in the UK. The report is based on a year-long observational study of 19 establishments and services. The report concludes that there is a lack of consistency and wide variation in the type, level and quality of measures put in place to support the emotional wellbeing and good mental health of children in the youth justice system and specifically, in the children and young people’s secure estate. It report recommends that: •children should be placed in units of no more than 150 •staff-child ratios should be small enough to ensure meaningful relationships with key workers •all children should have a health screening assessment on entering custody •re-settlement plans should ensure children are well supported when they leave custody •all children’s prisons should be inspected by an inspectorial body with expertise in inspecting closed institutions. Details: London: Children's Commissioner, 2011. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2011 at: Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 121885 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice Systems (U.K.)Juvenile OffendersMental Health Services |
Author: Ross, Andy Title: Prevention and Reduction: A Review of Strategies for Intervening Early to Prevent or Reduce Youth Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour Summary: There have been a number of recent publications highlighting some of the inherent failures of the current system for dealing with youth crime and anti-social behaviour in England. Most notable are concerns regarding the levels of expenditure on enforcement, courts and the use of prisons. Despite a recent fall in youth imprisonment it still remains substantially higher than 20 years ago. This review is aimed at providing a comprehensive understanding of the key characteristics of what works in terms of early interventions to prevent or reduce youth crime or anti-social behaviour. By drawing on evidence from the international literature, primarily the US where the evidence base is especially strong, this review is able to provide a critical evaluation of youth crime interventions in England, where the scientific evidence is less robust. This collation of the best evidence and expert opinion will support the development of the strongest and most promising approaches. At the same time it identifies gaps in the evidence and makes recommendations for further research. Includes: •Introduction •International evidence •Tackling Youth Crime in England •Key themes emerging from the UK •Implementation and going to scale •Summary and conclusions •Bibliography Details: Runcorn, UK: Department of Education, 2011. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report DFE-RR111: Accessed July 2, 2011 at: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR111.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR111.pdf Shelf Number: 121957 Keywords: Antisocial BehaviorJuvenile Delinquency Prevention (U.K.)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Khan, Furzana Title: Evaluation of Includem’s Intensive Support Services Summary: In 2005 Includem commissioned a two-year evaluation of its intensive support services provided to young people as part of the Intensive Support and Monitoring Service in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, and West Dunbartonshire. Over two years Includem’s provided intensive support, normally around 15 hours per week plus access to Includem’s 24-hour crisis helpline, to over 200 young people, including 69 young people with a Movement Restriction Condition ('electronic tag'). Details: Glasgow: Includem, 2007. 150p; summary. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 6, 2011 at: http://www.strath.ac.uk/humanities/socialwork/glasgowcentreforthechildandsociety/publications/ and http://www.includem.org/file/2 Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.strath.ac.uk/humanities/socialwork/glasgowcentreforthechildandsociety/publications/ and http://www.includem.org/file/2 Shelf Number: 121987 Keywords: Electronic Monitoring (Scotland)Intensive SupervisionJuvenile OffendersRecidivism |
Author: Hartmann, Tracey A. Title: Moving Beyond the Walls: Faith and Justice Partnerships Working for High-Risk Youth Summary: This report examines the development of partnerships among faith-based institutions and juvenile justice agencies in a national demonstration intended to provide mentoring, education and employment services to young people at high risk of future criminal behavior. Given the range of services — and the needs of the young people — collaborations are critical to the communities' efforts. The report addresses the following questions: Can small faith-based organizations work together effectively? Can they develop effective partnerships with juvenile justice institutions? What are the benefits and challenges of both types of partnerships? Details: Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures, 2003. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2011 at: http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/22_publication.pdf Year: 2003 Country: United States URL: http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/22_publication.pdf Shelf Number: 122025 Keywords: CollaborationFaith-Based InitiativesJuvenile OffendersMentoringPartnerships |
Author: Defence for Children International - Palestine Section Title: In Their Own Words: A Report on the Situation Facing Palestinian Chidlren Detained in the Israeli Military Court System Summary: Each year approximately 700 Palestinian children from the occupied West Bank are prosecuted in the Israeli military court system after being arrested, interrogated and detained by the army, police and security agents. It is estimated that since 2000 alone, around 7,000 Palestinian children have been detained and prosecuted in the system. This Report focuses on persistent and credible reports of torture and ill-treatment within a system that has now been operating for 43 years. In the Israeli military court system, children are frequently arrested from their homes by heavily armed soldiers in the middle of the night and are painfully tied and blindfolded before being placed in the back of a military vehicle and transferred to an interrogation and detention centre. It is rare for a child, or his/her parents to be told the reason for arrest, or where the child is being taken. The arrest and transfer process is frequently accompanied by physical and verbal abuse. On arrival at the interrogation and detention centre, the child is questioned in the absence of a lawyer or family member, and there is no provision for the audio-visual recording of the interrogation as a means of independent oversight. Children are frequently threatened and physically assaulted during interrogation often resulting in the provision of a coerced confession, or the signing of documents which the child has not had a chance to read or understand. Following interrogation, children are brought before a military court which has jurisdiction over children as young as 12 years old. Once a child turns 16, they are considered to be an adult. In the overwhelming majority of cases bail will be denied and an order for detention until the end of the legal process will be made. Most children ultimately plead guilty, whether the offence was committed or not, as this is the quickest way out of the system. In 2009, custodial sentences were imposed on children by the military courts in 83 percent of cases, in contrast to a custodial sentence rate of 6.5 percent in the Israeli civilian juvenile justice system. Once detained a significant proportion of children are transferred to prisons and detention facilities inside Israel, in clear violation of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which prohibits such transfers out of occupied territories. The practical significance of this is that many children receive infrequent or no family visits. The findings of this Report are based on 40 sworn affidavits taken from children detained in the military court system in a six month period between 1 July and 31 December 2010 (the reporting period). The Report also makes reference to other sources where relevant, such as media and non-governmental reports. During the reporting period, DCI-Palestine also collected 15 sworn affidavits from Palestinian children arrested in occupied East Jerusalem. These cases will be dealt with in a separate report as Israel generally applies its domestic legal system to these children, and not the military orders that it applies to Palestinian children from the occupied West Bank. All of the quotes presented in this Report are taken from the 40 affidavits collected during the reporting period. Details: Palestine: DCI-Palestine, 2011. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 12, 2011 at: http://www.dci-pal.org/English/Doc/Press/JANUARY2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Israel URL: http://www.dci-pal.org/English/Doc/Press/JANUARY2011.pdf Shelf Number: 122036 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice System (Israel)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Hamilton, Carolyn Title: Administration Detention of Children: A Global Report Summary: In 2009, the United Nations Children‘s Fund estimated that there were around 1.1 million children deprived of their liberty by criminal courts worldwide. While judicial detention of children by courts is relatively well documented, little is known about the practice of administrative detention of children. Few publications address the issue and States do not regularly collect or collate statistical data on administrative detention. As a result, information on the extent to which children are exposed to different forms of administrative detention is sparse and discussions of the impact that such detention has on children rare. Administrative detention occurs when, as a result of a decision of an executive or administrative body, a child is placed in any public or private setting from which he or she cannot leave at will. Administrative detention occurs in some form in all States, although the bodies that have power to order such detention vary from State to State. Bodies and individuals that have the power to administratively detain may include police officers, military panels, immigration officials, health officials, doctors or local government child welfare bodies. While decisions taken to administratively detain a child may vary in terms of context, rationale and legal framework, the common element is that the decision to detain is taken not by a judge or a court, but by a body or a professional, who is not independent from the executive branch of government. The purpose of this study is to examine:  What is meant by administrative detention.  The extent to which administrative detention is used worldwide.  The contexts and circumstances in which children are placed in administrative detention, and the profile of children held in administrative detention.  The legal frameworks and procedures used by States to place children in administrative detention.  The key provisions in international human rights law, including Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Article 37 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which limit the use of administrative detention.  The impact of administrative detention on children, including the conditions of detention and child rights implications. Details: New York: United Nations Children's Fund, Child Protection Section, 2011. 343p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2011 at: http://www.unicef.org/protection/files/Administrative_detention_discussion_paper_April2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.unicef.org/protection/files/Administrative_detention_discussion_paper_April2011.pdf Shelf Number: 122068 Keywords: Administrative Detention, JuvenilesDetention FacilitiesHuman RightsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Allen, Rob Title: Last Resort? Exploring the Reduction in Child Imprisonment 2008-11 Summary: The number of children under 18 who are imprisoned in England and Wales has fallen by a third over the last three years, from about 3,000 in the first half of 2008 to around 2,000 in the first part of 2011. This unexpected fall represents the largest decline in custody for children since the 1980’s. It does not reflect a broader trend in the use of custody, which has risen for adults. The fall has been largely brought about by fewer children being sentenced to Detention and Training Orders with particularly marked declines in the numbers of younger children and girls. Declines have been particularly marked in large conurbations. The falls have not applied as much to black and minority ethnic children as to white. Details: London: Prison Reform Trust, 2011. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2011 at: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/lastresort.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/lastresort.pdf Shelf Number: 122106 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Detention (U.K.)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Fratello, Jennifer Title: Juvenile Detention Reform in New York City: Measuring Risk through Research Summary: The January 2006 closure of New York City’s only alternative to juvenile detention brought the city close to a crisis: family court lost its only alternative pretrial supervision option and the population in local detention facilities was at its highest in three years. This situation also presented an opportunity for the city’s juvenile justice system to take stock of how and when it was using detention — equivalent to jail in the adult context — for youth facing delinquency charges. The Office of the Criminal Justice Coordinator in conjunction with a variety of agencies and entities involved with the juvenile justice system seized this occasion to explore new methods for responding to young people awaiting sentencing that would be more effective at producing positive outcomes for youth and enhancing public safety. They embarked upon a two-phase reform process, with assistance from the Vera Institute of Justice. First, they conducted a research study and designed an empirically based risk-assessment instrument (RAI) measuring the likelihood that a youth would fail to appear in court or be rearrested during the pendency of his/her case. The tool would be used to help inform family court judges’ decisions about pretrial detention for juveniles. Second, the group planned a variety of community-based alternatives to detention (ATDs) for young people who did not require secure confinement and could be supervised and better served in their own communities. This report examines the development of both the RAI and the alternatives to detention and presents preliminary outcomes of the reforms. Details: New York: Vera Institute of Justice, Center on Youth Justice, 2011. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2011 at: http://www.jdaihelpdesk.org/Docs/Documents/RAI%20Report%20Vera.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.jdaihelpdesk.org/Docs/Documents/RAI%20Report%20Vera.pdf Shelf Number: 122116 Keywords: Alternative to IncarcerationCommunity-based CorrectionsJuvenile Detention (New York City)Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile OffendersRisk Assessment, Juveniles |
Author: Princeton University. Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs Fellows Title: Waiving Hope: An Analysis of the Juvenile Waiver Process in New Jersey Summary: The Public Policy and International Affairs Fellows of Princeton University’s Domestic Policy Workshop recommend several strategies to improve waiver procedures and practices in New Jersey’s Juvenile Justice Commission. Due to a shift from a rehabilitative to a punitive philosophy in juvenile justice, states such as New Jersey have pushed for harsher punishments for youth who commit specific crimes. We analyzed whether waiver continues to fulfill the original intent of its legislative creators and ask if waiving a juvenile to the adult court preserves public safety and deters further criminal activity by youth. We have found that waiver does not work in the way it was intended and may have damaging, unintended consequences for the community and for youth. Details: Princeton, NJ: Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School, 2008. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2011 at: http://www.campaignforyouthjustice.org/documents/NJ_JuvenileWaiver.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.campaignforyouthjustice.org/documents/NJ_JuvenileWaiver.pdf Shelf Number: 122171 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction), New Jerse |
Author: Ziedenberg, Jason Title: Misguided Measures: The Outcomes and Impacts of Measure 11 on Oregon’s Youth Summary: Oregon voters passed Measure 11 in November 1994. The measure created new mandatory minimum sentences for 16 crimes and required that youth charged with those crimes be tried as adults. The legislature subsequently added more crimes to Measure 11. Today, Measure 11 requires youth ages 15 years or older charged with one of 21 crimes to be prosecuted automatically in the adult criminal justice system and if convicted of that crime, to serve the same mandatory sentence that applies to adults. Fifteen years after Measure 11 was enacted, the Campaign for Youth Justice and Partnership for Safety and Justice embarked on a study to determine the impact that Measure 11 was having on youth in Oregon. The authors analyzed data on 3,274 young people indicted with Measure 11 offenses since 1995. The authors also looked at a subset of 759 cases handled between 2006 and 2008 to understand the current way Measure 11 is being implemented in the 36 Oregon counties. The report examines the detrimental impact of Measure 11 in a thorough, in-depth analysis of its effect on youth and public safety in Oregon. According to the data, Measure 11 has not made Oregon any safer. In fact, most youth charged with Measure 11 offenses are not the most serious youth offenders, but they receive the most serious sentences, little to no rehabilitative services, and face lifelong barriers to becoming productive citizens even after they have served their sentence. The report provides clear reasons why the public should reconsider Measure 11 for juveniles in addition to a list of recommendations that incorporate the latest research on curbing juvenile delinquency and recidivism in order to improve youth justice policies and increase public safety in Oregon Details: Washington, DC: Campaign for Youth Justice; Portland, OR: Partnership for Safety and Justice, 2011. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 28, 2011 at: http://www.campaignforyouthjustice.org/documents/Misguided_Measures_July_2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.campaignforyouthjustice.org/documents/Misguided_Measures_July_2011.pdf Shelf Number: 122191 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransferJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice (Oregon)Juvenile OffendersWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction |
Author: Coen, Anita Saranga Title: Inside the Black Box: A Study of the Residential Treatment Center Program in Colorado Summary: This study increased our understanding of how Colorado’s Residential Treatment Center (RTC) Program functions in several key areas. We analyzed data provided by the Colorado Department of Human Services to analyze the financial aspects of the program and develop a profile of child welfare youth in RTCs. With the help of responding RTCs and counties, we were able to document the types and amount of services offered by RTCs and explore placement decision-making and alternatives to RTCs. We met with caretakers and family members to capture their perspectives on many aspects of the system. This study of Colorado’s RTC Program focused on six main areas of investigation: • What is the political and economic context in which the RTC Program exists? The RTC Program is immersed in a complex system involving numerous stakeholders and intricate funding streams. Political and economic trends at the national, state, and local level are discussed in relation to their impact on the RTC Program. • What are the costs of RTC placements, what are the likely effects of the current reimbursement system, and what other options are available? The state has been working to improve its rate-setting methodology. The current system does not account for population growth and changes in service needs. We anticipate that if rates do not keep up with costs, the response may be a loss of beds available for child welfare youth. We found that there are no apparent cost economies derived from using larger facilities. We suggest the state look initially into developing an incentive system that can be linked to rates and, in the future, linked to outcomes. • Who are RTC clients and how do they differ from clients in other treatment environments? RTC youth have the highest number of emotional/behavioral problems of youth in child welfare placements. They are placed in RTCs primarily because of the caretaker’s inability to cope or their own behavioral problems. Child welfare youth admitted to RTCs have very high levels of mental health problems when compared to youth in other child-serving systems. On average, their level of risk and clinical severity is higher than that of youth admitted to community mental health and, for many characteristics, is close to that of youth admitted to inpatient mental health settings. Our findings highlight important policy issues for youth with serious emotional/behavioral problems who are likely served across multiple human services programs. • What are the characteristics of and services offered by RTCs to children/youth in their care and what constitutes an RTC day? RTCs are extremely diverse and offer a wide variety of services. Within an RTC, however, service delivery does not appear to differ substantively based on the predominant type of presenting problem. RTCs do provide a substantial amount of intensive supervision. Almost a third (31%) of a typical day is spent in school, 13 percent is spent in various types of therapy, and 10 percent is self-structured. This analysis can serve as a foundation for the state’s exploration into developing a standard for the RTC day. • What are the most important factors in RTC placement and what alternatives are most likely to have an affect on RTC utilization? The three most important factors used in determining the need for an RTC placement are (1) the severity of the youth’s mental health needs, (2) the severity of the youth’s acting out behavior, and (3) the likelihood that the youth will improve in an RTC placement. Almost all caseworkers who responded to our survey believed it was important that the selected RTC have specialized care that meets the child’s needs and good transition services. The placement type that most caseworkers said they could have used instead of an RTC was therapeutic foster care. • How should RTC outcomes be measured and what is needed to develop a useful RTC outcomes measurement system? The Division of Child Welfare Services (DCWS) has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to measuring outcomes. The CCAR, the instrument being used by DCWS for youth in RTCs, demonstrated acceptable reliability as well as face and construct validity. Efforts to develop an outcomes measurement system have been seriously hampered by a lack of staff and infrastructure. We also identified other instruments and outcomes systems, some of which are RTC based, rather than state based. Finally, we made recommendations for the steps needed to continue work in this area. Details: Denver, CO: Policy Studies, Inc., 2003. 154p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2011 at: https://www.policy-studies.com/Portals/0/docs/Publications/Child_Welfare/Inside-the-Black-Box-A-Study-of-the-RTC-Program-in-CO.pdf Year: 2003 Country: United States URL: https://www.policy-studies.com/Portals/0/docs/Publications/Child_Welfare/Inside-the-Black-Box-A-Study-of-the-RTC-Program-in-CO.pdf Shelf Number: 122230 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild Welfare (Colorado)Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Sex OffendersResidential Treatment Centers |
Author: McCurley, Carl Title: Process Evaluation of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services’ Aftercare Program Summary: The purpose of this report is to provide an evaluation of the design and implementation of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services’ (BJJS) new model of aftercare. Understanding how aftercare services are delivered and how the program actually operates is essential for decisionmaking about program planning and for improvement. In January 2005, BJJS decided to shift from a treatment model of aftercare service delivery to a case management model of service delivery. BJJS provides aftercare services to about 2 out of every 3 youth released from placements with the State’s Youth Development Center/Youth Forestry Center (YDC/YFC) system. At current levels of use, the aftercare program enrolls over 500 youth per year. Based on screener results, the great majority of youth enrolled in the program are classified as high risk—they are also older, with greater needs, and more serious offending histories than the average adjudicated youth in Pennsylvania. The BJJS program is one of six major aftercare initiatives active in Pennsylvania, all of which are funded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The other five programs, all associated with the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative, are specific to the single county where they operate: Allegheny, Cambria, Lycoming, Philadelphia, and York counties. In contrast, the BJJS program operates in a group of counties that contain more than 70% of Pennsylvania’s population. Like the Philadelphia program, and like many other serious and violent offender re-entry programs in operation across the nation, the BJJS aftercare program employs a case management model that features extensive assessment, individualized planning, a focus on the transition from life in the placement facility to life in the community, and efforts to assist the youth in building durable, supportive relationships in the community (reintegration). The goals of the BJJS Aftercare Services Project are based on the Intensive Aftercare Program (IAP) model developed by David Altschuler and Troy Armstrong (1994). Instead of starting aftercare services after the youth is released, the planning, assessments, and client contact begins when the youth is placed in the facility. The new BJJS approach begins at disposition, continues while the youth is in placement and on probation in the community, and endures afterwards through connections with services in the community. BJJS contracted with a private provider, Cornell, to implement the community component of the aftercare services model. In the old model, the youth went through the program in phases (could not move to Phase 2 until successfully completing Phase 1). In the new model, the youth completes steps in their own individualized service plan rather than completing a “one size fits all†program. Each youth’s plan is developed based on his/her strengths and needs, family assessments, and resources that will be available in their home community when they are released.Changes in the program model required new resources be put into place both in the facilities and the communities. BJJS made many changes in the program infrastructure, including adding new staff, training staff on the new way of doing business, and using new assessment instruments. The goals of the BJJS aftercare program are to reduce delinquency and improve the life chances for high-risk youth released from state placements. To reach its goals, the program relies on effective collaboration across agencies that traditionally have been independent. The BJJS program requires collaboration among BJJS staff within the YDC/YFC system, contracted case managers active at the facility and in the communities, juvenile court and juvenile probation, families, and community-based service providers. In large measure, success of the aftercare program depends on BJJS success at achieving and sustaining collaboration in a set of state, local, public, private, and non-profit agencies and organizations. Details: Pittsburgh, PA: National Center for Juvenile Justice, 2006. 137p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2011 at: www.portal.state.pa.us Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 122258 Keywords: Juvenile Aftercare (Pennsylvania)Juvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationRecidivismReentryRehabilitation |
Author: Adams, William Title: Tribal Youth in the Federal Justice System: Final Report (Revised) Summary: The Tribal Youth in the Federal Justice System project explored issues surrounding the population of American Indian juveniles who are processed in the federal justice system. Juveniles in the federal system are rare, and a substantial proportion enters into the system because of crimes committed on American Indians lands, over which the states have no jurisdiction. While these cases are sometimes handled within a tribe’s own justice system, some are prosecuted federally. Using 1999-2008 data from the Federal Justice Statistics Program and interviews with tribal and federal officials, the study explored the prevalence, characteristics, and outcomes of these youth at each stage of the justice system. In addition, the study examined significant issues surrounding the processing of tribal youth cases, including the reasons that these cases may be handled federally or tribally. This study fills a gap in the literature by providing both statistical and contextual information about tribal and non-tribal juvenile cases in the federal system. Although the data have many limitations, the study pointed to a number of findings, including the following: over the last ten years, about half of all juveniles in the federal system were tribal youth; the number of juveniles in the federal system – both tribal and nontribal -- decreased over this period; most juvenile cases were concentrated in a small number of federal judicial districts; and U.S. Attorneys declined a substantial portion of all juvenile matters referred for prosecution. Tribal and non-tribal juvenile cases differed in significant ways: most tribal youth cases involved violent offenses, while most non-tribal cases involved public order and drug offenses; and tribal youth were more likely to be adjudicated delinquent, while nontribal youth were more likely to be prosecuted as adults. Availability of rehabilitative resources and tribal capacity to prosecute were also found to be important factors in the decision to pursue a tribal youth case in the federal system. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, Justice Policy Center, 2011. 204p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2011 at: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412369-Tribal-Youth-in-the-Federal-Justice-System.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412369-Tribal-Youth-in-the-Federal-Justice-System.pdf Shelf Number: 122299 Keywords: American IndiansCriminal Justice System, Federal (U.S.)Juvenile OffendersTribal Courts |
Author: Nored, Lisa S. Title: Disproportionate Minority Contact in Mississippi Summary: In recent years, disparities among racial minorities at various stages in the criminal justice system have garnered increasing attention from researchers and practitioners. Much, if not most, of the existing research has been focused primarily on highly publicized issues, such as racial profiling and increased sentences for offenses commonly associated with minorities (i.e. selling crack cocaine). Recently, attention has shifted toward examining these issues as they pertain to juvenile offenders. This shift is indeed appropriate, in that the majority of crime-related research has shown that juvenile delinquency is a substantial predictor of adult criminal behavior. Historically, research regarding race and delinquent juvenile populations was focused on detention and confinement or offense categories (i.e. status offenses versus criminal offenses). As efforts to study juvenile offenders progressed, it was evident that there was a need to focus research efforts on instances of disproportionate confinement among members of racial minorities. Initial research concerning minority juveniles was triggered by the 1988 reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, which required states to collect data and annually report the number of incarcerated juveniles using disproportionate representation indexes (DRIs), which compared incarcerated minority juvenile offenders to their respective at-risk populations. This index was used to assess whether minority juveniles were overrepresented in the context of secure detention (including training schools) – in short, this index assessed instances of disproportionate minority confinement (the “old†DMC). Revisions to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act in 2002 included provisions that increased the scope of investigation regarding disproportionate minority representation in the juvenile justice system as well as strengthened statistical methods for detecting disparities among individual racial and ethnic categories. Currently, DMC estimates are focused on youths age 10-17 and limited to those offenders who committed delinquent acts rather than status offenses. Revisions to the JJDP Act also mandated investigation regarding instances of contact rather than confinement – focusing on key individual points within the juvenile justice system. As a result, rates of contact can be compared at each stage of the juvenile justice process, from arrest to adjudication. Comparisons are made using the relative rate index (RRI), which compares proportionate instances of occurrences between Caucasian and minority juveniles, based on the size of their respective at-risk populations. Hence, instances of disproportionate minority contact (the “new†DMC) can be assessed at each individual stage of the juvenile justice process. Typically, the most difficult part of any research project is to synthesize results of various analyses and formulate conclusions based on limited information. For this project, however, data collection was the most difficult task. Although there were several methodological issues which likely affected the accuracy of RRI estimates, several conclusions can be confidently made regarding DMC in Mississippi: • Disproportionate representation does not equate to discrimination. It is important to understand that disproportionate minority contact is not directly indicative of prejudice or racism. The purpose of examining instances of DMC is to evaluate each stage of the juvenile justice process and determine if any patterns of DMC exist, and if so, investigate why. • Data collection strategies were vulnerable to repeat offenders. Due to the manner in which agencies maintained official records, one juvenile arrested six times over the period of one year would appear as six separate contacts for that year. Currently, there is no way to account for offenders with multiple appearances in the juvenile justice system. • There are stages that warrant further investigation. Arrest, referral, and secure confinement are points of contact which exhibited relatively high RRI estimates in the observed counties, specifically those for African-American youths. • RRI estimates were lower than expected. Although each county exhibited elevated RRI estimates, no consistent pattern of disparate treatment emerged so as to indicate abusive practices within any agency. • The phrase “statistically significant†is not translated as “meaningful difference.†RRI estimates are based on the chi-square distribution. For a number of reasons, most of which are beyond the scope of this report, accepting an RRI estimate based on statistical significance alone is not wise. In this case, sample size (total number of juvenile contacts per year) can affect statistical significance just as easily as disproportionate representation of a minority group at a point of contact. Put simply, RRI estimates should be used to gauge trends and should not be treated as hard evidence of discrimination. • Both law enforcement and juvenile justice agencies are not practicing consistent data collection strategies. Few agencies utilized a database software package beyond that which came with their computer. One agency had a MYCIDS workstation, but had yet to receive training – and therefore could not use it. Other agencies simply did not have the technological resources to submit the data as requested, and resorted to manual calculations using hard-copy records. Details: Hattiesburg, MS: Mississippi Statistical Analysis Center, 2008(?). 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2011 at: http://www.usm.edu/cj/MSSAC/2007%20DMC%20Report%20(Final%2011-25-08).pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.usm.edu/cj/MSSAC/2007%20DMC%20Report%20(Final%2011-25-08).pdf Shelf Number: 118744 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersMinorities (Mississippi)Minority Offenders |
Author: Winokur. Kristin Parsons Title: Targeting Delinquency Prevention Services to High-Risk Youth and Neighborhoods: An Assessment of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Prevention and Victim Services' Geo-Mapping Techniques Summary: The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is required by statute to administer prevention and intervention services to at-risk youths and their families. At approximately $62 million in fiscal year 2001-02, funding for prevention programs accounts for less than ten percent of the more than $619 million allocated to DJJ annually. In order to make efficient use of limited resources in the face of increasing needs for service, the DJJ Prevention and Victim Services branch (hereafter referred to generally as DJJ) developed a prevention strategy to: 􀂾 Target youth who are at highest risk for engaging in criminal behavior. 􀂾 Locate resources in communities with the greatest risk factors. 􀂾 Employ research-based prevention methods. Prevention program allocation in Florida is therefore a two-pronged approach to identify (a) youth and (b) communities with the greatest risk factors and needs for service. The DJJ relies upon the research literature to inform the process of identifying at-risk youth. Prevention and Victim Services, with the assistance of DJJ research staff, then utilize geo-mapping technology to identify and map neighborhoods where large concentrations of high-risk delinquents reside. These "high-risk" communities are mapped by zip code boundaries. Prevention program providers can then identify the areas that are most in need of services. This targeting approach has been in place for the last three years and the Department has asked that an outside evaluator, The Justice Research Center (JRC), assess its validity. This report presents the findings of the evaluation and covers only contracted general revenue and state grant funded prevention programs. Details: Tallahassee, FL: Justice Research Center and Deptartment of Juvenile Justice, 2004. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 15, 2011 at: http://www.thejrc.com/docs/DJJ%20Zip%20Code%20Final%20Report%20PDF.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United States URL: http://www.thejrc.com/docs/DJJ%20Zip%20Code%20Final%20Report%20PDF.pdf Shelf Number: 122385 Keywords: Crime AnalysisCrime MappingGeographic ProfilingHigh Crime AreasJuvenile Delinquency Prevention (Florida)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Great Britain. HM Inspectorate of Probation Title: Not Making Enough Difference: A Joint Inspection of Youth Offending Court Work and Reports Summary: A team of Inspectors visited six locations in England and Wales to assess how well children and young people (under 18) were being managed through the court process by the Youth Offending Team (YOT) and other staff - from the point of charge by the police to sentence. We were looking for a service that was not only timely but also good quality - enabling magistrates and judges to make the best possible decisions at all points in the whole court process. The YOT role in court is complex and requires confidence, knowledge and considerable skills. It is the YOT's 'shop window', the place they put forward their professional view about what will best influence that young person to desist from offending, whilst acknowledging the need to protect the public and the individual's vulnerability. We found many examples of good practice, but overall our view was that there was considerable room for improvement. Too much of the time, YOT staff were too passive, both in contacting defendants and their parents/carers before court, and on the day of court itself. Too often the reports for court that we read were of insufficient quality. Although some local variation in service can be desirable when the variations represent different ways of doing it well, what we encountered was that the work to 'make a difference in court' just wasn't being done well enough often enough. Most of the improvements we recommend can and should be made locally, but we do also think that there is an 'enabling' role that would best be carried out nationally, such as to devise training packages that can be deployed locally to improve the skills of local staff. Details: London: Criminal Justice Joint Inspection, 2011. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2011 at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmiprob/Court_Work_and_Reports_Thematic_Report-rps.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmiprob/Court_Work_and_Reports_Thematic_Report-rps.pdf Shelf Number: 122440 Keywords: Juvenile Courts (U.K.)Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: International Association of Chiefs of Police Title: Juvenile Justice Training Needs Assessment: A Survey of Law Enforcement Summary: In early 2011, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conducted the Juvenile Justice Training Needs Assessment Survey of law enforcement around the nation to identify challenges and training needs facing law enforcement in addressing juvenile crime, delinquency and victimization. The survey identifies law enforcement challenges, needs and priorities relating to juvenile justice. There were 672 responses to this national survey from participants representing 404 law enforcement agencies from 49 states and the District of Columbia. Participants represented agencies of varying sizes from rural, suburban, and urban geographic areas. The Juvenile Justice Needs Assessment Survey revealed various challenges that law enforcement face within their departments and the broader criminal justice system that are barriers to effectively addressing juvenile crime, delinquency and victimization. The survey identified the most pressing issues and concerns facing law enforcement agencies relating to juvenile crime, delinquency and victimization as: 1. Substance Abuse 2. Abuse (physical, sexual and/or emotional) 3. Juvenile Repeat Offenders 4. Bullying/Cyberbullying 5. Gangs 6. Internet Crimes involving juveniles/youth (as perpetrator/victim) 7. Runaways 8. School Safety Details: Alexandria, VA: IACP, 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 26, 2011 at: http://www.theiacp.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Vy2Y7Xk815U%3d&tabid=87 Year: 0 Country: United States URL: http://www.theiacp.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Vy2Y7Xk815U%3d&tabid=87 Shelf Number: 122490 Keywords: Juvenile Justice (U.S.)Juvenile OffendersLaw EnforcementPolice Training |
Author: Bostwick, Lindsay Title: Policies and Procedures of the Illinois Juvenile Justice System Summary: This report presents the policies and procedures of the Illinois juvenile justice system in a detailed step-by-step walkthrough of the different stages of the system in Illinois. Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2011. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2011 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchReports/IL_Juvenile_Justice_System_Walkthrough_0810.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchReports/IL_Juvenile_Justice_System_Walkthrough_0810.pdf Shelf Number: 122634 Keywords: Juvenile Justice Systems (Illinois)Juvenile Justice, Administration ofJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Queensland. Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Title: Views of Young People in Detention Centres Queensland 2011 Summary: This report details the Commission’s third Views of Young People in Detention Centres Survey. The survey provides an opportunity for young people in Queensland’s youth detention centres to share their views and experiences of detention and the youth justice system, particularly on matters that affect their safety and wellbeing. This survey is one of many ways the Commission is monitoring the safety and wellbeing of Queensland’s most vulnerable children and young people. It is part of the Commission's Views of Children and Young People Survey series – an ongoing body of research that gathers the views and experiences of children and young people in foster and kinship care, residential care and youth detention. The Views Survey series is the largest repeated cross-sectional longitudinal study of its kind involving the direct participation of children and young people in state care. The Commission conducts these surveys so that the views and experiences of children and young people in state care can be heard and seriously considered in processes to continuously improve the safety, quality and effectiveness of Queensland's child protection and youth justice systems. Details: Brisbane: The Commission, 2011. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed September 16, 2011 at: http://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/resources/publications/Views-of-Young-People-in-Detention-Centres-Queensland-2011.html Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/resources/publications/Views-of-Young-People-in-Detention-Centres-Queensland-2011.html Shelf Number: 122741 Keywords: Child ProtectionJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Detention (Australia)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Holohan, Carole Title: In Plain Sight: Responding to Ferns, Ryan, Murphy and Cloyne Reports Summary: The report looks at the abuse and exploitation of Irish children in State funded institutions. The five key findings established were: 1. No clear lines of responsibility make true accountability impossible. 2. The law must protect and apply to all members of society equally. 3. Recognition of children’s human rights must be strengthened. 4. Public attitudes matter. Individual attitudes matter. 5. The State must operate on behalf of the people, not on behalf of interest groups. In 'Lessons for Today', the report highlights some issues which relate directly to the work of IPRT, including how successive governments have failed to address inhuman and degrading conditions in Irish prisons despite being criticised by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, Visiting Committees and the UN Committee against Torture. The research also points out that the UN Committee against Torture has expressed grave concerns over the continued detention of 16 and 17 year old boys at St. Patrick's Institution and calls on the Government to allow the Ombudsman for Children to receive individual complaints from children held in St. Patrick's. Also concerning St. Patrick's Institution, Dr. Holohan expressed that: "There needs to be clearer lines of accountability for decisions taken by the executive government – including decisions not to implement commitments previously made." She then questions how the Government can justify their decision to indefinitely delay the building of a new detention facility for children which will bring an end to the detention of 16 and 17 year olds in prison. Dr. Holohan's research shows that Ireland does not have a formal juvenile penal policy, and there is little preventive or early intervention work done with children who display offending behaviour. As an example, the report cites research which has found that among males aged 21-30 years, early school leavers have an imprisonment rate of 46.6 per 1,000 compared with 1.6 per 1,000 for those who completed their Leaving Certificate. In Plain Sight also highlights a 2007 study of 18-25 year olds experiencing homelessness carried out by the Children's Research Centre at Trinity College, Dublin. This study established that one of the main ways of a young person becoming homeless was leaving a State care system, for example a residential setting for young offenders. The report goes on to state that mental health services in the youth justice system are shown to be lacking. Despite the fact that children in the youth justice system and children in State care are among those at high risk of experiencing mental health issues, reports show that access to child and adolescent mental health services for these children remains inadequate. Details: Dublin: Amnesty International Dublin, 2011. 436p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 3, 2011 at: http://www.amnesty.ie/sites/default/files/INPLAINSIGHT%20%28WEB_VERSION%29.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Ireland URL: http://www.amnesty.ie/sites/default/files/INPLAINSIGHT%20%28WEB_VERSION%29.pdf Shelf Number: 122971 Keywords: Catholic ChurchChild AbuseChild Sexual AbuseHuman RightsJuvenile Detention (Ireland)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Griffin, Patrick Title: Trying Juveniles as Adults: An Analysis of State Transfer Laws and Reporting Summary: In the 1980s and 1990s, legislatures in nearly every state expanded transfer laws that allowed or required the prosecution of juveniles in adult criminal courts. The impact of these historic changes is difficult to assess inasmuch as there are no national data sets that track youth who have been tried and sentenced in the criminal justice system. Moreover, state data are hard to find and even more difficult to assess accurately. In addition to providing the latest overview of state transfer laws and practices, this bulletin comprehensively examines available state-level data on juveniles adjudicated in the criminal justice system. In documenting state reporting practices regarding the criminal processing of youth and identifying critical information gaps, it represents an important step forward in understanding the impact of state transfer laws. Currently, only 13 states publicly report the total number of their transfers, and even fewer report offense profiles, demographic characteristics, or details regarding processing and sentencing. Although nearly 14,000 transfers can be derived from available 2007 sources, data from 29 states are missing from that total. To obtain the critical information that policymakers, planners, and other concerned citizens need to assess the impact of expanded transfer laws, we must extend our knowledge of the prosecution of juveniles in criminal courts. The information provided in these pages and the processes used to attain it will help inform the focus and design of additional federally sponsored research to that end. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2011. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 4, 2011 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/232434.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/232434.pdf Shelf Number: 122975 Keywords: Juvenile Court Transfer (U.S.)Juvenile OffendersWaiver (Of Juvenile Court Juristiction |
Author: Arya, Neelum Title: America’s Invisible Children: Latino Youth and the Failure of Justice Summary: This report focuses on Latino youth in the justice system. In addition to providing the latest facts about Latino youth in the U.S. justice system, the report highlights promising solutions and policy recommendations to reduce the disparities. Details: Washington, DC: Campaign for Youth Justice, 2009. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief, Race and Ethnicity Series Vol. 3: Accessed October 4, 2011 at: http://cfyj.org/documents/CFYJPB_InvisibleChildren.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://cfyj.org/documents/CFYJPB_InvisibleChildren.pdf Shelf Number: 114889 Keywords: Discrimination in Juvenile Justice AdministrationJuvenile Justice System (U.S.)Juvenile OffendersLatinosMinority Youth |
Author: Mendel, Richard A. Title: No Place for Kids: The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration Summary: This report, No Place for Kids: The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration assembles a vast array of evidence to demonstrate that incarcerating kids doesn't work: Youth prisons do not reduce future offending, they waste taxpayer dollars, and they frequently expose youth to dangerous and abusive conditions. The report also shows that many states have substantially reduced their juvenile correctional facility populations in recent years, and it finds that these states have seen no resulting increase in juvenile crime or violence. Finally, the report highlights successful reform efforts from several states and provides recommendations for how states can reduce juvenile incarceration rates and redesign their juvenile correction systems to better serve young people and the public. Details: Baltimore, MD: Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2011. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2010 at: http://www.aecf.org/~/media/Pubs/Topics/Juvenile%20Justice/Detention%20Reform/NoPlaceForKids/JDAI_DeepEnd_Embargoed.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.aecf.org/~/media/Pubs/Topics/Juvenile%20Justice/Detention%20Reform/NoPlaceForKids/JDAI_DeepEnd_Embargoed.pdf Shelf Number: 122990 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Detention (U.S.)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: New South Wales Ombudsman Title: Inquiry Into Service Provision to the Bourke and Brewarrina Communities Summary: The over-representation of Aboriginal children and young people in the child protection and juvenile justice systems is of significant concern. This report examines the provision of community and child protection services in Bourke and Brewarrina, in particular, the adequacy of the response to vulnerable children in these communities. While the report focuses on the experiences for the Bourke and Brewarrina communities, its recommendations are relevant to rural and regional communities across the State. Details: Sydney: NSW Ombudsman, 2010. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 18, 2011 at: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/publication/PDF/specialreport/SR_ServiceProvisionBourke_Dec10.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/publication/PDF/specialreport/SR_ServiceProvisionBourke_Dec10.pdf Shelf Number: 123037 Keywords: AboriginalsChild ProtectionJuvenile Justice Systems(Australia)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Mink, Michael D. Title: Violence and Rural Teens Teen Violence, Drug Use, and School-Based Prevention Services in Rural America Summary: This study had three main purposes: (1) to explore the prevalence of violence-related exposures and drug use among rural teens, (2) to investigate the effects of race and gender on the risk of exposure to violence and drug use, and (3) to compare the policies and mental health care services of rural and urban schools. The sections below summarize the results of this research: Exposure to Violence: This study found no evidence to support the common assumption that rural youth are protected from exposure to violence. • Of the 15 measures of violence activities, none showed a significantly lower prevalence among rural teens when compared to suburban and urban teens. In fact, rural teens were more likely than urban or suburban teens to have carried a weapon within the last 30 days. These results suggest that rural teens are equally or more likely than suburban and urban teens to be exposed to violent activities. Drug Use: Rural teens are at significantly greater risk of using drugs than both suburban and urban teens. • Five of the 13 measures of drug use showed a significantly higher prevalence rate among rural teens: chewing tobacco (11.5%), chewing tobacco at school (7.6%), smoking cigarettes at school (14.8%), using crack/cocaine (5.9%), and using steroids (7.4%). Only one measure showed a significantly higher prevalence rate among urban teens (smoking marijuana at school at 6.8%). The remaining seven measures showed no differences by residence. • Of important note is the prevalence of crystal meth use among rural teens. The proportion of rural teens who reported every using crystal meth (15.5%) was almost double the proportion of urban (8.8%) and suburban teens (9.5%). Crystal meth was the 4th most commonly used drug among rural teens after alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana, making it more popular among rural teens than chewing tobacco. Effects of Race: Racial differences for exposure to violence and drug use are negligible among rural teens. • Non-white rural teens were no more likely than white rural teens to experience the 15 measures of exposure to violence. This result was similar to comparable comparisons among urban teens but not suburban teens, where non-white teens were more likely than white teens to experience 9 of the violence exposure measures. • Among rural teens, only one measure of drug use differed by race: rural non-white teens were less likely to report chewing tobacco compared to rural white teens. This pattern was strikingly different from the racial differences found among urban teens (9 differences) and suburban teens (7 differences). Effects of Gender: Exposures to violence and drug use vary by gender among rural teens. • Among rural teens, females are more likely than males to be coerced into sex or engage in suicide behaviors, while males are more likely than females to use weapons, be threatened at school, or engage in fighting behaviors. Male teens are also more likely than female teens to chew tobacco and smoke marijuana, both on and off school grounds. Teen Violence Services: Rural schools offer somewhat fewer teen violence services than rural schools. • Rural schools were less likely than urban schools to offer peer counseling and self help services, but just as likely to offer 14 other violence prevention and treatment services. • There were very few significant differences between rural and urban school in the way these services are delivered. Out of the 66 possible combinations of violence-related services and service delivery option, only 6 showed significantly lower utilization rates for rural schools. The remaining 60 combinations showed no differences by location. Teen Violence Services Personnel: Mental health care staff in rural schools are available for fewer hours, have fewer hiring requirements, and receive training for fewer teen violence services than their counterparts in urban schools. • Rural and urban schools were equally likely to have a guidance counselor, a psychologist, and a social worker on staff. However, all three of these professionals were available for significantly fewer hours per week in rural schools. • Rural and urban schools were equally likely to require a graduate degree, board certification, and a state license for newly hired guidance counselors and for newly hired psychologists. However, rural schools were significantly less likely than urban schools to require a graduate degree or a state license for newly hired school social workers. • Mental health care staff from rural schools were less likely than their counterparts in urban schools to receive training for certain teen violence services. Specifically, Mental Health Care Coordinators were less likely to receive training in suicide prevention, family counseling, peer counseling, and self help, while Health Education Coordinators in rural schools were less likely to receive training in tobacco use prevention. School Environment: Overall, rural schools report fewer policies and security practices that prevent violence and drug use than do urban schools. • Rural schools were less likely than urban schools to report using five (5) administrative policies to prevent student violence: prohibiting gang paraphernalia, student education on suicide prevention, violence prevention, and tobacco use prevention, and having a council for school health. The remaining 13 measures showed no differences by school location. • In response to student fighting, rural schools were less likely than urban schools to encourage or require participation in a student assistance program. • Rural schools were more likely than urban schools to monitor school hallways and to arm their security staff, but less likely to use a closed campus, prohibit bookbags, require school uniforms, use surveillance cameras, use uniformed police, use undercover police, and use security guards. The remaining seven school security measures did not differ by school location. Details: Columbia, SC: South Carolina Rural Health Research Center, 2005. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 29, 2011 at: http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/(4-5)%20Violence%20and%20Rural%20Teens.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/(4-5)%20Violence%20and%20Rural%20Teens.pdf Shelf Number: 123173 Keywords: Drug Abuse and CrimeJuvenile OffendersRural AreasRural CrimeSchool CrimeTeenagersViolence |
Author: Skelton, Ann Title: The Criminal Capacity of Children in South Africa: International Developments & Considerations for a Review Summary: The purpose of the research is to give an overview of the different debates and international developments on the establishment of a minimum age of criminal capacity and the doli incapax presumptions with a view to assist the South African Parliament in its legally mandated review of the minimum age of criminal capacity. The facts and findings in this research report may also be used as a basis for starting a debate on questions such as what the minimum age should be, and whether the current legal presumptions should be retained or discarded. Details: Bellville, South Africa: The Child Justice Alliance, c/o The Children’s Rights Project, Community Law Centre (University of the Western Cape), 2011. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 31, 2011 at: http://www.communitylawcentre.org.za/clc-projects/childrens-rights/other-publications/criminalcapacity_SA.pdf Year: 2011 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.communitylawcentre.org.za/clc-projects/childrens-rights/other-publications/criminalcapacity_SA.pdf Shelf Number: 123184 Keywords: Age of ResponsibilityJuvenile Justice (South Africa)Juvenile LawJuvenile Offenders |
Author: New South Wales Ombudsman Title: Kariong Juvenile Correctional Centre: Meeting the Challenges Summary: The NSW Ombudsman's office has a long standing interest in the operation of Kariong and we have undertaken a number of significant pieces of work concerning the facility. It opened in 1991 as a detention centre for adolescent boys operated by Juvenile Justice. In March 2000 we tabled a report to Parliament of our investigation into events surrounding four serious disturbances at the centre in 1999. The report criticised many aspects of the operation of the centre at that time, including the failure to provide appropriate programs and activities for what was a difficult and challenging group of detainees and a lack of individual case management. In December 2004 the then government transferred responsibility for Kariong to the adult correctional system and the Juvenile Offenders Legislation Amendment Act 2004 became law. The Act established Kariong Juvenile Correctional Centre as well as classification and transfer arrangements for young offenders. At the same time as these changes were being made, we were conducting a legislative review of the Children (Criminal Proceedings) Amendment (Adult Detainees) Act 2001 which we concluded in November 2005. In our report of the review we made a number of recommendations concerning the management of inmates at Kariong. We have continued to conduct regular visits to Kariong as part of our visits program to custodial facilities, both when it was operated by Juvenile Justice and since its transfer to Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW). During these visits we take complaints from inmates, speak with staff to resolve issues and observe conditions and routines. Our ongoing work and interest in the centre means we have a detailed knowledge of Kariong’s operation under both Juvenile Justice and CSNSW management. Both agencies have experienced challenges in delivering appropriate programs and specialised services to such a small population and both agencies have had to contend with the site’s physical shortcomings. While CSNSW did significant capital works on the centre when it took over its operation in 2004, the fundamental design of the site is difficult to alter. The centre is built on the side of a hill and inmates are accommodated in one three storey building that overlooks the administration area. The conclusions of our current investigation indicate that CSNSW is managing a number of significant challenges at Kariong. Inmates are adolescent boys and young men aged between 16 and 21 years old. They are all maximum security inmates, on the basis either of their offence or their poor behaviour and are admitted to Kariong directly from the community or from Juvenile Justice. The centre can accommodate a maximum of 48 inmates in a total of four units and commonly has a population in the mid 30s. Of this number, some will be on remand and some will be sentenced. Some will have significant behavioural issues, others will be well behaved but have committed serious offences. There is considerable turn-over in a proportion of the population, with some inmates staying only a matter of days or weeks. Some will become eligible to return to Juvenile Justice or for transfer to an adult correctional centre but others will remain at Kariong for years. Providing appropriate programs and services to a group of adolescents with such diverse needs is particularly challenging in an environment where the numbers are so small. This is further exacerbated by the fact some inmates will be unable to associate with others for reasons to do with their offence or their history in custody. Getting the management of inmates’ right at Kariong is important, not just for the inmates but for the wider community. The occupants of Kariong are at an age and stage of offending where without significant intervention they may well continue into the adult criminal justice system, at both considerable personal cost to themselves and cost to the community. Their time in Kariong should be seen as an opportunity. Their incarceration presents what may be a final chance to work intensively with some of the most serious young offenders to try to divert them from what could be a lengthy criminal career. Details: Sydney: NSW Ombudsman, 2011. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 8, 2011 at: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/publication/PDF/specialreport/SR_Kariong%20Juvevile%20Correctional%20Centre.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/publication/PDF/specialreport/SR_Kariong%20Juvevile%20Correctional%20Centre.pdf Shelf Number: 123263 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Detention (Australia)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Sommers, Marc Title: Fearing Africa's Young Men: The Case of Rwanda Summary: Do the concentrated numbers of male youths in urban Rwanda threaten social stability? The World Bank investigates this theory, examining the concept that large concentrations of male youths are disconnected from their cultures and prone to violence due to the ‘youth bulge’. However, interviews with urban male youths in Rwanda indicate that they are constrained by limited opportunities rather than menaces to society. The situation confronting most Rwandan youth and most of their counterparts in Africa remains alarming - a largely silent emergency. The ‘youth bulge’ theory suggests that a heavy concentration of male youths in urban areas leads to situations of violence, uprisings, revolutions and even terrorism. The prevalence of this theory in post-conflict literature has led African policymakers to attempt to avoid the urban ‘youth bulge’ by targeting aid to rural areas. For example, policymakers in Liberia have directed post-war reintegration strategies towards rural areas even though agriculture does not appeal to urban youth. In pre-genocide Rwanda, anti-urbanisation policy severely limited the educational and employment opportunities available to male youth. Forced immobility meant that while young men had few rural opportunities, they were not allowed to migrate to find better employment. The education system allowed few students into secondary school and provided poor or impractical vocational training. It is likely that the high numbers of male youth participants in the violence in Rwanda is attributable to limited opportunities resulting from faulty anti-urbanisation policy. Instead of eliminating the threat of the urban ‘youth bulge’, these policies created a life of entrapment and frustration that translated into desperation and violence during the genocide. •Young men had far less land than their fathers and were often unable to support a wife or a family. •The educational and legal system prevented young men from access to education and inheriting land, which forced them into low-paid, temporary jobs. •The government vocational education system targeted towards rural youth was ineffectual. Not only was the community required to pay many of the costs and choose appropriate courses, but also forced immobility meant that graduates could not find jobs in an already saturated workforce. •The hopelessness resulting from the lack of opportunities made Rwandan youth susceptible to genocide instigators whose recruitment strategy mixed coercion and promises of material gain. Given that Rwandan youth today face similar patterns of limited education and employment opportunities, there is a threat that the violence could reappear. Policymakers must learn from the past in order to create effective programmes for the current youth generation. •The ‘youth bulge’ theory unnecessarily labels young men as essentially dangerous. Youth may have excellent reasons to be frustrated and faulty policies based on the ‘youth bulge’ assumption may only fuel their discontent. •Policymakers need to accept and support the decisions of youth not to reintegrate into traditional society. This means providing positive engagement and support to them whether in urban or rural areas. •Young women are often ignored in post-conflict policy. All of Africa’s youth needs to be engaged and supported through appropriate, proactive, empowering, and inclusive measures. Details: Washington, DC: The World Bank, 2006. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Social Development Papers: Conflict Prevention & Reconstruction, Paper No. 32: Accessed November 11, 2011 at: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2006/02/13/000090341_20060213142651/Rendered/PDF/351490RW0Young0men0WP3201PUBLIC1.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Rwanda URL: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2006/02/13/000090341_20060213142651/Rendered/PDF/351490RW0Young0men0WP3201PUBLIC1.pdf Shelf Number: 123310 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersUrban Areas (Rwanda)Violent CrimeYouth ViolenceYouthful Offenders |
Author: Great Britain. HM Government. Violent and Youth Crime Prevention Unit Title: Ending Gang and Youth Violence: A Cross-Government Report including further evidence and good practice case studies Summary: Gangs and youth violence have been a blight on our communities for years. The disorder in August was not caused solely by gangs but the violence we saw on our streets revealed all too vividly the problems that sometimes lie below the surface and out of sight. Over the years successive government interventions, initiatives and funds have failed to stop the problem. A concerted, long-term effort is now needed. Since August, a group of senior ministers – led by the Home Secretary, working closely with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions – has undertaken a thorough review of the problem of gang and youth violence. They have visited a range of projects working to stop youth violence; heard from international experts about what works in the United States and elsewhere; consulted with senior police officers and local authority officials; and talked to young people themselves. Several key messages have emerged. Firstly, the vast majority of young people are not involved in violence or gangs and want nothing to do with it. Secondly, the small number of young people who are involved have a disproportionately large impact on the communities around them in some parts of the UK. It is clear that gang membership increases the risk of serious violence. And thirdly, this small minority of violent young people is not randomly distributed and does not appear out of the blue. Some areas suffer significantly greater levels of violence than others; some individual and family risk factors repeat themselves time and time again. The police and other agencies need the support and powers to protect communities affected by gangs and to bring the violence under control. But gang and youth violence is not a problem that can be solved by enforcement alone. We need to change the life stories of young people who end up dead or wounded on our streets or are getting locked into a cycle of re-offending. Only by encouraging every agency to join up and share information, resources and accountability can these problems be solved. The Government has already set in motion a number of far-reaching reforms to address the entrenched educational and social failures that can drive problems like gang and youth violence. Our welfare reforms will give young people better opportunities to access work and overcome barriers to employment. Our education reforms will drive up pupil performance and increase participation in further study and employment. The new Localism Bill will give local areas the power to take action and pool their resources through Community Budgets. Our plans to turn around the lives of the most troubled families will also be crucial. A new Troubled Families Team in the Department for Communities and Local Government, headed by Louise Casey, will drive forward the Prime Minister’s commitment to turn around the lives of 120,000 troubled families with reduced criminality and violence key outcomes for this work. Not every area will have a problem of gangs or youth violence, so our focus will be on the areas that do. We will offer them support to radically improve the way their mainstream services manage the young people most at risk from gangs or violence. At every stage of a young person’s life story, the mainstream agencies with which they have most contact – health visitors, GPs, teachers, A&E departments, local youth workers and Jobcentre Plus staff – need to be involved in preventing future violence. That means simple risk assessment tools, clear arrangements for sharing information about risk between agencies, agreed referral arrangements to make sure young people get the targeted support they need, and case management arrangements which bring agencies together to share accountability for outcomes and track progress. This Report sets out our detailed plans for making this happen. Providing support to local areas to tackle their gang or youth violence problem. We will: • establish an Ending Gang and Youth Violence Team working with a virtual network of over 100 expert advisers to provide practical advice and support to local areas with a gang or serious youth violence problem; • provide £10 million in Home Office funding in 2012-13 to support up to 30 local areas to improve the way mainstream services identify, assess and work with the young people most at risk of serious violence, with at least half this funding going to the non-statutory sector; and • invest at least £1.2 million of additional resource over the next three years to improve services for young people under 18 suffering sexual violence in our major urban areas – with a new focus on the girls and young women caught up in gang-related rape and abuse. Preventing young people becoming involved in violence in the first place, with a new emphasis on early intervention and prevention. We will: • deliver our existing commitments on early intervention, which research shows is the most cost-effective way of reducing violence in later life. We will double the capacity of Family Nurse Partnerships and recruit 4,200 more health visitors by 2015 and will invest over £18 million in specialist services to identify and support domestic violence victims and their children (who themselves are at particular risk of turning to violence in adulthood); • assess existing materials on youth violence prevention being used in schools and ensure schools know how to access the most effective; • improve the education offered to excluded pupils to reduce their risk of involvement in gang violence and other crimes; and • support parents worried about their children’s behaviour by working with a range of family service providers to develop new advice on gangs. Pathways out of violence and the gang culture for young people wanting to make a break with the past. We will: • continue to promote intensive family intervention work with the most troubled families, including gang members, with a specific commitment to roll out Multi-Systemic Therapy for young people with behavioural problems and their families to 25 sites by 2014; • set up a second wave of Youth Justice Liaison and Diversion schemes for young offenders at the point of arrest, which identify and target mental health and substance misuse problems. These will be targeted at areas where there is a known and significant gang or youth crime problem; • work, through the Ending Gang and Youth Violence Team, with hospital Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments and children’s social care to promote better local application of guidance around young people who may be affected by gang activity presenting at A&E; • explore the potential for placing youth workers in A&E departments to pick up and refer young people at risk of serious violence; • support areas, through the Ending Gang and Youth Violence Team, to roll out schemes to re-house former gang members wanting to exit the gang lifestyle; • explore ways to improve education provision for young people in the secure estate and for those released from custody; and • implement new offending behaviour programmes for violent adult offenders in prison and under community supervision, including new modules on gang violence. Punishment and enforcement to suppress the violence of those refusing to exit violent lifestyles. We will: • extend police and local authority powers to take out gang injunctions to cover teenagers aged 14 to 17; • implement mandatory custodial sentences for people using a knife to threaten or endanger others – including for offenders aged 16 and 17; • introduce mandatory life sentences for adult offenders convicted of a second very serious violent or sexual crime; • extend the work that the UK Border Agency undertakes with the police using immigration powers to deport dangerous gang members who are not UK citizens, drawing on the success of Operation Bite in London; and • consult on whether the police need additional curfew powers and on the need for a new offence of possession of illegal firearms with intent to supply, and on whether the penalty is at the right level for illegal firearm importation. Partnership working to join up the way local areas respond to gang and other youth violence. We will: • issue clear and simple guidelines on data sharing that clarify once and for all the position on what information can be shared between agencies about high risk individuals on a risk aware, not risk averse, basis; • promote the roll-out of Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH), which co-locate police and other public protection agencies, to cut bureaucracy and make it easier to share information and agree actions; • deliver on our commitment that all hospital A&E departments share anonymised data on knife and gang assaults with the police and other agencies and pilot the feasibility of including A&E data on local crime maps; • encourage the use of local multi-agency reviews after every gang-related homicide to ensure every area learns the lessons of the most tragic cases. This Report marks the beginning of a new commitment to work across government to tackle the scourge of gang culture and youth violence. An Inter-Ministerial Group, chaired by the Home Secretary, will meet on a quarterly basis to review progress, including by the Ending Gang and Youth Violence team. We will also establish a forum of key external organisations to meet regularly with Ministers and hold the Government to account on delivery. And we will ensure the views of young people themselves are heard too. Details: London: UK Stationery Office, 2011. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Command Paper 8211: Accessed November 19, 2011 at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/crime/ending-gang-violence/gang-violence-detailreport?view=Binary Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/crime/ending-gang-violence/gang-violence-detailreport?view=Binary Shelf Number: 123400 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsJuvenile CrimeJuvenile OffendersYouth Violence (U.K.) |
Author: Liu, Xiaodong Title: Criminal Networks: Who is the Key Player? Summary: We analyze delinquent networks of adolescents in the United States. We develop a theoretical model showing who the key player is, i.e. the criminal who once removed generates the highest possible reduction in aggregate crime level. We also show that key players are not necessary the most active criminals in a network. We then test our model using data on criminal behaviors of adolescents in the United States (AddHealth data). Compared to other criminals, key players are more likely to be a male, have less educated parents, are less attached to religion and feel socially more excluded. They also feel that adults care less about them, are less attached to their school and have more troubles getting along with the teachers. We also find that, even though some criminals are not very active in criminal activities, they can be key players because they have a crucial position in the network in terms of betweenness centrality. Details: London: Centre for Economic Policy Research, 2011. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper Series, No. 8185: Accessed January 10, 2012 at: www.cepr.org/pubs/dps/DP8185.asp Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 123539 Keywords: GangsJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Calvin, Elizabeth Title: Against All Odds: Prison Conditions for Youth Offenders Serving Life without Parole Sentences in the United States Summary: Currently, more than 2,500 inmates in the United States await death in adult prison, sentenced to life without parole for crimes they committed while they were under the age of 18. Youth offenders serving life without parole enter prison with developmental needs for protection, education, and other services in order to be able to fully mature into adulthood. Yet youth offenders are among the inmates most susceptible to physical and sexual assault during their incarceration, are often placed in isolated segregation, and are frequently classified in ways that can deprive them of access to rehabilitative programs. The United States is the only country in the world with youth offenders serving life without parole sentences, in violation of international human rights law. Against All Odds details the strong evidence that youth offenders serving life without parole are imprisoned in conditions that violate fundamental international human rights law and standards. Based on information from corrections departments across the country and hundreds of youth offenders serving life without parole, the report documents how states fail to protect youth offenders from physical assault and sexual violence, to administer adequate mental health care, or to provide access to age-appropriate services and programs. Despite the fact that the length of their sentence and their youth upon entering adult prison make growth and rehabilitation extraordinarily difficult, some youth offenders sentenced to life without parole do achieve emotional, intellectual, and personal transformation in prison—an extraordinary fact given the hurdles they face. Human Rights Watch calls on the US government to abolish the sentence of life without parole for crimes committed by persons below the age of 18 and to investigate and improve conditions for youth offenders imprisoned across the United States. Details: New York: Human Rights Watch, 2012. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 10, 2012 at: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/us0112ForUpload_1.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/us0112ForUpload_1.pdf Shelf Number: 123546 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersLife Imprisonment, JuvenilesLife Without ParolePrison Rape, JuvenilesSexual Assault, Juvenile Inmates |
Author: Seffrin, Patrick Title: Socioeconomic Disadvantage, Peer and Romantic Relationships, and the Process of Criminal Desistance Summary: The current study examines the role of socioeconomic disadvantage and peer context in shaping romantic relationship experiences, and in turn, the influence of these experiences on crime trajectories. Drawing on four waves of panel data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (N = 1,066) we found that, both low SES and delinquent peers are linked to more liberal approaches to romantic and sexual relationships as well as higher levels of intimate partner violence. Increasing involvement with delinquent peers predicted higher than average trajectories of liberal relationship scripts and intimate partner violence. These relationship dynamics, especially liberal dating scripts, were found to influence crime trajectories even after controlling for changes in relationship stability, employment, and other crime correlates. Research should incorporate broader socioeconomic factors that are likely to influence the character of peer networks and specific problem features of romantic relationships that are associated with variations in criminal involvement. Details: Bowling Green, OH: Center for Family and Demographic Research, Bowling Green State University, 2012. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper Series 2012-02: Accessed January 12, 2012 at: http://www.bgsu.edu/downloads/cas/file105616.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.bgsu.edu/downloads/cas/file105616.pdf Shelf Number: 123559 Keywords: Desistance from CrimeJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersPeer InfluenceSocioeconomics Status (Ohio) |
Author: Charron, Mathieu Title: Neighbourhood Characteristics and the Distribution of Crime in Toronto: Additional Analysis on Youth Crime Summary: This study, funded by the National Crime Prevention Centre of Public Safety Canada, explores the spatial distribution of police-reported youth crime in Toronto. It examines how youth crime is geographically distributed in Toronto and endeavours to shed light on the relationship between police-reported youth crime and the neighbourhood characteristics that are most strongly associated with it. This report represents the second phase of the spatial analysis of police-reported crime data for Toronto and builds on the research paper, Neighbourhood Characteristics and the Distribution of Police-reported Crime in Toronto (Charron 2009). Other cities, including Edmonton, Halifax, Montréal, Regina, Saskatoon, Thunder Bay and Winnipeg have also been analysed as part of this series on the spatial analysis of police-reported crime data. The spatial analysis of crime data provides a visual representation of areas of concentrated crime. It also helps identify neighbourhood characteristics that are related to crime levels (See Text box 1). It can be an important tool in the development and implementation of crime reduction strategies. (See Methodology section at the end of the report for more detailed information on the methodologies used in this study). Data for this study cover the city of Toronto, an area patrolled by the Toronto Police Service. Toronto is located at the heart of a vast metropolitan system bordering the western end of Lake Ontario (from Oshawa to St. Catharines–Niagara), that includes 9 of the country’s 33 census metropolitan areas and over 8,000,000 inhabitants (nearly one quarter of Canada’s population). The city of Toronto is the capital city of Ontario and had a population of over 2,500,000 in 2006, the reference year for this study; about 175,000 were aged 12 to 17 years. Previous studies undertaken by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics have similarly focused on the relationship between crime and neighbourhood characteristics (Charron 2009; Savoie 2008). These studies have shown that crime is not distributed evenly in a municipality, but tends to be concentrated in certain neighbourhoods or ’hot spots’. Additionally, other studies have focused specifically on youth crime. For example, Perreault et al. (2008) found that neighbourhood characteristics accounted for only a small proportion of youth crime hot spots in Montréal. In Toronto, Fitzgerald (2009) found that the delinquency of young students was not associated with the characteristics of the neighbourhoods surrounding their schools. Details: Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2011. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Crime and Justice Research Paper Series; Accessed January 13, 2012 at: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2011/statcan/85-561-M/85-561-m2011022-eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2011/statcan/85-561-M/85-561-m2011022-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 123601 Keywords: Crime Hot SpotsJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersNeithbourhoods and Crime (Toronto, Canada)Spatial AnalysisYouth Crime |
Author: Kunkle, Susan M. Title: Bind Over and Blended Sentencing in Ohio Summary: In the early 1990s, juvenile crime in the US appeared to be increasing in frequency and seemed to be exceedingly more violent. In state after state, legislative efforts increased the mechanisms of transfer, made transfer mandatory for a larger number of offenses, and generally sought to remove more serious and violent juveniles from the special jurisdiction of the juvenile courts. This research is an effort to understand how those legislative actions were operationalized by the juvenile courts, specifically by identifying the relationship between legal and extra legal variables and dispositional outcomes. In Ohio, three outcomes are salient in the disposition of cases of youthful offenders who engage in felony-level, violent, and/or repetitive criminal offending – retain in the juvenile court, a blended sentence that straddles both the juvenile and adult criminal court system, and a transfer of the case from the juvenile to the adult criminal court system. Data were collected from five Ohio Juvenile Courts and the Ohio Department of Youth Services and consist of populations of transferred and blended sentence cases and a sample of felony adjudication cases from the years of 2002 through 2006. Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the data; retained in the juvenile court was identified as the reference factor. The use of a weapon, the severity of the offense, if the offense was violent, prior record, the age of the offender at the time of the offense, and the age of the offender at first contact with the juvenile justice system were significant in the decision to transfer a case to the adult criminal court system. The use of a weapon, the severity of the offense, prior record, and the age of the offender at the time of the offense were significant in the decision to dispose of a case through a blended sentence. Details: Kent, OH: Kent State University, Department of Political Science, 2011. 161p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed January 13, 2012 at: http://etd.ohiolink.edu/view.cgi/Kunkle%20Susan%20M.pdf?kent1302131672 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://etd.ohiolink.edu/view.cgi/Kunkle%20Susan%20M.pdf?kent1302131672 Shelf Number: 122527 Keywords: Blended SentencesJuvenile Court TransferJuvenile CourtsJuvenile OffendersPunishmentSentencing (Ohio)Waiver (of Juvenile Court Disposition) |
Author: Northern Ireland. Department of Justice Title: A Review of the Youth Justice System in Northern Ireland Summary: This Review was launched in 2010 by the Minister of Justice, David Ford, in furtherance of the Hillsborough Castle Agreement. Undertaken by an independent team of three people, its terms of reference were to critically assess the current arrangements for responding to youth crime and make recommendations for how these might be improved within the wider context of, among other things, international obligations, best practice and a fi nancially uncertain future. The Review Team consulted a wide range of stakeholders, including children and young people and members of the communities where they lived. Off ending by children tends to be less serious than adults; as with the pattern in other jurisdictions, common off ences include criminal damage, theft and common assault. Around 10,000 young people come into contact with the criminal justice system at some level during the course of a typical year. Like other developed countries, Northern Ireland has a separate justice system for children, from age 10 to 17 inclusive, underpinned by statutory aims to prevent off ending, protect the public and secure the welfare of the child. Details: Belfast: Northern Ireland Department of Justice, 2011. 128p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 13, 2012 at: http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/16000/1/report-of-the-review-of-the-youth-justice-system-in-ni%5B1%5D.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/16000/1/report-of-the-review-of-the-youth-justice-system-in-ni%5B1%5D.pdf Shelf Number: 123610 Keywords: Childrens RightsDiversionJuvenile CourtsJuvenile Justice Systems (Northern Ireland)Juvenile OffendersYoung Offenders |
Author: Thompson, Kevin M. Title: An Adult Recidivism Outcome Evaluation of North Dakota's Juvenile Drug Court Summary: This report summarizes findings from an adult recidivism study of North Dakota’s Juvenile Drug Court. Two drug courts were implemented in North Dakota in May of 2000. The sites chosen included the East Central Judicial District (Fargo) and the Northeast Central Judicial District (Grand Forks). A one-year juvenile recidivism study completed in 2001 showed that drug court participants recorded significantly fewer juvenile referrals than a group of substance abusing juveniles not participating in drug court. This evaluation examines whether similar patterns surface four years later when the majority of these juveniles had reached the age of majority. Separate analyses were undertaken for the two courts because there were, and continue to be marked differences in the manner in which the two drug courts were implemented and there are modest differences between the two courts regarding the characteristics of participants. By July 31, 2004, 133 of the original juvenile drug court participants and comparison group subjects had reached the age of at least 17. The comparison group included juveniles who met criteria for admission to drug court and resembled the drug court participants in terms of court history and relevant background characteristics. The average age of these individuals by July 31, 2004 was 19.5 years. Among drug court participants (N = 90), 44 (49%) completed the objectives of drug court and graduated, 46 (51%) were dismissed from drug court for either non-compliance with program objectives or reached their 18th birthday prior to completing drug court. Subjects were tracked using three sources: (1) the North Dakota State Court Data Warehouse; (2) the Fargo Police Department computer tracking system, and (3) the state’s AS400 computer software. Multiple methods were employed in order to avoid missing cases and to allow for cross-records checking. Recidivism measures included: (1) any arrest as an adult for a Class A misdemeanor or higher; (2) any arrest as an adult for a substance use related offense; (3) any conviction as an adult for a Class A misdemeanor or higher, and (4) any conviction as an adult for a felony. The highest recidivism rate among the six groups (two courts x three groups) in the study was recorded by drug court graduates in the East Central Judicial District (EC). The lowest recidivism rate was recorded by graduates from the Northeast Central Judicial District (NEC). Overall, terminated participants had higher recidivism rates than subjects from the comparison group. The data suggest that there are two interpretations why drug court graduates in the EC court had higher recidivism in adulthood: (1) that the length of stay in the EC drug court was too brief at 7.8 months, compared to the NEC graduates where the length of stay was 11.1 months and (2) that juveniles are being admitted too late to the EC drug court. Other differences between the courts were not associated with adult recidivism. Details: Fargo, ND: North Dakota State University, 2004. Source: Internet Resource. Accessed on January 15, 2012 at http://www1.spa.american.edu/justice/documents/150.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United States URL: http://www1.spa.american.edu/justice/documents/150.pdf Shelf Number: 123617 Keywords: Drug Court (North Dakota)Juvenile Drug CourtsJuvenile OffendersRecidivism |
Author: Wilson, Edith Title: Assessing the Predictive Validity of the Asset Youth Risk Assessment Tool Using the Juvenile Cohort Study (JCS) Summary: Asset is a structured risk assessment tool for young people, used by all youth offending teams in England and Wales. This research was commissioned to inform the Youth Justice Board’s (YJB) review of assessment and intervention planning. Using data from the Juvenile Cohort Study, it aimed to evaluate how well Asset predicts future proven re-offending over a one-year period. The predictive validity of Asset was also compared against the Offender Group Reconviction Scale (OGRS 3) and a combination of static and dynamic components of Asset. Asset was found to be a good predictor of one-year proven re-offending: those with higher Asset scores were more likely to re-offend, to commit more re-offences, to commit more serious re-offences, and were more likely to receive a custodial disposal (compared to those with lower Asset scores). Asset plus OGRS 3 was the best predictor of proven re-offending of those tested. As a predictor of re-offending, OGRS 3 was as good as Asset, but it did not perform well as a standalone measure for Final Warnings. The results generally support the application of OGRS 3 in the youth justice system for predicting proven one-year re-offending, which was proposed as part of the YJB review of assessment and intervention planning (although more detailed assessments may still be required for intervention planning). Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2011. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Justice Research Series 10/11; Accessed January 17, 2012 at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/research-and-analysis/moj-research/assessing-predictive-validity.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/research-and-analysis/moj-research/assessing-predictive-validity.pdf Shelf Number: 123630 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRecidivismReoffendingRisk Assessment (U.K.) |
Author: Berlin, Lisa J. Title: Juvenile or Adult? Adolescent Off enders and the Line Between the Juvenile and Criminal Justice Systems Summary: Most states’ juvenile justice systems have two main goals: increased public safety and the rehabilitation of adolescent offenders to prevent future crime. Policymakers and others need balanced information about the most effective ways to meet both goals. Currently, North Carolina, New York, and Connecticut are the only states that prosecute 16- and 17-year-olds charged with a crime in adult criminal court. The North Carolina General Assembly is addressing the question of whether 16- and 17-year-olds charged with a crime should be prosecuted in juvenile court instead. The question of whether adolescent offenders should be prosecuted in the juvenile or adult system is important because off enders aged 16-24 account for 37 percent of arrests for violent crimes in the United States and North Carolina. Policies that impact the frequency and duration of criminal activity among 16- and 17-year-olds have a major impact on overall crime rates and public safety. This Family Impact Seminar briefing report addresses the line between the juvenile and adults systems. A “family impact perspective†on policymaking informs this report. Just as policymakers routinely consider the environmental or economic impact of policies and programs, Family Impact Seminars help policymakers examine impact on families by providing research findings and evidence-based strategies. This report consists of five briefs: Brief 1 provides background and recent history on the handling of adolescent offenders in the United States and North Carolina; a description of how the current North Carolina juvenile justice system works; recent North Carolina juvenile justice statistics; and information on programs and facilities for adolescent offenders in North Carolina and other states. Brief 2 discusses research on youth development pertaining to three issues central to policies for adolescent offenders: blameworthiness, competence to stand trial, and the potential for an adolescent’s character to change. Brief 3 details how other states treat adolescent offenders. Brief 4 discusses research on how juvenile crime rates respond to changes in punishment laws. Brief 5 presents three policy options and a series of further considerations. The briefing report concludes with a glossary, a list of acronyms, a list of additional resources, and a chart of the current legal age in NC for different activities. Details: Durham, NC: Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University, 2007. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2012 at: http://www.childandfamilypolicy.duke.edu/pdfs/familyimpact/2007/BriefingReport_07.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.childandfamilypolicy.duke.edu/pdfs/familyimpact/2007/BriefingReport_07.pdf Shelf Number: 123690 Keywords: AdolescentsJuvenile Court TransferJuvenile OffendersWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction) |
Author: Casey, Sharon Title: Review of Programmes in Youth Training Centres. Part 1: Literature Review Summary: This report contains a detailed account of the published literature relevant to the delivery of effective programmes in youth training centres. This is important for several reasons: first it has been established that some programmes offered to offenders, even when delivered with the best of intentions, can work in opposite ways to those intended. In other words, some programmes increase, rather than decrease, the risk of a young person reoffending. The best examples of this comes from programmes like ‘Scared Straight’ (where young offenders are taken into adult prisons in an attempt to deter them from further offending), and boot camps (highly structured, physically challenging, residential programmes often run on paramilitary lines). Whilst significant efforts and resources have been allocated to the development and delivery of these types of programmes, evaluations have consistently shown that they do not produce the types of outcomes that they were intended to produce. In short, then, it is not always wise to trust our intuitions or personal beliefs about ’what works’ best for juvenile justice clients. Rather there is a need to evaluate different programmes against standard criteria, and base decisions about which programmes to offer on the basis of what can be shown to be the most effective. Indeed, this is the idea that underpins the notion of evidence based practice, and most health and justice organisations around the world would now subscribe to this approach to service delivery. That is not to say that programmes that have not been evaluated do not work, rather that we do not know whether they work. There is clearly an important role for development and pilot programmes, but these programmes should not form the basis for service delivery. By offering programmes that can be demonstrated to be effective, service providers become accountable to external agencies, young people and the community, and all stakeholders can have confidence in the quality of the services being offered. In this review, the evidence base underpinning effective programmes for young offenders is described. Evidence can come not only from programme evaluations, but also from theories about the causes of juvenile crime. Indeed researchers have shown that programmes that are based on a coherent theory are around six times more effective than programmes that are not. As such the first part of the review is dedicated to a review of different theories of crime. The focus here is on developmental theories of crime (that is, understanding how criminal behaviour changes as people grow older) as these are considered to be the most appropriate types of theory to guide programming decisions in youth justice. A number of different developmental theories are described, although there are many similarities between each of the theories. Each theory seeks to explain the way in which biological, individual, familial, social, and community and cultural factors interact with life events to create a situation where offending may occur. Such theories have led to the identification of both risk and protective factors for offending and how these may change at key transitional points (for example, starting school; moving from primary to high school; leaving school). This work is important as it suggests, theoretically, that if programmes and services can either reduce the number of (or intensity of) risk factors, or increase the number of protective factors, then they are likely to be effective in reducing the probability of a young person offending. In other words the theories offers important suggestions about what programmes should aim to change. There is now a reasonable body of evaluation research documenting the outcomes of a range of different types of programmes with young offenders. At the same time there are still many gaps in the literature – some of the research is conducted with older age groups (for example, young offenders are classified as from ages 15-21 years in some countries), and there is very little published research on effective programmes either for young women or for those who identify as from indigenous cultural backgrounds. However, evaluations have shown that programmes are more effective when they have certain characteristics, such as the types of person , the areas of functioning , and the methods used to bring about that change. For example, the most effective programmes are offered to those young people who are at the most risk of re-offending, address those areas of need that are most closely associated with the reasons why they offend (for example, substance use, associating with other offenders), and are delivered in ways that match the learning styles of adolescents (for example, structured and skills focussed). Perhaps unsurprisingly the most effective programmes are also delivered by highly trained staff who are well supported in their work. It is, however, clear that specialist programmes for juvenile offenders need to be developed such that they are age and developmentally appropriate. Programmes cannot simply be imported in from adult correctional settings. There is a limited research base from which to examine specific types of programmes, and in this review programmes for violent offenders, sexually aggressive offenders, and substance use are considered separately, along with the evidence for more generic programmes (such as cognitive skills and social skills programmes), programmes to improve family functioning (such as fostering programmes and multi-systemic therapy), and educational and vocational achievement. It is concluded that all of these programmes have an important role to play in any approach that seeks to meet the needs of youth justice clients. However, one programme is unlikely to meet all of the needs of a young person, and supplementary programmes targeting other areas (for example, health and education) also have an important role to play. Whilst this report is a review of the scientific and research literature, and has been written in an academic way that attempts to adequately describe the current knowledge base, the hope is that it will provide a stimulus for readers to think about how this evidence might inform their own practice. What is clear from this review is that the starting point for any review of programmes in the youth training centres has to be the theoretical and empirical evidence from Australia and internationally relating to what is currently known about what will work best for youth justice clients. In conclusion then, it is important for those involved in programme design and delivery to have some awareness of the literature reviewed in this report. Details: Adelaide: Guardian for Children and Young People, 2008. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2012 at: http://www.sapo.org.au/pub/pub10623.html Year: 2008 Country: International URL: http://www.sapo.org.au/pub/pub10623.html Shelf Number: 123691 Keywords: Correctional Program, JuvenilesJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile OffendersYouth Training Centers |
Author: Wolak, Janis Title: Sexting: A Typology Summary: This bulletin presents a typology of sexting episodes based on a review of over 550 cases obtained from a national survey of law enforcement agencies. The cases all involved “youthâ€produced sexual images,†defined as images of minors created by minors that could qualify as child pornography under applicable criminal statutes. The episodes could be broadly divided into two categories, which we termed ‘Aggravated’ and ‘Experimental’. Aggravated incidents involved criminal or abusive elements beyond the creation, sending or possession of youthâ€produced sexual images. These additional elements included 1) adult involvement; or 2) criminal or abusive behavior by minors such as sexual abuse, extortion, threats; malicious conduct arising from interpersonal conflicts; or creation or sending or showing of images without the knowledge or against the will of a minor who was pictured. In Experimental incidents, by contrast, youth took pictures of themselves to send to established boy†or girlfriends, to create romantic interest in other youth, or for reasons such as attentionâ€seeking, but there was no criminal behavior beyond the creation or sending of images, no apparent malice and no lack of willing participation by youth who were pictured. Details: Durham, NH: Crimes Against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire, 2011. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 21, 2012 at http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/CV231_Sexting%20Typology%20Bulletin_4-6-11_revised.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/CV231_Sexting%20Typology%20Bulletin_4-6-11_revised.pdf Shelf Number: 123714 Keywords: Adult OffendersChild Sexual AbuseJuvenile OffendersSexting |
Author: LeCroy & Milligan Associates, Inc. Title: Juvenile Drug Court Program Evaluation Final Report Summary: The Arizona Governor’s Office of Children, Youth, and Families, through the Governor’s Division of Substance Abuse Prevention, hired LeCroy & Milligan Associates, Inc. in November 1999 to evaluate several juvenile and family drug court and diversion programs that were being implemented in Arizona. The Arizona Parents Commission on Drug Education and Prevention provided partial funding for the programs through grants managed by the Governor’s Division of Substance Abuse Prevention. Three prior evaluation reports addressed evaluability assessment findings and evaluation capacity building efforts. The process and outcome evaluation findings are presented in a series of three final reports—one each for juvenile drug courts, family drug courts, and diversion programs. This report, the first in the series, presents findings only for the juvenile drug court programs. The findings for the diversion programs and the family drug court programs are presented in two separate final reports. Details: Tucson, AZ: LeCroy & Milligan Associates, Inc., 2003. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 22, 2012 at http://www.lecroymilligan.com/JDC%20final%20report%202003w%20cover.PDF Year: 2003 Country: United States URL: http://www.lecroymilligan.com/JDC%20final%20report%202003w%20cover.PDF Shelf Number: 123720 Keywords: DiversionDrug Courts (Arizona)Drug Treatment ProgramsJuvenile OffendersRecidivismSubstance Abuse |
Author: Ottawa County Planning Department Title: Program Evaluation - Ottawa County Sobriety/Drug Courts - (58th District Sobriety Court, 20th Circuit Adult Drug Court, 20th Circuit Juvenile Drug Court) Summary: Over the past decade, sobriety and drug courts have been established throughout the nation as a new way to address substance abuse problems among criminal offenders. These courts seek to treat the needs of alcohol or drug-dependent offenders in a relational, non-adversarial approach, while at the same time, requiring accountability and a structured lifestyle. This balance between therapeutic and sanction-based programming has increased the popularity of these courts immensely among judges and their staff. Sobriety courts are designed primarily for offenders with serious alcohol-dependencies, while drug courts are designed primarily for offenders with serious drug-dependencies (i.e. crack, heroine, cocaine, prescription drugs, other). However, both courts can accept and process offenders who have either (or both) alcohol and drug-dependencies. The Circuit and District Court judges in Ottawa County were prompted to explore the use of sobriety and drug courts in their dockets based on the numerous positive accolades this approach to substance abuse treatment had received in recent years. Judge Susan Jonas launched the first Ottawa County District Sobriety Court in May 2004, and Judge Bradley Knoll followed with a second District Sobriety Court in October 2004. Judge Mark Feyen initiated a Juvenile Drug Court in October 2004 and an Adult Circuit Drug Court in January 2005. The team members responsible for implementing the sobriety/drug courts all have a positive view of their involvement in the sobriety/drug courts. In fact, because team members find it is more therapeutic for participants than being solely punitive, many say that this is the most satisfying work they have ever performed in the criminal justice system. Based on self-reported performance from District Sobriety Court graduates, it appears to be popular with many of the graduates as well. Since the adult sobriety/drug court programs require an average of 17 months to complete, and the courts have only been operational for 20-24 months, there are only a few program graduates who can be evaluated to determine the long-term impacts (i.e. sobriety and recidivism) of the program. Furthermore, operational issues that were recently addressed in the Juvenile Drug Court also affect the completion of the evaluation at this time. Despite the inability to look at long-term, outcome-based measures, it was still possible to assess all three courts to determine their administrative and operational performance, as well as, relative cost. In the District Sobriety Court, the total cost per participant was $6,168. As a comparison, the total average cost for a similar offender sentenced to traditional probation is $1,926, and the average cost for a similar offender sentenced to Intensive Supervision Probation in the Grand Haven District Court and in the Hudsonville District Court is $2,907 and $3,105, respectively. In the Circuit Drug Court, the total cost per participant was $14,563. At the time of this evaluation, comparison group data were not available. Since Circuit Drug Court involves participants with felony charges, it is expected that sentencing practices, program intensity, and associated expenses would be greater than Sobriety Court. In the Juvenile Drug Court, the total cost per participant was $5,285. As a comparison, the total average cost for a juvenile offender enrolled in the Juvenile Community Justice (JCJ) program is $14,698. Another issue that will need to be factored into the overall cost of sobriety/drug courts is the program expense presently being funded through grant dollars. When these grants expire, financial support will likely be sought from the County to replace 80% of grant funding presently being used for salaries, programming, drug/alcohol testing, and other program expenses. The remaining 20% of the grant funding, on average, is in the form of inkind contributions, so it will not have to be replaced. The total replacement funds needed could be as high as $866,542 beginning 2011/12. It is important to note that the outcome-based success and relative expense of the sobriety/drug court programs can only be calculated by comparing program cost, completion rates, and recidivism rates to other existing treatment programs when more data become available for analysis in 2008/09. Nevertheless, this report does provide several recommendations for administrative and operational improvements, as well as a detailed overview of the relative cost of each program. Details: Ottawa County, MI: Ottawa County Planning Department, 2006. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 22, 2012 at http://www.co.ottawa.mi.us/CoGov/Depts/Planning/pdf/SobrietyDrugCourtsEval2006.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: http://www.co.ottawa.mi.us/CoGov/Depts/Planning/pdf/SobrietyDrugCourtsEval2006.pdf Shelf Number: 123721 Keywords: Adult OffendersDrug Treatment ProgramsDrugs Courts (Michigan)Juvenile OffendersProblem-Solving CourtsRecidivismSubstance Abuse |
Author: innovation Research & Training, Inc. Title: Rowan County Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Process Evaluation Report Summary: The primary purpose of this process evaluation report is to provide a description of the structure, organization, and operations of the Rowan County Juvenile Drug Treatment Court (RCJDTC), as well as to identify the strengths and barriers of the court. Process evaluations are required by North Carolina’s Administrative Office of the Courts and the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and are supported by the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission. The North Carolina Drug Treatment Court Advisory Committee is “established to develop and recommend to the Director of the AOC guidelines for the DTC and to monitor local courts wherever they are implemented†(N.C. Gen. Stat. §7A-795). A drug court process evaluation documents and describes the current operation, strengths, and areas in need of improvement in the functioning of a court. A process evaluation differs from an outcome evaluation in that it does not examine and evaluate the effectiveness of the Drug Treatment Court in terms of its effectiveness in reducing recidivism, substance abuse, and addiction. This report describes the results of the process evaluation conducted on the functioning of the RCJDTC. At various points within this report, excerpts from program materials and from interviews are reported verbatim in order to retain the exact language and nuances intended by the Drug Court Team or by the interviewee. Details: Durham, NC: innovation Research & Training, Inc., 2005. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 22, 2012 at http://www.dtcintranet.nccourts.org/Documents/Resources/Rowan/Youth/processevaluation.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: http://www.dtcintranet.nccourts.org/Documents/Resources/Rowan/Youth/processevaluation.pdf Shelf Number: 123722 Keywords: Drug Courts (North Carolina)Drug TreatmentJuvenile OffendersProblem-Solving Courts |
Author: Mackin, Juliette R. Title: Caroline County Juvenile Drug Court Process Evaluation Summary: Drug treatment courts are one of the fastest growing programs designed to reduce drug abuse and criminality in nonviolent offenders in the United States. The first drug court was implemented in Florida in 1989. There were over 1,700 drug courts as of April 2007, with drug courts operating or planned in all 50 states (including Native American Tribal Courts), the District of Columbia, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam (BJA 2007). Drug courts use the coercive authority of the criminal justice system to offer treatment to nonviolent addicts in lieu of incarceration. This model of linking the resources of the criminal justice system and substance treatment programs has proven to be effective for increasing treatment participation and for decreasing criminal recidivism. The Honorable Karen Murphy Jensen, Circuit Court Judge for Caroline County, was instrumental in starting the Caroline County Juvenile Drug Court (CCJDC) program, which began in 2004. Judge Jensen took the role on voluntarily and continues to be the drug court's judge today. The CCJDC enrolled 15 participants from July 2004 through May 2007. A total of 3 participants have graduated. For the first 2½ years of the program, a part-time therapist worked with program participants one day a week. In February 2007, the program hired a full-time therapist, and capacity increased from approximately 4 to 20 participants. In 2001, NPC Research (NPC), under contract with the Administrative Office of the Courts of the State of Maryland, began cost studies of adult drug courts in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel County, Maryland. These studies were completed in 2003. Subsequently, NPC was hired to perform evaluations on 4 adult and 10 juvenile drug courts in Maryland, one of which is the CCJDC. This report contains the process evaluation for the CCJDC. Information was acquired for this process evaluation from several sources, including observations of court reviews and team meetings during site visits, key informant interviews, and focus groups. The methods used to gather this information from each source are described in detail in the main report. According to its procedures manual, CCJDC’s program goals are to: Provide quality treatment to eligible adolescents with substance abuse/use issues and adjudicated juvenile charges; Increase the educational capacity for drug court participants; Expedite the process of adjudication and entrance into the drug court program; Decrease recidivism potential of juvenile offenders in the drug court program. Details: Portland, OR: NPC Research, 2007. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 22, 2012 at http://www.npcresearch.com/Files/Caroline_Juvenile_Process_0707.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.npcresearch.com/Files/Caroline_Juvenile_Process_0707.pdf Shelf Number: 123723 Keywords: Drug Courts (Maryland)Drug Treatment ProgramsJuvenile OffendersRecidivismSubstance Abuse |
Author: Hiller, Matthew Title: Fayette County Juvenile Drug Court Implementation Evaluation Summary: The current evaluation describes the implementation of the Fayette County Juvenile Drug, which was planned beginning in 1999 and established initially as a pilot program in January 2001. It received funds to become fully implemented in September 2001. During this evaluation, data were collected on drug court operations and drug court participants in order to The 16 strategies pertain to collaborative planning, teamwork, clearly defining a target population and eligibility criteria, judicial involvement and supervision, monitoring and evaluation, community partnerships, comprehensive treatment planning, developmentally appropriate services, gender-appropriate services, cultural competence, a focus on strengths, family engagement, educational linkages, drug testing, goal-oriented incentives and sanctions, and confidentiality. The process evaluation concluded that the Fayette County Juvenile Drug Court had successfully incorporated these strategies in its implementation. The program staff attempts to meet the need of each participant, and the opinions and suggestions of team members are considered by the judge before making final decisions about participants. The cohesiveness of the drug court team provides a supportive and therapeutic environment that facilitates the recovery of participants. The evaluation recommends building stronger relationships with local treatment programs, increasing the involvement of participants' families, enrolling 30 percent of eligible youth each year, and developing a plan for funding the court beyond grant monies. Evaluation methods included interviews with court team members, participant observation, a focus group, and a review of program documentation. 8 figures and appended participant observation coding sheet, the participant record coding sheet, and the consent and script for the focus group. Details: Lexington, KY: Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky, 2003. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 22, 2012 at http://courts.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/5032E79A-6565-4E19-AB8D-C6D6AC555ADE/0/FayetteCountyJuvenileDrugCourtImplementationEvaluation2003.pdf Year: 2003 Country: United States URL: http://courts.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/5032E79A-6565-4E19-AB8D-C6D6AC555ADE/0/FayetteCountyJuvenileDrugCourtImplementationEvaluation2003.pdf Shelf Number: 123724 Keywords: Drug Courts (Kentucky)Drug Treatment ProgramsJuvenile OffendersProcess EvaluationSubstance Abuse |
Author: Ziedenberg, Jason Title: You're An Adult Now: Youth in Adult Criminal Justice Systems Summary: It has been estimated that nearly 250,000 youth under age 18 end up in the adult criminal justice system every year. However, little attention has been directed to how adult corrections systems are managing the youth offenders that end up in jails, prisons and under community supervision. To address this information gap, the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) convened three dozen juvenile justice and adult corrections experts on June 18th, 2010, to consider some of the known issues, impacts and opportunities that face corrections systems as they work to safely and effectively rehabilitate thousands of youth offenders in the nations’ jails, prisons, probation and parole systems. This monograph presents the key findings identified during this convening of experts.†Six section comprise this publication: executive summary; what is known about the issue of juveniles in the adult corrections systems, and where there are gaps in data collection and information; what the issues, impacts and options are facing public safety systems when youth are awaiting trial on adult charges; when youth are convicted, and committed to the adult system; when youth who convicted in adult court are on probation or parole; and conclusion--corrections and the entire public safety system needs to focus on the successful strategies to curb delinquency, and positive youth development. The “Summary of Options for Federal, State, and Local Policymakers to Consider†is appended. Details: Washington, DC: National Institute of Corrections, 2011. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 23, 2012 at http://static.nicic.gov/Library/025555.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://static.nicic.gov/Library/025555.pdf Shelf Number: 123753 Keywords: Adult CorrectionsJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersParoleProbation |
Author: Amnesty International Title: 'This is Where I'm Going to Be When I Die' Children Facing Life Imprisonment Without the Possibility of Release in the USA Summary: More than 2,500 people in the USA are serving a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of release for crimes committed when they were younger than 18 years old, in violation of international human rights law respected around the world. The USA is believed to be the only country that continues to effectively condemn such young offenders to die in prison. This report highlights the cases of three people – Jacqueline Montanez, David Young and Christi Cheramie – serving life without parole for crimes committed when they were children. Every case is different and their stories cannot represent the experiences of the many hundreds of people currently serving this sentence across the country. However, their cases show why Amnesty International is calling on the USA to join the rest of the world in ending a punishment that is utterly incompatible with the basic principles of juvenile justice. Details: London: Amnesty International, 2011. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 26, 2012 at http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR51/081/2011/en/cdde342e-5a70-40ca-bc93-39d298d07039/amr510812011en.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR51/081/2011/en/cdde342e-5a70-40ca-bc93-39d298d07039/amr510812011en.pdf Shelf Number: 123771 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersLife Imprisonment, Juveniles (U.S.)Life Without Parole |
Author: Blakemore, Clare Title: Locked into Remand: Children and Young People on Remand in New South Wales Summary: This paper considers the increasing number of children and young people in New South Wales who are being held on remand. A child or young person is considered to be on remand when they are in detention but have not yet been sentenced. A number of factors are contributing to the rise in children and young people held in detention on remand. These include current difficulties in finding suitable accommodation for children and young people awaiting trial, changes to the Bail Act 1978 and restrictive bail conditions that are closely monitored by police. This situation affects disadvantaged children and young people throughout New South Wales. Children and young people in out-of-home care, Indigenous children and young people, and children and young people from regional areas are all over-represented in the Juvenile Justice system and are most likely to be affected by an inability to access appropriate accommodation and by restrictive bail conditions (Nyman 1997). In 2005 “30 percent of juvenile offenders have been or are presently in the care of the Minister for Community Services†and in 2007 37.8% of all children and young people on remand were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Select Committee on Juvenile Offenders 2005, p.107; NSW Auditor-General 2007). This paper will examine the different factors that have contributed to an increase of children and young people on remand, especially the lack of suitable accommodation and support for children and young people who are trying to meet bail conditions. It will argue that there are serious consequences of holding young people on remand, including increasing the rate of recidivism. Possible solutions to address the increase in the number of children and young people on remand in New South Wales are discussed in the final section of this paper. Details: Parramatta, NSW: UnitingCare Burnside, 2009. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Background Paper: Accessed January 27, 2012 at: http://www.childrenyoungpeopleandfamilies.org.au/info/social_justice/submissions/social_policy_papers_and_briefs//?a=61347 Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: http://www.childrenyoungpeopleandfamilies.org.au/info/social_justice/submissions/social_policy_papers_and_briefs//?a=61347 Shelf Number: 123789 Keywords: Bail, JuvenilesJuvenile Detention (Australia)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Dunworth, Terence Title: Y2 Final Report: Evaluation of the Los Angeles Gang Reduction and Youth Development Program Summary: In April 2009 the Urban Institute (Washington, D.C), in partnership with Harder+Company (Los Angeles, CA), was contracted by the Office of the Mayor of Los Angeles to conduct a multi-year evaluation of the Mayor’s Gang Reduction and Youth Development Program (GRYD). This is the second report of the evaluation. It builds upon the process and preliminary outcome findings reported in 2010, and extends them through April, 2011. The main report contains detailed analyses of the self-reported changes in the attitudes and delinquent/criminal behaviors of a sample of 902at risk youth enrolled in programs focused on preventing gang-joining, compared to a sample of 248 youth who were referred to the program but were not enrolled. Details: Washington, DC: Justice Policy Center, Urban Institute; Los Angeles, CA: Harder+Company, Community Research, 2011. 72p. Source: Research Report: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 27, 2012 at http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412409-Evaluation-of-the-Los-Angeles-Gang-Reduction-and-Youth-Development.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412409-Evaluation-of-the-Los-Angeles-Gang-Reduction-and-Youth-Development.pdf Shelf Number: 123840 Keywords: Juvenile DiversionJuvenile OffendersYouth Gangs (Los Angeles)Youth Violence Prevention |
Author: Petrosino, Anthony Title: What characteristics of bullying, bullying victims, and schools are associated with increased reporting of bullying to school officials? Summary: This study tested 51 characteristics of bullying victimization, bullying victims, and bullying victims' schools to deter-mine which were associated with reporting to school officials. It found that 11 characteristics in two categories—bullying victimization and bullying victims—showed a statistically significant association with reporting. The study also notes the high percentage (64 percent) of respondents who experienced bullying but did not report it. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands, 2010. 45p. Source: Issues & Answers Report, REL 2010-No.092: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 28, 2012 at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_2010092.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_2010092.pdf Shelf Number: 123848 Keywords: Bullying (U.S.)Juvenile OffendersJuvenile VictimsSchool CrimeSchools |
Author: Attorney-General's Department, Australian Government Title: National Youth Policing Model Summary: On 2 July 2010, Minister for Home Affairs, Brendan O’Connor, welcomed agreement from all Australian police ministers to reduce, prevent and respond to youth violence and anti‑social behaviour through a National Youth Policing Model. The Model will support and enhance effective programs already in place through six high-priority strategies for youth policing. Under the Model, jurisdictions will have the flexibility to adapt responses to youth policing issues to suit local environments. The National Youth Policing Model supports the National Strategy for Young Australians, which identified youth violence and anti-social behaviour as key issues of concern for young people. Details: Australia: Attorney-General's Department, 2010. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 28, 2012 at http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(966BB47E522E848021A38A20280E2386)~National+Youth+Policing+Model.PDF/$file/National+Youth+Policing+Model.PDF Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(966BB47E522E848021A38A20280E2386)~National+Youth+Policing+Model.PDF/$file/National+Youth+Policing+Model.PDF Shelf Number: 123856 Keywords: Anti-Social BehaviorDiversionJuvenile OffendersNuisance Behaviors and DisorderSubstance AbuseYouth Violence (Australia) |
Author: Berry-James, RaJade M. Title: Summit County Juvenile Court: Disproportionate minority contact assessment report Summary: This DMC assessment report was prepared on behalf of Summit County Juvenile Court for the purpose of examining the extent to which disproportionate minority contact (DMC) exists in the juvenile justice system Summit County, Ohio. Details: Ohio Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 31, 2012 at Year: 0 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 123883 Keywords: Disproportionate Minority ContactEvaluative StudiesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Heilbrunn, Joanna Zorn Title: Pieces of the Truancy Jigsaw: A Literature Review Summary: Communities across the nation are taking a renewed interest in the problem of poor school attendance. Truancy reduction programs designed to serve students who have attendance problems are rapidly being organized according to a number of models. Some are school-based, others court-based, and some operate through community service agencies. All share the same general purposes: to improve school attendance in the short term, with the longer term goals of raising grades and encouraging high school graduation for students who are at risk of dropping out. As the search intensifies for ways to nip truancy in the bud and reverse established patterns of school skipping, more people are seeking sources of information about the causes and outcomes of poor attendance, and about practices that effectively reduce truancy. In general, the literature surrounding truancy is in its infancy. Researchers are just beginning to add studies on school attendance to the vast quantity of work on at-risk and delinquent youth. This document seeks to summarize what we know to date, and point to areas in need of further study. Details: Denver, CO: National Center for School Engagement, 2007. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 31, 2012 at http://www.schoolengagement.org/TruancypreventionRegistry/Admin/Resources/Resources/PiecesoftheTruancyJigsawALiteratureReview.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.schoolengagement.org/TruancypreventionRegistry/Admin/Resources/Resources/PiecesoftheTruancyJigsawALiteratureReview.pdf Shelf Number: 122056 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersSchool CrimeTruancy |
Author: Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts Title: Task Force for Criminal Justice Collaboration on Mental Health Issues: Final Report Summary: The Judicial Council’s Task Force for Criminal Justice Collaboration on Mental Health Issues recommends that the Judicial Council receive its final report and recommendations and direct the Administrative Director of the Courts to prepare an implementation plan. When approved, the recommendations will provide a framework for improving practices and procedures in cases involving both adult and juvenile offenders with mental illness, for ensuring the fair and expeditious administration of justice for offenders with mental illness, and for promoting improved access to treatment for litigants with mental illness both in the community and in the criminal justice system. Details: San Francisco, CA: Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts, 2011. 375p. Source: Report to the Judicial Council: Internet Resource: Accessed on February 3, 2012 at http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/20110429itemo.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/20110429itemo.pdf Shelf Number: 123927 Keywords: Adult OffendersJuvenile OffendersMental Health Services (California)Mentally Ill Offenders |
Author: Badenhorst, Charmain Title: Legal responses to cyber bullying and sexting in South Africa Summary: Very little is known about the true extent of cyber bullying and sexting in South Africa – two relatively new phenomena. The occurrence of cyber bullying and sexting has increased along with increased access to and usage of electronic communication technology. Both adults and children are therefore at risk of participating in or being exposed to these practices. It is important to examine the legal responses to cyber bullying and sexting in the South African context since some of these acts may result in the commission of criminal offences or lead to civil actions. This paper explores cyber bullying and sexting in South Africa and focuses on the responses within the context of existing legislative frameworks and legal remedies available in South Africa. It also identifies some of the gaps and risks in the legal responses applicable to children who engage in cyber bullying and sexting, and offers some recommendations in an attempt to minimise the gaps and accompanying risks to children. Details: Claremont, South Africa: CJCP - Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, 2011. 20p. Source: CJCP Issue Paper No. 10: Internet Resource: Accessed on February 3, 2012 at http://www.cjcp.org.za/admin/uploads/Issue%20Paper%2010-1.pdf Year: 2011 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.cjcp.org.za/admin/uploads/Issue%20Paper%2010-1.pdf Shelf Number: 123941 Keywords: Bullying, Cyber (South Africa)Juvenile OffendersJuvenile VictimsLegislationSexting |
Author: Walsh, Julia Title: Who's looking out for the children? A joint inspection of Appropriate Adult provision and children in detention after change Summary: In this inspection we examined a child or young person's journey from the point they arrive at the police station through to charge (and sometimes beyond). We were looking at two aspects of this process: the role of the Appropriate Adult, and whether children and young people who had been charged and were waiting to appear in court were being placed in suitable local authority accommodation. The arrangements for Appropriate Adults were introduced under the same legislation that placed reasonable restrictions on the length of time any individual could be held by the police before being charged and taken to court, and thus provided protective measures important for us all. Under its terms, the presence of an Appropriate Adult is required before the police can interview and (where appropriate) charge any unaccompanied children or young person or vulnerable adult to ensure that their rights are met, in effect acting in the role of parent or concerned adult. The need for such a role is self evident. Police station custody areas can be very frightening places for adults, and are all the more so for young people. Children brought into police custody may be traumatised or distressed, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs (or their after-effects). A significant number have communication, learning, language or health needs, and many do not understand what is happening to them or the terminology used. Whatever the intentions behind the legislation, we found that the procedure didn‟t really consider the needs of the children and young people. It was apparent that the role of the Appropriate Adult had evolved over time to become increasingly focussed on process rather than safeguarding the interests of the child and promoting their welfare. Overall, the lack of clarity about both the role of the Appropriate Adult and the arrangements whereby a child or young person could be transferred to local authority accommodation meant that children and young people were spending longer in an unsuitable and potentially detrimental environment than was needed. The system put in place to protect their interests was not working. Like many aspects of youth justice, this work requires an effective partnership between the police, the youth offending team, health and children‟s services to operate effectively. We saw little evidence of the Local Safeguarding Children Board overseeing this area of work. Strategic leaders need to provide greater leadership, direction and supervision to enable their staff to properly understand their duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people, wherever they are. Details: London: Criminal Justice Joint Inspection, 2011. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2012 at http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmiprob/whos-looking-after-children.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmiprob/whos-looking-after-children.pdf Shelf Number: 123981 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersPolice Custody |
Author: Howard, Lisbeth Title: Methamphetamine Use by Adult and Juvenile Arrestees in 2010 Summary: Interviews with adult and juvenile arrestees regarding drug use and other risky behaviors have been conducted by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) in San Diego since 1987. This CJ Bulletin is part of a series of four presenting Substance Abuse Monitoring (SAM) data collected in calendar year 2010. Information collected from the SAM project provides useful, objective indicators regarding meth use trends over time, as well as other information regarding treatment access, distribution, and other risky behaviors of concern. As part of this effort, all arrestees who are randomly selected to participate in the SAM project and report methamphetamine (meth) use in the past 30 days are asked to complete a meth addendum. In 2010, 172 adults and 10 juveniles completed the addendum, which includes questions that pertain to how the arrestees obtain and use meth, their involvement in distribution, the effect it has on their lives, and their participation in treatment services. In 2010, this data collection effort was generously supported by the California Border Alliance Group (CBAG), County of San Diego Alcohol and Drug Services, the District Attorney’s Office, and the Public Safety Group. Their support, as well as the cooperation of the San Diego County Sheriff’s and Probation Departments, is gratefully acknowledged. Details: San Diego, CA: Criminal Justice Division, SANDAG, 2011. 11p. Source: CJ Bulletin: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2012 at http://www.sandag.org/uploads/publicationid/publicationid_1619_13747.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.sandag.org/uploads/publicationid/publicationid_1619_13747.pdf Shelf Number: 123985 Keywords: Adult OffendersDrug UseJuvenile OffendersMethamphetamineSubstance Abuse |
Author: Correia, Debbie Title: Gang Involvement Among San Diego County Arrestees in 2010 Summary: The nexus between gangs and crime is commonly accepted and well documented in the research. While crime has been trending downward, gang activity and membership have been reported to be on the increase. According to the recently released National Gang Threat Assessment (National Gang Intelligence Center, 2011), a steady resurgence of gang problems has occurred in many jurisdictions in recent years. In addition to increasing numbers, gangs are expanding into more non-traditional criminal enterprises such as pimping/pandering, human trafficking, and white-collar crimes. San Diego County has not necessarily seen an increase in gang membership or gang sets with approximately 170 different gangs consisting of around 7,700 members (San Diego Police Department, 2011). However, the region has experienced the diversification of gang activities with human trafficking (e.g. prostitution) and pimping/pandering gaining increased attention from law enforcement, non-profit organizations, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Additionally, because of San Diego County’s close proximity to the Mexican border, some local gangs under the supervision of the Mexican Mafia are trafficking narcotics for the cartels on the U.S. side of the border (San Diego Police Department, 2010). Details: San Diego, CA: Criminal Justice Research Division, SANDAD, 2011. 14p. Source: CJ Bulletin: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2012 at http://www.sandag.org/uploads/publicationid/publicationid_1618_13746.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.sandag.org/uploads/publicationid/publicationid_1618_13746.pdf Shelf Number: 123986 Keywords: Adult OffendersArrestees (San Diego)GangsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Hayes, Richard A. Title: Gangs in North Carolina: An Analysis of GangNET Data Summary: Since 1997 the North Carolina Criminal Justice Analysis Center (NCCJAC) of the Governor’s Crime Commission (GCC) has investigated and published more than a dozen reports on the existence and extent of criminal gangs in North Carolina. Once thought of as a juvenile activity or not significant enough to investigate or report, these activities earned a dominate role in criminal justice activities in the first decade of the 21st century. In the past 10 years, a codified definition of what constitutes a criminal gang has been established. New laws and enhancements to existing laws and sanctions have been implemented and a tremendous amount of state and community funding has been expended in efforts to deter, prevent, divert, investigate and suppress gang activities. Communications across jurisdictions, law enforcement agencies, state and federal prosecutors and corrections have been greatly advanced with the growth of the N.C. Gang Investigators Association, N.C. GangNET, Project Safe Neighborhoods, the High Point Model and other efforts all designed to confront the issue of criminal gangs. The ability for this agency to collect meaningful data has strengthened since nearly all communities are now willing to identify and report on the activities of criminal gang members and the gangs they represent either via N.C. GangNET, informal meetings or surveys. Today data is now available to provide a meaningful snapshot of what the data tells us about criminal gangs and their members in North Carolina. The NCCJAC does not attempt to serve as experts on gangs and criminal gang activities. This can only be accomplished by local law enforcement when talking about the groups and individuals within their respective jurisdictions. This sociological and criminological topic is too broad to afford topical expertise, but there is ability for specialization in specific elements of the multifarious components that make up the subject of criminal gangs and their activities. This agency has made great efforts to specialize in the demographic composition and geographical disbursement of gangs and their members as reported via several data sources, most recently relying on the N.C. GangNET databases. Details: Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Criminal Justice Analysis Center, Governor's Crime Commission, 2011. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 6, 2012 at: http://www.ncgccd.org/pdfs/gangs2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncgccd.org/pdfs/gangs2011.pdf Shelf Number: 123989 Keywords: Gangs (North Carolina)Juvenile OffendersYouth Gangs |
Author: Commonwealth Corporation Title: DYS Holyoke Mentoring Pilot Program - Fiscal Year 2009 Report Summary: In fiscal year 2009, Commonwealth Corporation (CommCorp), in partnership with Mass Mentoring Partnership (MMP), brought together DYS and local faith-based organizations – Light of Restoration Ministries and Faith Unlimited, Inc. – in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and implemented a mentoring pilot program that targeted youth in the reentry phase of their commitment to DYS. This approach was based on a positive youth development approach that enables youth, in partnership with the adults working with them, to be active participants in all aspects of their life planning. The Walk in My Shoes mentoring pilot program, as the pilot was named, was managed by CommCorp and focused on providing education and employment-focused mentoring to young people, committed to the care of DYS in the Holyoke area. This program was established to pilot and evaluate a mentoring approach that would have the greatest impact on the lives of DYS clients and respond to their unique strengths and needs. All collaborating partners in this pilot shared a similar perspective and approach to breaking down institutional barriers to assist DYS-involved youth in gaining the key skills and knowledge they need to be productive in their communities and today‟s economy. Through mentoring, the two major goals of the Walk in My Shoes mentoring pilot program were: a) to expand opportunities for DYS youth through exposure to educational and career opportunities, and b) to develop community connections linked to cultivating young people's sense of interest and involvement in the community and in career and future. Using a site-based, group mentoring model, with opportunities for one-to-one mentoring, the pilot initiative aimed to partner 12 adult mentors from the Holyoke community with 12 youth, between the ages of 16-21, all of whom were in the reentry phase of their commitment to DYS. Adult mentors were recruited from the Holyoke community, with a focus on those who shared similar backgrounds and reflected the socio-cultural demographics of the DYS youth involved in the pilot. Based on an evaluation plan that included a pre- and post-survey for mentees and mentors and other sources of feedback, an evaluation team from CommCorp collected data to assess the efficacy of this approach. Both this evaluation data and subsequent recommendations for future mentoring programs for DYS youth are further discussed in this report. Details: Boston, MA: Commonwealth Corporation Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 7, 2012 at http://www.commcorp.org/resources/documents/FY%2009%20DYS%20Mentoring%20Annual%20Report%20Final.pdf Year: 0 Country: United States URL: http://www.commcorp.org/resources/documents/FY%2009%20DYS%20Mentoring%20Annual%20Report%20Final.pdf Shelf Number: 124014 Keywords: Faith-Based OrganizationsJuvenile OffendersMentoringReentry |
Author: Toldson, Ivory A. Title: Breaking Barriers 2: Plotting the Path Away from Juvenile Detention and Toward Academic Success for School-age African American Males Summary: In 2008, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) released Breaking Barriers: Plotting the Path to Academic Success for School-age African-American Males, which is widely regarded as one of the most important scholarly contributions for promoting academic achievement among black males. Overall, we learned that education is most effective for black males when it promotes positive school-related growth experiences, with particular emphasis on teacher–student relationships, didactic learning, and emotional support. Cooperative parenting arrangements, and positive parent–child communication, including parents expressing praise and helping with homework, also promote academic success among Black male students. In addition, through civic engagement, volunteerism and sports, academic functioning and peer relations can be improved. Finally, educators must advocate for policies that reduce racial disparities in income, and increase equity and inclusion in education. Above any other lesson, we learned that our work is far from complete. Recent trends in the juvenile justice system and school disciplinary practices threaten the foundation of the school experience and are contributing to schools taking on the appearance of correctional facilities. We applaud the work of the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund for alerting the nation to a systemic problem, aptly called the school-to-prison pipeline. Reports on the school-to-prison pipeline demonstrate that zero tolerance and the use of law enforcement to address minor disciplinary problems at school ultimately lead to a rise in the number of juvenile inmates, as well as racial disparities in juvenile detention and academic attainment. The next step is to research specific strategies to create an environment that is consistent with lower levels of delinquency and higher levels of academic success for black males. Breaking Barriers 2: Plotting the Path Away from Juvenile Detention and Toward Academic Success for School-age African-American Males analyzes the responses of a spectrum of black males: high achievers and low achievers; those with arrest records and those without; those who have participated in delinquent activities and those who have not; those who go to safe schools and those who do not; and those who live in safe communities and those who do not. In total, 4,470 school-age black males from across the nation have responded to the surveys analyzed in this report, giving us a complete picture of the life and circumstances of black males who choose to do the right thing, avoid criminal justice involvement, and enjoy higher levels of academic success. We hope that school administrators, teachers, families, legislators, community leaders, and policymakers will use the research findings in our second Breaking Barriers report to create an academic and social environment that is consistent with the most positive youth experiences for black males, ultimately to plot their paths away from the juvenile justice system and toward higher levels of academic success. Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc., 2011. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 7, 2012 at http://cbcfinc.org/oUploadedFiles/BreakingBarriers2.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://cbcfinc.org/oUploadedFiles/BreakingBarriers2.pdf Shelf Number: 124015 Keywords: African AmericansCrime SurveysJuvenile OffendersMalesMentoring |
Author: Sacco, Dena T. Title: Sexting: Youth Practices and Legal Implications Summary: This document addresses legal and practical issues related to the practice colloquially known as sexting. It was created by Harvard Law School’s Cyberlaw Clinic, based at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, for the Berkman Center’s Youth and Media Policy Working Group Initiative. The Initiative is exploring policy issues that fall within three substantive clusters emerging from youth’s information and communications technology practices: Risky Behaviors and Online Safety; Privacy, Publicity and Reputation; and Youth Created Content and Information Quality. The Initiative is funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and is coâ€directed by danah boyd, Urs Gasser, and John Palfrey. This document was created for the Risky Behaviors and Online Safety cluster, which is focused on four core issues: (1) sexual solicitation and problematic sexual encounters; (2) Internetâ€related bullying and harassment; (3) access to problematic content, including pornography and selfâ€harm content; and (4) youthâ€generated problematic content, including sexting. The Initiative’s goal is to bring the best research on youth and media into the policyâ€making debate and to propose practical interventions based upon that research. This document is intended to provide background for the discussion of interventions related to sexting. It begins with a definition of sexting, and continues with overviews of research and media stories related to sexting. It then discusses the statutory and constitutional framework for child pornography and obscenity. It concludes with a description of current and pending legislation meant to address sexting. Details: Cambridge, MA: The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, 2010. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2012 at Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 124082 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile VictimsLegislationSexting |
Author: Phippen, Andy Title: Sharing Personal Images and Videos Among Young People Summary: These findings, which come from a survey conducted by South West Grid for Learning and the University of Plymouth (full details at end), will horrify many teachers, parents, police, and virtually everyone else who deals with young people. Among the main findings are the fact that around 40% of respondents say that they know friends who have been involved in sexting. Over a quarter (27%) of respondents said that sexting happens regularly or all of the time. Over half (56%) of respondents were aware of instances where images and videos were distributed further than the intended recipient, but only 23% believe this distribution is intended to cause upset. Put another way – the majority of respondents knew that these images and videos were sent on beyond the people for whom they were intended. And yet, despite 30% of young people knowing someone who had been adversely affected by sexting, only a minority (27%) believe that young people need more support and advice related to the issue. The survey clearly shows a population fully aware of the concept of sexting and a significant subset who are actively engaged in the practice. It is also a closed community. 70% said they would turn to their friends if they were affected by issues related to sexting. Only around a quarter (24%) of young people would turn to a teacher for help if they were affected by issues related to sexting. Andy Phippen of Plymouth University says, “Our research shows that this is a significantly larger problem than we had first imagined. What is also clear is that such practices lead to a desensitization of young people to issues of intimacy. We would strongly support the SWGfL’s call for wider awareness and education initiatives to bring this issue out of hiding.†As David Wright of SWGfL says, “What is particularly worrying is the somewhat blasĂ© attitude to the subject. Only a minority of respondents believe that the extended distribution of explicit images of an individual is done to cause upset, and few feel that young people need further support in this area.†It is immediately apparent that such practices are cause for concern. It shows a population who are unconcerned about intimacy or privacy yet are ill-equipped to understand the implications of their actions. Given that there is evidence that sexting forms part of a wider on-line relationship which young people have with each other, it is clear that schools and other bodies need to incorporate sexting within the wider eSafety education practice. “But the approach taken in raising awareness of issues needs careful consideration,†warns David Wright of SWGfL who organized the survey. “Our data shows that young people are unlikely to turn to teachers for help directly, so we would suggest that sexting awareness be adopted into wider peer-education schemes if they are to achieve high levels of success.†Details: Exeter, Great Britain: South West Grid for Learning, 2009. 8p. Source: eSafety document: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2012 at http://www.swgfl.org.uk/Staying-Safe/Files/Documents/sexting-detail Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.swgfl.org.uk/Staying-Safe/Files/Documents/sexting-detail Shelf Number: 124097 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile VictimsSexting (U.K.)Social Media |
Author: Sedlak, Andrea J. Title: Youth's Needs and Services: Findings from the Survey of Youth in Residential Placement Summary: The Survey of Youth in Residential Placement (SYRP) is the third component in the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s constellation of surveys providing updated statistics on youth in custody in the juvenile justice system. It joins the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement and the Juvenile Residential Facility Census, which are biennial mail surveys of residential facility administrators conducted in alternating years. SYRP is a unique addition, gathering information directly from youth through anonymous interviews. This bulletin series reports on the first national SYRP, covering its development and design and providing detailed information on the youth’s characteristics, backgrounds, and expectations; the conditions of their confinement; their needs and the services they receive; and their experiences of victimization in placement. This bulletin describes key findings from the first Survey of Youth in Residential Placement about the needs and service experiences of youth in custody. SYRP surveyed youth about their psychological state, substance abuse problems, their needs, and the services their facilities pro-vided to them. Specifically, this bulletin details youth reports regarding: their overall emotional and psychological problems and the counseling they receive in custody; their substance abuse problems prior to entering custody and the substance abuse counseling they receive in their facility; their medical needs and services; their educational background and the educational services the facility provides to them. SYRP’s findings are based on interviews with a nationally representative sample of 7,073 youth in custody during spring 2003, using audio computer-assisted self-interview methodology. Researchers analyzed youth’s answers and assessed differences among subgroups of youth offenders in custody based on their age, gender, and placement program (i.e., detention, corrections, community-based, camp, or residential treatment facilities). When other studies offered corresponding data about youth in the general population, analysts compared these data to the SYRP results for youth in custody. For more information, see the sidebar “Surveying Youth in Residential Placement: Methodology.†Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2010. 12p. Source: OJJDP Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2012 at https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/227728.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/227728.pdf Shelf Number: 124101 Keywords: EducationJuvenile OffendersMental Health ServicesResidential Treatment CentersSubstance Abuse |
Author: Teji, Selena Title: Counties' modern secure facilities have enough institutional capacity for juvenile justice realignment Summary: In January 2012, California’s Governor Brown released a proposed budget for fiscal year 2012-2013 including a plan to eliminate the state’s Division of Juvenile Facilities (DJF).1 The current proposal would prohibit new commitments to DJF after January 1, 2013, and allow the current DJF population to serve their remaining custody time before full closure of the facilities. Several law-enforcement associations and individual counties have expressed concern that counties do not have appropriate and secure juvenile placement options at the local level to serve the high-risk juvenile offender population that DJF currently serves. This report examines the availability of county-based modern and secure juvenile justice facilities in order to assess whether counties have the institutional capacity to implement the Governor’s proposal. Details: San Francisco, CA: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, 2012. 7p. Source: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice Policy Brief: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2012 at http://www.cjcj.org/files/County_Modern_Facilities_2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.cjcj.org/files/County_Modern_Facilities_2012.pdf Shelf Number: 124108 Keywords: Detention FacilitiesJuvenile Detention (California)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: McCarger, Laura Title: Invisible Students: The Role of Alternative and Adult Education in the Connecticut School-to-Prison Pipeline Summary: There are thousands of young people across the state of Connecticut pursuing their education outside of traditional high schools. Some have left high school by choice; others have been counseled, coerced, or otherwise forced to leave. This report examines the systematic removal of struggling and vulnerable students from traditional high school. It finds that furtive practices employed by school districts across the state flout the due process and procedural protections promised to students by state law and, in the worst instances, effectually eradicate students’ constitutionally granted right to education. Nationwide, nearly 1.2 million teens – more than one third of all high school students – drop out of high school every year. Until recently, this devastating reality remained one of our nation’s best-kept secrets. Recent efforts on the part of students, parents, activists, advocates and education reformers across the country have led states to report graduation and dropout rates more accurately and to develop new pathways to help youth on the margins get back on track to graduation. While this progress is laudable, there remains another troubling truth we must confront: students rarely “drop out†of school simply because they do not desire to finish; in fact, for many students who stop short of finishing, leaving high school is not really a choice at all. A growing body of research, informed by a decade’s worth of analysis of what has come to known as the school-to-prison pipeline, explores and documents how many of our nation’s most vulnerable and struggling students do not chose to leave school, but are in effect pushed out. The school-to-prison pipeline refers to laws, policies and practices that remove students from places of learning and place them on a path towards prison. There are actually two pipelines. One is overt and well documented. A plethora of research, both statewide and nationally, has documented how factors such as zero tolerance school discipline; suspensions and expulsions; school-based arrests; increasingly prison-like school environments; criminalization of everyday student behaviors; pressures created by high stakes tests; and budgets that prioritize incarceration over education, work in concert to place many of our struggling students on a conveyer belt into the justice system. There is also a “secret pipeline†which has not received adequate attention nor been thoroughly investigated. The secret pipeline refers to the mechanisms and strategies employed by school districts to remove students who present academic and behavioral challenges while circumventing due process and skirting accountability and responsibility for the educational outcomes of those students. Once funneled into this secret pipeline, some students never return to school. Those that attempt to finish often find themselves in alternative or adult education programs which are often ill equipped to meet students’ needs, yield startlingly low completion rates, and risk accelerating rather than curbing the flow of young people into the justice system. Gaps and loopholes in data collection and reporting mechanisms sustain the secret pipeline by rendering the experiences and outcomes of these students largely invisible. Using Connecticut as a case study, this report explores the pressures propelling the secret pipeline, documents the “de facto discipline†practices that place students on it, examines the educational experiences and outcomes of students that land in alternative and adult education programs, and advances recommendations for reform. Details: Connecticut: A Better Way Foundation; Connecticut Pushout Research and Organizing Project, 2011. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2012 at http://www.hartfordinfo.org/issues/wsd/Education/InvisibleStudents.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.hartfordinfo.org/issues/wsd/Education/InvisibleStudents.pdf Shelf Number: 124109 Keywords: Due ProcessEducation (Connecticut)Education and CrimeJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Petrosino, Anthony Title: Formal System Processing of Juveniles: Effects on Delinquency Summary: Justice practitioners have tremendous discretion when handling juvenile offenders who have committed minor crimes. Police officers, district attorneys, juvenile court intake officers, juvenile and family court judges and other officials decide whether the youth should be "officially processed" by the juvenile justice system of diverted from the system to a program, counseling, other services - or simply released. An important policy question is which strategy leads to the best outcome for juveniles. When examining the impact of juvenile system processing and whether it reduces subsequent delinquency, the authors reviewed studies that included more than 7,300 juveniles across 29 experiments reported over a 35-year period. Based on the evidence presented, not only does formal processing of juveniles appear not to control crime, it actually seems to increase delinquency. Details: Oslo: Campbell Collaboration, 2010. 88p. Source: Cambell Systematic Reviews 2010:1, Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2012 at www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/761/ Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118215 Keywords: Administration of JusticeCase ManagementCase ProcessingJuvenile DelinquecyJuvenile DiversionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Christeson, Bill Title: A Stitch or Two in Time Cuts Crime: Federal Options for Supplementing Unreliable State and Local Funding for What Works to Keep Kids Safe from Crime and Violence Summary: In today’s world of fiscal uncertainty, a conundrum exists for policymakers facing the daunting social problems of the twenty-first century: less funding is available at the state and local level even though we are more knowledgeable than ever about what works to help at-risk children. It is New York’s at-risk children who may bear the greatest burden of the recession as it becomes common practice to cut state and local funding for the programs that are proven to help children succeed and stay free of crime. And that will become a burden we will all share, down the road. Fortunately, at the federal level, a new commitment to health reform and evidence-based practices promises to make more routine funding available for proven programs that will help children become productive, law-abiding citizens. By shifting the paradigm so that children more routinely have access to needed and effective services, New York and the country can dramatically reduce future needs for child welfare and criminal justice spending by helping kids become healthy, productive and crime-free citizens. This report will focus on two questions: What programs are both proven to work and ready to go to scale? And, what are the most likely sources of substantial and sustainable federal funding for these programs? Further White Papers will follow to provide timely information on the evolving status of these funding streams and guidance on how they can be accessed for particular programs. Details: Albany, NY: Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2009. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2012 at http://www.fightcrime.org/sites/default/files/reports/RS%20Clark%20A%20Stitch%20in%20Time_2.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.fightcrime.org/sites/default/files/reports/RS%20Clark%20A%20Stitch%20in%20Time_2.pdf Shelf Number: 124141 Keywords: Crime-Prevention ProgramsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Youth Justice Board. Center for Court Innovation. Title: Strong Families, Safe Communities - Recommendations to Improve New York City's Alternative to Detention Programs Summary: In 2006, New York City introduced a new initiative to decrease the number of youth who are placed in detention while their cases are being heard in family court. The initiative includes the creation of Alternative to Detention (ATD) programs in each borough. These programs allow some young people who have been arrested to remain at home before their disposition hearings in family court while they receive relevant services and curfew monitoring. At the core of ATD programs is the concept of giving young people a chance—that is, giving them opportunities to succeed outside the confines of detention. The Youth Justice Board believes that communitybased ATD programs are critical to improving outcomes for young people involved in the juvenile justice system. Over five months, the Youth Justice Board conducted interviews with over 30 stakeholders involved in the ATD initiative. The Board visited four ATD programs and conducted three focus groups with young people involved in the juvenile justice system to learn about the experiences and perspectives of youth. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 17, 2012 at http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/YJBreportfinal_20091.pdf Year: 0 Country: United States URL: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/YJBreportfinal_20091.pdf Shelf Number: 122752 Keywords: Administrative Detention, JuvenilesAlternatives to IncarcerationDiversionJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Tasmania. Department of Justice, Sentencing Advisory Council. Title: Arson & Deliberately Lit Fires Summary: The Sentencing Advisory Council’s Consultation Paper into its first referral from the Attorney-General was released on 20 December 2011. The Sentencing Advisory Council is committed to giving the members of the community the opportunity to express their views about sentencing issues in Tasmania. The purpose of this Consultation Paper is to assist in the discussion about the legislative framework, sentencing options, intervention and community information programs available for adults and juveniles involved in fire setting in Tasmania. The Sentencing Advisory Council is inviting responses from all relevant stakeholders and members of the community on the range of questions posed in the Consultation Paper. The Council intends to use its responses to inform its advice to the Attorney-General. Details: Tasmania: Sentencing Advisory Council, Department of Justice, 2011. Source: Consultation Paper No. 1: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2012 at http://www.sentencingcouncil.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/187507/Arson_and_deliberately_lit_fires_-_consultation_paper.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.sentencingcouncil.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/187507/Arson_and_deliberately_lit_fires_-_consultation_paper.pdf Shelf Number: 124182 Keywords: Adult OffendersArson (Tasmania)Juvenile OffendersLegislationSentencing |
Author: Bell, James Title: Non-Judicial Drivers into the Juvenile Justice System for Youth of Color Summary: Executive Director of the Burns Institute James Bell authored a new report, Non-Judicial Drivers into the Juvenile Justice System for Youth of Color. Originally prepared for the California Endowment's Boys & Men of Color Initiative, the report discusses the negative impacts incarceration can have on a young person's psyche as well as their physical health. The report also discusses how a lack of access to proper medical care and a lack of knowledge in the justice field of trauma-informed alternatives disproportionately drive youth of color into the juvenile justice system. Details: San Francisco, CA: W. Haywood Burns Institute, 20. 12p. Source: Prepared for The California Endowment's Boys & Men of Color Initiative: Internet Resource: Accessed February 19, 2012 at http://www.burnsinstitute.org/downloads/Non-Judicial%20drivers%20report_fin.pdf Year: 0 Country: United States URL: http://www.burnsinstitute.org/downloads/Non-Judicial%20drivers%20report_fin.pdf Shelf Number: 124192 Keywords: Juvenile Justice SystemJuvenile OffendersMental Health ServicesMinority Groups |
Author: Wolf, Angela M. Title: Juvenile Call-ins Summary: Focused deterrence, also known as a “call-in,†is a strategy in which community stakeholder groups deliver a nonviolence message to community members who are most likely to commit violence. Call-ins rely on the partnership of community representatives, service providers, and law enforcement to collaboratively deliver a three-point message against violence: (1) violence affects everyone in the community and will not be tolerated; (2) the community cares about at risk individuals, and will provide services and assistance to those who need and want help; and (3) those who continue to commit violence despite this fair warning will face the full consequences of the law, along with the other members of their violent groups. Call-ins have been associated with substantial reductions in gun violence in Boston and Indianapolis (McGarrell, Chermak, Wilson, & Corsaro, 2006), and have become a widely used strategy for gang violence intervention throughout the country. As call-in strategies are implemented in more cities throughout the country, some cities are interested in applying focused deterrence to a new target population: high risk juveniles. Most call-ins did not originally include juveniles (Bonner, Worden, & McLean, 2008). Based on differences in age and legal technicalities such as privacy and parental consent requirements, juveniles must be treated differently than adults, and call-ins must be adjusted. This California Cities Gang Prevention Network bulletin draws on academic literature and the experiences of Network cities like Oxnard and Salinas, and other cities including Union City, California; Boston, Massachusetts; and Winston-Salem, North Carolina to provide information about juvenile call-ins. Also, to advise effective implementation of juvenile call-ins, this bulletin provides examples from cities that apply call-ins to juveniles, discusses how call-ins may differ for juveniles and adults, and discusses key elements of effective call-ins. Details: Oakland, CA: National Council on Crime and Delinquency, 2011. 6p. Source: The California Cities Gange Prevention Network: Bulletin 23: Internet Resource: Accessed February 19, 2012 at http://www.ccgpn.org/Publications/CA%20Cities%20Bulletin%2023.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.ccgpn.org/Publications/CA%20Cities%20Bulletin%2023.pdf Shelf Number: 124194 Keywords: At-risk YouthFocused DeterrenceJuvenile OffendersViolent Crime |
Author: The Howard League for Penal Reform Title: Life inside 2010: A unique insight into the day to day experiences of 15-17 year old males in prison Summary: This report was developed in conjunction with young people currently in custody and released into the community. Through a series of workshops and one to one work, young people identified the topic of this report, the issues they wanted discussed and key lessons for policy makers and practitioners. Through the process we have developed Life Inside 2010 – a unique insight into the day-to-day experiences of 15-17 year old males in prison. Despite the 22% reduction in the total number of young people in custody over the last three years, the same proportion of 15-17 year old males are still incarcerated in prisons that do not work: the reduction in custody numbers has not been used as an opportunity to lower the percentage placed in the most basic form of custody. 75% of these young people reoffend within a year of their release. Children in custody come in the main from the most disadvantaged families and communities, whose lives are frequently characterised by social and economic deprivation, neglect and abuse. It is clear that children in custody are extremely vulnerable, yet they are locked away in prisons that, as is evidenced by the high reoffending rates, do not work. This report explains young men’s experiences and opinions of key areas of prison life. Details: London: The Howard League for Penal Reform, 2010. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2012 at http://www.urboss.org.uk/downloads/publications/Life_Inside_2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.urboss.org.uk/downloads/publications/Life_Inside_2010.pdf Shelf Number: 124358 Keywords: Adolescent Males (U.K.)ImprisonmentJuvenile Corrections (U.K.)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Seeley, Ken Title: Bullying in Schools: An Overview Summary: The harmful effects of bullying cannot be overstated. Reports of bullying in the 1990s show that, in extreme cases, victims may face shooting or severe beatings and may even turn to suicide (Rigby and Slee, 1999). These reports have triggered public action, such that more than 20 states currently have laws that require schools to provide education and services directed toward the prevention and cessation of bullying. A well-known meta-analysis of school-based antibullying programs, conducted by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, found that these programs result in a 17- to 23-percent reduction in bullying (Ttofi, Farrington, and Baldry, 2008). Ttofi and colleagues report that antibullying programs are less effective in the United States than in Europe in reducing the incidence and prevalence of bullying in schools that operate the bullying reduction programs. In response, the current study investigates how American schools can support victimized children and encourage them to graduate and thrive. To determine the causes of bullying in schools and to inform the development of effective intervention strategies, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention funded a series of studies in 2007 at the National Center for School Engagement. The research focused on the connection between different types and frequencies of bullying, truancy, and student achievement, and whether students’ engagement in school mediates these factors. The researchers completed three studies. The first was a quantitative analysis of students that would support the development of a predictive model to explain the relationships among bullying (referred to in the study as peer victimization), school attendance, school engagement, and academic achievement. The second study was a qualitative study in which researchers interviewed victims about their experiences to gain insight into how bullying in school affects attendance. The third study was a qualitative analysis of teachers’ experiences in working to ameliorate the impact of bullying in schools. In this bulletin, the authors compare the results of these studies with the results of the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention report (Ttofi, Farrington, and Baldry, 2008), which is currently viewed as one of the most comprehensive studies on antibullying programs worldwide. Ttofi and her colleagues conducted a metaanalysis— Effectiveness of Programmes to Reduce School Bullying: A Systematic Review—that reviewed evaluations of 59 school-based antibullying programs in various countries, including the United States. In addition to their comparisons with the Swedish study, the authors recommend strategies and programs to combat bullying in schools that are based on the findings from the three studies described here and a literature review. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2011. 12p. Source: OJJDP Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2012 at https://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/234205.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 124368 Keywords: Bullying (U.S.)Crime PreventionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile VictimsSchool CrimeSchools |
Author: Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation Title: "I don't want another kid to die." Families of Victims Murdered by Juveniles Oppose Juvenile Executions Summary: The creation of the juvenile justice system rests on the belief that when a juvenile commits a crime a different kind of response is warranted as opposed to when an adult commits a crime. Therefore, juveniles typically receive sentences that focus on treatment rather than punishment, except in States that sentence juvenile offenders to death. In the United States, the opposition to the execution of juvenile offenders is growing with opinion polls showing that most people oppose the practice. This report examines the issue of the juvenile death penalty from the perspective of family members of victims killed by juvenile offenders and parents of juvenile offenders who have been executed. Individuals presented in this report are members of Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation. This is a national organization of homicide victims’ family members opposing the death penalty in all cases. It demonstrates that the issues surrounding the juvenile death penalty are victims’ issues too. The report is a statement against state killing of juveniles, presented by those who know violent loss most intimately and have been most directly affected by juvenile crimes. The members of human rights organization, Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation conclude that the juvenile death penalty has no place in a democratic society and that it is time to bring the law in line with the national consensus and abolish the juvenile death penalty. Details: Cambridge, MA: Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation, 2004. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 3, 2012 at http://www.aclu.org/files/FilesPDFs/mvfr%20report.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United States URL: http://www.aclu.org/files/FilesPDFs/mvfr%20report.pdf Shelf Number: 124369 Keywords: Capital Punishment (U.S.)Death PenaltyHomicideJuvenile OffendersJuvenile VictimsViolent Crime |
Author: Scott, Stephen Title: How is parenting style related to child antisocial behaviour? Preliminary findings from the Helping Children Achieve Study Summary: Anti-social behaviour is a major problem in childhood and beyond. More severe, persistent forms affect 5-10% of children in developed western countries and are linked to future adult crime, drug and alcohol misuse, unemployment, poor physical health, and mental disorders. A major risk factor is parenting style, in particular harsh and inconsistent parenting, which research has shown is associated with child behaviour problems. Other factors that feed into this directly and indirectly include domestic violence, parental drug abuse, maternal depression, family poverty, parents with low levels of education, stressed families and single parent status. This research report presents the findings from a study that examined the relationship between parenting styles and a range of family factors and child anti-social behaviour. The study examined in detail 278 families living in inner city areas who had children at higher risk of poor social and academic outcomes due to anti-social behaviour. The children involved in the study were aged four to seven. Details: London: Department for Education, 2012. 20p. Source: Research Report DFE-RR185a: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2012 at https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR185a.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR185a.pdf Shelf Number: 124380 Keywords: Anti-Social BehaviorJuvenile OffendersParenting |
Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) Title: Juvenile Detention in Cook County: Future Directions Summary: Cook County has a long and proud tradition of progressive practice in juvenile justice - not only with the advent of the first juvenile court but as a national leader through the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. The last two decades, however, have brought intense scrutiny in the area of juvenile detention culminating in a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union alleging a range of violations including overcrowding, unsafe and unsanitary conditions, and regular exposure to violence and abuse. With the intervention of federal courts, substantial progress has been made to date and additional improvements are planned or underway. Nonetheless, substantial concern continues that such reforms cannot fully resolve the challenges presented by the existing facility. In the belief that it is time for Cook County to once again set a new standard - this time for youth detention - the Jane Addams Juvenile Court Foundation (JAJCF), on behalf of the Chief Judge of Cook County, has commissioned the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) to conduct this study of youth detention in Cook County. This study looks beyond the challenges of the current facility to examine more fundamentally the detention needs of the county and its youth. The ultimate goal of the study is to guide discussion regarding a new vision for detention in Cook County - a vision that holds to the ideals that informed the creation of the court in 1899 while recognizing the current circumstances in which the court operates. After careful assessment and discussion with experts within the County, it is the opinion of NCCD that, even after appropriate reforms are implemented, the current Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) will have at best limited capacity to meet the complex needs of youth being detained in Cook County. Working with JAJCF, NCCD instead offers the following vision for detention in Cook County, one that rests on the conviction that secure detention must be one element of a cohesive juvenile justice system that includes efficient case processing, a range of alternatives to avoid unneccessary confinement, and equity for children of all races and ethnicities. Cook County shoud maximize community safety and the health and well-being of its youth and families by: reserving secure detention for only those youth who present a real threat to the safety of the community; providing youth who must be detained with meaningful assessment, case management, and programming; detaining youth in small, safe, community-based facilities consistent with best practice; and ensuring that decision making is guided by timely, accurate information about the youth and all aspects of the juvenile justice system. Details: Madison, Wisconsin: National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD), 2012. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2012 at: http://www.nccd-crc.org/nccd/dnld/JuvenileDetentioninCookCounty.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.nccd-crc.org/nccd/dnld/JuvenileDetentioninCookCounty.pdf Shelf Number: 124609 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity-based CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Halemba, Gregg Title: King County (Seattle, WA) Uniting for Youth: Prevalence of Child Welfare and BECCA (Status Offender) Involvement Among Youth Referred to the Juvenile Court on Delinquency Matters Summary: First established in 2003, the King County Uniting for Youth (formerly the King County Systems Integration) Initiative is a collaboration of state and local community agencies and organizations that have come together to examine and improve integrated program development, policy development, and service delivery for children, youth, and families served by the child welfare and juvenile justice systems as well as other youth-serving entities (such as education and the mental/behavioral health communities). During the ensuing eight years, initiative accomplishments have been impressive. Uniting for Youth committees/task forces have tackled a number of difficult issues including development of information-sharing protocols/resource guides; specification of the technological functionalities needed to facilitate the sharing of information on multi-system youth; an assessment of the local mental health service continuum; design of a dropout retrieval system and recent implementation of a pilot project based on this design; and development of cross training and joint policy/procedural protocols to facilitate cross-system case work. A growing body of research examining the crossover youth population continues to confirm the important challenges presented by these cases. These include considerably higher recidivism rates (markedly so for female offenders); earlier onset of delinquent behavior; more and longer detention stays, deeper and faster juvenile justice system penetration; substantially higher out-ofhome placement rates; frequent placement changes; poor permanency outcomes; and substantial costs in the face of shrinking budgets. In support of this internal evaluation capacity-building effort and with funding provided by the Seattle Field Office of Casey Family Programs, the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) in 2007 began work to design a strategy to conduct research on the prevalence of multi-system involvement among youth referred to the King County Juvenile Court on offender (delinquency), Becca (truancy, ARY and/or CHINS), and/or dependency matters. This included development of preliminary specifications on how to proceed in obtaining the necessary administrative data from the various stakeholder organizations/agencies required to conduct such a study. This report summarizes findings specific to the prevalence of multi-system involvement (specifically, child welfare and Becca) for youth referred to the King County Juvenile Court on offender matters, how this varies demographically, and how juvenile justice trajectories and outcomes vary by level of multi-system involvement. The report also begins to examine temporal issues related to the onset of juvenile justice, child welfare and Becca involvement. The data set has considerable potential to allow for more in-depth analysis in this regards and subsequent summaries are planned that will take a closer look at differential outcomes for firsttime offenders, females, and minority youth, among others. Also, The Washington State Center for Court Research (WSSCR) has identified youth in the current study who were administered the Washington State Juvenile Court Risk Assessment (WSJCA) instrument at some point during their court involvement on an offender matter. WSSCR has recently initiated an analysis examining differences in various risk and protective domains for these youth controlling for a history of multi-system involvement. Lastly, NCJJ and WSCCR plan to examine differential patterns of multi-system involvement for all youth referred to the court on dependency and Becca matters in a fashion similar to what is presented herein for youth referred on offender matters. Details: Pittsburgh, PA: National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ), 2011. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2012 at http://www.texascasaresources.org/files/grants/Crossover_Youth_Prevalence_Study_Final_Report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.texascasaresources.org/files/grants/Crossover_Youth_Prevalence_Study_Final_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 124745 Keywords: Child WelfareCrossover YouthJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Florida Department of Education Title: Developing Effective Education in Department of Juvenile Justice and other Dropout Prevention Programs Summary: The purpose of this report is to provide the Florida legislature with the information required by section 1003.52(19), Florida Statutes (F.S.), Educational services in Department of Juvenile Justice programs, and section 1003.53, F.S., Dropout prevention and academic intervention. Section 1003.52, F.S., requires the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) and the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to report annually on the progress toward developing effective educational programs for juvenile delinquents. The report is divided into seven sections. The first section provides demographic data for all students served in dropout prevention (DOP) programs. The second section addresses the types of data indicators used to measure student outcomes in dropout prevention programs, followed by four sections that address these outcomes in each of the four major dropout prevention programs: educational alternatives, teenage parent, disciplinary, and educational services in Department of Juvenile Justice programs. The final section addresses additional juvenile justice topics required by s. 1003.52, F.S. This section includes information on funding and expenditures, cooperative agreements and educational service contracts, school improvement plans, services to exceptional education students, and recommendations for system improvement. Details: Tallahassee, FL: Florida Department of Education, 2012. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2012 at: http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-6321/dps-2012-23a.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-6321/dps-2012-23a.pdf Shelf Number: 124774 Keywords: Education (Florida)Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersSchool DisciplineSchool Dropouts |
Author: Moore, Elizabeth Title: Restorative Justice Initiatives: Public Opinion and Support in NSW Summary: Aim: To measure public opinion and support for restorative justice initiatives for theft/vandalism and assault offences across NSW in 2011. Method: An independent market research company completed 2,530 telephone interviews with NSW residents over a 4-week period. Results: There was widespread support for restorative justice initiatives. Most respondents agreed that offenders’ sentences should include unpaid work in the community (85.9%); and that victims should be given the opportunity to inform offenders of the harm caused (87.3%), and have a say in how the offender can make amends for that harm (73.8%). While the restorative justice initiatives of ‘making amends to victims’ and ‘unpaid work in the community’, were viewed as less effective in preventing crime and disorder compared to ‘better supervision of young people by parents’ or ‘better mental health care’, they were viewed as more effective than receiving ‘a prison sentence’. Women, regional dwellers, those with lower educational attainment, crime victims and those displaying more punitive attitudes tended to be more supportive of restorative justice principles. Conclusion: The results suggest that the principles underpinning restorative justice initiatives are well supported by the community. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 77: Accessed April 3, 2012 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB77.pdf/$file/BB77.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB77.pdf/$file/BB77.pdf Shelf Number: 124802 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersPublic Opinion SurveyRestorative Justice (Australia) |
Author: Swaner, Rachel Title: Evaluation of the Youth Justice Board Impact on Alternative-to-Detention Policy in New York City, 2008-2010 Summary: The Youth Justice Board (YJB), a program of the Center for Court Innovation, is an after-school program where 15-20 teenagers from different schools, neighborhoods, and experiences within New York City come together to study and devise policy recommendations on a specific issue affecting youth. Though the teens typically stay for one program year, the Board addresses the same policy issue for two. The first year is devoted to researching an issue and forming policy recommendations, the second year to advocating for and pursuing implementation of the those recommendations. This report is a brief evaluation of the Board’s work on alternative-to-detention (ATD) programs for youth in the juvenile justice system during the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 program years, looking at whether the Board was successful in taking what was learned from a capacity building research project to be more effective in getting policymakers to implement or consider implementing any of the recommendations. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2010. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed April 9, 2012 at: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/YJB_Evaluation.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/YJB_Evaluation.pdf Shelf Number: 124891 Keywords: Alternative to Incarceration (New York City)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Silva, Jailson de Souza Title: Brazil Children in Drug Trafficking: A Rapid Assessment Summary: The central subject of this Rapid Assessment to investigate the Worst Forms of Child Labour (WFCL) is the involvement of children in the drug trafficking business, in low-income communities, “Favelasâ€, in Rio de Janeiro. This study seeks to establish the variables that best explain why children enter and take part in this line of activity. The project was commissioned to the Instituto de Estudos Trabalho e Sociedade - IETS, a Brazilian NGO, recognized as a public interest organization by the Brazilian Ministry of Justice. IETS forms a network of researchers from a diverse set of Rio de Janeiro’s main academic and research institutions. The institute aims to generate and induce the generation of information relevant to the investigation of poverty and inequality and to monitor, evaluate and propose initiatives in the field of public policy, seeking its reduction. The present project compiled and organized data concerning living standards of children working in drug trafficking schemes in several low-income communities in Rio de Janeiro. A workshop bringing together researchers, people active and interested in the field and representatives of grass-roots organizations who work in low-income areas was also an important part of the project. This enabled an exchange of knowledge and the production of new public policy proposals that may improve the circumstances at hand. This document starts with a presentation of some general socio-economic data of Rio de Janeiro, setting the background and context in which the children live. Next it provides a synthesis of the specific labour market for children and young adults in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, with particular stress on the indicators of 52 low-income communities. The theme’s general introduction is completed by a brief review of the literature on child and youth criminality and drug trafficking. The second chapter presents the methodology used in the project. In its main body, the document presents a number of tables that organize part of the data surveyed in the project. Firstly, tables of crimes and misdemeanors committed by children and adolescents in Rio de Janeiro from 1996 to 2000 are exposed, which have been provided by the Children’s Court ( Vara de InfĂ¢ncia e Juve ntude). Next, the profile of the children is presented. Finally, views of different actors are exposed on the reasons that lead children to, and keep them working in, drug related activities, and on measures that should be undertaken to keep children from joining the trafficking business or to help them abandon the scene. The document is concluded by a brief description of the workshop, a final analysis of the activity and policy proposals to address the problem. Details: Geneva: International Labour Organization, International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), 2002. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Investigating the Worst Forms of Child Labour No. 20: Accessed April 10, 2012 at: http://www.dreamscanbe.org/Reasearch%20Page%20Docs/Souza%20e%20Silva%20and%20Urani%20-%20Brazil%20Children%20in%20Drug%20Trafficki.pdf Year: 2002 Country: Brazil URL: http://www.dreamscanbe.org/Reasearch%20Page%20Docs/Souza%20e%20Silva%20and%20Urani%20-%20Brazil%20Children%20in%20Drug%20Trafficki.pdf Shelf Number: 124916 Keywords: Child LaborChildren as Drug TraffickersDrug Trafficking (Brazil)Juvenile OffendersPoverty |
Author: Bierschbach, Richard A. Title: Proportionality and Parole Summary: Commentators analyzing the Supreme Court’s watershed decision in Graham v. Florida, which prohibited sentences of life without parole for juveniles convicted of nonhomicide crimes, have generally done so in substantive proportionality terms, ignoring or downplaying parole in the process. This Article challenges that approach, focusing on the intersection of proportionality and parole as a jumping off point. Taking parole seriously makes clear that Graham is difficult to understand solely in terms of substantive proportionality concepts like individual culpability and punishment severity. Instead, the decision can be seen as establishing a rule of constitutional criminal procedure, one that links the validity of punishment to the institutional structure of sentencing. By requiring the state to revisit its first-order sentencing judgments at a later point in time, Graham mandates a procedural space for granular, individualized, and ultimately more reliable sentencing determinations. I expose this procedural and institutional side of parole’s constitutional significance, situate it within the constitutional landscape of sentencing, and sketch some of its implications for the future of sentencing regulation. Details: New York: Cardozo School of Law, 2012. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Cardozo Legal Studies Research Paper No. 367: Accessed April 27, 2012 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2038969 Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2038969 Shelf Number: 125078 Keywords: Criminal LawCriminal ProcedureJuvenile OffendersParole (U.S.)Sentencing, Proportionality |
Author: U.S. Department of Justice. Civil Rights Division Title: Investigation of the Shelby County Juvenile Court Summary: More than 40 years ago, the Supreme Court established the parameters of due process for children facing delinquency proceedings and thereby subject to the “awesome prospect of incarceration.†In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1, 36 (1967). The Court held that children must be afforded the right to counsel, the right to notice of the charges, the right to be free from self-incrimination, and the right to confront witnesses. Gault, 387 U.S. 1. The year before Gault, the Supreme Court held that a child facing the possibility of a transfer to adult criminal court must be accorded the protections of due process, including a hearing, the right to representation by counsel, access to the evidence considered in determining the waiver, and, where the court waives its jurisdiction, a statement of the reasons for transfer on the record. Kent v. United States, 383 U.S. 541, 561-62 (1966). In Shelby County, it is JCMSC’s obligation to ensure that due process principles are met. JCMSC must also administer justice in a non-discriminatory manner that comports with equal protection and does not result in discriminatory impacts that violate Title VI. We find that JCMSC fails to provide constitutionally required due process to children of all races. In addition, we find that JCMSC’s administration of justice discriminates against Black1 We have reasonable cause to believe that JCMSC fails to ensure due process for all children appearing for delinquency proceedings. children. Further, we find that JCMSC violates the substantive due process rights of detained youth by not providing them with reasonably safe conditions of confinement. • JCMSC fails to provide timely and adequate notice of charges to children appearing on delinquency matters by not providing petitions of their charges prior to their detention hearings or even, in many cases, before the adjudicatory hearing (the juvenile equivalent of a trial). This violates the requirement that notice be provided “sufficiently in advance of scheduled court proceedings so that reasonable opportunity to prepare will be afforded.†Gault, 387 U.S. at 33. • JCMSC fails to protect children from self-incrimination during probation conferences by (1) failing to advise juveniles of their Miranda rights prior to questioning them about the facts underlying their charges; (2) not obtaining informed waivers of those rights before asking the children to divulge potentially incriminating statements about their charges; and (3) eliciting self-incriminating statements in the absence of Miranda warnings and informed waivers. This is contrary to Gault’s holding that “the constitutional privilege against self-incrimination is applicable in the case of juveniles as it is with respect to adults.†Id. at 55. • JCMSC fails to hold timely probable cause hearings for children arrested without a warrant by failing to hold detention hearings on weekends and holidays. When a person has been arrested without a warrant, the Fourth Amendment requires that a judicial officer must determine that probable cause exists to believe the person has committed a crime in order for the state to continue the person’s detention. Gerstein v. Pugh, 420 U.S. 103 (1974). In County of Riverside v. McLaughlin, 500 U.S. 44, 57 (1991), the Court held that probable cause determinations must be made within 48 hours of a warrantless arrest. Children at JCMSC experience extended detentions because the court has no procedure in place to hold detention hearings on weekends, extended holiday weekends, and holidays. For example, JCMSC detained 815 children over a five-year period for three days or more before their probable cause hearings. • JCMSC fails to provide adequate due process protections for children before transferring them to the adult criminal court. We observed hearings and reviewed transcripts in which Magistrates made transfer decisions after making cursory inquiries (and in some cases no inquiries) into the child’s background, after failing to hold a waiver hearing, or after asking the child to self-incriminate. This violates the minimal requirement that transfer proceedings “must measure up to the essentials of due process and fair treatment.†Kent, 383 U.S. at 562. We also have reason to believe that JCMSC engages in conduct that violates the constitutional guarantee of Equal Protection and federal laws prohibiting racial discrimination, including Title VI. We retained a leading, nationally recognized, expert on measuring disparities in the juvenile justice system through statistical analysis. Statisticians in the Department of Justice’s (“DOJâ€) Office of Justice Program’s Bureau of Justice Statistics and National Institute of Justice peer reviewed the expert’s work. The expert used two methodologies to make this determination. First, he reviewed JCMSC’s Relative Rate Index (“RRIâ€), the reporting mechanism required by DOJ’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (“OJJDPâ€).2 2 Our consultant was one of the developers of the RRI mechanism. The RRI compares Disproportionate Minority Contact in Shelby County with other counties throughout the nation. Our consultant also examined JCMSC’s case data – more than 66,000 files – over a five-year period to assess the outcomes throughout the different phases of a case, using odds ratio and logistic regression techniques. These techniques track the odds that a child’s case will be handled in a specific way at different decision points in the juvenile court process. The cases range from misdemeanor offenses, such as trespassing, to serious felony offenses, such as murder. Both methods show that Black children are disproportionately represented in almost every phase of the Shelby County juvenile justice system, including pre-trial detention and transfers to criminal court. Moreover, the data shows that in certain phases of the County’s juvenile justice system, race is – in and of itself – a significant contributing factor, even after factoring in legal variables (such as the nature of the charge and prior record of delinquency) and social variables (such as age, gender, and school attendance). • The statistical analysis shows that Black children in Shelby County are less likely to receive the benefits of more lenient judicial and non-judicial options. While we found that the impact of some legal and social factors reduced the impact of race, race was still a statistically significant factor in determining whether a child would receive lenient treatment (such as a warning) as opposed to more serious sanctions. Specifically, Black children were one third less likely to receive a warning than White children, even after accounting for other factors such as prior contacts with the court, the severity of the charges, gender, and education. • We also found a disparity in the initial detention of Black children as compared to White children. The case data showed that a Black child was more than twice as likely to be detained as a White child. This number remained unchanged after accounting for other legal and social factors. • We also found a substantial disparity in the rates of transfers to adult court. The RRI shows that JCMSC transfers Black children to adult criminal court more than two times as often than White children. Analysis of the case files shows that Black children in JCMSC have a greater odds ratio (2.07) of being considered for transfer to the criminal court and have a substantially higher chance of having their case actually transferred to the criminal court. Even after accounting for other variables including the types of offenses, prior offenses, age, and gender, the odds ratio associated with race was only slightly reduced to 2.02. This disproportionate impact cannot be explained by factors other than race. Our investigation also included a review of JCMSC’s detention facility. There we found several violations to the children’s substantive due process rights to reasonably safe conditions of confinement and freedom from undue bodily restraints. Youngberg v. Romeo, 457 U.S. 307, 315-16 (1982). In particular, JCMSC subjects children at the detention center to unnecessary and excessive restraint, including use of restraint chairs and pressure point control tactics. These restraints endanger the safety of the children detained in the facility. JCMSC has recently informed us that it is taking steps to resolve these excessive restraint issues. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, 2012. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 27, 2012 at: http://www.memphisdailynews.com/Editorial_Images/13516.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.memphisdailynews.com/Editorial_Images/13516.pdf Shelf Number: 125079 Keywords: Disparities in Juvenile Justice ProcessingDue ProcessJuvenile Court TransfersJuvenile Courts (Tennessee)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Butts, Jeffrey Title: Youth, Guns, and the Juvenile Justice System Summary: The falling rate of violent crime in the United States is not likely to reduce the need for effective policies and programs to address youth gun violence. The rate of firearm deaths among American youth is still one of the highest in the world. In the coming years, all levels of government, the private sector, and communities will require sound information and practical guidance as they try to reduce gun violence among young people. Funded by the Joyce Foundation, this report reviews recent trends in youth gun violence, policy responses to gun violence, and the growing variety of data resources for research on the effects of gun laws. The report is designed to inform discussions about these issues and to aid in the development of future research efforts. Details: Washington, DC: The Urban Institute, 2002. 30p. Source: Research Report: Internet Resource: Accessed April 28, 2012 at http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/410417_youth_guns.pdf Year: 2002 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/410417_youth_guns.pdf Shelf Number: 125095 Keywords: Gun ViolenceGunsJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenile OffendersViolent Crime |
Author: Laurikkala, Minna Title: Different Time, Same Place, Same Story? A Social Disorganization Perspective to Examining Juvenile Homicides Summary: In 2007, juveniles were involved in a minimum of 1,063 murders in the United States (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2008), and a concern over juvenile homicide offenders remains. While increasingly more macrolevel research on juvenile homicide offending has been accumulated, particularly since the 1980s, research focusing on macrolevel correlates of juvenile homicides is still relatively scarce (MacDonald & Gover, 2005; Ousey & Campbell Augustine, 2001). In the first part of this study, several variables relating to the offender, victim, setting, and precursors to the homicide by race and gender were examined in order to provide details on the context of youth homicides between 1965 and 1995 in Chicago. The Homicides in Chicago, 1965-1995 data set and Census data for 1970, 1980, and 1990 were used in this study. The results indicate that changes in youth homicides over the 31-year time period involved increases in lethal gang altercations, particularly among Latinos, and increases in the use of automatic weapons. Young females had very little impact on homicide rates in Chicago. The second part of the study examined whether measures of social disorganization can aid in the prediction of homicides committed by youths, and a total of ten negative binomial models were run. The results of the analyses in the three time periods indicate that racial/ethnic heterogeneity, educational deprivation, unemployment, and family disruption are significantly and positively related to homicides. Foreign-born population and median household income were found to be significantly and negatively related to homicides. The significant indicators of social disorganization varied in the seven models for the disaggregated groups. Overall, the results reflect support for social disorganization theory. Limitations, suggestion for future research, and policy implications are also addressed. Details: Orlando, FL: University of Central Florida, Department of Sociology, 2009. 238p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2012 at: http://digitalcollections.lib.ucf.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/ETD&CISOPTR=4405 Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://digitalcollections.lib.ucf.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/ETD&CISOPTR=4405 Shelf Number: 125149 Keywords: Juvenile HomicideJuvenile OffendersMurdersSocial Disorganization |
Author: He, Ni Title: A Multi-city Assessment of Juvenile Delinquency in the U.S.: A Continuation and Expansion of the International Self-Report Delinquency Study (ISRD) Summary: This project is a part of the International Self-report Delinquency (ISRD) study. The ISRD study is now in its second sweep, involving more than 30 nations. A major goal for the ISRD study is to provide an ongoing assessment of (1) the prevalence and incidence of youthful offending; (2) the correlates of youthful crime and different explanations of crime; (3) various dimensions of delinquent trajectories; (4) social response to juvenile misbehavior; (5) the relative importance of micro-level (individual), meso-level (school and neighbourhood), and macro-level (city and country) variables for self-report delinquency and its correlates; and (6) the methodological implications for cross-national survey research. Data collection for the U.S. portion of the ISRD- 2 study was carried out in the fall of 2006 and spring of 2007. The achieved US sample includes 2,571 7th to 9th grade students from 11 public and 4 private schools in three geographically and socio-economically diverse regions (Northeast, Southwest, and Midwest). With regard to risk factors for juvenile delinquency, we find truancy to be of major concern (32.8% last month). The rates of alcohol use (41.5% life-time and 14.0% last month) and marijuana/hashish use (16% life-time and 7.9% last month) based on our sample are comparable to those from other major U.S. national studies. Theft (31.2% last year) and bullying (20% last year) are the two major victimization categories according to our study. The prevalence rates of being a victim of robbery/extortion (4.5%) and assault (4.1%) are noticeably much lower. The reporting (to the police) rate of bullying is particularly low (4.9%), compared to the rates for all other victimization categories (varying from 12.6% to 16.1%). Shoplifting (20.7%), group fight (16.0%), vandalism (15.9%) and carrying a weapon (14.3%) captured the highest life-time prevalence rates in all offense categories measured in our study. Similar observations are found in the corresponding last-year offense prevalence measures. Outcomes based on analyses of both attitudinal and behavioral (victimization and offense prevalence) measures across gender, grade level, city size and school types are quite consistent with predictions that could be made based on either relevant theories or previous studies. Students of different immigrant statuses do not differ in self-reported victimization and offending experiences. We also did not find statistically significant difference between genders with regard to age of onset for all variety of offenses. Our multivariate analyses (both OLS and Negative Binomial regressions) lend support to the theoretical relationships derived from social bonding, self-control, and social learning theories. Findings included in the current report are based on U.S. ISRD-2 data only. The anticipated release of the merged cross-national ISRD-2 data will not only provide us an opportunity to compare our domestic findings with those of the other nations, it will also allow multi-level cross-national analyses. Details: Boston: Northeastern University, 2009. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 6, 2012 at http://nuweb.neu.edu/nhe/NIJ%20Final%20Technical%20Report%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://nuweb.neu.edu/nhe/NIJ%20Final%20Technical%20Report%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 125162 Keywords: Crime StatisticsJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersSelf-Report Studies |
Author: Roque, Silvia Title: Youth and Urban Violence in San Salvador, Rio de Janeiro and Praia Summary: Overall, despite the differences between Rio de Janeiro, San Salvador and Praia in terms of the incidence of youth violence, historical approaches and experience in dealing with the issue, Brazil, El Salvador and Cape Verde have all favoured an enforcement-based approach, focusing primarily on repression and law-enforcement mechanisms (police action, specific youth violence legislation, and prosecution, prison and socio-educational systems), instead of interventions aimed at the root causes of violent behaviour. However, recent changes in federal government approaches to public security in Brazil, coupled with state level changes, suggest the materialisation of a discourse shift in the field of youth violence, which has been in the making since the late 1990s. Another common feature in these countries is the incomplete availability of qualified information systems on violence and violent criminality, especially on organised crime and female involvement in urban violence. Civil society actions to prevent and combat urban violence are very diverse. In Brazil, especially Rio de Janeiro, NGOs, associations and grassroots organisations have a fairly long track record when dealing with the issue of youth violence, promoting initiatives and programmes mostly aimed at youth violence prevention, especially at the primary level. These initiatives and programmes have been based on skills training, sports, culture, empowerment and, to lesser extent, professional training and labour market integration. In San Salvador, despite the severity of youth violence, civil society approaches are less diversified and effective. Like any other violence-afflicted country in Central America, violence prevention and especially intervention programmes, namely those aimed at the perpetrators of violence, face greater disadvantages and less funding and support from the region’s crime-weary population. In Praia, the involvement of civil society in this matter has been slow. However, in recent years, the experiences of civil society organisations, sometimes in partnership with public institutions, have been singled out as good examples and as having had some direct impact on youth involved in violence in the Cidade da Praia. Responding to and effectively preventing youth urban violence requires a comprehensive approach which takes into account the intra-social forms of violence committed by and against youth, as well as the structural conditions which determine the marginalisation of youth. This includes prevention programmes which help young people in vulnerable situations, intervention programmes which offer alternatives for those attracted to violence, rehabilitation prospects for those who wish to leave violent groups, and those leaving prison and socioeducational systems. Capable and accountable law-enforcement bodies, protection and support mechanisms for victims of violence, adequate arms control policies, up-to-date data collection and analysis systems on youth and violence, and whole-of-government and multi-disciplinary approaches to violence are also key. Details: Brussels: Peace Studies Group, Initiative for Peacebuilding, 2012. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2012 at: http://www.ifp-ew.eu/pdf/201202IfPEWYouthViolenceRioSanPra.pdf Year: 2012 Country: South America URL: http://www.ifp-ew.eu/pdf/201202IfPEWYouthViolenceRioSanPra.pdf Shelf Number: 125228 Keywords: GangsJuvenile OffendersUrban CrimeViolent CrimeYouth Violence (San Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, Cape |
Author: Schmitz, Connie C. Title: The Ramsey County All Children Excel (ACE) Program: A Comprehensive Process Evaluation. Interim Report Summary: The Ramsey County ACE program is a long-term intervention program for children under 10 who are found to be at high risk for serious, violent, and chronic juvenile delinquency. Founded in late 1999, ACE serves our society’s most vulnerable population of children: that is, those who have committed a chargeable offense at a very young age and who come from multi-generational, multi-problem families. Such children are estimated to have a 50% base rate of risk for becoming chronic juvenile offenders. In working with ACE children and their families, ACE takes a broad public health, intensive case management approach. Through an inter-agency service delivery team, the resources of multiple county departments, police, schools, and community agencies are coordinated on an individual basis. Child and family case management is provided weekly by community workers from the time of the child’s initial screening until age 18. The goals of ACE are to reduce problem behaviors, to increase school bonding and success, and to prevent the children from entering the juvenile justice system. Research and evaluation has long been a core feature of the ACE program. This current evaluation was undertaken in order to help the ACE program further refine the community agency portion of the ACE long-term intervention and develop a Healthy Development Curriculum and Staffing Guide. The evaluation was considered important and timely for a number of reasons: 􀂃 The ACE intervention had been implemented by several different community agencies and case workers since 1999. Over time, substantive differences had emerged between the programs as implemented by the two main agencies (the YWCA and St. Paul Youth Services). This led to important questions about the comparative efficacy of their two approaches. 􀂃 Case management is believed to constitute the “heart of the ACE intervention.†Yet the widely varying skills of case workers and the “un-chartered waters†of case management itself called for greater examination. 􀂃 After three years of operation and data collection, the ACE program was better positioned to look at preliminary youth outcomes. While program staff believed strongly that case management (when done well) “works,†they sought more tangible evidence of that belief. This report describes the work of an evaluation team, hired in January of 2004, to conduct a comprehensive process evaluation. Using qualitative and quantitative methods of inquiry, the evaluation team structured their work into five components. The five components were to: 1. Describe the ACE long-term case management model in terms of its history, current status, and underlying model. 2. Integrate all of the available data on ACE youth and program implementation in order to conduct subsequent sub-studies of interest. 3. Assess the psychometric properties of the ACE Risk Factor Profile (the initial screening tool and placement procedure). To do this, the team analyzed data on youth who were placed into short-term interventions (STI) as well as data on youth who were placed into the ACE long-term intervention (LTI). 4. Compare the YWCA and the St. Paul Youth Services in terms of their program implementation and youth outcomes. 5. Determine the extent to which ACE case management reduces delinquency outcomes, after taking initial risk factors and demographic characteristics into account. In these analyses, “delinquency outcomes†was defined as charged offenses that youth committed six or more months after their initial screening and placement into the short or long-term intervention. Details: Minneapolis: Professional Evaluation Services and Professional Data Analysts, Inc., 2004. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2012 at: http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/NR/rdonlyres/82A097AE-978C-4F63-9C68-30B6829A7A2F/1750/ACE_Interim_Report.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United States URL: http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/NR/rdonlyres/82A097AE-978C-4F63-9C68-30B6829A7A2F/1750/ACE_Interim_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 125241 Keywords: Case Management, JuvenilesCollaborationDelinquency Prevention (Minnesota)Juvenile 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: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Title: The Bully-Sexual Violence Pathway in Early Adolescence Summary: The focus of this ASAP is to highlight the early findings from a three-year study aimed to examine the overlap between bullying and sexual violence victimization and perpetration in five middle schools in a Midwest state. The first two waves of the study have shown that bullying perpetration and homophobic teasing were significant predictors of sexual harassment perpetration over time. While these findings are preliminary, they do suggest that homophobic teasing may be a component of bullying that may increase the potential for sexual harassment later. In other words, a bully perpetrator who also used homophobic teasing may later turn to sexual harassment. Details: Washington, DC: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Violence Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012. 4p. Source: ASAP Brief: Internet Resource: Accessed June 13, 2012 at http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/ASAP_BullyingSV-a.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/ASAP_BullyingSV-a.pdf Shelf Number: 125348 Keywords: BullyingHomophobiaJuvenile OffendersSexual HarassmentSexual ViolenceVictimization |
Author: Tanzania. Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance Title: Inspection Report for Children in Detention Facilities in Tanzania Summary: The Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG)1 in Tanzania has the mandate to visit prisons and places of detention or related facilities with a view to assessing and inspecting conditions of persons held in such places and making recommendations in relation to protecting their human rights2. CHRAGG undertook monitoring visits to detention facilities during 2008/09 and 2009/10. These visits and subsequent reports revealed that the numbers of children being held in detention facilities was increasing, that they were often held in adult prisons and that the conditions in detention and the treatment they received fell far short of international human rights standards. Furthermore, children were not receiving adequate access to reintegration and rehabilitation activities and services. As a result of these findings, CHRAGG undertook a detailed and comprehensive assessment of the situation of children in detention facilities in Tanzania during early 2011. This assessment involved an extensive desk review and inspection visits to 65 detention centres around the country where children are held. During the inspection visits, 144 detention facility officers were interviewed (73 officers) or took part in group discussions (71 officers), and overall 491 children were involved in the assessment either through one to one interviews (179) or through focus group discussions (312). This Executive Summary gives an overview of the methodology used for this assessment, summarises the key findings regarding the conditions for and treatment of children in police stations, in Retention Homes (facility for under-18s on remand), in the Approved School (facility for convicted under-18s) and in adult prisons, and concludes with a set of recommendations based on the findings. 2. Objectives of the assessment of children in detention The main objectives of this assessment of the situation of children in detention facilities are to: • Promote the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and other related instruments relating to the placement of children in detention, and their treatment and care while detained; • Provide recommendations on ways of improving the situation in the Retention Homes, the Approved School and other detention facilities where children are held; • Provide recommendations for reforming the juvenile justice system in order to reduce the overall number of children placed in detention; • Develop baseline data for the situation of children in detention for monitoring and advocacy purposes; and • Identify lessons to be learnt for future research and advocacy work both in Tanzania mainland and in Zanzibar. Details: Dar es salaam: Commission for Human Rights and Good Governence, 2011. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2012 at: http://www.ipjj.org/fileadmin/data/documents/reports_monitoring_evaluation/CHRAGG_InspectionChildrenDetentionTanzania_2011_EN.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Tanzania URL: http://www.ipjj.org/fileadmin/data/documents/reports_monitoring_evaluation/CHRAGG_InspectionChildrenDetentionTanzania_2011_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 125430 Keywords: Juvenile Detention (Tanzania)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: T2A (Transition to Adulthood) Title: Pathways from Crime: Ten Steps to a More Effective Approach for Young Adults in the Criminal Justice Process Summary: Pathways from Crime emphasises that the transition to adulthood is a process rather than a result, which implies that tailored services and support should not fall away once individuals turn 18. The report identifies a pathway through the criminal justice system, in which a more rigorous and effective approach can be delivered to young adults making the transition to adulthood (16-24). The 10 stages are policing and arrest, diversion, restorative justice, prosecution, sentencing, community sentences, managing the transfer process, custody, resettlement, and enabling desistance from crime. This T2A pathway has been tested in three pilot projects since 2009 in Birmingham, West Mercia, and London. The summative evaluation of the T2A pathway tracks 34 young adults over a six-month period and demonstrates some remarkable findings (e.g. only three were reconvicted of a new non-violent offence, only three breached their community order or licence, and the number of the sample in employment has trebled). The report concludes that the T2A pathway is an effective and rigorous approach that can be applied to young adults throughout the criminal justice process. In each stage of the process, criminal justice agencies can make interventions with young adults more effectively. The pilots have established how an effective approach can be put into practice and have highlighted changes that can be made to the way that services are designed, commissioned, and delivered. Details: London: Barrow Cadbury Trust, 2012. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 29, 2012 at: http://www.t2a.org.uk/t2a-pathways-from-crime-report-launched/ Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.t2a.org.uk/t2a-pathways-from-crime-report-launched/ Shelf Number: 125434 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Offenders, Treatment ProgramsJuvenile to Adult Criminal CareersYouth Adult Offenders (U.K.) |
Author: O’Donnell, Daniel Title: Juvenile Justice in Central Asia: Reform Achievements and Challenges in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan Summary: This report describes some of the positive developments in bringing juvenile justice in line with international standards in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan since their independence from the Soviet Union. The report also demonstrates that serious gaps hinder the establishment of fully compliant systems in each of the countries. None of the five countries has a specialised juvenile justice system as of yet. Prevention and reintegration policies and programmes are almost non-existent and the social sector is only rarely involved. Children can spent long periods in detention, especially pre-trial, for petty offenses. The report also points out to violence in detention, sometimes amounting to torture, and to the weakness of monitoring and accountability mechanisms across the region. It concludes with some recommendations, including one on the importance to reinforce independent mechanisms for monitoring the rights of children in the context of juvenile justice in Central Asia. Details: Geneva: UNICEF Regional Office for CEE/CIS, 2012. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 29, 2012 at: http://www.ipjj.org/fileadmin/data/documents/reports_monitoring_evaluation/UNICEF_JuvenileJusticeInCentralAsiaReformAchievementsChallenges_2012_EN.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Asia URL: http://www.ipjj.org/fileadmin/data/documents/reports_monitoring_evaluation/UNICEF_JuvenileJusticeInCentralAsiaReformAchievementsChallenges_2012_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 125436 Keywords: Juvenile Justice Systems (Asia)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Justice Studio Title: Afghanistan: Child Justice Brief Summary: This document provides an overview of the child justice system in Afghanistan. It emphasises that although there have been clear gains in establishing a separate justice system for children, the practical reality is that the formal state apparatus with ministries, institutions and representatives at the different regional levels, often works in parallel to a customary justice system which operates in rural or volatile areas. Little is known about the way that children are treated in the informal system and there is a legitimate concern that children who are in contact with the justice system do not have their rights respected. Details: London: Justice Studio, 2012. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 29, 2012 at: http://www.ipjj.org/fileadmin/data/documents/reports_monitoring_evaluation/JusticeStudio_AfghanistanChildJusticeBrief_2012_EN.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Afghanistan URL: http://www.ipjj.org/fileadmin/data/documents/reports_monitoring_evaluation/JusticeStudio_AfghanistanChildJusticeBrief_2012_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 125437 Keywords: Juvenile Justice Systems (Afghanistan)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Young, Douglas Title: Disproportionate Minority Contact in the Maryland Juvenile Justice System Summary: More than at any time in its past, Maryland is devoting resources to reducing racial and ethnic disparities in its juvenile justice system. Numerous statewide and locally targeted initiatives have been prompted in part by studies that have uncovered disparities at virtually all stages of the system, from juvenile arrest through disposition and placement. This report, which provides the first comprehensive look at the nature and extent of disproportionate minority contact (DMC) in Maryland, as well as initiatives aimed at reducing DMC, is one product of the state’s increased efforts. Unfortunately, the report repeats much the same message as earlier studies: DMC remains an entrenched problem in the state. Despite expanded efforts to reduce disparities, the state continues to struggle—and in some areas is falling further behind—in providing equal treatment of African American, Latino, and White youth involved in the juvenile justice system. But there is some good news: Certain DMC reduction programs do appear to be effective. And the research reported here represents a substantive advance in knowledge about DMC in Maryland. With results and recommendations in hand, state and local experts and practitioners have the beginnings of a road map for improving current efforts and targeting the additional resources that will surely be needed if the state is serious in its commitment to DMC reduction. Hopefully, the report will also help spur the sense of urgency and assiduous engagement and monitoring that must accompany these expanded efforts. The report and underlying research were prepared and conducted by the Institute for Governmental Service and Research at the University of Maryland, College Park, with funding from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP). GOCCP staff, the statewide DMC coordinator, and members of the State Juvenile Council contributed valuable input to the report, and the Department of Juvenile Services commendably provided data that underlie much of the report. The report’s presentation and some of its terminology follows from constructs advanced by the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), which makes states’ receipt of certain federal funds contingent on fulfilling DMC-related reporting and program mandates. Following the Introduction, the report’s sections (and this Executive Summary) roughly parallel OJJDP’s “DMC Cycleâ€â€”identification (of the extent of DMC at different stages in juvenile case processing), assessment (of factors that underlie and contribute to DMC), and program assessment (of the state’s current efforts to reduce DMC). Results from a statewide survey of juvenile justice stakeholders on DMC issues are also included in the full report and this summary. In all sections of the report and summary, statewide information is first presented, followed by available results from the state’s five largest jurisdictions (Baltimore City, and Baltimore, Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Anne Arundel Counties). Results and observations on other counties are presented when numbers are sufficiently large to appear stable and reliable. In the full report, key findings and recommendations are included in each of the chapters. In the summary, results from each of the three primary components of the DMC Cycle are vi UM – IGSR presented and then followed by a discussion of recommendations and priorities for immediate and ongoing DMC-related interventions and monitoring. Details: College Park, MD: Institute for Governmental Service and Research, University of Maryland, College Park, 2011. 164p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 2, 2012 at: http://www.goccp.maryland.gov/documents/DMC-report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.goccp.maryland.gov/documents/DMC-report.pdf Shelf Number: 125459 Keywords: Juvenile Justice Systems (Maryland)Juvenile OffendersMinorities, JuvenilesRacial DiscriminationRacial Disparities |
Author: Muntingh, Lukas Title: Report on Children in Prison in South Africa Summary: This report is an update to the situational analysis of children in prison in South Africa prepared by the Community Law Centre in 1997. The Child Justice Act 75 of 2008 (Child Justice Act), promulgated on 1 April 2010, introduced a markedly different child justice regime than that which was previously regulated by the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 and the common law. This development, along with various others which have emerged since 1997 (e.g. child justice jurisprudence and government’s renewed focus on children in conflict with the law), has changed the way in which South Africa’s courts and correctional system deal with children in conflict with the law. Accordingly, an updated analysis on children in prison became necessary. The findings in this report are based on both quantitative and qualitative data from 41 Department of Correctional Services (DCS) facilities. The type of data collected included: individual interviews with sentenced and unsentenced children, numerical data from the DCS Management Information System (MIS), and relevant literature. The report is structured according to a selection of “child justice indicators applicable to imprisonment†developed by Unicef and UNODC. The use of these standardised categorisations means that the international comparison of the data collected can be conducted in a more efficient way. An important finding of the study is that the policies in respect of the services and activities available to children across the centres surveyed, are varied and inconsistent. These include, but are not limited to, information provided at admission, orientation of new admissions, conditions of detention, the segregation of children from adults, access to education, access to recreation and preparation for release. The DCS should make all efforts to identify such inconsistencies and align the services rendered with the requirements of the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 (Correctional Services Act), subsidiary legislation and relevant policies. Practices compliant with the relevant legislation were identified at certain DCS facilities, demonstrating that the required standards can be met in the current environment and context. In this regard Brandvlei Youth Correctional Centre should be used as a benchmark example. Since 2003 the total number of children imprisoned in South Africa across all categories has declined rapidly from 4500 to 846 in February 2011. The substantial decline in total numbers does, to some extent, mask some of the shifts that have taken place in offence and sentence profiles. Children charged with and convicted of non-violent offences are now far less likely to be imprisoned. However, sentence tariffs for children have increased slightly; a trend reflected in the total prison population. The child imprisonment rate in South Africa (4.6/100 000) compares favourably with other developing countries (Argentina 39.3/100 000) and even some developed countries (USA 11.9/100 000). Based on snapshot data, children remain awaiting trial in DCS facilities for an average of 70 days. This is a considerable length of time. Moreover, the general lack of services available to such children (educational, social work, therapeutic, developmental and recreational) exacerbates the situation considerably. Of particular concern is the fact that children of compulsory school-going age in awaiting trial facilities are excluded from educational programmes and that conditions of detention are wanting in many regards in several facilities surveyed due to limited infrastructure, overcrowding and “staff shortagesâ€. The situation in respect of sentenced children is noticeably better compared to their unsentenced counterparts, but there is room for significant improvements, particularly in relation to conditions of detention, the range and accessibility of services and programmes, and access to education for all children, especially those of compulsory school-going age. Child safety inside prisons is another reason for concern. Although difficult to determine if the mortality rate of children is of itself reason for concern, reports of violence (including sexual violence) and intimidation were received. The authors also found that the overwhelming majority of DCS officials working with children (sentenced and unsentenced) have not received specialist training on working with children, anti-bullying strategies, suicide prevention or conflict management. There was very little evidence that DCS take any specific measures to promote contact between children and their families, despite the legislative duty to do so. The children must purchase phone cards from their own funds and it is only at a few centres that children are supplied with stationery to write letters to their families. Children, without the necessary funds, are effectively cut off from their families. It was found that 40% of children had not had any visitors in the three months preceding the fieldwork. Details: Cape Town, South Africa: Community Law Centre, 2012. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 3, 2012 at: http://cspri.org.za/publications/research-reports/report-on-children-in-prison-in-south-africa Year: 2012 Country: South Africa URL: http://cspri.org.za/publications/research-reports/report-on-children-in-prison-in-south-africa Shelf Number: 125463 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Detention (South Africa)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Prisoners |
Author: Maryland Department of Juvenile Services Title: “The Doors to Detention†A Study of Baltimore City Detention Utilization Summary: The Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (JDAI) is a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation through which a team of expert management consultants guided by the Juvenile Justice Strategy Group provides technical assistance to states and local jurisdictions to establish a more effective and efficient juvenile justice system. Baltimore City has participated in the JDAI for more than ten years with important system improvements occurring guided by the JDAI core strategies and principles. The purpose of this report is to provide a snapshot of detention utilization for Baltimore City youth by means of a retrospective study of secure detention placements occurring between June 1 and July 31, 2011. Data were collected from ASSIST (DJS automated case management system), the DRAI instrument, and review of the individual records for the study sample which was comprised of all youth (n = 514) who were newly detained (either pre- or postdisposition) in the study period. Ways that youth entered detention or “doors†were prioritized yielding six mutually exclusive categories. Demographics, supervision status, average daily population, average length of stay, and offense severity were analyzed for the total group and for each of the doors. Key Findings • Baltimore uses detention more heavily than comparable JDAI jurisdictions, and in recent years the use of detention relative to the number of juvenile arrests has actually gone up. • It remains the case that Baltimore’s youth detention population is overwhelmingly black and male. • Most Baltimore detention resources go to youth who are awaiting adjudication before the juvenile court. • Most Baltimore youth placed in detention are already under some form of DJS supervision at the time of placement. • Detention in Baltimore continues to be used disproportionately to hold post-dispositional youth who are awaiting a committed out of home placement. • Most Baltimore detention placements are based on non-violent offenses. • The use of detention in Baltimore is driven overwhelmingly by policies and practices, rather than the offenses of or public safety risks posed by youth. • One of the fundamental challenges to controlling the use of detention in Baltimore is the existence of multiple, sometimes overlapping, pathways (“doorsâ€) into secure detention. Based on these findings, the Department of Juvenile Services outlines ten opportunities to reduce unnecessary detention which exist at one or more of the doors into detention. Additional recommendations to enhance data quality are also put forth. Details: Baltimore, MD: Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, 2012. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 7, 2012 at: http://www.djs.state.md.us/assets/Detention_Utilization_Report_Final_version_to_print.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.djs.state.md.us/assets/Detention_Utilization_Report_Final_version_to_print.pdf Shelf Number: 125490 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Detention (Baltimore, Maryland)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Evans, Douglas N. Title: Pioneers of Youth Justice Reform: Achieving System Change Using Resolution, Reinvestment, and Realignment Strategies Summary: In the past three decades, state and local governments implemented a variety of reform strategies to reduce the youth justice system’s reliance on confinement facilities and to serve as many youth as possible in their own homes or at least in their own communities when removal from the home is warranted. The various reform strategies may be conceptualized as relying on three distinct but interrelated mechanisms: resolution, reinvestment, and realignment (Butts and Evans 2011). Resolution refers to the use of managerial authority and administrative directives to influence system change; reinvestment entails the use of financial incentives to encourage system change; and realignment employs organizational and structural modifications to create new systems. This report describes the history and implementation of the most well-known reform initiatives that draw upon one or more of these mechanisms to achieve system change and it considers their impact on juvenile confinement at the state and local level. Details: New York, NY: Research and Evaluation Center, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, 2012. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2012 at: http://johnjayresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/rec20123.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://johnjayresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/rec20123.pdf Shelf Number: 125545 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: New Mexico Sentencing Commission Title: State of New Mexico Disproportionate Minority Contact Statewide Assessment: Preliminary Report Summary: The disproportionate minority contact (DMC) mandate of the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) requires states to institute multi-pronged intervention strategies including juvenile delinquency prevention efforts and system improvements to assure equal treatment of all youth. Disproportionate minority contact (DMC) is defined as an overrepresentation of minority youth at any stage within the juvenile justice system (Huizinga et al., 2007). The nine stages within the juvenile justice system where contact occurs are: arrest; referral; diversion; case petitioned; secure detention; delinquency finding; probation; confinement in secure correctional facility; and case transferred, certified, and waived to adult court (OJJDP, 2009A). The purpose of this assessment is to begin to determine the mechanisms contributing to DMC in New Mexico. This assessment is based primarily on juvenile justice system data provided by the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) Data Analysis/FACTS Bureau. Other sources of information used in this report include: relative rate index trends, the review of reports compiled by other states, a review of other literature, a review of the New Mexico juvenile justice system, and formal and informal discussions with CYFD staff. We also briefly describe other aspects of our research that includes a review of juvenile justice system prevention and intervention programs that provide additional context to the NM juvenile justice system. Details: Albuquerque: New Mexico Sentencing Commission, 2012. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2012 at: nmsc.unm.edu/nmsc_reports/ Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 125652 Keywords: Juvenile Justice Systems (New Mexico)Juvenile OffendersMinority GroupsMinority OverrepresentationMinority YouthRacial Disparities |
Author: Blomberg, Thomas Title: An Evaluation of the Youth Violence Prevention Program in Palm Beach County Summary: Since the early 1990s, Palm Beach County has employed research in its efforts to successfully confront crime and improve its criminal justice system. Through the efforts of its Criminal Justice Commission (CJC), Palm Beach County has implemented such research-based initiatives as Weed and Seed, and drug courts. What is particularly noteworthy about Palm Beach County’s research-driven orientation to confront crime and improve its criminal justice system has been its concerted effort to not only implement research validated initiatives but to evaluate these initiatives in order to conclusively determine their actual effectiveness. This commitment to research and validated crime and criminal justice initiatives has been exemplified once again as Palm Beach County has mobilized against the problem of youth violence. Beginning in 2004, a series of media stories detailed frequent violent and often fatal crimes with firearms in the county. The perception was that the County was in the midst of a violent crime epidemic. In response, the Criminal Justice Commission initiated a study to determine if the perception of a crime epidemic was, in fact, correct. The study assessed the County’s historical trends in the levels of violent crime, gun-related crime, and murder. The study found that while the County’s overall crime rate had declined from 1990-2005, violent crime including those involving firearms, had increased with the murder rate having experienced particularly substantial increases from 2000 to 2005. Of additional importance was the study’s finding that violent criminal offenders in Palm Beach County were most often adolescents or young adults between the ages of 15 and 24. These findings led the Criminal Justice Commission to assess what other communities across the country were doing to combat youth violence. After reviewing the federally sponsored youth violence reduction efforts of Boston, Massachusetts; Oakland, California; Kansas City, Missouri; Detroit, Michigan; Richmond, Virginia; Birmingham, Alabama; Buffalo, New York; Riverside, California; Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota; and Seattle, Washington, it became evident that there were promising youth violence reduction program strategies that might be useful in Palm Beach County. Specifically, the most promising programs would need to be comprehensive and include law enforcement, prevention, intervention, and offender reintegration services. Moreover, it was clear that to maximize the program’s potential for youth violence reduction success, it would be essential to involve the community in the planning and implementation stages of these programs. Ultimately, it was decided that while Palm Beach County’s youth violence problem mirrored those of other communities, it was critical that a tailored community-wide program be implemented that explicitly addressed the specifics of Palm Beach County’s high violent crime communities. In recognition of the findings and conclusions of the study of violent crime in Palm Beach County, it was concluded that the county would implement a comprehensive approach that employed key elements of the national model established by the U.S. Department of Justice for Youth Violence Prevention. The county invited cities to participate and agree to the following conditions: • Abide by the requirement that all city-related projects and efforts will service the residents within the identified geographic areas as outlined by Criminal Justice maps • The city will make a commitment of building space for services within the identified geographical areas • Design a phase-in plan, including timeline, for the creation of a Youth Empowerment Center • Design a phase-in plan, including timeline, for a Justice Service Center • Participate in the multi-agency task force law enforcement component of the Youth Violence Prevention Project • Utilize the findings of the Project’s 500 youth surveys to develop and prioritize youth empowerment programs • Pay the city’s portion of all goods, services, and personnel used in connection with this project • Develop separate community advisory boards for youth and young adults • Participate in all aspects of evaluation including data collection, data sharing, site monitoring, and visits The county’s comprehensive approach for confronting youth violence involved an integration of the national model for Youth Violence Prevention with the findings and conclusions of the research study of violent crime in Palm Beach County. Further, county professionals from the criminal justice system, education, human services, and local youth contributed to the planning for the County’s comprehensive approach to youth violence reduction. Four subcommittees were formed, namely, crime prevention, law enforcement, courts, and corrections, and charged with developing a strategic plan. Additionally, a youth workgroup of 25 youth from around the county was established and began its efforts with a survey of over 500 youth throughout the county. The recommendations from the youth workgroup and the four subcommittees were examined and used to support the county’s implementation of a multi-agency comprehensive program model. Ultimately, Palm Beach County’s Youth Violence Prevention Program Model included four components, namely, (1) Crime Prevention; (2) Law Enforcement; (3) Courts; and (4) Corrections, and involved a joint county/city effort. Based on the findings from the study of violent crime in the county, five program sites or violent crime “hot spots†were identified and these cities agreed to implement the Youth Violence Prevention Project. Moreover, in order to conclusively determine the effectiveness of the program in the five program sites, five matching control sites (did not implement the YVPP) were identified by the FSU Evaluation Team. The method used to select appropriate matching control sites included the use of U.S. Census data and Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data. On the basis of implementation, results, and outcomes reported in this Report, Palm Beach County’s first year experiences in implementing the violent crime reduction program model appear successful. The County has demonstrated an ability to mobilize different agencies, services, youth, and other citizens in a common collaborative mission to reduce violent crime. The County’s violence reduction efforts have been facilitated by its now several decade old collaborative history that has involved multiple agencies and citizen involvement in confronting crime. Beginning with Weed and Seed in the early 1990s and continuing with drug courts and the current violence reduction programs, the County has established infrastructures that include productive relationships between the Criminal Justice Commission, Board of Supervisors, Sheriff’s Office, various police departments, State Attorney’s Office, Courts, Corrections, County businesses, various County citizens groups, and others. This collaborative history and set of established multiple relationships has directly and positively impacted the County’s current violent crime reduction efforts. Details: Tallahassee: Center for Criminology and Public Policy, College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida State University, 2008. 133p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2012 at: http://www.criminologycenter.fsu.edu/p/pdf/Palm%20Beach%20County%20YVPP%20Year%201%20Report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.criminologycenter.fsu.edu/p/pdf/Palm%20Beach%20County%20YVPP%20Year%201%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 125674 Keywords: Crime Prevention (Florida)Delinquency Prevention Programs - GangsGun ViolenceJuvenile OffendersViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Weiss, Billie Title: An Assessment of Youth Violence Prevention Activities in USA Cities Summary: Research has shown that violence is a serious issue for cities. Despite the evidence little data have been collected reporting on cities’ overall strategies, resources, and activities to address this problem. In an effort to inform urban efforts to reduce violence, UNITY conducted an assessment to establish baseline measurements of the magnitude of youth violence, the level of concern within the city and collaborative efforts to address and monitor the issue. The assessment was conducted by Southern California Injury Prevention Research Center (SCIPRC) at UCLA School of Public Health. The study included standardized interviews with Mayors, Police Chiefs, Health Department Directors and School Superintendents, or their designees in a representative sample of the largest cities, populations of 400,000 or more, across the U.S. Major Findings • Most cities cited a lack of a comprehensive strategy. • Public Health Departments are not generally included in city strategies. • Law enforcement and criminal justice are the most prevalent strategy used in the cities. • Gang violence was identified as the major type of youth violence. • Cities, for the most part, lack clearly developed outcomes, evaluations, or evaluation plans to measure and monitor their efforts. • Cities with the greatest coordinated approach also had the lowest rates of youth violence. Recommendations For cities: • Adopt a comprehensive approach to youth violence that includes an equitable distribution of prevention, intervention and suppression/enforcement. • Establish greater collaboration between city entities and across jurisdictional borders to county and state entities. • Develop and implement a city-wide plan with measurable objectives and an evaluation component. For the nation: • Create a national agenda to address youth violence in the largest cities developed and adopted by several national partners. • Provide training for State and Local Public Health Departments about their role in violence prevention and also provide incentives and opportunities to participate in city-wide efforts. • Provide cities with the opportunity to network and mentor each other in their efforts to reduce and prevent violence through UNITY. Details: Los Angeles: Southern California Injury Prevention Research Center, UCLA School of Public Health, 2008. 153p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2012 at: http://www.ph.ucla.edu/sciprc/pdf/UNITY-SCIPRCassessment.June2008.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.ph.ucla.edu/sciprc/pdf/UNITY-SCIPRCassessment.June2008.pdf Shelf Number: 125680 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionGangsJuvenile OffendersUrban AreasViolent CrimeYouth Violence (U.S.) |
Author: Northern Ireland. Criminal Justice Inspection Title: Early Youth Interventions: An inspection of the contribution the criminal justice agencies in Northern Ireland make to preventing children and young people from entering the criminal justice system Summary: Early intervention can be described as the policies and programmes which are aimed at tackling the problems emerging for children and young people and their families most at risk. There is clear evidence to show that channelling funds to young children is likely to generate more positive changes than spending money on an older child. Many of the problems that contribute to criminal behaviour are already formed long before the young person reaches the criminal justice system. A snap-shot study on the backgrounds of young people detained in the Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre in November 2011 shows over a third were ‘looked-after’ or voluntary accommodated children within the care system; 82% were identified as coming from a single parent family and 34% had experienced domestic violence in the home environment. In relation to educational attainment, 38% of the sample had a statement of learning needs whilst 14% had a recognised learning disability; 80% of the sample had issues relating to school exclusion or absconding from school. The vast majority of young people (92%) had misused drugs or alcohol, while 32% had self-harmed. The profile of young offenders as those coming from dysfunctional families who have become detached from the formal education system, and who have developed chaotic lifestyles abusing drugs and alcohol is depressingly familiar. While the problems are well known, and the benefit of youth interventions are well understood, the practical difficulties of ensuring that this determines the allocation of resources and focus of work across the various Northern Ireland Executive departments are enormous. Inspectors could not get a complete picture of the number, types and funding of early intervention programmes available in Northern Ireland. They found there was a myriad of providers, target participants, silo funding streams and delivery and evaluation methodologies. In relation to the situation in Northern Ireland generally, and the justice system specifically, there was a lack of co-ordination, a risk of duplication and a lack of evaluation which made it difficult to assess effectiveness and value for money. What is clear is that for many young people it was a case of ‘too little too late’. All too often interventions attempt to deal with social problems that are already well entrenched. This is not only ineffective in helping those young people with issues that contribute to criminal behaviour, it is also more expensive. The path to the youth justice system is a well-trodden one, yet we as a society seem incapable of helping some young people to move off it. Ultimately the question of whether to fully commit to an early interventions approach is one for Ministers. There needs to be consensus and co-operation between those responsible for health and social care, education, criminal justice, social development, employment and learning and the environment. If there is a desire for a move to early interventions then a joined up system of governance, accountability, funding, delivery, evaluation of outcomes and ultimately a shared vision of success is essential. This report calls for a clear commitment to such an approach. The challenge is immense. The alternative is a continued failure, as a society, for our most vulnerable children. Details: Belfast: Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland, 2012. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2012 at: http://www.cjini.org/CJNI/files/a3/a33b7bdf-05a2-4574-b7a1-3b6c8eeea978.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cjini.org/CJNI/files/a3/a33b7bdf-05a2-4574-b7a1-3b6c8eeea978.pdf Shelf Number: 125775 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile Justice Systems (Northern Ireland)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Harvard University. International Human Rights Clinic Title: Preventable Tragedy in Panama—Unnecessary Deaths and Rights Violations in Juvenile Detention Centers Summary: This report, based on investigation of the juvenile detention centers, assesses the extent to which Panama has violated the rights of juveniles in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (the “Conventionâ€) and other related international instruments. At Panama’s previous appearance before the Committee on the Rights of the Child (“CRCâ€) in 2004, the CRC made observations and recommendations concerning violations in the juvenile justice system. The concluding observations included recommendations to Panama about separating detainees by age and needs, ensuring access to social services, adequately responding to cases and complaints of mistreatment by law enforcement agents, ensuring contact with families, providing regular medical examinations, and creating a recovery and social rehabilitation system. As this report documents, Panama’s rights violations in these areas have continued or increased since 2004. The report documents grave civil rights violations, especially in the fire that occurred at the Centro de Cumplimiento de Tocumen (“Tocumenâ€) on January 9, 2011 and resulted in the burning deaths of five juveniles. The police, guards, and detention center officials involved demonstrated disregard for the lives of these juveniles, used excessive force and failed to allow the children to exit the building once it became clear that their lives were threatened by the fire. The lack of a system to prevent incidents such as this one is unacceptable, especially given that a similar burning death had already taken place in another cell in the same detention center less than two years before the January 2011 incident, in November 2009. Panamanian officials must ensure that those responsible are investigated, prosecuted, and adequately sanctioned for this behavior, as the CRC reminded the State in its 2004 Concluding Observations. Furthermore, physical violence and continued abuse from the guards, as well as horrendous living conditions, especially in the maximum security cells, constitute cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. The juvenile detention centers also fail to ensure freedom of expression and give due weight to the voice of the juveniles in clear violation of the Convention and the CRC’s previous recommendations to Panama. Panamanian authorities must take urgent measures to respond to these grave conditions. Additionally, the report notes that the juvenile detention centers unduly restrict family visits, denying detainees the right to maintain contact with their families. The centers also have failed to provide detainees with adequate physical or mental health services, and have failed to provide specialized care for detainees with disabilities. Authorities have failed to provide juveniles adequate educational or vocational training while in detention, thus impairing their ability to assume productive roles in society upon their release. Detention center officials have also impermissibly restricted recreation and work activities for detainees. The juvenile justice system has also failed to comply with the Convention and other international instruments by creating a structure marked by harsh penalties and minimal protections. Moreover, the current conditions of confinement in the Panamanian juvenile detention system are manifestly inadequate to protect the health, welfare, and dignity of juvenile detainees. Detention centers fail to separate detainees by age and gravity of the crime, are grossly overcrowded, and continue to deny detainees access to adequate food, water, and sanitary facilities. The report concludes that Panama has disregarded its obligations under the Convention and related international instruments by failing to protect the rights of juvenile detainees and subjecting them to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. Building additional infrastructure, such as the new center due to open in July 2011, will not solve the severe rights violations present in the current system. Panama must reform both its laws and practice to ensure compliance with international law. Details: Cambridge, MA: Harvard International Human Rights Clinic, 2011. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 6, 2012 at: http://harvardhumanrights.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/panama-juvenile-detention-alianza-asamblea-harvard-6-20.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Panama URL: http://harvardhumanrights.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/panama-juvenile-detention-alianza-asamblea-harvard-6-20.pdf Shelf Number: 125861 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Detention Centers (Panama)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Ratledge, Leo Title: Inhuman Sentencing: Life Imprisonment of Children in the Commonwealth Summary: This report reviews the laws of Commonwealth States with regards to life imprisonment of children: that is all persons under 18 years of age. For the purposes of this report "life imprisonment" is defined to include a variety of types of sentence under which it is possible for a person to be legally detained for life. Such sentences include: life imprisonment without parole; life impisonment with the possibility of parole; detention at the pleasure of the executive or the courts; and indefinite detention sentences. Details: London: Child Rights International Network, 2012. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 6, 2012 at: http://www.crin.org/docs/Inhuman%20Setencing-1.pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://www.crin.org/docs/Inhuman%20Setencing-1.pdf Shelf Number: 125867 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersLife Imprisonment, JuvenileLife Sentences |
Author: Canada. Public Safety Canada, Evaluation Directorate Title: Final Report 2010-2011 Evaluation of the Youth Gang Prevention Fund Program Summary: Canada’s National Crime Prevention Strategy aims to increase individual and community safety by equipping Canadians with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to advance crime prevention efforts in their communities. This is done in part through Public Safety Canada’s (PS) National Crime Prevention Center (NCPC), which oversees the planning, development, and implementation of policies and practices related to crime prevention and victimization. In delivering the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF) Program, the NCPC focuses on social factors and conditions that contribute to gang membership, while recognizing a need to reduce immediate opportunities or situations in which crime and victimization can occur. This approach is based on research which shows that preventive as well as reactive (or suppressive) measures—the apprehension, sentencing, incarceration and rehabilitation of offenders—are necessary to prevent crime. The YGPF invests in communities where youth gangs are an existing or emerging threat and supports initiatives that clearly target youth in gangs or at greatest risk of joining gangs. Total funding for the YGPF Program is $33,595,100 over five years beginning in 2006-2007. In choosing the projects under the YGPF Program, the NCPC worked within the context of the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Working Group on Community Safety and Crime Prevention to identify municipalities and community-based groups that were tackling youth gang issues. The NCPC then worked with these municipalities and communities to develop and implement anti-gang prevention projects using directed funding in the form of contribution agreements. Consistent with the experimental nature of NCPC’s work, these projects were based on promising or proven gang prevention practices. Each project hired an independent evaluator to assess youth participants’ propensity towards gang involvement, based upon set risk factors upon intake to the project, as well as at each six month interval. These results are reported annually to the NCPC which then collects, analyzes, and disseminates results from funded projects and other sources of knowledge and information on youth gang issues. This enables the federal government to play a role in helping develop local solutions to youth gang issues. YGPF Program inception documents note that the federal government has a leadership role to play in helping to build safer and healthier communities. The YGPF Program provides an opportunity for the federal government to show leadership by bringing together partners who have a role in preventing and reducing youth crime. The outcomes of the YGPF Program as stated in inception documents, the YGPF Accountability, Risk and Audit Framework (ARAF) and the program logic model can be summarized as follows: • to increase understanding and knowledge of how to effectively address the issues related to youth gangs; and • to support communities and youth at risk through the implementation of local, targeted and tailored anti-gang initiatives (through directed contribution funding). This document presents the evaluation of PS’s YGPF Program. This evaluation was conducted between May and July 2010 in accordance with the Treasury Board of Canada Policy on Evaluation, which came into effect April 2009, and the 2007 Accountability, Risk and Audit Framework (ARAF) prescribed by the program. The objective of this evaluation is to provide an evidence based, neutral assessment of the relevance and performance of the program that is in its fifth year of operation. The scope of the research for this evaluation includes activities of the YGPF Program from its inception in October 2006 to March 31, 2010. It should be noted that the scope of the evaluation includes the YGPF Program, rather than just the activities of the funded projects. The YGPF Program refers to the results of the funded projects under the YGPF (the fund); the administration of related contribution funding; and the knowledge transfer activities of NCPC related to the youth gang issue. The evaluation methodologies included document/literature review and Internet research; a review of the Grants and Contributions Information Management System; interviews with program management, funded recipients, project evaluators and subject matter experts; a provincial/territorial focus group; a review of NCPC’s Annual Project Evaluation Reports; a comparative analysis; and a cost-effectiveness analysis. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2011. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 10, 2012 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/abt/dpr/eval/_fl/ygpf-flagj-09-10-eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/abt/dpr/eval/_fl/ygpf-flagj-09-10-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 125959 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionGangs (Canada)Juvenile OffendersYouth Gangs |
Author: Craig, Wendy Title: Better Beginnings, Better Futures Study: Delinquency Trajectories of At-Risk Youth Summary: Many studies of juvenile delinquency over the past two decades have focused on older, serious, and violent juvenile offenders. Younger delinquents have been ignored partly because their number is relatively small and their threat is often not as immediate. Understanding the trajectories of delinquency at a young age and the risk and protective factors associated with those developmental trajectories can inform the development of early risk assessments and the development of targeted prevention and intervention programs. The objectives of the research were to identify early trajectories of delinquency for both boys and girls from age 8 (Grade 3), age 11 (Grade 6), and age 14 (Grade 9) in a longitudinal sample of at-risk youth from a multi-informant perspective, assess risk and protective factors that may influence the likelihood that youth will engage in criminal behaviour in adolescence, and examine whether youth in the identified delinquency trajectories differ substantially in terms of delinquency, involvement with the criminal justice system, emotional and behavioural problems, experience of abuse, academic/school functioning, and health/health risk behaviours. Additionally, this study aimed at estimating the costs associated with each delinquency trajectory on utilization of government resources in the criminal justice system, remedial education, health care and social services, and social assistance. In order to examine these research questions, analyses were conducted using the Better Beginnings, Better Futures data. These data followed 842 children living in five disadvantaged communities in Ontario. The same children were assessed when they were in Grades 3, 6, and 9 with measures largely based on the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY). Three key informant sources were used to assess children’s delinquency (parents, teachers and self-report youth ratings). In Grade 3, children’s levels of delinquency were assessed by teachers. In Grade 6, the children were assessed by parents, teachers and the youth, while in Grade 9, they were assessed by parents and the youth. In addition to the above, 31 risk factors and 17 protective factors for delinquency were examined when the children were in Grade 3. When the children were in Grade 9, 41 outcome measures were examined in the following domains: emotional and behavioural problems, delinquency problems, abuse, involvement with the criminal justice system, functioning in school, and health and health risk activities. Finally, monetary costs associated with the criminal justice system, remedial education, health care and social services, and social assistance were estimated for each participant. The literature on delinquent trajectories identifies three main delinquency groups among children and youth: a low delinquency group, a high delinquency group, and a desisting delinquency group. The trajectory analyses of the current research indicated that there were six delinquency trajectory groups. Children in two of the trajectories had very low ratings of delinquency across time (lowest delinquency group and the second lowest delinquency group). Two other trajectories showed a similar pattern of delinquency ratings that was decreasing over time. In the moderate desisters group, children had moderate levels of delinquency at Grade 3 followed by low levels of delinquency at Grades 6 and 9. In the highest desisters group children had the highest level of reported delinquency behaviours at Grade 3, followed by a marked decrease in reported delinquency at Grades 6 and 9. The fifth trajectory group, named escalators, had very low levels of reported delinquency at Grade 3 and increased markedly in their reported delinquency over time. By Grade 9, children in this trajectory group had the second highest delinquency scores. The final group, high delinquency, started with moderate levels of reported delinquency at Grade 3, marked by the highest reported levels of delinquency at Grades 6 and 9 of any of the trajectory groups. Children at risk for delinquency (i.e., those in the high delinquency, escalators, and the two desisters trajectory groups) scored significantly higher on 17 of the 31 individual, family, peer, and neighbourhood risk factors. For example, children from these four trajectory groups experienced more hyperactive, oppositional-defiant, and physically aggressive behaviours; family risk factors included single parenthood, less parental education, public housing, and hostile-ineffective parenting. These results highlight the need to further develop and refine assessment tools to include these risk factors associated with delinquency. By Grade 9, the high delinquency and escalators groups also had significantly more problems than the other groups; they exhibited more emotional/behavioural, health, criminal, and school functioning problems. Early identification at school and involvement in special education programs early may have significantly reduced these negative outcomes in Grade 9. Finally, the economic analyses identified that youth in the high delinquency, escalators, and the two desisters trajectory groups cost a significant amount of money; for example, approximately 80% of the estimated costs to society (e.g., on utilization of government resources in the criminal justice system, remedial education, health care and social services, and social assistance) were from these four trajectory groups which represent 18% of the sample. Furthermore, 80% of the estimated criminal justice costs were due to the youth in the high delinquency and escalators groups. The findings of the current study highlight some key conclusions. First, there are early indicators to the developmental pathways to delinquency. The risk factors associated with delinquency involvement (e.g., inattention/hyperactivity problems, oppositional defiant problems, low family functioning, having a teenage mother) can be identified as early as Grade 3 and can inform the implementation of an assessment and/or screening tool for children and youth at-risk of delinquency. Second, delinquency involvement does not just emerge, it develops over time, and without intervention, the problems accumulate and may become serious and significant by as early as Grade 9. Third, investment in prevention, such as educational support, can reduce criminal justice costs and delinquency involvement. The most at risk groups (high delinquency and escalators groups) for delinquency involvement accounted for the majority of the estimated reactive costs (e.g., criminal justice, health care and social services, social assistance) and not the preventative costs (e.g., remedial education). Specifically, the high delinquency and escalators groups accounted for 46% of the reactive costs compared to 32% for the two desisters groups and 22% for the two low delinquency groups; for the preventative costs, high delinquency and escalators groups accounted for 38% of the costs compared to 44% for the two desister groups and 18% for the two low delinquency groups. Although more research is needed to understand the delinquency trajectories of girls, those at-risk of delinquency appear to require more support. Although our high risk group of girls was limited, there are some preliminary indications from this research that they are at a heightened risk for problems (e.g., emotional problems, having delinquent friends, police involvement) and the estimated costs associated with their problems may be higher than for boys because they appear not only through the criminal justice system, but also through the health care system. Details: Ottawa: National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada, 2011. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 2011-03: Accessed August 10, 2012 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/bbbf-eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/bbbf-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 125960 Keywords: At-risk YouthDelinquency PreventionJuvenile Delinquency (Canada)Juvenile OffendersJuvenile to Adult Criminal Careers |
Author: Labourse, Eric Title: Late Childhood Risk Factors Associated with Conduct Disorder Subtypes in Early Adolescence: A Latent Class Analysis of a Canadian Sample Summary: Very few studies have investigated the association between risk factors in late childhood and subtypes of conduct disorder (CD) in early adolescence that comprise such heterogeneous symptoms as aggression, destruction of property, theft and serious violations of rules. Previous research has identified four distinct subtypes: No CD type (82.4%), Non-Aggressive CD (NACD) type (13.9%), Physically Aggressive CD (PACD) type (2.3%) and Severe-Mixed CD (SMCD) type (1.4%). These subtypes suggest that there can be multiple pathways to CD that can have similar or different risk factors depending on the qualitative or quantitative aspects of the CD profiles. The aim of the present study was to identify late childhood risk factors in multiple domains, such as neighbourhood characteristics, family adversity, parenting/peer relationships and externalized/internalized behaviours that are common and specific to the four CD subtypes. Methods: Data on CD symptoms and risk factors were collected using the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. Three cohorts of 12- and 13-year-olds were assessed during 1994–1995, 1996–1997 and 1998–1999 (N = 4,125). Results: Bivariate analyses revealed that out of 12 risk factors, 10 were associated with SMCD, 9 were associated with PACD and 10 were associated with NACD. In contrast to No CD subtype, multivariate analyses revealed that older age, non-intact family, family mobility and hyperactivity/inattention were predictors of SMCD. Males in the younger age category with family mobility and high physical aggression were associated with PACD. NACD was characterized by males in the older age category and with non-intact family, family mobility, coercive/ineffective parenting and deviant peers. Conclusion: Although there are many subtypes of CD, our findings suggest that there is more commonality than differences in risk factors. Components of family adversity, parenting practices and hyperactivity/inattention should be the focus of prevention and intervention efforts. Details: Ottawa: National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada, 2012. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report: 2012-2: Accessed August 10, 2012 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/lcrf-eng.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/lcrf-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 0 Keywords: AggressionAt-risk YouthConduct Disorder, Juveniles (Canada)Delinquency PreventionJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Pearson, Ashley Title: An Evaluation of Winnipeg’s Electronic Monitoring Pilot Project For Youth Auto Theft Offenders Summary: In 2008, the Manitoba government implemented an electronic monitoring (EM) project for high-risk automobile theft offenders. To evaluate this program, youth in the program were matched with other high-risk auto theft offenders who had not been put on EM. Dimensions including characteristics, daily contacts and criminal histories were examined between groups. Interviews were also conducted with offenders who had been on EM and with program staff and stakeholders. The results of the evaluation indicated a small change in criminal history for the EM group for auto theft, technical and combined offences. Since the Winnipeg Auto Theft Suppression Strategy (WATSS) began in 2005, there has been a decrease of approximately 11,000 auto thefts. Notably, only a very small part of this number could be attributed to the EM program. Electronic monitoring as an intervention can be a complementary program when offered in accompaniment with other WATSS and Manitoba Youth Correctional Services (MYCS) programs. Details: Winnipeg: Department of Sociology, University of Manitoba, 2012. 242p. Source: Internet Resource: Master's Thesis: Accessed August 11, 2012 at: http://mspace.lib.umanitoba.ca/bitstream/1993/8102/1/Pearson_Ashley.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Canada URL: http://mspace.lib.umanitoba.ca/bitstream/1993/8102/1/Pearson_Ashley.pdf Shelf Number: 125968 Keywords: Automobile Theft (Canada)Electronic MonitoringJuvenile OffendersMotor Vehicle Theft |
Author: Public Safety Canada. National Crime Prevention Centre Title: Prevention of Youth Gang Violence: Overview of Strategies and Approaches Summary: There are many reasons why interventions on social issues should be evidence-based. In the case of crime, violence and youth gangs in particular, these interventions deal with at-risk groups of the population, and so should try to maximize the potential to achieve positive outcomes. Furthermore, given limited resources, all partners and stakeholders involved should ensure that programs implemented will be the most effective and cost-efficient possible. And finally, interventions should be based on evidence so as not to replicate what does not work. Available evidence suggests that well-designed and rigorously implemented prevention strategies can produce significant changes in youth gang and youth violence problems. Rigorous evaluations of youth gang programs are rare; nevertheless, available studies point to some programs, approaches and strategies that have shown promise in effectively reducing youth gang crime (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2007, 2011; OJJDP, 2010). This document briefly describes some of the most evidence-based approaches to prevent youth gangs and serious youth violence which the National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC) is interested in developing through the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF). It is designed to assist organizations interested in submitting a proposal to have access to some of the best available knowledge in Canada. The document is organized in three parts. Part I describes three key approaches, while Part II summarizes some of the key lessons learned through the first five years of the YGPF (2006-2011). Finally, Part III provides a list of Canadian and international resources in youth gang prevention. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2012. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2012 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/prg/cp/ygpf/ygpf-osa-eng.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/prg/cp/ygpf/ygpf-osa-eng.aspx Shelf Number: 125970 Keywords: Gang ViolenceJuvenile OffendersYouth Gangs (Canada)Youth Violence |
Author: Chettleburgh, Michael C. Title: Evaluability Assessment Final Report: Breaking the Cycle Youth Gang Exit and Ambassador Leadership Program Summary: The issue of street gangs in Canada has generated considerable concern among criminal justice professionals and the general public. Because of the high level of criminal behaviour associated with street gangs, and the inherent dangers posed to youth who choose to participate in their activities, the value of prevention and intervention programs has taken on new importance. Specific programs that seek to help young people exit a gang are not yet commonplace in Canada, and those that do exist typically have not undergone formal evaluation to determine actual program effect. This study sought to assess the evaluability of one of Canada’s longest running street gang exit programs †Breaking the Cycle, developed and managed by Torontoâ€based Canadian Training Institute – that is, to answer the question “Is the Breaking the Cycle program at a suitable state of readiness for comprehensive process, impact and cost effectiveness evaluation?†Four key methods were used to show that subject to some modifications to identification of the appropriate target group, documentation and data collection practices, the Breaking the Cycle program can be accurately evaluated in the near future. Thus, the National Crime Prevention Centre or other organizations are encouraged to formally evaluate the program, and indeed, support it financially, because of the initial positive indicators demonstrated during the Evaluability Assessment. Details: Report to the National Criminal Prevention Centre of Public Safety Canada, 2008. 159p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2012 at: http://www.cantraining.org/BTC%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://www.cantraining.org/BTC%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 125971 Keywords: Gang PreventionJuvenile OffendersStreet GangsYouth Gangs (Canada) |
Author: Bhatt, Gira Title: Strength-based Approaches to Youth Gang Prevention in B.C.: Community Consultation Paper Summary: This paper discusses strength-based strategies for reducing youth involvement in gang violence. The current discussion is meant to provoke thought and provide some theoretical background. This discussion includes a review of research on strengths that matter, some cautions such as concerns about cultural relevance, and a differentiation of types of strength-based interventions. It also explores some strength-based practices with examples of specific strategies implemented by the Community Assessment and Action Networks. The paper includes feedback from three workshops conducted with community stakeholders on March 24th 2010 consultation hosted by the BC Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. The discussion concludes with recommendations to connect evidence-based research with practice. This discussion paper provides background that may help people considering strength-based interventions. Details: Ottawa: National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada, 2010. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 13, 2012 at: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crimeprevention/publications/docs/gang-prevention-youth-strength-based.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crimeprevention/publications/docs/gang-prevention-youth-strength-based.pdf Shelf Number: 126000 Keywords: Gang PreventionGangs (Canada)Juvenile OffendersYouth Gangs |
Author: Evans, Nikki Title: 1 | D A R E R e v i e w & E v a l u a t i o n P r o j e c t R e p o r t – J a n u a r y 2 0 0 9 F u l l R e p o r t : D A R E t o b e Y o u & D A R E t o M o v e O n Review and Evaluation of Two Community Delivered DARE Programmes; DARE to be Y Summary: Addressing the causes of problematic, antisocial or criminal behaviour is the approach that has the most potential to reduce the likelihood of young people developing problematic behaviour and reducing recidivism in youth who have already begun to offend (McLaren, 2000). Therefore, early or “just in time†interventions are important components of a continuum of intervention responses available to professionals working with young people. Of course, such programmes must be designed to meet the needs of the young people involved. Much research has considered the individual and environmental factors that contribute to the development of aggressive or antisocial behaviour in children and adolescents. Multiple factors models suggest that various causal factors interact to result in an individual pathway to problematic social behaviour, or, at worst, offending behaviour (Shepard & Farrington, 1995; Withecomb, 1997). The idea that some factors contribute to the development or continued engagement in problematic behaviour more than others is, essentially, the basis of risk prediction tools. An assessment of the particular risk factors present for each youth should guide the intervention they receive within a best practice model. The purpose, nature and scope of this assessment may vary significantly across agencies and intervention contexts. Nonetheless, attention to assessment and planned intervention is a foundation of best-practice interventions. In terms of minor criminal behaviour, this means that the presence of particular individual or social risk factor that is correlated with risk of re-offending is assessed. Through ongoing research and recent clinical developments, more is known now about what works in reducing problematic or offending behaviour by youth than ever before. This research and clinical literature is reviewed as a part of this review and evaluation of the DARE to be You and Dare to Move On programmes provided by the DARE Foundation. The review concentrates on research findings and clinical reports that examine effective interventions for youth, including consideration of treatment components and aspects of programme delivery to establish the relevance and appropriateness of the goals, methods and materials of the two DARE programmes. Details: Christchurch, NZ: University of Canterbury, 2009. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 27, 2012 at: http://dare.org.nz/cms/imagelibrary/100250.pdf Year: 2009 Country: New Zealand URL: http://dare.org.nz/cms/imagelibrary/100250.pdf Shelf Number: 126115 Keywords: Antisocial BehaviorJuvenile Offender Rehabilitation (New Zealand)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Mackie, Alan Title: Evaluation of the Youth Inclusion Programme: Phase 2 Summary: The Youth Inclusion Programme incorporated 72 projects located in many of the most deprived neighbourhoods in England and Wales. The purpose of the programme was to reintegrate into mainstream society young people most ‘at risk’ of school or social exclusion, truancy or offending. The programme identified and worked with 50 of the young people deemed by local agencies to be most at risk in each neighbourhood. In addition to working with this core 50, projects also sought to engage a wider group of young people in the area. Participation was entirely voluntary. The overall objective of the programme during Phase 2 was ‘to reduce youth crime within the neighbourhood’. To help the programme achieve this objective, the Board set four supporting targets. These included two process targets, which related to how the programme should operate: • to ensure that at least 75% of the identified core group were engaged • to ensure the core 50 who were engaged received at least five hours of appropriate interventions per week. In addition, there were two outcome targets, which related to what the programme should deliver: • to reduce arrest rates among the core group by 70%, compared with the 12 months prior to their engagement • to ensure that 90% of those in the engaged core group were in suitable fulltime education, training or employment (ETE). This report presents the findings of the evaluation of Phase 2 of the programme, which ran from April 2003 to the end of April 2006. As such, the report describes the programme in its second phase and the findings relate to the time of writing, May 2006. The evaluation was tasked with describing the operation of the programme and also measuring its success in meeting its targets, but did not aim to address the impact of the programme in reducing youth crime. Details: London: Youth Justice Board, 2012. 164p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/8444/1/Evaluation_of_the_Youth_Inclusion_Programme_-_Phase_2_%28Full_report%29.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/8444/1/Evaluation_of_the_Youth_Inclusion_Programme_-_Phase_2_%28Full_report%29.pdf Shelf Number: 126183 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.)Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersTruancy |
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: McSweeney, Tim Title: Young People, Cannabis Use and Anti-Social Behaviour Summary: This report by the Institute for Criminal Policy Research, King’s College London, presents findings of a study on young people, cannabis use and anti-social behaviour. To date few research studies have focused on the question of whether young people’s cannabis use has any influence on the incidence or frequency of any anti-social behaviour or criminal activity they may engage in. This research intended to yield a more nuanced understanding of young people’s cannabis use and any associations this use may have with anti-social behaviour. The study found that: · Most of the sixty-one young people questioned acknowledged the potential for harm posed by cannabis, but felt capable of making rational and informed decisions about its use. · Most young people, and around half of the eighty community respondents, knew that cannabis had been reclassified from a Class B to a Class C drug. Two in three professionals opposed the decision to reclassify. · Most of the nineteen professionals interviewed felt that young people smoking cannabis in public caused problems for local residents. However, less than half of young people saw this as anti-social, and two-thirds of residents said they were unaffected by this behaviour. · Almost all young people believed that their age group was routinely accused of acting in an anti-social way, even when they had not been. · Young people believed ASB could be reduced if there were more opportunities and facilities for them. Respondents to the community survey also thought under-investment in local facilities had exacerbated the area’s problems. · Young people wanted a clearer definition of what constituted ASB and better advertising and education about cannabis use. Some professionals supported this, and favoured an integrated approach to tackling deprivation, education, training and employment, and sexual health as well as drugs and ASB. · Opinion amongst residents was divided on whether there is a link between young people’s cannabis use and ASB. Less than half of the professionals thought that cannabis use predisposed young people to anti-social behaviour. · Many community respondents believed that the burden of tackling young people’s cannabis use and ASB should not rest with any single agency. Professionals supported a multi-agency approach to tackling ASB but questioned local agencies’ ability to do this. Details: London: The Institute for Criminal Policy Research, King’s College London, 2007. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://www.icpr.org.uk/media/5590/young%20people%20cannabis%20use%20and%20ASB.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.icpr.org.uk/media/5590/young%20people%20cannabis%20use%20and%20ASB.pdf Shelf Number: 126229 Keywords: Antisocial BehaviorAt-risk YouthCannabisDrug Abuse and Crime (U.K.)Juvenile OffendersMarijuana |
Author: Roca Title: Intervention Work with High-Risk Young People: Foundational Elements, Guiding Principles, Ideas, and Questions for Discussion A Report by Police Officers, Roca Youth Workers, and DYS Officials Summary: The goal of this document is to provide a framework for intervention work with young people ages 14-24 who are currently involved in violence, delinquency, substance abuse, and other harmful behaviors. It is a collaborative effort of various individuals who currently work in the intervention field. This document is not meant to be completely comprehensive; rather, it is meant to initiate important dialogue regarding strategies for improving our work with high-risk young people. After reviewing the research and discussing intervention in depth, we believe that there are five core elements to intervention work. We believe that each of these core elements must be targeted and based on data, intentional and outcome focused, and long term. They also must be implemented by organizations that care about young people and believe they can change. The core elements are: a. Outreach and Youth Work: Young people need positive, constructive, purposeful, long-term relationships with caring and mature adults to help them change. b. Programming: Programming helps to develop necessary skills for the young person. Examples of programming include educational, employment, counseling, substance abuse treatment, parenting, and family support. The purpose of programming is to build competency that will drive the young person to reach his outcomes. c. Organizational Partnerships: Partnerships among community, police and criminal/juvenile justice are vital. Organizations, agencies, and departments that work with young people must do so in a coordinated manner. In order to be most effective, they must share information and responsibility. An “us versus them†mentality simply will not work. One organization/agency cannot provide all the necessary services to a young person. In order to have a coordinated and intentional response, partnerships are vital. d. Suppression: The formal criminal justice/juvenile justice system must be part of the intervention strategy in order to maintain community safety. e. Family and Community Involvement: When developing strategies, we must keep in mind the realities of the family and community structures within which young people live. Programs that involve families can be more effective than individualfocused strategies alone. When possible and sensible, families should be involved. Additionally, reducing the risk factors in the community as a whole is a desirable outcome in any large-scale intervention work. Details: Chelsea, MA: Roca, 2009. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2012 at: http://www.rocainc.org/doclibrary.php?doc_file=InterventionManual.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.rocainc.org/doclibrary.php?doc_file=InterventionManual.pdf Shelf Number: 126235 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.S.)Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation |
Author: Maynard, Brandy R. Title: Indicated Truancy Interventions: Effects on School Attendance among Chronic Truant Students Summary: Truancy is a significant problem in the U.S. and in other countries around the world. Truancy has been linked to serious immediate and far-reaching consequences for youth, families, and schools and communities, leading researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to try to understand and to address the problem. Although numerous and significant steps have been taken at the local, state, and national levels to reduce truancy, the rates of truancy have at best remained stable or at worst been on the rise, depending on the indicator utilized to assess truancy rates. The costs and impact of chronic truancy are significant, with both short- and long-term implications for the truant youth as well as for the family, school, and community. Although several narrative reviews and one meta-analysis of attendance and truancy interventions have attempted to summarize the extant research, there are a number of limitations to these reviews. It is imperative that we systematically synthesize and examine the evidence base to provide a comprehensive picture of interventions that are being utilized to intervene with chronic truants, to identify interventions that are effective and ineffective, and to identify gaps and areas in which more research needs to be conducted to better inform practice and policy. Details: Oslo: The Campbell Collaboration, 2012. 84p. Source: Campbell Systematic Reviews 2012:10: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2012 at http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/2136/ Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/2136/ Shelf Number: 126250 Keywords: At-risk YouthCrime PreventionDelinquency PreventionEvaluative StudiesJuvenile OffendersTruancy |
Author: Brown, Sarah Alice Title: Trends in Juvenile Justice State Legislation 2001 - 2011 Summary: A rise in serious juvenile crime in the late 1980s and early 1990s led to state laws that moved away from the traditional emphasis on rehabilitation in the juvenile justice system toward tougher, more punitive treatment of youth, including adult hanÂdling. During the past decade, juvenile crime rates have declined, and state legislatures are rebalancing approaches to juvenile crime and delinquency in order to identify methods that proÂduce better results for kids at lower cost. Today, there is more and better information available to policymakers on the causes of juvenile crime and what can be done to prevent it. This includes imÂportant information about neurobiological and psychosocial factors and the effects these factors have on development and competency of adolescents. The research has contributed to recent legislative trends to distinÂguish juvenile from adult offenders, restore the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, and adopt sciÂentific screening and assessment tools to structure decision-making and identify needs of juvenile ofÂfenders. Competency statutes and policies have beÂcome more research-based, and youth interventions are evidence-based across a range of programs and services. Other legislative actions have increased due process protections for juveniles, reformed deÂtention and addressed racial disparities in juvenile justice systems. Under a partnership with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in Chicago, Illinois, the following report, “Juvenile Justice Trends in State Legislation, 2011-2011,†was produced illustrating the trends in juvenile justice enactments over the past decade. The report is a summary analysis of 2001-2011 juvenile justice legislation in all 50-states and describes the direction of state juvenile justice policy over this ten-year period. It highlights significant pieces of legislation and catalogs the volume and variety of juvenile justice legislation enacted in states. Details: Denver, CO: National Conference of State Legislatures, 2012. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2012 at http://www.ncsl.org/documents/cj/TrendsInJuvenileJustice.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncsl.org/documents/cj/TrendsInJuvenileJustice.pdf Shelf Number: 126253 Keywords: Juvenile JusticeJuvenile Justice LegislationJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Meadows, Linda Title: Evaluation of the South Yorkshire Restorative Justice Programme Summary: This is the final report of the evaluation of South Yorkshire Restorative Justice Programme (SYRJP), undertaken by the Hallam Centre for Community Justice at Sheffield Hallam University. The SYRJP was developed in partnership between South Yorkshire Police and the Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB) with the aim of implementing a county wide model of Restorative Justice (RJ) for use in neighbourhood policing and other community applications. It is aimed at tackling low level crime and anti-social behaviour in neighbourhoods and gives police officers the discretion to use Youth and Adult Restorative disposals as an alternative to prosecution for low level offending behaviour where offenders have no previous convictions, make an admission of guilt and where both offender and victim consent to the RJ process. The first phase of implementation involved training 1700 front line police officers in the use of RJ disposals and the second phase delivered enhanced training in Restorative conferencing to 160 officers. The third phase is ongoing and has extended RJ into Hate Crime and Integrated Offender Management. Since the inception of the Programme in March 2010 until February 2012 a total of 3,357 RJ interventions have been undertaken across the County. The evaluation was primarily qualitative and involved: interviews with eight magistrates, 34 victims and 29 offenders and 10 police officers; observation/focus group activities in five community meetings; a survey of police staff, a community survey and two victim surveys. A quantitative element was added during the course of the evaluation and involved analysing the reconviction rates for a cohort of offenders who had received an RJ disposal and a comparator cohort. Findings from these activities are organised around three key themes: The RJ Model; the RJ Process and the Impact of RJ. The RJ Model currently in operation has changed from the model originally envisaged at the outset of the program. What has emerged is a continuum of approaches which incorporates Street/Instant RJ and RJ conferencing but also includes hybrid approaches which fall somewhere between the two. While there may be advantages to a more flexible and wider application of RJ, this is not without risk, including consistency and clarity of understanding amongst police officers. Overall, the concept of RJ is well embedded across the force and there were high levels of satisfaction with the relevance of the training and the level of skills it provided. Police officers were generally confident in the use of RJ and the empowering opportunity it provided for professional discretion. Senior level support was strong though issues were raised about levels of understanding amongst custody sergeants/inspectors who are involved in the decisions to use RJ. Use of conferencing is less well embedded and police officers identified a range of structural and cultural barriers which had impeded its use. Victims are positive about the processes surrounding RJ which were seen as straightforward. Victims felt that communication prior to becoming involved was clear and effective and they were positive about the support they received both during and after the event. Occasions were identified where the RJ process broke down which provide potential pointers for the future development of the programme.Victims were generally satisfied with the outcome of their involvement with RJ. They reported feeling empowered by their experience of RJ and indicated that it gave them a greater sense of control. Many also indicated that RJ had increased their confidence in the police force and that they felt that RJ had had a positive effect on the offender. There were some encouraging indications that offenders who had received an RJ disposal were less likely to be reconvicted than offenders who had received an alternative disposal. Though the results of the reconviction analysis were not statistically significant, they were close to the 0.1 level that is traditionally used as a guide. The qualitative fieldwork also supported these findings and indicated that RJ had had a significant impact on many of the offenders involved. The following key recommendations were indicated by the findings of the evaluation: - Communicating and embedding changes in the model to ensure greater consistency in the application of RJ- Additional training for inspectors/custody sergeants who make decisions about whether or not to proceed with RJ- Clarifying and potentially extending the role of PCSOs- for example in the administration of RJ processes, especially relating to RJ conferencing - Clarifying the role of RJ conferencing and addressing the structural and cultural inhibitors to its use - Developing a community communications strategy to increase awareness - Ensuring victims and offender understanding of the RJ process and effective communication throughout. - Developing guidance for police officers on appropriate compensation for victims - Clarifying processes relating to follow up and non-compliance. Redesigning guidance/processes/ paperwork to support the use of RJ with non-crimes - Refreshing guidance for police officers on the status of RJ disposals in enhanced CRB checks. - Conducting further reconviction analysis - Conducting further research into the costs/time taken for restorative conferencing. Details: Sheffield, UK: Hallam Centre for Community Justice, Sheffield Hallam University, 2012 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2012 at: http://www.cjp.org.uk/publications/ngo/evaluation-of-the-south-yorkshire-restorative-justice-programme-17-08-2012/ Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cjp.org.uk/publications/ngo/evaluation-of-the-south-yorkshire-restorative-justice-programme-17-08-2012/ Shelf Number: 126302 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationAntisocial BehaviorAt-risk YouthJuvenile OffendersRehabilitationRestorative Justice (U.K.) |
Author: Moll, Jeanette Title: Reforming Juvenile Detention in Texas Summary: Given its costs and ill effects for juveniles and families, juvenile detention should only be ordered when a youth represents a risk to the public safety. Both re-offense rates and the number of youth failing to appear have decreased in jurisdictions reducing their detention populations. Risk assessments, deferred prosecution programs, evening reporting, and specialized dockets all provide avenues for more effective juvenile rehabilitation without relying on detention. Details: Austin, TX: Texas Public Policy Foundation Policy Perspective, 2012. 12p. Source: PP14-2012: Internet Resource: Accessed September 16, 2012 at http://www.texaspolicy.com/center/effective-justice/reports/reforming-juvenile-detention-texas Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.texaspolicy.com/center/effective-justice/reports/reforming-juvenile-detention-texas Shelf Number: 126352 Keywords: Corrections Reform (Texas)Criminal Justice Reform (Texas)Juvenile Detention (Texas)Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Rehabilitation |
Author: Boudreau, Julie-Anne Title: Constructing Youth Citizenship in Montreal and Mexico City: The Examples of Youth-Police Relations in Saint-Michel and Iztapalapa Summary: Montreal has witnessed cyclical concerns about youth violence and street gangs. The threat is often “politically†constructed. Currently, Mexico City is struggling with a pervasive sense of insecurity. While the threat in Canada was largely attributed to mafias and organized crime throughout the 1990s (Sheptycki 2003), fear has crystallised on the figure of the young gang member in Mexico and Canada in the past few years. As Ungar writes, [y]outh thus become objects of collective fear, seen not as individuals but for the anxieties they cause and the jarring cultural changes they are seen to embrace. The particular impulsiveness of youths, wrapped up in their hostility to tradition and authority, only serves to aggravate these tensions. (Ungar 2009: 208)1 As a result, youths become the target of police action in public spaces. New repression measures are implemented, such as zero-tolerance policies or anti-gang operations, combined with a strengthened set of preventive actions ranging from youth brigades, to participatory youth projects, to community policing. In Montreal, preventive programs are generously financed by the Quebec Government and the Government of Canada. The money is channelled in priority boroughs selected on the basis of their scoring on a set of risk factors (such as household socio-economic status, school dropout rates, number of single-parent households, proportion of immigrants, general state of the built environment, the presence of gang activities in the borough, etc.). In Mexico City, particularly under the mayorship of Lopez Obrador (2000-2005), police reforms focused on community-run policing programs. The City of Mexico now has several programs for “at-risk†youths, including community youth brigades. Notably, and as discussed in greater detail in the Mexico section, today the PolicĂa Sectorial, which is centrally overseen by the City, manages an outreach program for youth in schools that attempts to connect youth and police in a non-threatening environment. In addition to the citywide effort, Iztapalapa, the only borough in Mexico City with Auxiliary police directly under its command, also has a small team of Auxiliary police officers that implement similar efforts within the delegaciĂ³n. These programs are the closest thing to gang prevention efforts conducted by police in this borough. Such area-based approaches to crime prevention are reflected in the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Crime (2002) and the earlier United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Urban Crime (1995), which call for a local approach to problem solving, taking into account the context of vulnerability to being victimized and/or to offending, as well as local resources. Situational approaches build on the “broken windows theory†(Wilson and Kelling 1982) among others, and community crime prevention, which includes consideration of such issues as social capital. The literature on street gangs by criminologists or psychologists (Goldstein 1991; Thornberry et al. 1993; Hawkins 1998) are also relevant. The concern is generally to find causal relationships between background factors (or risk factors) and illegal or violent acts, in order to point towards elements in which to intervene preventively. Over the course of the 1990s, this came to be known as the “new penology†(Feely and Simon 1992), which positions the criminal as a statistical probability to manage. Crime is not conceptualized as transgression; it is understood as the result of the accumulation of risk factors in a territory or an individual. Following this logic, the prevention system aims more to neutralize danger by regulating risks than by punishing or rehabilitating individuals. The stigmatizing effects of this (such as ghettoizing and/or racial profiling) have been largely documented by urban geographers and sociologists (Davis 1998; Symons 1999; Romero 2006; Wacquant 2006; Dikeç 2007). The work of Philoctète at the Maison d’HaĂ¯ti in Saint-Michel in Montreal (confirmed by the data presented here) has documented how youths perceive the stigmatizing effects of prevention programs and research on their neighbourhood. Yet Saint-Michel has been very innovative in its approach to issues of street crime and insecurity in the borough, developing a comprehensive crime prevention approach which encompasses a range of socio-cultural, developmental and structural concerns. The neighbourhood police work on an area-based logic given the administrative structures in place, but recognize Saint-Michel as a community as well. The neighbourhood has seen many projects beyond gang prevention: support services of all types, work with migrant communities, cross-sector partnerships, community mobilization, etc. As Fady Dagher, former Police Commandant in Saint-Michel, said in a presentation at the 12th UN Congress in Salvador, they are trying to explicitly move from “zero tolerance†to “toleranceâ€. Much of this local approach is focused on the neighbourhood and the immediate community. Yet, a previous project has shown how moving around the city is important to youths and contributes greatly to their development (CissĂ© and Boudreau 2009; Guthrie 2009; Boudreau, Janni, and Chatel, 2011; see also Madzou and BacquĂ© 2008). This mobile and fluid aspect of youths’ everyday life is not always taken into account in prevention projects in Montreal and Mexico City. The developments in Saint-Michel are encouraging, but the youths to whom we spoke still feel at a distance from these programs and labelled as “vulnerableâ€. The previous research conducted by VESPA has highlighted depoliticization (making delinquency a technical, rather than a publicly debatable problem) as an important effect of these preventive approaches (Boudreau, Janni, and Chatel 2011). It became clear that one of the important effects of preventive measures framed by “at-risk†categorizations is to deny youths any sense of meaningful socio-political agency. As a street worker stated, “it is important to humanize the gang. In it, there are individuals with broken lives†(November 18, 2008, our translation). Viewing gangs as a technical problem of risk management depoliticizes the issue, while stripping youths of individual and group subjectivity. They are seen as vulnerable to gang recruitment rather than as individuals and groups able to act intentionally and autonomously. Parazelli’s (2004) work with street youths in Montreal demonstrates how they create their own autonomous space of action in reaction to the effects of this risk management logic of preventive action. Fortunately, some innovative projects on youth participation are seeking to counteract this (ICPC Youth Resource Guide 2010). With this project, we seek to contribute to this search for solutions. Details: Montreal: Institut national de la recherche scientifique Centre - Urbanisation Culture SociĂ©tĂ©, 2012. 167p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 21, 2012 at: http://im.metropolis.net/research-policy/research_content/doc/Youth-police_relations_in_Montreal_and_Mexico_City-final_report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://im.metropolis.net/research-policy/research_content/doc/Youth-police_relations_in_Montreal_and_Mexico_City-final_report.pdf Shelf Number: 126389 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Montreal, Canada, Mexico City)GangsJuvenile OffendersPolice-Citizen InteractionsPolice-Community RelationsUrban CrimeYouth GangsYouth Violence |
Author: Cunningham, Sonia Title: Outcome Evaluation of Police Youth at Risk Programmes July 1997 to June 2000 Summary: This outcome evaluation of the 14 Police Youth at Risk programmes is based on data from the period July 1997 to June 2000, and aims to assess the extent to which each programme met the Police objectives, and overall effectiveness of each programme. The Government’s 1994 crime prevention strategy identified seven goals, one of which specified the establishment of preventative programmes targeted youth at risk of offending. As a result, the 1997 Crime Prevention Youth at Risk (CPYAR) package, dedicated to the three fiscal years beginning July 1997, invested $8.7 million in Youth at Risk strategies. The package was aimed at diverting youth from a criminal lifestyle and preventing their entering the criminal justice system. Of the $8.7 million, approximately $2 million was allocated to the New Zealand Police to develop ‘youth at risk of offending programmes’ throughout New Zealand. In addition, $400,000 of Police baseline funds per year and nine additional full-time police officer salaries were allocated to the development and operation of these programmes. Funding was allocated to 14 programmes throughout New Zealand. Three existing programmes were allocated funding: Mount Roskill Community Approach, an Auckland community-based programme; Operation New Direction, a mentoring programme in Dunedin; and Turn Your Life Around (TYLA), an Auckland school-based programme. Five programmes were established in the five identified ‘hot spots’ of New Zealand (these areas were Kaikohe, Mangere, Hamilton, Gisborne, and Christchurch). An additional six programmes were selected for development on the basis of business cases provided by the Police districts of Glen Innes, Tauranga, Wainuiomata, Nelson, Rangiora, and Dunedin. Police defined five objectives for the programmes based on the Crime Prevention package requirements: To develop a strategic approach to participant selection and programme implementation; To build the supportive capacity of participants’ families; To prevent or reduce offending by children and young people attending police ‘youth at risk’ programmes; To foster the integration of Police programmes with other agency and community initiatives; and To be a demonstration project for the movement of police resources into proactive intervention. The programmes were measured against these objectives for the purpose of the evaluation. Details: Wellington, NZ: The Evaluation Unit, Office of the Commissioner, New Zealand Police, 2002. 245p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 21, 2012 at: http://www.police.govt.nz/resources/2002/youth-at-risk/outcome-evaluation-of-police-youth-at-risk-programmes-1997-to-2000.pdf Year: 2002 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.police.govt.nz/resources/2002/youth-at-risk/outcome-evaluation-of-police-youth-at-risk-programmes-1997-to-2000.pdf Shelf Number: 126394 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (New Zealand)Crime PreventionDelinquency PreventionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Danish Crime Prevention Council Title: The Effectiveness of Mentoring and Leisure-Time Activities for Youth At Risk: A Systematic Review Summary: Community-based mentoring and leisure-time activities for youth at risk of offending can have promising effects for a variety of outcomes such as deviant behaviour, violence and delinquency – even when the young people’s negative behaviour is group-related. To begin with, the focus of research was prevention efforts addressing group-related violence alone, but a broader focus became more meaningful, considering many different factors concerning links between different kinds of crime and prevention, the available research, the characteristics of youth groups and the local challenges faced in Denmark. Troublesome youth groups are not always violent, and, if they are, violence is only one kind of crime among and linked to various others, which argues for a broader crime focus. Furthermore, the youth groups known in Denmark are mostly unstable with informal membership – they appear and disappear and rather have the shape of dynamic networks. The fact that young people gather in groups is a normal phenomenon, and youth groups are often based on friendship and common interests. Therefore, groups per se are not a fixed phenomenon to combat – rather their potentially deviant behaviour. Initial analyses also found that effect studies on gang prevention are often lacking or of a poor quality, which make them difficult to learn from. In addition, gang prevention and intervention projects mostly deal with adults and organized crime, whereas the aim of the review was promising prevention programmes and projects for youth at risk. An overview of various types of prevention efforts and their effects on this target group revealed that mentoring and leisure-time activities are applied to both general and group-related crime among young people. Community-based efforts within these two kinds of prevention were found to be the most well documented and promising ones and dealing with both deviant, delinquent and violent behaviour – also group-related. These kinds of interventions became the focus of the review. Mentoring and leisure-time activities are already applied in many Danish settings. A systematic review of effectiveness can qualify and guide practitioners dealing with actual problems ranging from mild and general to serious and group-related crime. After all, crime prevention is defined not by intentions to prevent, but by results, and since many risk and protective factors overlap, prevention efforts can possibly handle more than one problem. Whether they do must be examined thoroughly. This systematic review is based on structured and multi-disciplinary literature searches in articles published from 1980 to the end of 2011 in five international research databases, besides internet and reference searches. The literature has been screened systematically according to explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria. Among other things, the effect of the given prevention projects and programmes should be measured in terms of crime or mediating factors for crime, and the participating youth should include some 12-17-year-olds and at least 50 % boys, since they are at greater risk. Data has been extracted from each included full-text study in relation to many standardised categories describing, for instance, the given intervention, its target group, setting, organisation, effect etc., and, furthermore, many characteristics of the procedures of the study itself. Each study has undergone quality assessment, and overall low quality studies have been excluded. Details: Glostrup: Danish Crime Prevention Council, 2012. 178p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 26, 2012 at: http://www.dkr.dk/sites/default/files/DKR%202012%20%20Mentoring%20and%20Leisure-Time%20Review.pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://www.dkr.dk/sites/default/files/DKR%202012%20%20Mentoring%20and%20Leisure-Time%20Review.pdf Shelf Number: 126456 Keywords: At-risk YouthDelinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersLeisure-Time ActivitiesMentoringSports and Recreation |
Author: Watson, Greg Title: From Wild Living to Living Wild: The Use of wilderness as part of an overall intervention strategy in programmes for young offenders in Scotland Summary: This study set out to investigate the use of wilderness as part of an alternative intervention programme for young offenders aged 16-24. The Venture Trust had recently adjusted their course from a residential base to a wilderness-based expedition journey called Living Wild. My rationale for this study was to answer the primary research question of whether the wilderness “works†and, or if has an effect on participants. A secondary purpose was to ask those who referred participants and those who worked with those participants how important they felt wilderness was in relation to the overall intervention programme. The author‟s full time work with the Venture Trust offered an opportunity to observe at first hand the effect of the wilderness environment upon participants. Over ten courses were used during a research study period between October 2008 and October 2009. Diary observations were made in the wilderness and narrative vignettes were written for each course. In addition over ten interviews were undertaken with representatives across the organisation as well as with key funders and referrers; including the Scottish Minister for Justice, sheriffs, probation officers and social workers. The main recurrent themes that appeared from the data collection supported the idea of wilderness as “working†were “offering a different perspectiveâ€, “involving real choices and consequences†and finally wilderness as “a catalyst†or “stressorâ€. This third and final theme was the hardest to quantify and yet it was the most pertinent and central to my rationale for the research the notion that the wilderness itself could have an effect on participants. Whilst other factors, such as facilitated personal and social development were acknowledged as been part of the overall intervention programme, the importance placed on wilderness was varied; there was consensus that the wilderness “offered a different perspectiveâ€, but it was less than conclusive on whether or not wilderness “involved real choices and consequencesâ€. In relation to idea that wilderness could be “a catalystâ€, the difference was a very subtle one of emphasis between those who saw the wilderness as a mere stage or “setting†and others who saw wilderness as more central to the process. There have been some concerns that wilderness based programmes can fail to address the social problems that they set out to solve. The results of this research suggests that the wilderness does at least offer a different perspective to people that are willing to begin the process of change and in some cases it may even be the catalyst for that change. Details: Edinburgh: Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh, 2011. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed September 26, 2012 at: http://www.education.ed.ac.uk/outdoored/research/dissertation_watson.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.education.ed.ac.uk/outdoored/research/dissertation_watson.pdf Shelf Number: 126457 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation ProgramsWilderness Programs (Scotland)Youth Adult Offenders |
Author: Nuytiens, An Title: Sport, Science and Art in the Prevention of Crime Among Children and Youth Summary: This paper explores theoretical frameworks used for understanding the relationship between leisure activities and the prevention of youth crime. It is examined whether scientific research has yielded empirical support for these theoretical perspectives. This discussion is illustrated by means of examples of good or promising projects for each field (sports, art, science). It is concluded that leisure can be regarded as an important context for youth crime prevention. In practice however, there appears to be little scientific evidence for these mechanisms. Therefore, it is difficult to identify good or promising practices within this field. Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2012. 17p. Source: EUCPN Thematic Paper No. 1: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2012 at http://www.eucpn.org/download/?file=EUCPN%20Thematic%20Paper%20No%201.pdf&type=13 Year: 2012 Country: Europe URL: http://www.eucpn.org/download/?file=EUCPN%20Thematic%20Paper%20No%201.pdf&type=13 Shelf Number: 126511 Keywords: Arts in PrisonsArts ProgramsAt-risk YouthDelinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersLeisure-Time ActivitiesMentoringSports and Recreation |
Author: Barnoski, Robert Title: The Effects of Parole on Recidivism: Juvenile Offenders Released from Washington State Institutions - Final Report Summary: In July 1998, the Washington State Legislature eliminated parole for youth released from Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA) institutions for all but high risk and sex offenders. In a 2001 report, preliminary recidivism findings were compared for juvenile offenders released on parole with juvenile offenders released without parole. Results indicated that parole does not have an influence on recidivism. In this study, the Institute used a longer follow-up period and added a second comparison group. This 2006 study is therefore a more rigorous test of the effect of parole on recidivism for most juvenile offenders. Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public Policy, 2006. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2012 at http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/06-07-1203.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/06-07-1203.pdf Shelf Number: 110180 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersParoleRecidivism |
Author: Puzzanchera, Charles Title: Allegheny County Detention Screening Study Summary: The National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) agreed to conduct a study working with staff from Allegheny County Juvenile Probation to gather data from the automated Detention Assessment Instrument and other individual level information from Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Court Management System (JCMS). The study’s goal was to use these data, to the extent possible, to conduct analyses recommended in A Practical Guide to Juvenile Detention Risk Assessment (Steinhart, 2006) and determine how well the Allegheny County instrument was working to reduce the amount of disproportionality in detention risk decision-making. Data Collection Allegheny County Juvenile Probation gathered data from the Detention Assessment Instrument completed by intake officers for arrested youth considered for admission to Shuman Juvenile Detention Center beginning in mid-February in 2008. For this study, NCJJ analyzed detention screening data collected from March of 2008 through February of 2010. These data included the following information: Screening outcomes. The primary analyses address the question of the impact of the Detention Assessment Instrument on the decision of whether to detain youth, place them in a detention alternative program, or release them. Accordingly, the data included basic demographic information (gender, race/ethnicity, and date of birth) for all youth considered for detention, along with the scores earned across seven factors that compose the overall risk score. In addition, information regarding mandatory detention holds, discretionary overrides, and the attendant aggravating/mitigating factors were also provided. Disproportionate minority contact. To the extent that data were available, additional analyses were conducted to consider the entire pool of youth brought to detention intake. To better understand the instrument’s impact on detention rates and disproportionate minority confinement, analyses compared detention rates and population profiles of white and black youth. Validation The goal of validation analyses is to measure the post-implementation success of the Detention Assessment Instrument in relation to the risk of committing a new offense pending court appearance and the risk of failing to appear in court. A validation sample would include youth who were released or placed on detention alternative status based on the Detention Assessment Instrument. A validation analysis would then focus on determining decision error for this population. In other words, to what degree were youth released using the instrument who, in hindsight, should not have been — either because they failed to appear or because they committed a new offense while not detained? [It should be noted that this report describes the results of a test of the Detention Alternatives Instrument implemented by Allegheny County Juvenile Probation at Shuman Detention Center. A formal validation study would require data on outcomes for juveniles who are released at detention intake based on their risk scores (Steinhart, 2008). Validation studies are normally done after the detention screening instrument has undergone a general implementation test (like the current analysis). Although it was initially hoped that data would be available to conduct such a validation study, these data were not available in time to support the needs of this report.] This report also summarizes the literature on effective detention risk assessments and presents an overview of the use of detention in Allegheny County prior to the development of detention alternatives and the implementation of the Detention Assessment Instrument, study methods and analyses, study results, study limitations, and implications for further study/action. Details: Pittsburgh, PA: National Center for Juvenile Justice, 2012. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 3, 2012 at: http://www.ncjj.org/pdf/MFC/FINAL_Allegheny%20Detention%20Assessment.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjj.org/pdf/MFC/FINAL_Allegheny%20Detention%20Assessment.pdf Shelf Number: 126545 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersRisk Assessment |
Author: Liberman, Akiva M. Title: Delinquent Youth Committed to the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services 2004-2011 Summary: This report explores recent trends in the commitment of delinquent youth to the custody of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS). Commitments to DYRS increased considerably from 2006-07 to 2009-10, due to more youth being committed following adjudication on misdemeanors. In 2011, commitments to DYRS declined, due to fewer youth being committed on felonies. By 2011, most youth committed to DYRS were misdemeanants. Neither a history of prior adjudication nor revocations of probation particularly drove the increased commitments of misdemeanants; these commitments involved youth with and without prior adjudications, and also involved both DYRS commitments as initial dispositions and following revocation of probation. Understanding these shifts in the youth committed to DYRS will require a broad exploration of juvenile justice case processing involving all delinquent youth, using integrated data across juvenile justice agencies. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, District of Columbia Crime Policy Institute, 2012. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2012 at: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412657-Delinquent-Youth-Committed-to-the-Department-of-Youth-Rehabilitation-Services-2004-2011.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412657-Delinquent-Youth-Committed-to-the-Department-of-Youth-Rehabilitation-Services-2004-2011.pdf Shelf Number: 126562 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquency (District of Columbia)Juvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Arciaga, Michelle Title: Street Outreach and the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model Summary: Since the early 19th century and the emergence of street gangs within urban population centers of the United States, community members have sought to reach out to these disenfranchised and criminally involved youth to reengage and redirect them to more pro-social activities. Over the years, these efforts have yielded mixed results. For instance, the detached gang worker programs of the 1950s and ’60s, while well-intentioned, delivered almost uniformly flat results and may actually have increased the cohesion of the gangs they served, thus accelerating gang offending (Klein, 1971). It seems intuitive that social intervention directed at gang members is necessary and vital as a response to gang violence. However, programmatic results, when these programs have been evaluated, suggest that street-level outreach, by itself, is not sufficient to create a reduction in gang-related crime. In 1987, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention launched the Juvenile Gang Suppression and Intervention Research and Development Program, led by Dr. Irving Spergel at the University of Chicago. Spergel conducted a national assessment of agency and community responses to gangs. After reviewing multiple program models and existing programmatic evaluations, Spergel concluded: “neither a single minded suppression nor a single-minded social-intervention approach has demonstrated success in reducing gang crime, especially gang violence.†As a result of that assessment, Spergel and his colleagues created the Comprehensive Community-Wide Gang Program Model (Spergel, 1995; Spergel et al., 1992; Spergel and Curry, 1993). The Spergel Model included a multidisciplinary Intervention Team, composed of law enforcement, probation, and outreach personnel who worked together to case manage gang intervention targets within the context of five interrelated strategies: social intervention, opportunities provision, community mobilization, suppression, and organizational change and development. The success of the Little Village Gang Violence Reduction Project led to the creation of the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model (Model). Since the 1990s, the Model has been tested in targeted sections of more than 20 different communities around the United States, from large cities (Los Angeles, California; Houston, Texas; Miami, Florida; Milwaukee, Wisconsin) to mid-sized cities (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Richmond, Virginia; North Miami Beach, Florida) to small urban and rural communities (East Cleveland, Ohio; Mount Vernon, Illinois; Elk City, Oklahoma; Glenn County, California; Longview, Washington). (National Gang Center, 2010) This article provides an overview of best practices developed in these sites for street outreach in the context of the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model. Details: Tallahassee, FL: National Gang Center, 2012. 10p. Source: National Gang Center Bulletin No. 7: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2012 at http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Content/Documents/Street-Outreach-Comprehensive-Gang-Model.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Content/Documents/Street-Outreach-Comprehensive-Gang-Model.pdf Shelf Number: 126639 Keywords: Crime Prevention ProgramsGang PreventionIntervention ProgramsJuvenile OffendersStreet Gangs |
Author: Lind, Bonnie K. Title: Does Race/Ethnicity Affect Criminal Case Disposition of Juveniles in Canyon County? Results of Disproportionate Minority Contact Analysis Summary: The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDP) defines basic protections for juveniles who become involved in the juvenile justice system. States participating in the JJDP Act voluntarily agree to provide and monitor these protections. One core protection of the JJDP Act is to investigate and address Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) in the juvenile justice system where it exists. The DMC protection requires States to ascertain whether juveniles who are members of minority racial/ethnic groups are overrepresented at various decision points. The primary statistic used to measure this indicator is called the Relative Rate Index (RRI). The RRI is a comparison of the volume of activity at various stages in the juvenile justice system; it is not a calculation of the odds of a youth moving to the next stage of the system. The RRI provides a method of comparison using a single index number that indicates the extent to which the volume of that form of contact or activity is different for minority, or Non-White, youth from White youth. The RRI is similar to vital signs in a health care setting. It can guide observers to a general area, but taken alone, it cannot identify whether a problem exists that needs to be addressed through an intervention. The RRI compares the rate of occurrence for White youth to the rate of occurrence for all Non-White youth. If the RRI is 1.00, then the rate of occurrence for White youth is similar to the rate of occurrence for all Non-White youth. If the RRI is greater than 1.00, then the rate of occurrence for Non-White youth is higher than the rate of occurrence for White youth. If the RRI is less than 1.00, then the rate of occurrence for White youth is higher than the rate of occurrence for Non-White youth. In 2005, the RRI showed that Hispanic or Latino youths in Canyon County were almost twice as likely to be arrested as White youths, and they were 38% more likely to be sent to secure detention. Hispanic youths were also 81% more likely than White youths to be sent to a juvenile correctional facility. Based on these indications, additional data were collected and analyzed in order to determine whether the ratios that differ from 1.0 represent racial bias in the treatment of juveniles or whether disparities reflect differences in crime characteristics such as the seriousness of crimes committed, gang membership, and use of a weapon. These analyses can be used to plan community interventions targeting identified areas of concern. This report presents the results of analyses considering these additional factors. Details: Boise, ID: Center for Health Policy, Boise State University, 2010. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 14, 2012 at http://www.ijjc.idaho.gov/Portals/0/Final%20DMC%20Report%201-13-2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ijjc.idaho.gov/Portals/0/Final%20DMC%20Report%201-13-2010.pdf Shelf Number: 126701 Keywords: Discrimination in Juvenile Justice AdministrationDiscrimination in the Juvenile Justice SystemDisproportionate Minority Contact (Idaho)Juvenile OffendersMinoritiesRace/Ethnicity |
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: Scussel, David E. Title: Analysis of the Impact of Juvenile Justice Programming in Nine New Mexico Counties Summary: The purpose of this particular research task is to analyze the impact of juvenile justice programming in the nine selected New Mexico counties have on the juvenile justice system, and to study and report on how these programs contribute to the understanding of law enforcement and juvenile justice system factors, which perpetuate Disproportionate Minority Contact in New Mexico. Sites Targeted for Interviews were: Day Reporting Center (Colfax, Lea, Sandoval, Santa Fe & Taos); DMC Reduction (Dona Ana, Santa Fe & Taos); Girls Circle (Chaves & Taos); Intensive Community Monitoring (Rio Arriba, Santa Fe & Taos); Reception and Assessment Centers (Bernalillo, Dona Ana, Sandoval & Santa Fe); and Restorative Justice Panel (Chaves, Grant, Sandoval & Santa Fe). Details: Albuquerque, NM: New Mexico Sentencing Commission, 2012. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2012 at: http://nmsc.unm.edu/nmsc_reports/ Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://nmsc.unm.edu/nmsc_reports/ Shelf Number: 126818 Keywords: Disproportionate Minority ContactJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice (New Mexico)Juvenile OffendersRehabilitation |
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: ï‚· examines the current situation of youth violence in South Africa; ï‚· summarizes the policy response by the government and the prevailing legal and institutional framework; ï‚· identifies innovative programming by civil society organisations; and ï‚· 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: Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy Title: Raising the Juvenile Justice Jurisdictional Age: Treating Kids as Kids in New York State's Justice System Summary: New York and North Carolina are the only two states that treat children as young as 16 years of age as adults in the criminal justice system. Most states follow the federal Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act, which suggests that the juvenile court jurisdiction’s upper age limit be any time before their 18th birthday. In New York State, anyone age 16 or older who commits a crime is sent to the adult criminal justice system, no matter the charge. Despite the fact that 74.4% of crimes committed by 16- and 17-year-olds are misdemeanors, all of these youth go through the adult system. New York’s Family Court Act set the juvenile justice jurisdictional age of 7 to 15 in 1962 as a temporary measure for further study. That temporary agreement has now been in effect for 50 years. The difference between the juvenile system and adult system is philosophy—mainly, rehabilitation versus punishment. The juvenile justice system focuses on the child or youth and offers an opportunity for rehabilitation. The adult criminal system focuses on what the offense warrants in terms of punishment. New York State is one of only two states that has not raised the age of the juvenile courts’ jurisdiction. Research demonstrates that the adult system is not appropriate for 16- and 17-year-olds who are still developing cognitively. These youth and the public are better served by raising the age of the juvenile court’s jurisdiction to include youth up to their 18th birthday. Details: Albany, NY: Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, 2012. 5p. Source: Policy Brief: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2012 at http://www.scaany.org/documents/scaabrief_raisetheage_march2012_000.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.scaany.org/documents/scaabrief_raisetheage_march2012_000.pdf Shelf Number: 126867 Keywords: Juvenile Court Transfer (New York)Juvenile Justice (New York)Juvenile OffendersWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction) |
Author: Hanes, Melodee Title: Community Supervision of Underage Drinkers Summary: Underage drinking is a widespread offense that can have serious physical, neurological, and legal consequences. Problematically, it has become quite commonplace. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) works to eliminate underage consumption of alcohol and provide guidance for communities developing prevention and treatment programs. OJJDP created the underage drinking bulletin series to educate practitioners and policymakers about the problems youth face when they abuse alcohol and to provide evidence-based guidelines. The series presents findings from a study on preventing underage drinking in the Air Force as well as a literature review of the effects and consequences of underage drinking, best practices for community supervision of underage drinkers and legal issues surrounding underage drinking, and practice guidelines for working with underage drinkers. The series highlights the dangers of underage drinking. Hopefully, the information it provides will support communities in their efforts to reduce alcohol use by minors through the use of evidence based strategies and practices. In this bulletin, the authors provide a theoretical overview upon which to base policies, procedures, and practices that will help professionals—and their corresponding agencies—effectively supervise underage drinkers in the community. They also discuss the legal issues that professionals may encounter when working with these youth. Details: Washington, D.C.: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice, 2012. Source: OJJDP Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2012 at Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 126874 Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, DisorderCommunity SupervisionJuvenile OffendersUnderage Drinking |
Author: Umemoto, Karen Title: Disproportionate Minority Contact in the Hawaii Juvenile Justice System: 2000-2010 Summary: Disproportionate minority contact in the justice system is an issue of national concern. This report identifies the ethnic groups that have been over-represented in the juvenile justice system in Hawaii over the past decade and describes some of the groups' characteristics; examines the extent to which racial and ethnic disparities exist at different decision points in the sywstem; and presents recommendations for policy and practice. Details: Honolulu: University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, 2012. 140p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 5, 2012 at: http://hawaii.gov/dhs/youth/jjsac/DMC%20FINAL%20REPORT%202012%20(for%20printing).pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://hawaii.gov/dhs/youth/jjsac/DMC%20FINAL%20REPORT%202012%20(for%20printing).pdf Shelf Number: 126878 Keywords: DiscriminationDisproportionate Minority ContactJuvenile Justice Systems (Hawaii)Juvenile OffendersRacial Disparities |
Author: Queensland. Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Title: Child Guardian Report: Youth Justice System 2010–11 Summary: This inaugural analysis of data from across the Youth Justice System for 2010–11 shows that:  In 2010–11, the Queensland Police Service (QPS) took 46,468 actions against young people aged 10 to 17 years, at a rate of 96.0 offences per 1000 young people. Cautioning was the most common outcome, and the proportions of cautions increased as the age of offenders decreased.  Offences against property was the most common offence type amongst young people aged 10 to 17 years, accounting for 60.1% of all offences.  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 10 to 17 years continue to be significantly over-represented in the Youth Justice System compared to non-Indigenous young people. Of particular significance are the areas of rates of arrest, remand and sentence to supervised orders.  Remand continues to be a significant issue for young people in the system, with a total 833 young people held on remand during 2010–11, while only 218 young people were actually sentenced to a Detention Order. Young people on remand made up 82.1% of the detention centre population for 2010–11.  Together, 15 to 16-year-olds accounted for more than 60% of the average daily number of young people in youth detention. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people represented 56.9% of the average daily detention centre population.  In terms of diversions offered to young people to limit their contact with the youth justice system, the data shows that there were a total of 2385 Youth Justice Conferences held in 2010-11, the majority of which resulted in a written or verbal apology. There were 234 young people whose cases were dealt with in the Murri Court, which appears to be a small proportion of the overall number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people involved in the youth justice system. Similarly, there were 80 young people referred to Youth Drug Diversion potentially indicating under use of this type of diversion.  Implementation of the Commission’s Youth Justice Monitoring Framework has also identified some significant areas of interest in the development of the agency data, including reoffending of young people who received a diversionary outcome of police action and young people who were admitted to a youth justice order. Details: Brisbane, AUS: Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian, 2012. 121p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2012 at: https://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/pdf/publications/reports/Child-Guardian-Report_Youth-Justice-System_2012/Final-Child-Guardian-Youth-Justice-Report-2010-11.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: https://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/pdf/publications/reports/Child-Guardian-Report_Youth-Justice-System_2012/Final-Child-Guardian-Youth-Justice-Report-2010-11.pdf Shelf Number: 126937 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Justice Systems (Queensland, Australia)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Interâ€American Commission on Human Rights. Rapporteurship on the Rights of the Child Title: Juvenile Justice and Human Rights in the Americas Summary: The Interâ€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 Interâ€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 visâ€Ă â€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 preâ€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 nonâ€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 soâ€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 'atâ€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: Children's Rights Alliance for England Title: Ending Violence against Children in Custody: Findings from research with children and young people Summary: Children in custody, like all children, have the right to be free from all forms of violence. This report presents the findings of research carried out with children and young people with experience of custody. It highlights the views and opinions of children and young people about their personal experiences of violence in custody and their recommendations for how it can be reduced or eradicated. This report is published as part of the Ending Violence against Children in Custody project, coordinated by the Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE). Details: London: Children's Rights Alliance for England, 2012. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 24, 2012 at: http://www.violencefreecustody.org.uk/site/assets/files/1113/crae_report_ending_violence_against_children_in_custody_in_england_final_nov_14.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.violencefreecustody.org.uk/site/assets/files/1113/crae_report_ending_violence_against_children_in_custody_in_england_final_nov_14.pdf Shelf Number: 126991 Keywords: Juvenile Detention (U.K.)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Wolf, Lea Title: May the Songs I Have Written Speak for Me: An Exploration of the Potential of Music in Juvenile Justice Summary: Acting at the intersection between juvenile justice reform, youth development, and a sense of the civic mission of cultural organizations, Carnegie Hall, through its Musical Connections program of the Weill Music Institute, is collaborating with New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services, the Department of Probation, the Department of Education District 79, and other New York City agencies to think about how participatory music-centered programming can support young people who enter and exit the juvenile justice system. Since beginning the work in 2009, Carnegie Hall has sponsored ten creative projects: eight in secure detention facilities and two in non-secure detention settings, serving more than a hundred young people, plus audiences of staff, peers, and families. These residencies last two weeks on average and engage young people in songwriting, instrumental playing, producing, and performing. Each residency culminates in a concert for other residents and staff and the production of a CD. The purpose is not only to teach music or the possibility of ensemble work—it is to jump-start the sense of being a person with potential. The following paper shares what Musical Connections has learned so far in this work by: 1) examining the history and current reforms in juvenile justice; 2) reviewing the underlying research and evaluations conducted by other musical projects both in adult and juvenile corrections; and 3) harvesting and reflecting on its own musical work in juvenile justice over the last three years. The paper contains these sections: • A history of juvenile justice in the United States with an emphasis on the long-standing tension between incarceration and rehabilitation • An overview of the current movement for reform • A summary of basic research on adolescent development, with an emphasis on the new brain science that explains why adolescents are prone to risk-taking, thrill-seeking, and emotionally-driven choices, coupled with a discussion of the potential of music to reach and affect adolescents • A review of research and evaluations from an international set of music programs in both adult and juvenile corrections facilities, with an emphasis on what such programs accomplish and the specific effects they have • A reflection on the design principles emerging from effective programs • An examination of the current work in juvenile justice supported by Carnegie Hall and the Administration for Children’s Services in New York, with an emphasis on the issues and choices that are arising as this work enters a second, deeper, and more challenging phase. The purpose of this review is to invite readers and stakeholders–including organizations, musicians, staff, and advocates–to think about these questions: • What exactly can music (or, more broadly, the arts) contribute to the reform of juvenile justice systems? • What constitutes making that contribution responsibly and well? • How do we build evidence that music (or the arts more broadly) make a difference in the lives of youth, staff, families, or facilities? Put even more concretely, how do artists, along with arts and cultural organizations, partner with their communities to provide the alternatives to “the street†that young people seek? Details: New York: Weill Music Institute, Carnegie Hall, 2012. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 24, 2012 at: http://www.carnegiehall.org/uploadedFiles/Resources_and_Components/PDF/WMI/MaytheSongsIHaveWrittenSpeakforMe.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.carnegiehall.org/uploadedFiles/Resources_and_Components/PDF/WMI/MaytheSongsIHaveWrittenSpeakforMe.pdf Shelf Number: 126998 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention (New York)Juvenile OffendersMusic TherapyMusical ProgramsRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Indigenous Young People in the Juvenile Justice System Summary: Indigenous young people are over-represented in the juvenile justice system, particularly in the most serious processes. Although only about 5% of young Australians are Indigenous, in 2010–11, almost 2 in 5 (39%) of those under juvenile justice supervision on an average day were Indigenous. There were 2,820 Indigenous young people under supervision in Australia on an average day and 5,195 under supervision at some time during the year. Indigenous young people aged 10–17 were 4–6 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be proceeded against by police during 2010–11 and 8–11 times as likely to be proven guilty in the Children’s Court (among the states and territories with available data). At a national level, they were, on average, 14 times as likely to be under community-based supervision during the year and 18 times as likely to be in detention. They are more likely to experience supervision when aged 10–17. Among the cohorts of young people for whom a complete juvenile justice supervision history is available (those born between 1990–91 and 1992–93), 14–16% of Indigenous young people experienced supervision at some time when they were aged 10–17, compared with just over 1% of non-Indigenous young people born in each year. They enter the juvenile justice system at younger ages Indigenous young people aged 10–17 who were proceeded against by police (in the states and territories with available data) were more likely than non-Indigenous young people to be in the youngest age groups (age 10–12). In addition, the majority (58%) of Indigenous young people under supervision in 2010–11 had first entered supervision when they were aged 10–14, compared with less than one-third (32%) of non-Indigenous young people (excluding Western Australia and the Northern Territory, as standard data were not provided). They complete shorter periods of supervision, but spend more time under supervision overall. In 2010–11, Indigenous young people tended to complete slightly shorter periods of supervision than non-Indigenous young people (median duration 62 days compared with 68; excluding Western Australia and the Northern Territory as standard data were not provided). However, they completed more periods during the year, on average, and spent just over 3 weeks longer (200 days compared with 178) under supervision during the year. However, their over-representation in supervision has decreased. In the 5 years to 2010–11, there was a slight drop in the level of Indigenous over-representation in supervision, as shown by the rate ratio. Indigenous young people were 15 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be under supervision on an average day in 2010–11, down from 16 times as likely in 2006–07. The largest decrease in over-representation was in detention, where the rate ratio dropped from 28 to 24 over the period. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2012. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 109: Accessed November 28, 2012 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129542188 Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129542188 Shelf Number: 127016 Keywords: AboriginalsIndigenous Peoples (Australia)Juvenile Justice SystemJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Brandt, Chris Title: Young People and the Police in Lagos Summary: The relationship between young people and the police has normally been characterized by mutual suspicion and hostility. However, in Nigeria, very little data has been collected regarding this seemingly acrimonious relationship. Given the current political and social dynamics in Nigeria, it’s important to better understand the attitudes young people and police hold towards each other. Today, the police often pay special attention to the activities of young people, largely because of the perceived increase in youth crime in recent years. Pressure from both the media and elites on the police to crack down on young delinquents has brought about increased contact between juveniles and the police and led to the use of more aggressive forms of intervention (Alder et.al, 1992). A natural consequence of these negative interactions is mutual tension and suspicion. The negative relationship has several unsettling consequences. Young people, feeling persecuted and targeted by the police, are less likely to report criminal activities or seek out help when they are in distress. The hostile relationship also contributes to increased criminal activity among juveniles ( Alemika and Chukwuma, 2001). Young people, viewing the police with little respect or legitimacy, feel emboldened to commit criminal acts. This study was conceived against the backdrop of the palpable dangers posed to citizen safety and public order by an adversarial relationship between young people and the police. It sets out to explore and empirically determine the nature of the relationship between youths and the police in Lagos State, to establish the factors that define it, and to provide recommendations for how to improve it. Details: Lagos, Nigeria: CLEEN Foundations, 2011. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2012 at: http://www.cleen.org/Young%20people%20and%20the%20police%20in%20Lagos%20State.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Nigeria URL: http://www.cleen.org/Young%20people%20and%20the%20police%20in%20Lagos%20State.pdf Shelf Number: 127043 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersPolice LegitimacyPolice-Citizen Interactions (Nigeria)Police-Juvenile RelationsPublic Attitudes Toward the PolicePublic Opinion |
Author: Independent Police Conduct Authority Title: Joint Thematic Review of Young Persons in Police Detention Summary: The joint thematic review of young persons in Police detention was conducted by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA), the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and the Human Rights Commission (HRC) and is the first joint review to be done as part of their independent monitoring mandate under the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) in New Zealand. The review made 24 recommendations including that Police improve conditions of detention and the treatment of young people, improve information provided, Police training and reporting practices, review options for transport arrangements and continue to work with the IPCA, and Child, Youth and Family on reviewing practices. Details: Wellington, NZ: IPCA, 2012. 116p. Source: Accessed December 5, 2012 at: http://www.ipca.govt.nz/Site/media/2012/2012-October-23-Joint-Thematic-Review.aspx Year: 2012 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.ipca.govt.nz/Site/media/2012/2012-October-23-Joint-Thematic-Review.aspx Shelf Number: 127131 Keywords: Juvenile Detention (New Zealand)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Children's Rights Alliance for England Title: Ending Violence against Children in Custody: Comments from European and International Monitoring Bodies on Violence Against Children in Custody in European States Summary: The Children's Rights Alliance for England and the International Juvenile Justice Observatory has published a review of European and international human rights bodies to identify observations, comment and criticisms relating to violence against children in custody in European states. The report highlights significant comments relating directly or indirectly to violence against children in custody. The second part of the report looks in detail at the legislation governing the use of force against children in custody in the five project partner countries. Details: London: Children's Rights Alliance for England, 2012. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 21, 2012 at http://www.violencefreecustody.org.uk/site/assets/files/1152/ending_violence_against_children_in_custody_-_comments_from_european_and_international_monitoring_bodies_final.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Europe URL: http://www.violencefreecustody.org.uk/site/assets/files/1152/ending_violence_against_children_in_custody_-_comments_from_european_and_international_monitoring_bodies_final.pdf Shelf Number: 127249 Keywords: Juvenile Detention (U.K.)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Mulvey, Edward P. Title: Transfer of Juveniles to Adult Court: Effects of a Broad Policy in One Court Summary: This bulletin presents findings from the Pathways to Desistance study about the effects of transfer from juvenile court to adult court on a sample of serious adolescent offenders in Maricopa County, AZ. The authors compare the extant literature with findings from the Pathways study and discuss the possible implications of these findings for future changes in transfer statutes. Following are some key points: • Adolescents in the adult system may be at risk for disruptions in their personal development, identity formation, relationships, learning, growth in skills and competencies, and positive movement into adult status. • Most of the youth in the study who were sent to adult facilities returned to the community within a few years, varying widely in their levels of adjustment. Youth were more likely to successfully adjust when they were not influenced by antisocial peers. • Prior work indicates that transferred youth are more likely to commit criminal acts than adolescents kept in the juvenile justice system. • Findings from the Pathways study indicate that transfer may have a differential effect (either reducing or increasing offending), depending on the juvenile’s presenting offense and prior offense history. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2012. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Bulletin, December 2012: Accessed January 24, 2013 at: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/232932.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/232932.pdf Shelf Number: 127379 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransferJuvenile OffendersPathways to DesistancePeer InfluenceWaiver, of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction (U.S.) |
Author: Puritz, Patricia Title: Colorado: An Assessment of Access to Counsel and Quality of Representation in Juvenile Delinquency Proceedings Summary: Despite the efforts of many talented and dedicated lawyers who practice in juvenile court, the juvenile indigent defense system in Colorado suffers from benign neglect. It is not that people willfully work against the system; there is just no concerted effort to work for it. The lack of statewide leadership, coupled with the lack of professional standards or a dedicated focus on juvenile defense, has left most defenders who practice in juvenile court without adequate support or in a system that largely depreciates their role. It is this type of neglect that fosters a constant minimization of juvenile court practice – the sentiment that it is just “kiddie court,†not a place for real lawyers. This lack of system accountability diminishes juvenile defense across the state and wreaks direct and collateral harm to youth who depend on it to protect their legal interests. There needs to be greater statewide leadership, vision, and uniformity in practice and policy. Without question, most lawyers who defend children—and many other professionals—share an authentic and abiding concern for the youth with whom they work. This concern, however, does not automatically translate into any genuine protection or realistic acknowledgement of a child’s due process rights. A signi!cant percentage of youth pass through the delinquency system without counsel, effective legal advocates, or adequate safeguards to protect their interests. The concern for the child’s perceived best interests often overshadows even the hint of due process, as the court and practitioners default to a pre-Gault, parens patriae style of system that has long been deemed unconstitutional. A strong juvenile defense system is critical to upholding constitutionally required due process protections for youth. Youth do not have uniform access to or appointment suf!ciently early in the process, and the quality of representation across the state is, at best, uneven. Indigence determinations and fees spur con"icts between parent and child that exacerbate widespread waivers of counsel. Despite the weaknesses in the juvenile defense system, the investigators routinely noted the high level of skill and professionalism exhibited in the courts, detention centers, institutions, and a range of programs and service centers visited across the state. Coloradans care deeply about their youth and about strong communities. To guarantee the fair and effective representation of youth through all phases of the delinquency process, the public defense system in Colorado must take serious steps to re-evaluate its commitment to the representation of youth, and then reallocate resources accordingly. Juvenile defenders must become more pro-active in ful!lling their duties and ethical obligations. Judges and other system professionals must embrace the role of the juvenile defender as vital in protecting the due process rights of children. Given geographical challenges and resource considerations, juvenile defenders will have to work with others to address and solve these problems – they cannot possibly be expected to solve these problems alone. Coloradans have an abiding interest in ensuring that the justice system is not the dumping ground for failing schools, mental health systems, or parents who want the state to control their children. The justice system should be reserved for those youth who must be there. When youth do have the misfortune of coming into contact with the justice system, the system must ensure the protection of their legal rights. As the United States Supreme Court indicated long ago, good intentions alone are not a substitute for a proper system of juvenile defense and due process.1 The judicial, legislative, and executive branches of government must work together with the public defense system, juvenile defense experts, and the community to build a modern and true juvenile defense system in Colorado. The time is now to improve this system and give it the attention it sorely lacks. Details: Washington, DC: National Juvenile Defender Center; Colorado Juvenile Defender Coalition, 2012. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 29, 2013 at: http://www.njdc.info/pdf/Colorado_Assessement.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.njdc.info/pdf/Colorado_Assessement.pdf Shelf Number: 127430 Keywords: Juvenile CourtJuvenile Justice System (Colorado, U.S.)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Balvig, Flemming Title: Youth Survey: Why Young People's Lawfulness in Denmark is Spreading Summary: The number of young delinquents has declined in Denmark. This is the most distinctive feature that can be read from the attempts to disclose the trend in crimes actually perpetrated by young people in recent decades. The starting point for these attempts was the so-called Gladsaxe Survey from 1979, where 8th-grade pupils (i.e. 14-15 years old) in the municipality of Gladsaxe described the crimes they had actually committed in a comprehensive anonymous questionnaire. The Gladsaxe Survey from 1979 was not the first ‘self-reporting survey’ conducted in Denmark – that had been done already in the early 1960’s – but it is the only one that has been repeated several times in a manner permitting comparison and which can therefore be used as a forecast for future trends. The most recent survey was conducted in 2005, making total of four surveys to date: 1979, 1989/90, 1999 and 2005. Since the surveys have also included young people from Allerød and the north of Jutland starting in 1989/90, it seems reasonable to claim that the past three surveys can be seen as a good indicator of the situation for young people in Denmark as a whole. The overriding view of youth and crime behind these surveys is as follows: Juvenile delinquency is a problem first and foremost because it is often a symptom of other current and serious problems for young people in their everyday lives, and because it often concerns acts that may lead to problems for them later on in their lives. Details: Glostrup: Danish Crime Prevention Council, 2007. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 7, 2013 at: http://www.dkr.dk/sites/default/files/den%20ungdom%20UK-mforside.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Denmark URL: http://www.dkr.dk/sites/default/files/den%20ungdom%20UK-mforside.pdf Shelf Number: 127536 Keywords: Crime StatisticsJuvenile Delinquency (Denmark)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: DC Lawyers for Youth Title: Comparison of Juvenile, Young Adult, and Adult Arrests in the District of Columbia (2010) Summary: Since 2007, there has been a 21 percent decline in juvenile arrests for Part I offenses in the District and total arrests are also on the downswing for DC young people. Despite the harmful rhetoric surrounding juvenile crime in the District, young people make up a proportionately low number of arrests. This new brief notes that young adult and adult arrests far outnumber those of juveniles and that juvenile arrests are trending downward in nearly every offense category. Details: Washington, DC: DC Lawyers for Youth, 2011. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: DCLY Issue Brief: Accessed February 8, 2013 at: http://www.dcly.org/sites/default/files/Young%20Adult%20Brief%20Draft%20%28Final%29.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.dcly.org/sites/default/files/Young%20Adult%20Brief%20Draft%20%28Final%29.pdf Shelf Number: 127544 Keywords: Crime StatisticsJuvenile Delinquency (Washington, DC)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: DC Lawyers for Youth Title: Arrest Trends in the District of Columbia (2007 - 2010) Summary: The first issue brief in the series - Juvenile Arrest Trends in the District of Columbia (2007-2010) - analyzes Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) juvenile arrest data over the last four years and identifies five important trends in juvenile arrest data. Details: Washington, DC: DC Lawyers for Youth, 2011. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: DCLY Issue Brief: Accessed February 8, 2013 at: http://www.dcly.org/sites/default/files/DCLY%20Juvenile%20Arrest%20Trends%20Issue%20Brief%20%282007%20to%202010%29.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.dcly.org/sites/default/files/DCLY%20Juvenile%20Arrest%20Trends%20Issue%20Brief%20%282007%20to%202010%29.pdf Shelf Number: 127545 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquency (Washington, DC)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Juvenile Justice in Australia 2010-11: An Overview Summary: On an average day in 2010–11, there were an estimated 7,265 young people under juvenile justice supervision in Australia. Most (86% or 6,250) were supervised in the community and the remainder (14% or 1,045) were in detention. There were 2.6 young people aged 10–17 under supervision on an average day for every 1,000 in the population—2.2 per 1,000 under community-based supervision and 0.4 per 1,000 in detention. Over the 4-year period to 2010–11, rates of young people under community-based supervision and in detention remained relatively steady. Among the states and territories for which data are available, rates of young people aged 10–17 under supervision on an average day ranged from 1.9 per 1,000 in Victoria to 4.7 per 1,000 in Tasmania. Indigenous young people aged 10–17 were 15 times as likely to be under supervision on an average day as non-Indigenous young people. This level of over-representation decreased slightly over the 4 years to 2010–11. The over-representation of Indigenous young people in detention decreased over the 4-year period. In 2010–11, Indigenous young people aged 10–17 were 24 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be in detention on an average day, down from 28 times as likely in 2007–08. Although on an average day most young people under juvenile justice supervision were supervised in the community, about 2 in 5 (41%) were in detention at some time during the year (estimates are not available for Western Australia and the Northern Territory). Most (87%) of those who were in detention during 2010–11 experienced unsentenced detention at some time during the year. On an average day in 2010–11, half (50%) of all young people in detention were unsentenced. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2012. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 106: Accessed February 11, 2013 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737422551 Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737422551 Shelf Number: 127567 Keywords: AboriginalsJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice Title: Mental Health Screening within Juvenile Justice: The Next Frontier Summary: This report discusses issues surrounding the mental health screening of juvenile offenders such as screening procedures, policies and implementation. Chapters of this report are: "Introduction" by Kathleen R. Skowyra and Joseph J. Cocozza; "Procedures and Policies: Good Practice and Appropriate Uses of Screening Results" by Valerie Williams; and "Implementing mental Health Screening" by Thomas Grisso — ten steps. Appendixes include: resources for identifying and reviewing mental health screening tools; Pennsylvania guidelines for introducing the MAYSI-2 (Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument - Second Version) to youth; and Texas MAYSI-2 Protocol. Details: Delmar, NY: National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, 2007. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2013 at: http://www.ncmhjj.com/pdfs/publications/MH_Screening.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncmhjj.com/pdfs/publications/MH_Screening.pdf Shelf Number: 127570 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersMental Health ScreeningMental Health Services |
Author: Mehlman-Orozco, Kimberly Title: The “Crimmigration†Effect?: An Exploratory Analysis of 287(g) and Latino Juveniles in Residential Placement Summary: This dissertation explores whether Section 287(g) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act [hereinafter "287(g)"], which allows for state officers and employees to serve as deputized immigration officers, has an indirect effect on the percentage of Latino juveniles in residential placement in the juvenile justice system. Prior research and criminological theories posit that one would not expect Latino foreign nationals and Latino citizens, prima facie, to engage in a disproportionate amount of criminal activity (Katz, Fox, & White, 2011; Lee & Martinez, 2009; Lee, Martinez, & Rosenfeld, 2001; Marcelli, 2001; Martinez, Stowell, & Lee, 2010; Nielsen, Lee, & Martinez, 2005; and Stowell, Messner, McGeever, & Raffalovich, 2009). However, in the (Lopez & Light, 2009; Vazsonyi & Chen, 2010). Previous research suggests different explanations for this phenomenon. One proposition—and the focus of this study—is that disproportionate involvement is due to a “crimmigration†effect of policies like 287(g). "Crimmigration" suggests that the enforcement of policies like 287(g), which focus criminal justice resources on illegal immigration issues, could lead to disproportionate Latino involvement in the criminal justice system because it permits high levels of law enforcement discretion toward non-native racial minorities. In explaining this potential effect, this dissertation explores the applicability of LatCrit theory, Marxist theory, conflict theory, and bounded rationality theory. Ultimately, each of these theories provides a framework that can be used to suggest that 287(g) directives may be currently implemented in a way that disproportionately affects Latinos, with an increased number of searches, citations, arrests, and time in detention. To examine this relationship between 287(g) and disproportionate Latino contact with the criminal justice system, this study specifically focuses on juvenile justice. The analysis uses the Census of Juveniles on Residential Placement, the American Community Survey, and the U.S. Census to examine the percentage of juveniles in residential placement in 287(g) jurisdictions as compared to non-287(g) jurisdictions, while holding constant the population density of Latinos and other social and crime-related controls over time. By doing so, this study explores the relationship between those places with and without 287(g) and the levels of Latinos in juvenile residential placement. Perhaps significant differences between these types of jurisdictions could shed light on how policies like 287(g) impact the racial composition of those involved in the criminal justice system. Despite a growing body of research suggesting that 287(g) jurisdictions may be experiencing increases in Latino involvement in the justice system, the findings of this exploratory study did not support this claim. Specifically, 287(g) jurisdictions may experience no effect or a negative effect on the percentage of Latino juveniles in residential placement. These findings should be taken cautiously, however, given the extremely limited nature of the data available to study this issue. Such limitations yield important insights about the type of information that criminal justice systems need to collect in order to adequately examine whether a relationship exists between immigration policy enforcement and criminal justice involvement. Such information is absolutely necessary to better inform this highly contentious policy area, with little research base for claims on both sides of the debate. Details: Fairfax, VA: George Mason University, 2012. 151p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed February 13, 2013 at: http://www.justitiainstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DissertationPDF1.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.justitiainstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DissertationPDF1.pdf Shelf Number: 127598 Keywords: Disproportionate Minority ConfinementDisproportionate Minority ContactHispanicsImmigration PoliciesJuvenile OffendersLatinos, Juveniles |
Author: Great Britain. HM Inspectorate of Probation Title: Examining Multi-Agency Responses to Children and Young People who Sexually Offend: A joint inspection of the effectiveness of multi- agency work with children and young people in England and Wales who have committed sexual offences and wer Summary: This inspection focuses on the small but significant group of children and young people who commit sexual offences. These children and young people form a very small proportion of the overall cohort of those who offend but current estimates suggest that their behaviour could account for more than one-tenth of all sexual offending. Their behaviour can be extremely damaging, often involving other children and young people as victims. Yet the evidence from our inspection is that these children and young people do respond to intervention from the Youth Offending Teams and can be rehabilitated before developing entrenched patterns of behaviour. We were, therefore, very concerned to find that a sizeable number of them had been referred on previous occasions to children’s social care services but the significance of their sexual behaviour was either not recognised or dismissed. This, to us, represented a lost opportunity, both for the children and young people themselves and their potential victims. Once these children and young people had been identified and picked up by the justice system, their chances for rehabilitation dramatically improved. Many displayed a range of problems and clearly benefited from the additional attention given to their various needs and from the close working relationship they developed with the multi-disciplinary group of staff who make up Youth Offending Teams. However, the process was disturbingly slow, with cases taking on average eight months between disclosure and sentence. Although we saw many examples of good practice in direct work with young people, we found that too often the case management process supporting that work was characterised by poor communication between the relevant agencies, with inadequate assessment and joint planning. It appears to us that the lessons learnt from working with adults about the importance of developing a shared responsibility for the early identification and management of high risk cases across all the agencies involved, manifest in comprehensive, coordinated, multi-agency work, have still to permeate work with children and young people. Some basic improvements in process would bring considerable dividends. This report contains a number of recommendations to promote that end. Details: London: Criminal Justice Joint Inspection, 2013. 49p. Source: Internet Resousrce: Accessed FEbruary 15, 2013 at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmiprobation/joint-thematic/children-yp-who-sexually-offend-report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmiprobation/joint-thematic/children-yp-who-sexually-offend-report.pdf Shelf Number: 127623 Keywords: Child Sex Offenders (U.K.)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Vincent, Gina M. Title: Risk Assessment in Juvenile Justice: A Guidebook for Implementation Summary: The primary purpose of this Guide is to provide a structure for jurisdictions, juvenile probation or centralized statewide agencies striving to implement risk assessment or to improve their current risk assessment practices. Risk assessment in this Guide refers to the practice of using a structured tool that combines information about youth to classify them as being low, moderate or high risk for reoffending or continued delinquent activity, as well as identifying factors that might reduce that risk on an individual basis. The purpose of such risk assessment tools is to help in making decisions about youths' placement and supervision, and creating intervention plans that will reduce their level of risk. Details: Models for Change, 2012. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2013 at: http://www.modelsforchange.net/publications/346 Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.modelsforchange.net/publications/346 Shelf Number: 127625 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRisk Assessment |
Author: Pullmann, Michael D. Title: Washington State Disproportionate Minority Contact Assessment Summary: Since 1992, the Federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), acting on Congressional legislation, has required states to conduct regular assessments of the level of DMC at each major decision point in the juvenile justice system. DMC refers to unequal rates of white to non-white or Hispanic contact with the justice system, relative to the population of racial and ethnic groups in the community according to census data. The goal of the Washington State DMC assessment is to identify areas in need of attention so that youth in the juvenile justice system are provided with equal and fair treatment that is not based on race and ethnicity. In 2011, after a competitive process, the Washington State Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice (WA-PCJJ) contracted with the University of Washington’s Division of Public Behavioral Health and Justice Policy (PBHJP) to conduct this assessment for Washington State. Our approach to DMC assessment followed precisely the guidelines of OJJDP1 . This DMC assessment process sought to combine available data with the experiences, beliefs, and knowledge of local stakeholders in order to uncover those areas in which DMC is considered to be an issue of importance, to discover what communities may be doing to address DMC, and to provide suggestions on positive directions communities can take to address DMC. For those communities or interviewees with less experience in thinking about and acting on DMC, this process was also intended to provide a starting point for beginning that conversation. Our analyses used data provided to the WA-PCJJ by the Administrative Office of the Courts’ Center for Court Research (AOC-CCR). We supplemented this data with some additional data requests from detention centers and AOC-CCR. We calculated rates of disproportionality at several important decision points for the state of Washington and twelve jurisdictions: Adams, Benton/Franklin, King, Mason, Pierce, Spokane, Skagit, Whatcom, Clark, Kitsap, Thurston, and Yakima. This data was used to interview 3-8 stakeholders in each jurisdiction, usually composed of representatives of court administrations, judges, law enforcement, community advocates, and others. A total of sixty-three stakeholders were interviewed. Overall findings Our data analyses and interviews for each individual jurisdiction are presented in detail in separate chapters in this report. Common themes are detailed below. 1. There were several promising practices for DMC identification and reduction. Details: Seattle, WA: Division of Public Behavioral Health and Justice Policy, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington Medical School, 2013. 164p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 21, 2013 at: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/ojj/DMC/DMC_Final_Report_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/ojj/DMC/DMC_Final_Report_2013.pdf Shelf Number: 127658 Keywords: Discrimination in Juvenile JusticeDisproportionate Minority Contaact (Washington StaJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersRacial Disparities |
Author: Wan, Wai-Yin Title: The Impact of the NSW Young Offenders Act (1997) on Likelihood of Custodial Order Summary: The aim of this study was to determine whether the introduction of the Young Offenders Act had any impact on (a) the probability that a young offender will receive a custodial order 1; and (b) the time taken to receive a first custodial order. These two custodial outcomes were compared for Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people. The rates of a custodial order prior to and following the introduction of the Young Offenders Act were compared using a frailty model with Gompertz distribution. The times taken to receive the first custodial order prior to, and following the introduction of the Young Offenders Act were compared using the asymptotic failure rate of ever receiving a custodial order. The results show that while Indigenous young people are more likely to receive a custodial order as a juvenile (hazard ratio of 1.4) compared to non-Indigenous young people, the risk of receiving a custodial order fell for both groups after the introduction of the YOA (hazard ratio of 0.63). The results show that, after the introduction of the YOA, the risks of receiving a custodial order for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people dropped by 17.5 per cent and 16.3 per cent respectively. For Indigenous young people, 10 per cent of the pre-YOA cohort received a custodial order within 17 months of first proven court appearance, whereas after the YOA commenced this took 21 months. For the non-Indigenous young people, 10 per cent of the pre-YOA cohort received a custodial order within 36 months whereas after the YOA commenced this took 57 months. The results suggest the YOA has been effective in diverting young people from custody (including Indigenous young people). The likelihood of ever ending up in custody reduced and the time taken to receive a custodial order after the first proven court appearance lengthened for both indigenous and non-indigenous young people after the introduction of the YOA. Details: Brisbane: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 166: Accessed February 21, 2013 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb166.pdf/$file/cjb166.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb166.pdf/$file/cjb166.pdf Shelf Number: 127682 Keywords: Disparities in Juvenile JusticeIndigenous JuvenilesJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersMinority YouthYoung Offenders Act (Australia)Youth Justice Conferencing |
Author: Whitbeck, Barbara Title: Gangs and Youth Violence Interventions: A Review of Research and Literature Addressing Evidenceâ€Based and Promising Practices for Gangâ€Affiliated and Violent Youth in Juvenile Institutions and Detention Centers Summary: This report reviews current research and literature to determine which evidence-based and promising practices work best for gangâ€affiliated and violent youth in juvenile institutions and other detention settings, and what factors need to be considered when implementing best practices. It also notes evidenceâ€based practices currently used by Washington’s DSHS Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA), and practices JRA may consider for future implementation. Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, 2010. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Report 2.23: Accessed February 27, 2013 at: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/graphics/Main/jra/VIP%20Literature%20review.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/graphics/Main/jra/VIP%20Literature%20review.pdf Shelf Number: 127735 Keywords: Evidence-Based PracticesGang PreventionGang ViolenceGangsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Barnoski, Robert Title: Recidivism Findings for the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration's Mentoring Program: Final Report Summary: The Washington State Legislature directed the Institute to evaluate the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration’s mentoring program. The Institute conducted a preliminary analysis of the program in 2002 using a 12-month follow-up period and found reduced recidivism for mentor participants. This report updates the preliminary findings by using a longer follow-up period to measure recidivism. Findings • During the preliminary follow-up, the mentor group recidivated at a lower rate than the comparison group. However, the gap converges by the 36-month follow-up. None of the differences between the two groups is statistically significant for any type of recidivism at the 24- or 36-month follow-up periods. • This study is limited by having a relatively small number of youth in the mentor and comparison groups. As a result, large differences between the groups are necessary to show statistical significance. Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public Policy, 2006. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2013 at: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/06-07-1202.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/06-07-1202.pdf Shelf Number: 127820 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersMentoringRecidivismRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission Title: Raising the Age of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction: The future of 17-year-olds in Illinois' justice system Summary: In Illinois, 17-year-olds cannot vote or play the lottery; they need permission to join the military or pierce their ears; they are unable to obtain a full driver’s license or credit card. Abusing a 17-year-old is child abuse; failing to provide adequate food to a 17-year-old is child neglect; teachers and other professionals who work with 17-year- olds must report such incidents or face criminal charges themselves. When 17-year-olds damage someone’s property, their parents can be sued. A 17-year-old arrested for shoplifting an iPod Touch is subject to the juvenile justice system. In all of these respects, the law treats 17-year-olds as it does 16-year-olds: as minors. Yet Illinois law treats a 17-year-old who shoplifts an iPhone as an adult criminal: held with adults in jail, tried in adult criminal court, sent to adult prison if incarcerated, and issued an employment-crushing permanent criminal record—an adult felony conviction. In 38 other states, such a youth would go through the juvenile justice system instead. In 2009, in keeping with legal, criminological, and scientific trends, legislative advocates in Illinois supported moving 17-year-olds from criminal to juvenile court jurisdiction. The proposal was vigorously debated, with opponents raising concerns over public safety, staggering probation caseloads, overcrowded detention facilities and unmanageable fiscal costs. In response to these concerns, the General Assembly passed an innovative compromise; Illinois would be the first and only state in the nation to send exclusively misdemeanants through the juvenile system. Any and all felony charged 17-year-olds would stay in adult criminal court for the time being—until the effects of the change were known and the impact of further change could be considered. Since the misdemeanor age change took effect on January 1, 2010, none of the predicted negative consequences on the juvenile court system have occurred: Adding 17-year-old misdemeanants to the juvenile justice system in 2010 did not crash it. In fact, due to a sharp decline in juvenile crime, there are currently fewer juvenile arrests than when the General Assembly began debating the change in 2008. Public safety did not suffer. In fact, both crime reports and juvenile arrests have continued to decline, including a 14 percent decrease in violent crime statewide since the law was changed. County juvenile detention centers and state juvenile incarceration facilities were not overrun. In fact, one detention center and two state incarceration facilities have been closed and excess capacity is still the statewide norm. Illinois is not wasting costly resources on youth who will not change. In fact, we now know that even felony- level 17-year-old offenders are very good candidates for juvenile court interventions and that there is a net fiscal benefit from sending youth to juvenile rather than adult court. Multiple federal juvenile policy briefs have now offered new insight into the potential for adolescent offenders to grow and change—and have also warned of serious negative public safety consequences of sending minors through an adult criminal system. Illinois’ seemingly reasonable compromise did not, in the end, draw a wise, safe, or clear distinction between minor and serious offenses. In fact, years after the change, jurisdictional questions still regularly arise when 17-year-olds are arrested; some are being unnecessarily housed in adult jails and others are receiving adult convictions for misdemeanor offenses; decisions with lifelong collateral consequences for youth are being made without judicial oversight or a clear, uniform statewide process. Regardless of legislative action on this jurisdictional issue, Illinois cannot continue its status quo of housing felony-charged 17-year-olds with adult inmates without financial cost. In fact, monitoring for compliance with new federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) guidelines begins in 2013. PREA will require all offenders under 18, even those in the criminal system, to be housed separately from adults in all lockups, jails, detention centers, and prisons. Noncompliance can result in a 5 percent penalty on several federal formula funds and block grants, which support state and local law enforcement agencies throughout Illinois. The operational impact of raising the age for approximately 4,000 17-year-olds arrested for felony offenses will not crash the system. In fact, most practitioners interviewed for this report believe the change will relieve some administrative burdens inherent in a “bifurcated system†in which some 17-year-olds are handled as adults and others are considered juveniles. Of course, adding felony arrests cannot be expected to have the same operational effects as adding misdemeanor arrests. Some of the original fiscal projections and concerns over raising the age focused primarily on expensive interventions for more serious offenders (detention, incarceration, more intensive probation); these were minimally affected by adding up to 18,000 misdemeanor arrests to the juvenile system but do become more relevant concerns upon shifting 4,000 felony youth arrests from the adult system to the juvenile system. yet many original objections to raising the age focused on the effect of the raw numbers being shifted to front-end processing and diversion functions (arrest, probation screening, juvenile court caseloads, and probation services). At the front end of the system, the hardest stage of change is over, and it has been much more successful than anticipated. While serious youth crime continues to afflict communities, the overall reduction in juvenile crime and increased diversion options have created a smaller and more resilient juvenile justice system. Appropriately resourced, it will be able to absorb the second phase of raising the age while increasing public safety. Since the juvenile jurisdiction compromise changes went into effect in 2010, taking the next step with felonies has become less risky and more manageable, while the enormous economic and safety costs of maintaining the destructive status quo have become more apparent in many neighborhoods, as well as in the research. A great deal of the resistance to further change has dwindled and our state is being presented with the opportunity to do right by youth, their parents, the public, and practitioners. It is time to treat 17-year-olds who are arrested in Illinois as we do their 16-year-old classmates. Details: Springfield, IL: Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, 2013. 74. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2013 at: http://ijjc.illinois.gov/rta Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://ijjc.illinois.gov/rta Shelf Number: 127823 Keywords: Juvenile Court JurisdictionJuvenile Courts (Illinois, U.S.)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Bradford, Spike Title: Common Ground: Lessons Learned from Five States that Reduced Juvenile Confinement by More than Half Summary: After decades of expanding correctional populations in the United States, there is a growing awareness that we need to end the era of over-incarceration. Primarily this realization has formed around the adult correctional population, with less attention paid by the media or the general public to young people who are confined for delinquent behavior or prior to adjudication. This is perhaps because of the small percentage of youth that makeup the total incarcerated population: in 2010, approximately 2,270,100 adults were incarcerated in the U.S., compared to 70,792 youth. Simply by its scale, the “adult problem†dominates the conversation. However, as confinement is the least effective method of addressing delinquent behavior in young people and increases the likelihood that they will become justice-involved adults, systemic reforms that will reduce the number of confined youth are urgently needed. Such reforms–including reducing the number of youth held in secure confinement, improving the conditions of juvenile facilities and expanding community-based services that can be used instead of confinement, among other issues–have been aggressively pursued in a number of states around the country for over a decade. In fact, juvenile correctional populations have dropped by about a third, nationally, since 1999, when they peaked at over 107,000 confined youth. Restructuring the “fiscal architecture†of juvenile justice is one approach to reducing youth confinement that has attracted national attention. This approach seeks to remove the incentive of counties and local jurisdictions to send youth to state-run and state-funded institutions. Certainly, the current economic environment has played a role in states wanting to reduce their juvenile corrections expenses, which run upwards of $240 per day, per youth. Creating financial incentives for counties to keep youth close to home has the potential to lower net costs (state confinement and local community-based services), and improve outcomes for youth. Because this approach has showed early success in several states, other jurisdictions are considering whether they, too, should reform the fiscal architecture of their state juvenile justice systems to reduce youth confinement. Four years ago, the Justice Policy Institute, in its publication, Costs of Confinement: Why Good Juvenile Justice Policies Make Good Fiscal Sense, highlighted fiscal reform as a promising practice. Given the drop in juvenile confinement just in the past four years, we decided to look at what role fiscal changes–and other reforms–have played in reducing the number of youth locked up in the U.S. We discovered that adjusting funding schemes was just one of many successful strategies for juvenile confinement reform and, in fact, there are many states that have significantly reduced their juvenile confined populations without fiscal reform. States have initiated top-down policy changes, requiring police and courts to treat juveniles differently, resulting in fewer youth confined. Others have simply closed their state’s juvenile correctional facilities, forcing judges to adopt less restrictive responses to juvenile delinquency. What follows is a critical analysis of those elements that appeared to contribute to the greatest reductions in rates of confinement over the past decade. Keeping in mind juvenile justice in each state operates as a system, the actors, policies and problems are necessarily intertwined. For example, the creation of a juvenile justice reform committee within a state is one way to further deinstitutionalization reforms but this process is often the result of settlement agreements among litigants over poor juvenile justice conditions. In this report, each of these strategies will be addressed. After discussing commonalities of reform activities among the states, we provide a brief overview of each state’s experience. These are not case studies per se of specifics of each state’s work, but more of an aerial view to further describe the transformations made. Through the diversity of strategies, as well as the commonalities between states, we hope advocates and policymakers who seek better outcomes for youth will find inspiration and pursue those strategies that are fiscally and politically achievable in their jurisdictions. Details: Washington, DC: Justice Policy Institute, 2013. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2013 at: http://www.justicepolicy.org/uploads/justicepolicy/documents/jpicommonground.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.justicepolicy.org/uploads/justicepolicy/documents/jpicommonground.pdf Shelf Number: 127829 Keywords: Costs of Criminal JusticeJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Mendel, Richard Title: Juvenile Justice Reform in Connecticut: How Collaboration and Commitment Have Improved Public Safety and Outcomes for Youth Summary: Over the past two decades, a tremendous volume of new knowledge has emerged about causes of adolescent delinquency and the effective responses. Through research and policy experimentation, scholars and practitioners have proven that several new approaches significantly improve outcomes for youth who become involved in delinquency, thereby enhancing public safety and saving taxpayers’ money. These advances provide public officials with unprecedented opportunities to redesign their juvenile justice systems for the benefit of youth, families and communities. Unfortunately, most states and localities have been slow to recognize and act on this new information, slow to seize these opportunities for constructive change. Progress has been uneven. Perhaps more than any other state, Connecticut has absorbed the growing body of knowledge about youth development, adolescent brain research and delinquency, adopted its lessons, and used the information to fundamentally re-invent its approach to juvenile justice. As a result, Connecticut’s system today is far and away more successful, more humane, and more cost-effective than it was 10 or 20 years ago. This report will describe, dissect, and draw lessons from Connecticut’s striking success in juvenile justice reform for other states and communities seeking similar progress. The first section details the timeline and dimensions of change in Connecticut’s juvenile justice system over the past two decades. In 1992, Connecticut routinely locked up hundreds of youths – many of them never convicted or even accused of serious crimes – in decrepit and unsafe facilities while offering little or no treatment or rehabilitation. The state was one of only three in the nation whose justice system treated all 16- and 17-year-olds as adults – trying them in criminal courts, with open records, and sentencing many to adult prisons without education or rehabilitative services designed for adolescents. By 2002 there was a growing awareness that these problems could no longer be ignored. Over the decade that followed, a movement for sweeping reforms began to build momentum and take root. And by 2012, Connecticut had a strong commitment to invest in alternatives to detention and incarceration, improve conditions of confinement, examine the research, and focus on treatment strategies with evidence of effectiveness. Most impressively, these changes have been accomplished in Connecticut without any added financial cost, and without any increase in juvenile crime or violence. To the contrary, the costs of new programs and services for Connecticut’s court-involved youth have been fully offset in the short-term by reduced expenditures for detention and confinement, and promise additional savings down the road as more youth desist from delinquency and crime. Arrests of youth have fallen substantially throughout the reform period, both for serious violent crimes and for virtually all other offense categories as well. The report then looks under the hood of Connecticut’s reform efforts and explores the critical factors underlying these accomplishments. The discussion begins by detailing the main elements and key champions of progress and by identifying the turning points that built momentum toward reform. The report’s final section explores what other states or local jurisdictions can learn from Connecticut’s experience. The most important lesson, it finds, is that a new and vastly improved juvenile justice system is within reach for any jurisdiction that summons the energy and commitment, the creativity and cooperative spirit to do what’s best for their children, their families, and their communities. Details: Washington, DC: Justice Policy Institute, 2013. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2013 at: http://www.justicepolicy.org/uploads/justicepolicy/documents/jpi_juvenile_justice_reform_in_ct.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.justicepolicy.org/uploads/justicepolicy/documents/jpi_juvenile_justice_reform_in_ct.pdf Shelf Number: 127842 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile Justice (Connecticut, U.S.)Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile OffendersPartnerships |
Author: Celeste, Gabriella Title: The Bridge to Somewhere: How Research Made Its Way into Juvenile Justice Reform in Ohio Summary: In December 2010, Supreme Court of Ohio Justices Stratton and McGee Brown convened a group of stakeholders interested in supporting effective juvenile justice reform to meet with a team of political strategists and experts dedicated to achieving meaningful policy change in the upcoming legislative budget session. The following June, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed House Bill 86 (HB 86) and the state budget, House Bill 153 (HB 153), both of which included substantial, evidence-based policy reforms for young people in the juvenile justice system. This case study describes the partners, collaborative model and key elements in achieving this major policy change. This collaborative policy change model involved several overarching elements: leveraging the current “policy window†that creates an opportunity for reform; defining juvenile justice as a compelling social problem; setting a research-informed policy agenda and framing solutions; strategically aligning existing spheres of influence with a core campaign team; and ultimately, adopting policy change through legislation. Details: Cleveland, OH: The Schubert Center for Child Studies at Case Western Reserve University, 2012. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2013 at: http://schubertcenter.case.edu/research_policy_briefs.aspx Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://schubertcenter.case.edu/research_policy_briefs.aspx Shelf Number: 127900 Keywords: Evidence-Based PracticesJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice Systems (Ohio, U.S.)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: CRG Research Limited Title: Positive Activities for Young People: National Evaluation: Final Report Summary: Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP) was launched in July 2003 in response to growing concerns over high levels of youth crime. It was a multi-department programme for those “at risk†aged 8-19 years. Methodology -- The research involved the evaluation of a representative sample of 22 Lead Delivery Agencies (LDA) based on data collected at set intervals over a three year period. The evaluation employed a multi-tiered approach to assess the structure and impact of PAYP including at the strategic level, operational level, with young people, non-participant observation, and an interrogation of the national Management Information System database to review referral, age, gender, activities, and outcomes for young people. Conclusions -- Finds that PAYP was viewed as being successful in delivering a targeted programme to a hard to engage client group. 290,000 young people participated, of which 85% were classed as “at riskâ€. The short lead-in time at the commencement of PAYP had an negative impact upon its delivery. Highlights the key worker role as central to the success of PAYP. Partner agencies reported improvements in capacity, business processes, partnership working, and their own service delivery. Details: Moorfoot, Sheffield, UK: Department for Education and Skills, 2006. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2013 at: http://www.eukn.org/United_kingdom/uk_en/E_library/Social_Inclusion_Integration/Integration_of_Social_Groups/Young_People/Positive_activities_for_young_people_national_evaluation_final_report_UK Year: 2006 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.eukn.org/United_kingdom/uk_en/E_library/Social_Inclusion_Integration/Integration_of_Social_Groups/Young_People/Positive_activities_for_young_people_national_evaluation_final_report_UK Shelf Number: 127930 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.)Delinquency PreventionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: St. James-Roberts, Ian Title: National Evaluation of Youth Justice Board Mentoring Schemes 2001 to 2004 Summary: Between 2001 and 2004, the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB) supported 80 community mentor projects distributed across England and Wales. The projects set out to deliver mentor programmes to young people who had offended or were at risk of doing so. This report evaluates the projects’ effectiveness and costs in achieving their aims. Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2005. 190p. Source: Internet Resource: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/7757/1/National%20Evaluation%20of%20Mentoring%20Projects%202001%20to%202004%20web%20ready.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/7757/1/National%20Evaluation%20of%20Mentoring%20Projects%202001%20to%202004%20web%20ready.pdf Shelf Number: 127938 Keywords: At-risk YouthDelinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersYouth Mentoring |
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: Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, Statistical Analysis Center Title: 2011 Arizona Gang Threat Assessment Summary: In the summer of 2011, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission’s Statistical Analysis Center surveyed law enforcement officers in Arizona regarding gangs and gang activity in their jurisdictions. The survey used for the Arizona Gang Threat Assessment was based upon the National Gang Threat Assessment conducted by the National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Drug Intelligence Center, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The survey was designed to obtain from law enforcement information about the gangs in their jurisdictions and their level of activity. This report provides statewide results from the 2011 Gang Threat Assessment and compares it to similar data collected in 2007 through 20101 to assess changes over time. Results of the threat assessment from local agencies have also been aggregated to the county level for 14 of the 15 Arizona counties. County level data is contained in the appendices of this report. Findings  Gangs were reported to be active in 46 of the 63 jurisdictions (73.0 percent) that responded to the survey in 2011. Of the agencies that reported active gangs, 35 provided estimates of the number of gang members in their jurisdiction. Together, these agencies alone estimated that there are 31,511 active gang members in their jurisdictions.  Slightly less than half (48.8 percent) of responding agencies reported that gangs were expanding their scope of activities.  Over half of the agencies reported that gang activity had increased in the prior 12 months and during the last five years. Nearly two-thirds of the agencies (62.2 percent) reported gang activity had either stayed the same or decreased in the six-month period preceding the survey.  Assault/aggravated assault was listed by nearly 67 percent of the agencies reporting on gang activities as the primary crime being committed by gangs, followed by burglary and drug offenses.  A high level of gang involvement in the sale of marijuana was reported by 45.5 percent of responding agencies and 26.7 percent reported high levels of gang involvement in the sale of methamphetamine. The percent of agencies reporting a high level of gang involvement in heroin sales nearly doubled from 5.8 percent in 2008 to 10.3 percent in 2010 and then nearly doubled again to 20 percent in 2011.  When asked about gang intervention strategies, law enforcement agencies identified law enforcement, identification of gang members and Gang Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GIITEM) as the most effective strategies for responding to gangs and gang activity in their jurisdictions. Much lower percentages of agency respondents saw value in school programs, special gang prosecution units and community-based gang programs. Details: Phoenix: Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, 2013. 142p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2013 at: http://acjc.state.az.us/ACJC.Web/Pubs/Home/2011%20GTA.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://acjc.state.az.us/ACJC.Web/Pubs/Home/2011%20GTA.pdf Shelf Number: 128080 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Arizona, U.S.)Juvenile OffendersYouth Gangs |
Author: Wood, Carly Title: The TurnAround Project - Phase 3 (2011/12) Summary: This report is a followâ€on from two preceding TurnAround (TA) reports and should be read in conjunction with previous information. UK Youth crime and antiâ€social behaviour is a continuing problem, estimated to cost the UK economy £4 billion per annum. Young offenders exhibit some of the highest reâ€offending rates, with 40% of young offenders reâ€offending within one year, increasing to 75% in those who receive a custodial sentence. Attention has been turned towards the use of interventions to tackle youth crime, antiâ€social behaviour and reâ€offending, due to the increasing costs associated with the criminal justice system and the ineffectiveness of custodial sentences. Evidence suggests that therapeutic interventions providing skills and mentoring are effective at changing behaviour and protecting against risk factors such as low selfâ€esteem, substance addiction and low IQ, which are often the root cause of these problem behaviours. The aim of TA 3 was to assist small groups of vulnerable and challenging youth in Essex to make positive life choices and overcome barriers to social inclusion and financial self sufficiency. The programme ran from April 2011â€January 2012 and comprised of skills workshops and outdoor activity days, weekly oneâ€toâ€one mentoring and two wilderness trails. The main objective of the programme was to intervene to the young peoples problem behaviours at an early stage; thus preventing further crime, problems at school and escalation of negative behaviour. The programme used outdoor activities and wilderness experiences to i) break down the physical and emotional barriers that inhibited social competence; ii) improve selfâ€esteem, selfâ€confidence, emotional regulation, communication and problem solving abilities; iii) instil a sense of accountability to themselves and others; iv) build trust and teamâ€working skills; v) educate young people to make positive life choices; vi) generate employment and training opportunities and/or further education prospects. Details: Colchester, UK: Essex Sustainability Institute, School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, 2012. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2013 at: http://www.greenexercise.org/pdf/TA3%20final%20July%202012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.greenexercise.org/pdf/TA3%20final%20July%202012.pdf Shelf Number: 128205 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.)Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersWilderness ProgramsYouth Mentoring |
Author: Williams, Huw Title: Repairing Shattered Lives: Brain injury and its implications for criminal justice Summary: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the leading form of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and is considered a silent epidemic. The condition most frequently occurs in young people, resulting predominantly from falls, sporting injuries, fights and road accidents, and is the major cause of death and disability amongst this group. Both sexes are equally affected when very young, however males are much more at risk than females in teenage years and adulthood. The consequences of brain injury include loss of memory, loss of concentration, decreased awareness of one’s own or others emotional state, poor impulse control, and, particularly, poor social judgment. Unsurprisingly behavioural problems such as conduct disorder, attention problems, increased aggression, and impulse control problems are prevalent in people with ABIs. The brain during childhood, adolescence and young adulthood is rapidly growing and its connections are shaped and strengthened by experience. It is these developing connections and pathways which enable it to pass information and drive the processes necessary to respond to and sustain life. An injury to the brain before these areas have fully developed may cause them to never entirely evolve or ‘misfire’. Recent research has shown that skills that are developing at the time of injury may be the most vulnerable to being disrupted, while already established skills may be more robust. This report explains the connection between acquired brain injury (ABI) and increased contact between children, young people and young adults with criminal justice processes, with a particular focus on the impact of ABI upon developmental maturity. This report combines a review of current studies on the subject with recommendations for commissioners and practitioners. Details: London: Barrow Cadbury Trust, Transition to Adulthood, 2013. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2013 at: http://www.bctrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Repairing-Shattered-Lives_Report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.bctrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Repairing-Shattered-Lives_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 128429 Keywords: Brain InjuryDisabilityJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersNeurological Disorders |
Author: Iowa Department of Human Services Title: Report on Iowa’s Highly Structured Juvenile Program Summary: The Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS or Department) consulted with the Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning of the Department of Human Rights to prepare this report. The Legislature requested a review of the programming and effectiveness of Iowa’s two highly structured juvenile programs. This report includes information gathered two ways. First, a literature review of international research concerning juvenile "boot camp" programs was conducted. Second, recidivism and foster care re-entry rates for the Iowa highly structured juvenile program (HSJP) was compared with the recidivism and foster care re-entry rates of other Iowa group foster care programs (called Comparison or Control group in the Iowa-specific data of this report). The literature review revealed that no U.S. studies found statistically significant differences in recidivism between boot camp graduates and comparison groups. Research seems to indicate that simply participating in boot camps does not improve outcomes for most juveniles. Most studies found little difference in outcomes, suggesting that boot camps, as a tool, are neither better nor worse than other alternatives. State fiscal years (SFY) 2006 and 2007 were used to study recidivism and re-entry. A group of juveniles discharged from the highly structured programs during SFY 2006 (139 individuals) was compared with a group discharged during SFY 2006 from group foster care (140 individuals). The follow up period for each group was through the end of SFY 2007. Most categories of comparison between the two groups showed no remarkable differences. However, one distinguishing finding was the average number of days from discharge until a new adjudication. For the HSJP group the number was 253 days and for the Comparison group the number was 331 days. On average, the highly structured group recidivated 2 ½ months sooner. The HSJP group also had more serious charges at the time of the recidivism. The HSJP group’s “Violent†charges represented 37% of all their charges post-program discharge, while “Violent†charges represented 19% of the Comparison group’s charges postprogram discharge. Less serious “Property†offenses represented 29% of the HSJP group’s charges while “Property†offenses represented 49% of the Comparison group’s charges. Drug offenses were slightly higher for the HSJP group too; they represented 15% of the charges of the HSJP and 11% of the charges of the Comparison group. The children in the highly structured group were also more likely to be placed in detention post-discharge, 41% compared to 18%. Details: Des Moines: Iowa Department of Human Services, 2007. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2013 at: http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/docs/IA_Highly_Strutured_Juvenile_Program_Dec1407.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/docs/IA_Highly_Strutured_Juvenile_Program_Dec1407.pdf Shelf Number: 128432 Keywords: Juvenile Boot Camps (Iowa, U.S.)Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ReentryShock Incarceration Programs |
Author: Asian Centre for Human Rights Title: State of Juvenile Justice in Mizoram Summary: Children constitute 17.34 per cent of Mizoram’s total population. Mizoram may be a small state in terms of population and area, but the percentage of both child abuse and crimes committed by juveniles is quite high. The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India in its “Study on Child Abuse: INDIA 2007†ranked Mizoram second in child abuse amongst the 13 states of India covered under the study. The study found that “in four of these states, the percentage of physical abuse was alarmingly high, above 80%. These states were Assam (84.65%), Mizoram (84.64%), Delhi (83.12%) and Uttar Pradesh (82.77%).†A “Study of Child Abuse in Mizoram†prepared by the Social Welfare Department and Aizawl-based NGO, Human Rights & Law Network (HLRN) on 27 October 2012 revealed that children are not safe anywhere in the state as most cases of child sexual abuse were committed by relatives, friends and teachers of the victims. The study revealed that Mizoram recorded 630 cases of child sexual abuse during the period of 2003 to 2009. Of these, 248 cases were registered by the Criminal Investigation Department of Mizoram Police, 240 cases by district police stations, 124 cases by the Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) and 18 cases by the Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl, Mizoram’s apex women body. Juvenile delinquency equally remains high. During the last decade from 2002 to 2011, the National Crime Records Bureau under the Ministry of Home Affairs recorded a total of 1,699 cases of “juvenile delinquency†in Mizoram. These include 1,258 cases registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 441 cases under the Special and Local Laws (SLL) in Mizoram. According to official records, 89 cases of child abuse and 35 cases of juvenile crimes were registered in the state during January to March 2012. This included 76 cases of physical abuse and 13 cases of sexual abuse against minors registered by the Social Welfare Department, and 35 cases of juvenile crimes recorded by the Juvenile Justice Boards. Yet, Mizoram has failed to show interest in the proper implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act of 2000 (amended in 2006) [hereinafter referred to as “JJ (C&PC) Actâ€]. Although the JJ(C&PC) Act has been enacted more than a decade ago, the statutory support services namely the Juvenile Justice Boards and the Child Welfare Committees in Mizoram have been set up in all the eight districts only during 2010-11. Details: New Delhi: Asian Centre for Human Rights, 2013. 83p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 25, 2013 at: http://www.achrweb.org/reports/india/JJ-Mizoram-2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: India URL: http://www.achrweb.org/reports/india/JJ-Mizoram-2013.pdf Shelf Number: 128442 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Justice (Mizoram, India)Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Daykin, Norma Title: Evidence Review: Music Making with Young Offenders and Young People at Risk of Offending Summary: This review was commissioned by Youth Music in March 2011 with the purpose of identifying evidence concerning the impact of music making on young people within the youth justice system. It seeks to add to the knowledge base on the effects of music-based work with young people by providing an up-to-date synthesis of published research and evaluation of music projects in youth justice settings. The report draws on three areas of work: 1. A systematic evidence review of the published, English language international literature on music-making with children and young people in justice settings. 2. An evidence and best practice review of the ‘grey’ literature including UK project reports focusing on music-making in the youth justice system. 3. A review of projects with young offenders funded by Youth Music since 1999. Details: London: Youth Music, 2011. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 25, 2013 at: http://www.youthmusic.org.uk/assets/files/Research/YM_YoungOffenders_web.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.youthmusic.org.uk/assets/files/Research/YM_YoungOffenders_web.pdf Shelf Number: 128320 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersMusic Therapy (U.K.)Rehabilitation Programs |
Author: Asian Centre for Human Rights Title: Assam: The State of Juvenile Justice Summary: The State of Assam has been consistently ranking top in juvenile delinquency among the eight north eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. In 2011, Assam topped the list with 405 cases (402 of IPC1 crimes and 3 SLL2 crimes), followed by Meghalaya with 98 IPC crimes, Arunachal Pradesh with 78 IPC crimes, Tripura with 73 IPC crimes, Sikkim with 63 IPC crimes, and Mizoram with 58 IPC crimes. Figures of Manipur were not available in the 2011 NCRB report. At the same time, Assam also topped the list of States in India as per the ‘Study on Child Abuse India 2007’ carried out in 13 states by the Ministry of Women and Child Development of the Government of India. Assam with 84.65% had the highest prevalence of physical abuse of children who faced one or more forms of physical abuse. While 56.37% children in institutions across the country were subjected to physical abuse by staff members of the institutions, in Assam the study reported 90.20% of physical abuse of children in institutional care homes i.e. juvenile homes. Assam with 57.27% had the highest percentage of sexual abuse of those children who faced one or more forms of sexual abuse. The administration of juvenile justice remains equally deplorable. There is acute shortage of homes for juveniles in conflict with the law as well as children in need of care and protection. Assam with 27 districts is the second largest but the most populated state in the north east India but there are only 4 Observation Homes and 3 Children Homes run by the state. These homes are confined to Kamrup, Nagaon and Jorhat district while the shelter homes run by NGOs are located in Guwahati. While the Jorhat Observation Home set up in 1987 caters to over 11 districts — Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Lakhimpur, Darrang, Udalguri and Sonitpur. Trafficking prone districts like Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang, Bongaigaon etc do not have any home. Assam’s negligence of juvenile justice is astounding. It failed to set up 7 new Open Shelters during 2011 despite availability of funds under the ICPS! Because of this failure the PAB declined to accept the request for grants for 3 existing Open Shelters at the 45th PAB meeting on 11th July 2012 under the ICPS. Instead, the PAB advised Assam to submit separate proposal for additional Open Shelters based on the findings/recommendations of the survey on street children that it had carried across Assam through Jayaprakash Institute of Social Change, a Kolkata based technical resource agency. The Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) constituted in all 27 districts of the state remain highly non-functional. Out of the 596 cases registered in 18 districts of Assam during 1st January 2011-31st December 2011, 347 cases were pending. The State Child Protection Society (SCPS), Assam failed to specifically provide the total number of reviews done by the State Government on the pendency of cases before each of the CWCs since their constitution. The SCPS only stated that State level review is being done from time to time. Assam has constituted Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) in all 27 districts of Assam9 but their functioning remains seriously problematic. At the latest i.e. the 45th Project Approval Board (PAB) Meeting under Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) held on 11th July 2012, the PAB expressed concern about the high pendency (1,635) at the JJB and suggested to increasing the sittings of the JJBs. Information received under the RTI revealed that percentage of pendency of cases before the JJBs range from minimum 33.3% in Udalguri district to maximum of 100% in Dhemaji and Morigaon district followed by 90.2% in Goalpara district and 79.3% in Darrang district and requires serious consideration. The problem is compounded by the lack of review of the pendency of cases of the JJBs by the Chief Judicial Magistrate or CMM as required under section 14(2) of the JJ (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Act, 2006. Replies received from JJBs under the RTI stated that not a single review of the pendency of cases before the JJBs has been conducted by the CMM or CJM in Kokrajhar district; Dibrugarh district; Darrang district; Lakhimpur district; Udalguri district; Dhubri district; Goalpara district; Barpeta district; Golaghat district; Morigaon district; Chirang district; Dhemaji district and Nagaon district from date of their constitution till 30th March 2012. It has been observed that there is complete lack of enforcement of penal provisions in the JJ(C&P) Act, 2000 (as amended in 2006) in Assam. Sections 23-27 of the JJ(C&P) Act, 2000 provides for protections to Juvenile in the form of penalties and punishments to perpetrators accused of cruelty and exploitation against the juvenile or child. Information obtained by ACHR under the RTI Act, 2005 revealed that none of these protective provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act has been enforced in most districts of Assam. Not a single case under any of the above provisions of the JJ (C&P) Act, 2000 (as amended in 200) has been registered in these districts. Details: New Delhi: Asian Centre for Human Rights, 2012. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 25, 2013 at: http://www.achrweb.org/reports/india/JJ-Assam-2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: India URL: http://www.achrweb.org/reports/india/JJ-Assam-2012.pdf Shelf Number: 128493 Keywords: Child ProtectionJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice Systems (India)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Holman, Barry Title: The Dangers of Detention: The Impact of Incarcerating Youth in Detention and Other Secure Facilities Summary: Despite the lowest youth crime rates in 20 years, hundreds of thousands of young people are locked away every year in the nation’s 591 secure detention centers. Detention centers are intended to temporarily house youth who pose a high risk of re-offending before their trial, or who are deemed likely to not appear for their trial. Details: Washington, DC: Justice Policy Institute, 2006. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 1, 2013 at: http://www.justicepolicy.org/research/1978 Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: http://www.justicepolicy.org/research/1978 Shelf Number: 106879 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Detention (U.S.)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Niebling, Sarah Title: Youth Camps: A Review of the International Literature Around the Philosophies, Principles, Processes and Outcomes of Youth Camp Initiatives in Reducing Offending and Re-Offending Behaviours and Increasing the Success of Rehabilitation Efforts for Yo Summary: This literature review was conducted to investigate the philosophies, principles, processes and outcomes of youth camp initiatives both in Australia and in New Zealand, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The purpose of reviewing the international literature in this field was to compare and contrast the different models of youth camps. This will: Determine which of these key models are effective in addressing the needs of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous juvenile offenders and at-risk young people Provide a foundation for making informed decisions regarding best practice approaches in reducing offending and re-offending behaviours Assist policy makers in increasing the success rate of rehabilitation and reintegration back into the community upon a young person’s release from a youth camp program There were four youth camp models that were reviewed for the purposes of this report. These four models were (1) traditional boot camps, (2) wilderness and adventure camps, (3) sports and recreational camps, and (4) arts, music and cultural camps. Traditional boot camps emphasise military training exercises, strict discipline, punishment and obedience to authority (Atkinson, 1995; Caputo, 2004; MacKenzie & Donaldson, 1996). This type of intervention for juvenile offenders may be effective in reducing recidivism and rehabilitating offenders, but it is difficult to say with certainty due to many inconsistencies in the literature. More objective program design, assessment and evaluation methods are needed to increase understanding of the effectiveness of traditional boot camp interventions. Wilderness and adventure camps involve taking young offenders to remote, rural or environmental locations where the clients have opportunities for “routine, personal space, regular meals and positive reinforcement†(Polsen & Chiauzzi, 2003, p. 6). The literature has indicated that these types of camps have a greater likelihood of generating long-term behavioural change when compared with traditional boot camp strategies (Polsen & Chiauzzi, 2003). Sports and recreational camps focus on developing team work, fitness and physical strength through sporting and recreational activities (Mason & Wilson, 1988; Sallybanks, 2002). As was stated above for traditional boot camps, it is difficult to say with certainty how effective sports and recreational camps are in reducing recidivism in juvenile offenders, as only a limited amount of research has been conducted in the field of sporting and recreational intervention mechanisms. Arts, music and cultural camps focus on all three areas of arts, music and culture in attempting to rehabilitate Indigenous juvenile offenders and reintegrate them back into society (Dryfoos, 1993). As was stated above for sports and recreational camps, not enough empirical research has been conducted to accurately determine the effectiveness of these interventions when addressing the needs of Indigenous juvenile offenders and at-risk young people. The results of this literature review will provide a basis for policy makers, academics and community workers to make informed decisions regarding best practice approaches for juvenile offenders and at-risk youth from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous backgrounds. Careful consideration of all youth camp initiatives is important in ensuring that a best practice framework is adopted for the most appropriate treatment of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people. The development of structured best practice models for specific target groups may assist in reducing offending and re-offending behaviours in addition to increasing the chances of successfully reintegrating young offenders back into the community. Details: Brisbane, QLD: Eidos, 2006. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed mary 1, 2013 at: http://www.eidos.org.au/v2/images/documents/FinalReports/YouthCamps.pdf Year: 2006 Country: International URL: http://www.eidos.org.au/v2/images/documents/FinalReports/YouthCamps.pdf Shelf Number: 106734 Keywords: Boot CampsJuvenile Offender RehabilitationJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation ProgramsWilderness CampsYouth Camps |
Author: Henry, David B. Title: Evaluating the Implementation of a Family-Focused Prevention Program: Effectiveness of SAFE Children Summary: Despite nearly 30 years of delinquency prevention research (Elliott, Huizinga, & Ageton, 1985; Hawkins & Weis, 1985), research findings on youth development and intervention have informed large scale programs and public policy to only a limited extent. There is need for strong evaluation of effectiveness and for greater knowledge about the key issues involved in moving interventions that demonstrate promise to being useful at full scale. There have been several formulations of key issues in effectiveness evaluation, all of which are oriented toward evidence-based prevention (e.g., Flay, et al., 2005; Sandler, et al., 2005; Spoth & Grenberg, 2005). Accompanying these conceptual formulations has been greater attention to practical considerations in undertaking such evaluations and valid measurement of key implementation issues in design of prevention trials (Tolan & Brown, 1998). Consensus is emerging that effectiveness studies should test the practical utility and viability of promising interventions for “at-scale†or “real-world†implementation. As in efficacy trials, it is important that effectiveness trials employ strong evaluation designs with random assignment, longitudinal analysis, reliable and valid measurement, and sophisticated growth oriented data analytic methods. Effectiveness trials also can inform about issues involved in implementation and transition to typical practice. As is noted by Sandler et al. (2005), effectiveness trials function as “dress rehearsal†for going to scale. The Standards Committee of the Society for Prevention Research (Flay et al., 2005) suggests that effectiveness trials should provide good estimates of how the intervention can be implemented in actual practice, cost of such implementation, and understanding of for what population this intervention is intended/appropriate. These formulations guided the development of this effectiveness trial. This project incorporates measurement and analyses that fit with these desired qualities of effectiveness evaluations, and substantially increase the quality and extent of information yield from the study for prevention of delinquency and other antisocial behavior. This final technical report consists of reports on research related to four separate goals, all related to the SAFE Effectiveness Trial. The first goal was to test the effects of the SAFE Effectiveness Trial intervention. Because of unexpected low participation rates, we include with this goal analyses aimed at understanding predictors of intervention participation. The second goal was to explore network processes within the groups and their relations to outcomes. The third was to explore pre-existing provider attitudes and process and fidelity measures, and their relations to outcome. The fourth and final goal was to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the SAFE Effectiveness Trial. Specific methodological details are provided under the reports of each study goal below. Our overall study plan was to obtain a single baseline assessment before the intervention and then re-assess at post-test and at 6-, 12-, and 24-month post-intervention. Initial recruitment planning and collaborative relationships were formed prior to the beginning of the study, and were in place when initial recruitment began in the Spring of 2006, training the first set of providers began in the Summer of 2006, and recruitment of the first cohort in the Fall of 2006. Details: Chicago: University of Illilnois at Chicago, 2012. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 1, 2013 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/238972.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/238972.pdf Shelf Number: 128588 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention (U.S.)Family InterventionsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO) Title: End Violence against Children in Custody. International and European Regulation and Policies Summary: Children and young people all over the world are in need of protection and special care when they come into conflict with the law. This is the inspiration behind the establishment of the International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO), which offers an inter-disciplinary system of information, communication, debates, analysis and proposals concerning different areas relating to the development of juvenile justice in the world. Indeed, The IJJO aims to be an ambitious endeavour that promotes an international and interdisciplinary approach to issues related to juvenile justice, based on UN rules and regulations and implemented through its mission and activities. These rules and regulations include: the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UN Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (The Riyadh Guidelines), the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (The Beijing Rules) and the UN Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (The Tokyo Rules). In this framework, the IJJO attaches importance to the promotion of a holistic and interdisciplinary concept of juvenile justice, based on three fundamental axes: the prevention of juvenile delinquency, penal intervention and educational measures and finally socio-professional reinsertion. Concerning the penal and educational measures, the IJJO provides a permanent forum for analysis, information and reflection on topics related to a child friendly justice. For that, The IJJO has a benchmarking function; it develops scientific researches, establishes good practice criteria and disseminates information on efficient strategies related to policies and interventions for the protection of young offenders’ rights. In this way, the protection of young offender’s rights and, more specifically, children victims of violence in custody is one of its advocacy priority, respecting always the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Details: IJJO, 2012. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 25, 2013 at: http://www.oijj.org/ Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://www.oijj.org/ Shelf Number: 128823 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile JusticeJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Sahovic, Nevena Vuckovis Title: ENOC Study report on National Human Rights Institutions and Child/Juvenile Delinquency Summary: The Survey: A first step in the survey on NHRIs and child/juvenile delinquency was to develop and distribute a questionnaire. The questionnaire on the monitoring role of the NHRIs in dealing with the rights of child/juvenile delinquents (C/JD) was sent in May 2012 to all ENOC member institutions (to date ENOC is made up of 41 members). The members were asked to provide some basic information on their involvement in the protection of the rights of C/JD. The questionnaire consisted of groups of questions which covered all measures of implementation in the area of the rights of C/JDs, with special attention to the rights of children who are alleged as, accused of or sentenced as having infringed the Penal law. However, children below the age of criminal responsibility also perpetrate offences (sometimes crimes) as well as “status†offences, for which they are deprived of liberty, taken into custody and intervened against. Therefore, children of all ages were subject of this survey. Structure of the Questionnaire: The questions were grouped into three chapters: Chapter one, dealing with basic information on the protection of the rights of C/JD in ENOC members’ States; Chapter two dealing with the role of NHRIs in the implementation of general measures needed for the realization of the rights of C/JD and Chapter three dealing specifically with the role of NHRIs in monitoring and evaluation of prevention and intervention in the area relevant for C/JD. Each Chapter was divided into sections The Questionnaire was elaborate but simple, with most questions requiring yes or no answers. Members were asked to provide comments and proposals for improvement for each group of questions. Structure of the Report This report follows the structure of the questionnaires and is thus divided in three Chapters and sections within. Details: Strasbourg: ENOC - European Network of Ombudspersons for Children, 2012. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: ECOC Survey 2012: Accessed May 30, 2013 at: http://www.kinderrechtencommissariaat.be/sites/default/files/bestanden/enoc_report_juvenile_justice_2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Europe URL: http://www.kinderrechtencommissariaat.be/sites/default/files/bestanden/enoc_report_juvenile_justice_2012.pdf Shelf Number: 128873 Keywords: Child ProtectionJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Burke, Kimberly S. Title: An Inventory and Examination of Restorative Justice Practices for Youth in Illinois Summary: In this study, organizations in Illinois that address youth misconduct or delinquency were surveyed to examine the use of restorative justice practices in Illinois and the extent to which they incorporate critical components of restorative justice, and to create an inventory of restorative justice practices across the state. A total of 152 individuals completed a web-based survey. From their responses, 95 organizations were included in an inventory of restorative justice practices. Key findings include: • Respondents reporting using restorative justice practices were found in 54 Illinois counties, and in many different types of organizations who respond to youth misconduct, including police departments, probation and court services, schools, community-based organizations, and other state and municipal departments • Of respondents who indicated the types of restorative justice practices they used (n=69), the most common restorative justice practices used were peer juries (40 percent), circles (17 percent), family group conferencing (16 percent), and victim-offender mediation (23 percent). • Respondents most commonly used restorative justice practices with non-violent, first-time offenders. For program eligibility, restorative justice programs commonly required youth to volunteer to participate, admit guilt for the wrongdoing, and have little or no criminal history. • Of respondents who listed an agency affiliation (n=114), 68 percent worked within the juvenile justice system, and 65 percent of those working within the juvenile justice system were law enforcement. • Of the respondents who indicated the types of restorative justice practices used (n=69), 61 percent reported using a combination of practices. • When a single program was used peer jury was the most commonly reported. This study provided respondents with a scale to measure the degree to which they used five components of restorative justice in their program. The five components of restorative justice included offender involvement and experience of justice, victim involvement and experience of justice, victim-offender relationships, community involvement and experience of justice, and problem-solving through restorative justice. Respondents were invited to respond on how likely it was that each component of restorative justice was addressed through their programming. The study found the following through the use of the scale. • Twenty-three percent of survey respondents highly incorporated the five components of restorative justice into programming in their organizations. Respondents were given a survey with five choices of the degree to which restorative justice is incorporated into programming. • The components reported as the least likely addressed by organizations was victim-offender relationships in their programs (average of 2.11 on a scale of five) or involve the community in the experience of justice (average of 2.93 on a scale of five). Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2013. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2013 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/researchreports/inventoryandexaminationofrestorativejusticepracticesforyouthillinois_042013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/researchreports/inventoryandexaminationofrestorativejusticepracticesforyouthillinois_042013.pdf Shelf Number: 128905 Keywords: Alternative Dispute SettlementConflict ResolutionJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersRestorative Justice (U.S.)Victim-Offender Mediation |
Author: Latessa, Edward J. Title: Final Report: Outcome and Process Evaluation of Juvenile Drug Courts Summary: This study adds to the existing juvenile drug court literature by providing a national multi-site outcome and process evaluation of nine juvenile drug courts from across the U.S. This study assesses the relative effect of each court, as well as their combined effectiveness in reaching the overall goal of reducing recidivism and improving youths' social functioning. It also identifies, where possible, the characteristics of youth and programs associated with successful outcomes. The goals of this research are consistent with those stated in the OJJDP-approved grant proposal. There were six original goals. One additional goal was added at the request of OJJDP. The goals of this research are: 1) To determine if there is a reduction in recidivism and substance abuse associated with participation in a juvenile drug court program, relative to comparison groups. 2) To determine if there are increases in social functioning related to participating in juvenile drug court programs relative to comparison groups. 3) To identify the characteristics of successful juvenile drug court participants. 4) To determine if juvenile drug courts are operating in a manner consistent with evidence-based approaches. 5) To identify the programmatic characteristics of effective juvenile drug courts. 6) To provide policymakers with information about the effectiveness of juvenile drug courts. 7) To determine if the 16 strategies for juvenile drug courts recommended by the National Drug Court Institute (NDCI) are effective practices (Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2003). The nine juvenile drug courts participating in this research study are located in: Ada County, Idaho; Clackamas County, Oregon; Jefferson County, Ohio; Lane County, Oregon; Lucas County, Ohio; Medina County, Ohio; Rhode Island (the state); San Diego County, California; and Santa Clara County, California. As discussed above, the study included both process and outcome evaluation components. Details: Cincinnati, OH: Center for Criminal Justice Research, University of Cincinnati, School of Criminal Justice, 2013. 421p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2013 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/241643.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/241643.pdf Shelf Number: 128931 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug Abuse and CrimeDrug OffendersJuvenile Drug CourtsJuvenile OffendersProblem-Solving CourtsRecidivism |
Author: Abram, Karen M. Title: PTSD, Trauma, and Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders in Detained Youth Summary: This bulletin examines the results of the Northwestern Juvenile Project—a longitudinal study of youth detained at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Chicago, IL, cosponsored by OJJDP. The authors discuss their findings on the prevalence of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among juvenile detainees and PTSD’s tendency to co-occur with other psychiatric disorders. Of the study sample, 92.5 percent of youth had experienced at least one trauma, 84 percent had experienced more than one trauma, and 56.8 percent were exposed to trauma six or more times. Among participants with PTSD, 93 percent had at least one comorbid psychiatric disorder. Among males, having any psychiatric diagnosis significantly increased the odds of having comorbid PTSD. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2013. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Beyond Detention Series: Accessed June 6, 2013 at: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/239603.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/239603.pdf Shelf Number: 128971 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Detention (U.S.)Juvenile OffendersMental HealthPost-Traumatic Stress SyndromePsychiatric Disorders |
Author: Deitch, Michele Title: Understanding and Addressing Youth Violence in the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. Report to the Office of the Independent Ombudsman Summary: Following numerous reports in 2012 of increased levels of youth violence in secure facilities operated by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD), the Office of the Independent Ombudsman (OIO) requested assistance from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas to analyze the extent and nature of youth misbehavior within TJJD and to identify strategies to effectively address the violence. This report responds to that request and aims to support the OIO in its efforts to understand and address misbehavior in TJJD’s secure facilities so that youth and staff are safe and youth receive effective rehabilitative programming. This report focuses on “major rule violations,†the most serious offenses a youth can commit during his or her time at TJJD. These include a wide range of non-violent and violent infractions, as well as attempted escapes, riots, and other group disturbances. At the OIO’s request, TJJD provided information about all of the major rule violations that took place within its six long-term, secure facilities from January 2009 through December 2012. These data were thoroughly analyzed to identify trends in the occurrence of violence. The report also examines youths’ and staff members’ personal experiences with assaultive behavior based on the results of a survey the OIO administered to youth and staff in five of the secure facilities in August and September 2012. To understand how TJJD manages youth misbehavior, we also analyzed data about current disciplinary practices, reviewed agency policies, and spoke with relevant agency administrators. In order to identify best practices for managing the behavior of youth within institutional settings, we conducted an extensive literature review and consulted with a wide variety of national experts in the field, including current and former administrators of other state juvenile systems. The findings presented in this report are timely as Texas legislators, TJJD administrators, and the OIO work to address the chronic challenge of youth misbehavior in TJJD’s secure facilities. The persistent nature of violence and other major rule violations has critical implications for juvenile justice system reform efforts during the 83rd Legislature and beyond. Details: Austin, TX: Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, 2013. 152p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2013 at: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/sites/default/files/file/faculty/DeitchUnderstandingandAddressingYouthViolenceinTJJDMay%202013FINAL.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/sites/default/files/file/faculty/DeitchUnderstandingandAddressingYouthViolenceinTJJDMay%202013FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 128973 Keywords: Juvenile Detention Facilities (Texas)Juvenile Inmate MisconductJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersYouth Violence |
Author: Children Rights Consortium Title: Improving Rehabilitation Services at Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres in Afghanistan : lessons learnt through a pilot project in support of the Herat and Kabul juvenile rehabilitation centres funded through the Italian cooperation office of the Italian emb Summary: Our pilot project was aimed at experimenting ways to improve the assistance to juveniles in JRCs, by focusing mainly on the question: what can be done to improve rehabilitation, re-education and reinsertion efforts with limited resources and making the best use of the existing ones? This project can also be considered as a follow-up action to the national seminar on ‘’Protection of Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) in Afghanistan through Alternatives to Detention†(Kabul, March 14-16, 2010) that was facilitated and funded through the Justice Program of the Italian Cooperation Office of the Italian Embassy and implemented together with all key stakeholder organizations involved in Juvenile Justice in Afghanistan. A number of specific operational recommendations were made at the workshop, including the need for more field research on concrete case studies/experiences which could help improve the assistance to juveniles in JRCs by providing related best practices. The present project takes up such recommendation and provides valuable lessons learnt from field experiences regarding legal aid assistance to juvenile offenders and action strategies to facilitate their rehabilitation, re-education and reinsertion into civil society. The present report aims at presenting such lessons learnt and sharing them with any other organization involved in this sector. We are very proud of our ex-ante baseline and the impact survey; through them, detailed and comprehensive data was collected and inputted to databases that have been requested by several organizations, many of which found them very useful for planning their own activities. In addition to the ex-ante and the impact assessment survey methodology, we also used a monthly peer questionnaire which gave the opportunity to inmates to evaluate us and measure what, in their views, was the perceived benefit they gained through the project activities. Individual interviews were also used as a very efficient way to gather information and feedback from inmates because they can be implemented rapidly, they can yield a wealth of data and those interviewed know they will remain anonymous. However, this methodology is based on inductive and deductive information gathering that does not allow us to know with certainty how generalized specific bad practices are or if illegal/unprofessional conduct, sometimes reported by interviewees, actually occurred. The main scope of the present report is not to highlight possible wrongdoings of individuals and institutions but to provide constructive suggestions and recommendations aimed at improving the provision of services in the juvenile justice system in Afghanistan, thanks to the inputs of all actors involved. We strongly believe that in Afghanistan, as in any other country, any improvement in the juvenile justice system will bear medium term fruits by helping to decrease the adult crime rate, since many studies have concluded that working properly with juvenile offenders can reduce recidivism by much as 50%. Some stakeholders may disagree with some of the findings of the present report, but its aim is to feed a critical debate that it is hoped will promote and/or inform, eventually, the development of new approaches and strategies with a view to improving the juvenile justice system. Details: Kabul: Children Rights Consortium, 2011. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 7, 2013 at: http://www.oijj.org/sites/default/files/jrcs_assistance_in_afghanistan_publication_aschiana.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Afghanistan URL: http://www.oijj.org/sites/default/files/jrcs_assistance_in_afghanistan_publication_aschiana.pdf Shelf Number: 129000 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice Systems (Afghanistan)Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Rehabilitation Programs |
Author: Knight, Victoria Title: Evaluation of the Restorative Approaches Project in Children’s Residential Homes across Leicestershire: Final Report 2011 Summary: The Project- Restorative approaches was introduced to eight pilot homes across Leicestershire from 2007-2010. A Restorative Project Officer (RPO) was appointed to train and support staff in restorative models. The overall aim of the pilot was to reduce and minimise criminalisation of looked-after children who enter residential settings because it had been observed that looked-after young people were over-represented in the criminal justice system compared to the wider young offender population. Restorative work with young people more generally in both youth justice, in schools and a few residential settings had achieved many successes. Leicestershire YOS (also endorsed by other agencies) secured funds from The Treasury to implement restorative techniques and models to assist residential staff in their practice and care of young residents. The Evaluation- The Community and Criminal Justice Division at De Montfort University were commissioned to conduct the evaluation of this pilot. From the onset of the pilot in October 2007 to the close of the pilot the evaluation team carried out a number of investigations in line with the pilot’s aims. Many staff, key stakeholders and a limited number of young residents were invited to participate in focus groups and interviews in order to capture the views and perspectives of those people experiencing the pilot. Alongside this analysis of information about all of the young residents (82 in total) including criminal and care histories was carried out. A review of relevant literature and local and global policies including behaviour management protocols and Ofsted reports were also examined. The findings were presented thematically. Details: Leicester, UK: De Montfort University, Community & Criminal Justice Division, 2011. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2013 at: Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 129026 Keywords: Behavior ModificationJuvenile Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Residential HomesRestorative Justice (U.K.) |
Author: National Juvenile Justice Network Title: The Comeback States: Reducing youth incarceration in the United States Summary: In 2000, a record-setting 108,802 youth were held in detention centers awaiting trial or confined by the courts in juvenile facilities in the United States. In a dramatic turnaround, by late-2010, the number of youth confined in state and county juvenile facilities had plummeted by 39 percent to 66,322. This reversal erased a 63 percent increase in the number of confined youth that began in 1985, when 66,762 youth were confined—an increase driven by highly publicized increases in youth arrests, growing public concern about youth crime, and state juvenile justice policies favoring increased reliance on incarceration. This report uses new federal data to document and analyze national and state incarceration trends. The turnaround is associated with changes in state policies since 2001 that reflected declines in youth arrests, new understandings of the teenage brain, less costly, evidence-based alternatives to incarceration, and constrained state budgets. A regression analysis of annual data found that although the decline in arrests helped explain the decline in confinement, post-arrest decisions by law enforcement officials, which are often shaped by state juvenile justice policies, also had a potent impact. Six policies were identified in this report that have been adopted by states since 2001 and encourage reductions in reliance on detention and incarceration. These changes: • increase the availability of evidence-based alternatives to incarceration; • require intake procedures that reduce use of secure detention facilities; • close or downsize youth confinement facilities; • reduce schools’ overreliance on the justice system to address discipline issues; • disallow incarceration for minor offenses; and • restructure juvenile justice responsibilities and finances among states and counties. Nine “comeback†states were singled out for their leadership in adopting these policies. They include California; Connecticut; Illinois; Ohio; Mississippi; New York; Texas; Washington; and Wisconsin. The report profiles each of the states with regard to: 1) the growth of their reliance on youth incarceration during the 1980s and 1990s; 2) reversal of that reliance during the 2001-to-late-2010 period; and 3) the incarceration reduction policies that they have adopted since 2001. The “comeback†states were selected because they adopted at least four of the six policies, exceeded the national-average reduction in youth confinement for the 2001-to-2010 period, and experienced a decline in youth arrests (as a proxy for greater public safety) between 2000 and 2010. Details: Washington, DC: National Juvenile Justice Network; Austin, TX: Texas Public Policy Foundation, 2013. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2013 at: http://www.njjn.org/uploads/digital-library/Comeback-States-Report_FINAL.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.njjn.org/uploads/digital-library/Comeback-States-Report_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 129030 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice Policy (U.S.)Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Zhang, Lening Title: Youth Gangs in Contemporary China Summary: The present study examines the social context in which youth gangs have emerged as a social problem in China since 1970s. The problem is analyzed as part of the surging crime waves in the context of the nation’s economic reform and its implementation of the one-child policy. The economic reform and the implementation of the one-child policy have led to significant changes in Chinese cultural values and beliefs, lifestyles, population patterns, parenting practices, and social control. All the changes constitute a unique context in which youth gangs have emerged as a public concern in China. The study also explores the characteristics and progression of youth gangs in China using available information. It concludes with discussions of China’s control strategies on youth gangs and the limitations of gang research in China. Details: Loretto, PA: Saint Francis University, 2009. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 21, 2013 at: http://graduateinstitute.ch/webdav/site/ccdp/shared/5039/Zhang-China-gang-paper.pdf Year: 2009 Country: China URL: http://graduateinstitute.ch/webdav/site/ccdp/shared/5039/Zhang-China-gang-paper.pdf Shelf Number: 129040 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersYouth Gangs (China) |
Author: Trinidad and Tobago. Parliament. Committee on Young Males and Crime in Trinidad and Tobago Title: No Time To Quit: Engaging Youth at Risk. Executive Report of the Committee on Young Males and Crime in Trinidad and Tobago Summary: This report of the Youth at Risk Committee seeks to put in perspective equity vis a vis equal opportunity. It seeks to move beyond the narrow concept of sameness and to embrace the concepts of difference in the multi-cultural, multi-class society of Trinidad and Tobago. The report argues that the young male population that is more at risk of directly being caught in the criminal world of drugs, guns and deadly violent crime are of African descent, especially those located in urban “hotspots†such as Laventille. At the same time, it focuses on the different problems which young Indo-Trinidadian males face in areas of Central Trinidad, their predilection to alcohol and related domestic violence abuse. It also addresses the way in which women and young girls are both drawn into crime or become victims of the effects of male involvement in crime. Details: St. Augustine: Multimedia Production Centre (MPC), School of Education, Faculty of Humanities and Education, The University of the West Indies, 2013. 436p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 21, 2013 at: http://www.ttparliament.org/documents/2197.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Trinidad and Tobago URL: http://www.ttparliament.org/documents/2197.pdf Shelf Number: 129118 Keywords: At-risk YouthDelinquency PreventionJuvenile Delinquency (Trinidad and Tobago)Juvenile OffendersYouth CrimeYouth Gangs |
Author: Streicher, Ruth Title: The Construction of Masculinities and Violence: â€Youth Gangs“ in Dili, East Timor Summary: It was the sudden resurgence of violence in 2006 that brought Southeast Asia’s newest nation – East Timor – back to the forefront of public attention, and spotlighted the role of youth gangs as main perpetrators of street violence in East Timor’s capital Dili. Based on fieldwork conducted in 2007, this paper challenges conventional myths about an aggressive East Timorese ‘youth bulge’ by using theoretical notions on the construction of masculinities and violence as tools for analysis. The paper will portray gangs against the structural background of major socio-economic transformations accelerated by the international intervention and experiences of violence during Indonesian occupation as active agents strategically using violence as resource for (identity) politics. Details: Berlin: Freie Universitat Berlin, Center for Middle Eastern and North African Policies, 2011. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper No. 2: Accessed June 21, 2013 at: http://www.polsoz.fu-berlin.de/polwiss/forschung/international/vorderer-orient/publikation/WP_serie/WP2_Streicher_FINAL_web.pdf?1367710157 Year: 2011 Country: East Timor URL: http://www.polsoz.fu-berlin.de/polwiss/forschung/international/vorderer-orient/publikation/WP_serie/WP2_Streicher_FINAL_web.pdf?1367710157 Shelf Number: 129123 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersSocio-Economic ConditionsViolenceYouth Gangs (East Timor) |
Author: UN-Habitat Title: Strategy Paper on Urban Youth in Africa: A Focus on the most vulnerable groups Summary: This strategy paper has been developed in the context of UN-Habitat’s Safer Cities Programme, and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). It forms part of UN-Habitat’s work on urbanization, the inclusive city, the problems of urban youth, and issues of governance and youth participation. It is in keeping with the Millennium Development Goal of achieving a significant improvement in the lives of urban slum dwellers by 2020. Since the beginning of the 1990’s, the population of urban youth living in poverty, and youth crime and crime by minors in cities in the developing world have increased significantly. As part of the Safer Cities initiative, UN-Habitat has undertaken a number of exploratory surveys and studies in African cities which focus on the plight of youth in the correctional system, and those at risk of criminalization and victimization, such as street children. Through its Urban Management Programme, it has worked in collaboration with local partners on the development of youth junior councils and youth participatory mechanisms. In June 2002, in collaboration with the Government of South Africa, UN-Habitat initiated an international conference held in Nelson Mandela Metropole, on the development of citizenship among youth in conflict with the law in Africa. That conference brought together representatives of national governments, cities and municipalities, civil society organizations working with youth at risk, as well as youth leaders, criminal justice personnel, the research community and United Nations agencies. Its aim was to provide tools to support initiatives concerned with youth at risk, and young offenders, to elaborate a strategy on youth at risk, and to establish a network of cities and public and private organizations working with such youth. The conference resulted in a Declaration, and a Platform for Action, both of which focus both on the problems of the most vulnerable youth in African cities. Details: Nairobi, Kenya: UN-Habitat, 2012. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 21, 2013 at: http://www.unhabitat.org/downloads/docs/5647_23903_2472_altedit.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Africa URL: http://www.unhabitat.org/downloads/docs/5647_23903_2472_altedit.pdf Shelf Number: 129124 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Africa)Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersStreet Children |
Author: University of California, Berkeley. School of Law. Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy Title: JDAI Sites and States An Evaluation of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative: JDAI Sites Compared to Home State Totals Summary: The Annie E. Casey Foundation developed the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) to address the unnecessary and prolonged detention of youth. JDAI has been in operation for over 20 years. It is almost unheard of that a foundation commit to such a long-term effort to reform public policy. The longevity of JDAI is due in part to a learned value of thorough and thoughtful data collection and reflection on that data. The Initiative leaders have been willing to conduct honest self-assessments, post unfavorable results when they occur, and take a problem-solving approach to improving the program. Assessing the impact of JDAI is anything but simple. Deciding how to globally measure results is challenging to begin with. Beyond that, sites need to spend energy, attention, and resources to collect adequate data. However, this data collection is of benefit to the sites as a critical tool to use in improving their juvenile justice systems. As data collection improves over time, data are more complete and therefore more useful for meaningful evaluation. Casey supports its JDAI sites to continue to expand their capacity to collect and analyze high-quality data by providing technical assistance. Initiative leaders have examined the use of detention in participating JDAI sites by looking at the standard measures of Average Length of Stay (ALOS), Admissions, and Average Daily Population (ADP) in detention centers, among other indicators. In past publications, Casey has reported on impressive reductions in detention within JDAI sites and has presented other indicators of impact, influence, and leverage. This report is the first effort to compare JDAI sites (both individually and collectively) within a state to the state as a whole. Following is a series of 23 individual state profiles that include both qualitative and quantitative information. Each profile begins with a narrative that may highlight detention reform efforts and the adoption of JDAI in that state. The main data focus is on ADP in the JDAI sites for the baseline year to 2010 (that is, the year prior to implementing JDAI to the most recent year for which data are available) and at the state level from 1997 to 2010. This report also provides additional context in the form of data on youth serving long-term commitments and on juvenile arrest counts as an indicator of crime. Within that framework, and by those measures, JDAI certainly presents some positive gains. Details: Berkeley, CA: University of California (Berkeley), School of Law, 2012. 111p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2013 at: http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/JDAI_Rep_1_FINAL.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/JDAI_Rep_1_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 129199 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile Detention (U.S.)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Puzon, Marco Paa Title: Painted Gray Faces, Behind Bars and in the Streets Street Children and the Juvenile Justice System in the Philippines Summary: The Consortium for Street Children (CSC) is a network of NGOs working with street-involved children, and children at risk of taking to street life in Africa, Asia, Eastern and Central Europe, and Latin America. In many countries around the world street children are particularly vulnerable to abuses in juvenile justice systems: they are highly likely to come into contact with the criminal justice system in the first place, and they are less able to defend themselves from abuse once within the system. In some countries, in the absence of adequate social welfare responses, the criminal justice system is used to warehouse homeless children regardless of whether or not they have committed a crime. In other countries, outdated legislation means that children face harsh sentences for petty (often ‘survival’) theft, substance abuse, begging and ‘vagrancy’. In short, these children are discriminated against and have their rights violated because they are poor. In response to the internationally identified need to address the particular overlap between street children and the criminal justice system, CSC has undertaken a two-year research and advocacy project working with local partners to examine the situation of the human rights abuses of street children in juvenile justice systems in six countries: Kenya, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Romania. Research was undertaken and national, cross-sectoral workshops were convened involving street children themselves, civil society organisations, the police, judiciary, social and probation services and other stakeholders to identify key obstacles to the implementation of international human rights standards for street children in juvenile justice systems in each country. With an emphasis on constructive dialogue and collaboration between civil society and government, the workshops addressed issues of national relevance, examined examples of innovative good practice in this area and outlined recommendations for further action. The project in the Philippines uniquely focused on eliciting the views and participation of children themselves from around the country through a series of creative methodologies that were subsequently shared with the other participating countries. Details: Quezon City: Psychosocial Trauma and Human Rights Program Center for Integrative and Development Studies University of the Philippines; Consortium for Street Children 2003. 231p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2013 at: http://www.pstcrrc.org/docs/Painted_Gray_Faces_Behind_Bars_And_In_The_Streets.pdf Year: 2003 Country: Philippines URL: http://www.pstcrrc.org/docs/Painted_Gray_Faces_Behind_Bars_And_In_The_Streets.pdf Shelf Number: 129209 Keywords: Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersStreet Children (Philippines) |
Author: Görgen, Thomas Title: Youth Deviance and Youth Violence: Findings from a European study on juvenile delinquency and its prevention (YouPrev) Summary: In the upcoming decades, European societies will be characterized by rapid demographic change. Population ageing will affect the entire structure and functioning of societies. These changes are of importance not only for the size of youth populations but also for intergenerational relations, family structures, and labour markets. They will also have substantial impact on the age structure of the staff of institutions responsible for prevention and control of youth deviance and violence; especially in the case of the police, processes of “staff ageing†are already visible in many countries. This era of shrinking adolescent populations will furthermore be facing substantial challenges related to young people’s deviance. The current deep and prolonged economic crisis which affects European countries in very differential ways entails changes in government options concerning management and control of social problems and exposes individuals, families, communities and entire populations to considerable economic risks. The rapid progress and spread of new communication technologies affects modes of communication and social relationships and has already begun to change opportunity structures for adult and juvenile crime and deviance. While in recent years police-recorded crime rates in many European countries mainly show downward trends, at least until very recently, juvenile violence has generally been rising. Self-report studies (e.g. Baier, Pfeiffer, Simonson & Rabold, 2009) asking young people about experiences as perpetrators and victims of violence point to the fact that part of this rise in police-recorded youth violence may be due to increased reporting of hitherto undetected offences. This indicates that the development of youth deviance and violence is embedded into larger European societal trends such as diminishing tolerance for the use of violence as a means of conflict resolution and an increasing reliance upon formal institutions as agents of conflict settlement (cf. Pinker, 2011). Still, youth problem behaviour and violent offences committed by young people remain very important problems and matters of discourse and dispute in media and politics. Considering the countries involved in the project – Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain – there are a number of youthrelated phenomena that are regarded and discussed as paramount problems cross-nationally. Among these are problems connected to a small but very active group of young repeat offenders, the nexus between migration and crime among young people, substance abuse among adolescents and alcohol and drug-related offences, violence in schools reaching from bullying to school shootings and killing sprees, violent youth crime including the use of guns and knives, offences committed by girls and by very young juveniles and even children, the impact of new technologies on young people’s deviance, bringing about – or making possible – phenomena like cyber-bullying or digital copyright violations, and juvenile violence committed by gangs or rooted in youth subcultures. Across countries, there appear to be widespread perceptions of an increasing brutality and rudeness of juvenile violent offences and rising levels of aggressiveness in everyday life. They are linked to a perception of declining respect for authorities – including parents, teachers, and institutions of law enforcement. Though such perceptions are only partially supported by social science research, they have an impact on the ways the public and professionals – like police and social workers – perceive problems of youth deviance and violence (see Estrada, 2001). Beyond these cross-nationally consistent conceptualizations of paramount problems in the field of youth deviance, there are phenomena currently being regarded as important mainly in some countries. This holds true for offences committed by young people belonging to the Roma minority in Hungary, or severe acts of violence committed in public spaces and in public transport in Germany. So, while it is widely recognized nowadays that certain minor forms of deviant behaviour (alcohol and substance use, truancy, petty thefts, etc.) are a broadband developmental phenomenon – most young people displaying some kind of deviance during adolescence – there is a number of critical areas of youth crime that are regarded as serious problems and as severe threats to public safety. Substantial parts of this violence happen in public places (often called street violence). This has considerable impact on fear of crime and perceived quality of life in heavily affected areas. If young people are associated with deviant and violent behaviour in public spaces (consumption of drugs and alcohol, rude and physically aggressive behaviour), the attractiveness of (especially inner city) areas diminishes, places are avoided, and this in turn influences not only individual quality of life but also the local economy, the housing market, and social cohesion in neighbourhoods (cf. Thomas & Bromley, 2000, Tiesdell & Oc, 1998; Warr & Ellison, 2000). In multiple ways, young people’s deviance is connected to lifestyle aspects. Lifestyle issues have been theoretically and empirically linked to juvenile violence as well as to violent victimization (see for example Bottoms, 2006; Nofziger & Kurtz, 2005; Pauwels & Svensson, 2009). Lifestyle approaches point both at risk factors and at opportunities for prevention and intervention. Among the lifestyle issues discussed in connection with juvenile deviance and violence are young people’s consumption and abuse of alcohol and other psychotropic substances, their use of media and new communication technologies, afterschool activities, especially when frequenting risky public spaces (pubs, discos, clubs, etc.) and associating with delinquent peers, and lifestyle factors related to cultural and ethnic diversity and to migration (including perceptions of masculinity and femininity and attitudes regarding the legitimacy of using violence). Taking these lifestyle issues into account may open up approaches to successfully prevent youth deviance and violence. Among the stable findings of criminological research is that – with some exceptions – offenders and victims of crime and violence are very similar in their basic demographic characteristics and that there is considerable overlap between those committing violent acts and those affected by them. Violence committed by young people is mostly directed against young people, often their immediate peers. Thus, successfully preventing youth violence means protecting adolescents from violent victimization (Chen, 2009; Sampson & Lauritsen, 1990). While in the past, crime-related discourses have often been dominated by rather punitive attitudes, in recent years the concept of crime prevention has gained widespread acceptance – especially with regard to offences committed by young people. In multiple ways, successful prevention and control of youth deviance and violence require a broad perspective. As regards the actors involved, prevention should not be limited to police and law enforcement but should include social work, schools, the community etc. Concerning the characteristics and behaviours to be addressed by prevention and intervention, measures should not be focussed upon violence alone, but rather include other types of delinquency, with a special emphasis on the use and abuse of legal and illegal substances (cf. Ribeaud & Eisner, 2006; Webster- Stratton & Taylor, 2001). Regarding the target groups, a diversity of preventive approaches is needed – from measures of primary prevention addressing young people in general (e.g. in the field of alcohol abuse prevention) to specific measures targeting pre-identified high risk groups and known offenders. Consequently, prevention and control require a broad perspective in terms of the approaches taken, reaching from early onset primary prevention to custodial sanctions and to offender rehabilitation. Finally, regarding the levels of action, preventive measures should proceed at different levels, ranging from a micro to a macro perspective. Young people’s deviance is deeply rooted in local and regional conditions (family, school, peer group, community) which must be taken into account. However, since these micro conditions are embedded in and partly determined by factors at higher aggregate levels, prevention also requires a national and increasingly a European perspective. In the field of prevention and control of youth deviance and young people’s violence, multiple approaches are put into action in all European countries and by many different actors. Up to now, few of them have been systematically evaluated with regard to their effects and efficiency. Exchange across projects is scarce, especially if they are located in different countries. In recent years, criminological research has produced a substantial body of knowledge on risk and protective factors, offering multiple starting points for improving deviance control and prevention (see for example the Communities that Care Programme which builds upon local analyses of risk and protective factors; cf. Brown, Hawkins, Arthur, Briney & Abbott, 2007; Cleveland, Feinberg, Bontempo & Greenberg, 2008; Harachi, Hawkins, Catalano, LaFazia, Smith & Arthur, 2003; Hawkins, Catalano, Arthur, Egan, Brown, Abbott & Murray, 2008). What is currently lacking is a systematic up-to-date approach on best practices in prevention of young people’s deviance and youth violence in European countries. Further, this knowledge should be made available to the most important professions in the field in a way suitable for training and continuing education. Conclusions and consequences for policies directed at young people and at youth deviance and violence need to be made available to policy makers and practitioners in the field. The YouPrev project aimed at filling and narrowing these gaps by using a combination of different perspectives and methods. While the approaches are described in more detail below, the logic behind the methods applied is to first look what kind of approaches are currently being taken in partner countries and what is known about their effects and efficiency, and to ask key actors and experts in the field for their expertise on how to best tackle problems of youth violence and deviance. While this approach is primarily a national and cross-national one, the project also took a micro perspective by analysing juvenile problem behaviour and measures directed at it at the local level, thereby also comparing youth living in urban and rural areas. In this part of the project, young people’s first hand perspective not only on deviance and victimization but also on their perceptions and acceptance of preventive and protective measures was taken into account via surveys conducted in schools. Having analysed the current state of affairs, the proposed project then turned to future challenges and their implications for prevention and control of youth problem behaviour. Though, of course, no attempt to predict future developments can claim perfect accuracy, at least predictions regarding demographic changes in the coming decades are well-based on evidence. Since any type of strategic planning necessarily presupposes assumptions about the future, the challenge is to put these assumptions on a basis as solid as possible. The project undertook to go beyond the level of “implicit predictions†by including experts’ views in a systematic and structured manner via Delphi surveys. The project also aimed at refining and disseminating project findings and making them available for training and continuing education of the most important professions in the field. Following the basic assumption that successful prevention and intervention require multi-professional and multi-disciplinary approaches, practitioners and experts from different institutions and academic disciplines were brought together in national and international workshops. Finally, the project undertook to put knowledge on youth deviance prevention and control into action by conceiving materials for training and continuing education for police officers on the one hand and social workers on the other. Recommendations emerging from the project were set up to be disseminated among policy makers and key professionals in the field. Prevention and control of youth problem behaviour and youth violence can only be meaningfully understood as multidisciplinary, multi-professional and multi-agency endeavours. In the frame of the project, police and social work were identified as crucial and therefore teachers, trainers, and educators in this field represented the key target groups. This refers to staff at schools, colleges, faculties, universities and other educational institutions for police officers and social workers as well as to professionals in the field of continuing education. Beyond this, other groups are targeted by the project. These include practitioners from professions involved with crime and deviance prevention and control, members of crime prevention councils and networks at local, regional, national and European levels (like the EU Crime Prevention Network EUCPN and the European Forum for Urban Safety EFUS), as well as policy makers at local, regional, national and European levels. Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2013. 188p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2013 at: http://www.youprev.eu/pdf/YouPrev_InternationalReport.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Europe URL: http://www.youprev.eu/pdf/YouPrev_InternationalReport.pdf Shelf Number: 130030 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionDevianceJuvenile Delinquency (Europe)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Manuel, Celie Title: Systematic Review of Youth Crime Prevention Interventions Summary: This systematic literature review was commissioned by the Danish Crime Prevention Council to supplement the existing knowledge base about youth crime prevention and provide useful information about implementation and effectiveness of known crime prevention initiatives. The review is one component of a larger project commenced by the Danish Crime Prevention Council to collect information about methods and implementation processes for youth crime prevention interventions. Within the scope of this project, a network of prevention ambassadors is being established across Danish municipalities and it is the hope of the Danish Crime Prevention Council that this systematic literature review can inform and qualify the work of these prevention ambassadors in their local prevention efforts. INTERVENTIONS THAT INCLUDE A FOCUS ON THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT OF YOUTH HAVE GREATER LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS We included primary, secondary and tertiary prevention interventions and analysed them according to their delivery modes splitting them into seven different types: individual interventions, family-based, group-based, or school-based interventions, community oriented or systems-oriented interventions or interventions with multiple delivery modes. The greatest likelihood of positive intervention results was found for comprehensive interventions that aim to develop a more pro-social environment for target youth and that do not merely focus on individual-level factors such as cognition and behaviour management. The interventions that were most frequently successful were those with multiple delivery modes or delivered to the entire family. 63% and 57% of interventions with multiple delivery modes and family-based interventions respectively showed positive effects in terms of reducing disruptive or criminal behaviour. This is in comparison with a third or less of the school- or group-based interventions included in this review. The review also found trends to suggest that interventions with durations of at least four to six months were more likely to be effective than shorter durations in reducing disruptive or criminal behaviour. At the same time, most interventions lasting over four months had multiple delivery modes and it is as such not possible to separate effects related to longer duration from effects related to a more comprehensive approach. Also, interventions that appear to take a resource-oriented rather than a problem-focussed approach had a higher likelihood of success. This inference is tempered by the unverified assessment of approach and the fact that only few problem-focussed interventions were included in the review. GAPS IN RECENT YOUTH CRIME PREVENTION LITERATURE The systematic literature review reveals that very few quality evaluations using a control-group design have been conducted in a European let alone a Nordic setting. The vast majority of included interventions are from the United States. Due to the differences in juvenile justice systems and target group characteristics generally, translation of findings from the U.S. to the Danish context is problematic. As an example of this, an intervention such as Multisystemic Therapy (MST) which is one of the blueprints for violence prevention in the U.S. (showing sustained effects and successful replication across study sites) was not found to be better than usual services when implemented in Sweden. Recently evaluated youth crime prevention interventions distin-guish only broadly between different types of youth offenders and youth with problem behaviour. Very few interventions target for instance ethnic minorities, girls or youth with specific risk characteristics. Similarly, the interventions identified in this review do not, for the most part, expressly recognize youth offending as group behaviour, though this is the case for the majority of youth offending in Denmark. THE LITERATURE BASE FOR THE SYSTEMATIC REVIEW Seventy-two studies (incl. journal articles, dissertations, book chapters and reports) published between 2008 and 2012 were identified through a systematic literature search conducted for this review. Selected studies used using experimental or quasi-experimental research designs targeting 12-17 year olds and focusing on effects in terms of disruptive or criminal behaviour. Fifty-six studies were of adequate quality to allow a plausible inference of causality between intervention implementation and evaluation findings. These form the basis for the analysis of intervention characteristics and intervention effectiveness across preventive levels and intervention delivery modes. Details: Copenhagen: SFI Udgivelsesdato (Danish National Centre for Social Research), 2013. 312p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 3, 2013 at: http://www.sfi.dk/rapportoplysninger-4681.aspx?Action=1&NewsId=3850&PID=9267 Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.sfi.dk/rapportoplysninger-4681.aspx?Action=1&NewsId=3850&PID=9267 Shelf Number: 129236 Keywords: At-risk YouthCrime PreventionDelinquency PreventionInterventionsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Mercy Corps Title: Examining the Links between Youth Economic Opportunity, Civic Engagement and Conflict Summary: Somali youth hold the potential to contribute to positive change in their country. However, currently they are also the majority of the participants in militant and criminal groups.1 To better understand the drivers of youth violence in Somaliland and Puntland, Mercy Corps Somalia examined the links between economic opportunity, civic engagement and conflict as part of its USAID-funded Somali Youth Leaders Initiative.2 The research led to a number of counter-intuitive findings, including: 1) youth who are involved in civic engagement initiatives are less likely to endorse political violence, but are more likely to have engaged in such violence; and 2) youth who felt they had more economic opportunities were at greater risk of engaging in and supporting political violence, though actual employment status did not relate to propensity towards political violence. We also found that youth who experienced discrimination were more likely to engage in political violence, and that youth with greater self-efficacy to influence decisions that affect them were more likely to endorse political violence. This briefing explores these findings and their implications for the Somali Youth Leaders Initiative, as well as for similar youth development programs working in fragile, conflict-affected environments. Details: Portland, OR: Mercy Corps, 2013. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 8, 2013 at: http://www.mercycorps.org/sites/default/files/somaliabrief_2_13_13.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Somalia URL: http://www.mercycorps.org/sites/default/files/somaliabrief_2_13_13.pdf Shelf Number: 129268 Keywords: Economics of CrimeJuvenile OffendersPolitical ViolenceYouth Violence (Somalia) |
Author: Freeman, Sinead Title: Surviving on Remand: a Study of how Young People Cope in Remand Custody in Ireland Summary: The fusion of young people to the prison setting has been described as a toxic combination. This is especially pertinent when applied to youth in remand custody. Previous research studies have identified young people on remand as a highly vulnerable prison population and custodial remand to be a particularly stressful prison experience. Despite this, little research to date has examined how young people cope while remanded in custody. This thesis addresses this gap by providing an insight into the issue of coping on remand through the voices of young people in custody in the Irish context. It is informed by an interactionist theoretical framework which proposes that human behaviour consists of interactions between individual and environmental factors. The thesis employs an exploratory research design and incorporates a multi-method approach consisting of an observation study in the Children Court and the use of semi-structured interviews and standardised instruments with 62 young people aged 16 to 21 detained in custody in three remand settings. The findings reveal a major contradiction in terms, between the non-punitive concept of remand and the actual experiences encountered in the Irish context. Youth on remand are a forgotten population who are exposed to a particularly punishing and stressful experience which restricts their coping actions. This results in a high level of coping difficulty not only during the remand period but also on release or transfer to sentenced custody. The detrimental impact of remand indicates that remand custody should only be used as a measure of last resort and for a minimum duration of time. The majority of young people on remand would be better served by the development of alternatives to custodial remand, in particular bail support and supervision schemes which allow them to remain in the community. The implementation of change to the current remand environment and regime is also vital for the small number who pose a threat to public safety and must be detained a measure of last resort. Central to this reform, is the recognition of young people on remand as a distinct prison population by policy-makers, service providers and researchers and the implementation of separate, tailored facilities and activities which effectively meet their coping needs and respect their fundamental right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Details: Dublin: Dublin Institute of Technology, 2009. 327p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed July 9, 2013 at: http://arrow.dit.ie/appadoc/15/ Year: 2009 Country: Ireland URL: http://arrow.dit.ie/appadoc/15/ Shelf Number: 129333 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Detention (Ireland)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersRemand |
Author: Christoffersen, Mogens Mygaard Title: An Upbringing to Violence? Identifying the likelihood of violent crime among the 1966 birth cohort in Denmark Summary: Why do some boys develop into troublesome youth who eventually get sentenced for a violent crime? In planning a strategy to fight violent crime it would be useful to know if altering the conditions of children's upbringing and the ways we treat children generally could contribute to a reduction in the incidence of violent behaviour that leads to convictions among adolescents and young men. In this study information from population-based registers covers various aspects both for children, aged between 15 and 27 years, and their parents: health (mental and physical), education, social networks, family violence, self-destructive behaviour, parental alcohol or drug abuse, and unemployment. Details: Copenhagen: The Danish National Institute of Social Research, 2002. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper 5:2002: Accessed July 9, 2013 at: http://www.sfi.dk/publications-4844.aspx?Action=1&NewsId=352&PID=10056 Year: 2002 Country: Denmark URL: http://www.sfi.dk/publications-4844.aspx?Action=1&NewsId=352&PID=10056 Shelf Number: 129339 Keywords: Career CriminalsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile to Adult Criminal Careers (Denmark) |
Author: Soothill, Keith Title: Exploring Paradigms of Crime Reduction: An Empirical Longitudinal Study Summary: Using Danish registers for a 1980 birth cohort of 29,944 males with parental information and following up these cases for 24 years, the study considers four paradigms of crime reduction (parental child-rearing, structural factors around adolescence, locality and individual resources). Focusing on offenders with first-time convictions for shoplifting (n=1,778), for violence (n=1,585) and for burglary (n=1,208), all four paradigms made a contribution to risk of first time offending for all three crimes. The counter factual analysis indicated that a focus on structural issues within a society may have more widespread benefits, but the assumed causal links need to be further explored. The use of population registers, under controlled conditions, provides an important window on criminal careers. Details: Copenhagen: Danish National Centre for Social Research, 2008. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: 03:2008 WORKING PAPER: Accessed July 11, 2013 at: http://www.sfi.dk/publications-4844.aspx?Action=1&NewsId=90&PID=10056 Year: 2008 Country: Denmark URL: http://www.sfi.dk/publications-4844.aspx?Action=1&NewsId=90&PID=10056 Shelf Number: 129365 Keywords: Cohort StudiesCriminal CareersDelinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersParenting (Denmark) |
Author: Rae, Sarah-Joy Title: Juvenile Homicide : A criminological study on the possible causes of juvenile homicidal delinquency in Jamaica Summary: Jamaica, the so-called land of wood and water, normally is the embodiment of a dream holiday destination with white sandy beaches, tropical palm trees, dazzling sunshine and the typical Caribbean flair. Generally, murder and manslaughter are not associated with Jamaica. However, international comparisons of crime rates reveal that Jamaica has persistently had one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Jamaica has been described as the murder capital of the world in 2006 by the BBC news after more than 1’600 people were killed in the year 2005; a tally of at least five people murdered a day. The majority of the homicides are caused by young men. Despite the dimension and severity of the homicidal problem in Jamaica, it is astonishing that literature on this phenomenon in Jamaica is very sparse and the literature that is available either doesn’t conform to the current homicide situation in Jamaica anymore or is inconsistent with other studies. The aim of the present research study was thus to close this gap and to help the process of comprehending the problem of fatal juvenile delinquency by engaging empirical research in serious efforts to describe and explain the epidemic. According to the author, understanding juvenile homicidal delinquents and their actions and thus ascertaining a plausible explanation for their high homicide rate can only be achieved by going back to those whose acts are to be explained: The juvenile homicidal delinquents themselves. The findings of the present study are therefore based upon the data gathered by means of 20 face-to-face, semi-standardised interviews with young men who have committed at least one homicide during the last five years prior to the interview and were aged between 12 and 25 years at the time of the respective homicide(s). The author acts on the assumption that homicides by juveniles can be understood as a reaction that emerges situationally and is based on a complex bundle of causes which leads to an increased susceptibility to homicides. The aim of the present study was to generate a plausible and scientifically substantiated hypothesis to explain the high proportion of male juveniles responsible for the homicide rate in Jamaica. Three groupings were examined: The individual personality characteristics of the homicide delinquents, the social context influencing the individual’s thoughts and actions and the triggering factors in the homicide context. The study comes to the conclusion that the homicides of the respondents of the present study – additionally to the basic prerequisites of the occurrence of homicides in general such as a life in deprivation and the failure of the institutions of socialisation to sufficiently socialise their members – can be explained in high gear by the widely dispread culture of violence. Within this culture, violence constitutes a part of every-day behaviour and killing is perceived as a legitimate form of dispute resolution to which one has adapted because it utterly works. This is an instrumental understanding of violent behaviour. This apparent culture of violence of the underclass society with the deeply embedded willingness to apply violence to solve even seemingly minor disputes is intensified by a high gun prevalence and easy firearm accessibility as well as the wide distribution of and attachment to gangs. Firearms as well as delinquent gangs are two powerful factors that accord power, a feeling of strength and superiority to the individual. Status, power and respect rank high within the impecunious underclass society in Jamaica. Violence is perceived as a necessary instrument to sustain the own identity, status and respect. Thus, the fight for respect in the street culture of Jamaica’s urban inner-city youth depicts an act in self-defence for the parties involved. And such an act in self-defence legitimises to kill. Details: Basel, Germany: University of Basel, Faculty of Law, 2009. 298p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 11, 2013 at: http://www.dart-europe.eu/full.php?id=747104 Year: 2009 Country: Jamaica URL: http://www.dart-europe.eu/full.php?id=747104 Shelf Number: 129372 Keywords: Juvenile Homicide (Jamaica)Juvenile OffendersViolent CrimeYouth Gangs |
Author: Carranza, Elias Title: Arms, Violence and Youth in Central America Summary: Central America has been identified as a sub-region displaying post-conflict characteristics; with some stages successfully completed, while other have failed or are still in progress. A notable dilemma, however, remains unaddressed: the relationship between violence and youth. Traditionally, this relationship has been perceived as a symbiotic, with youth perceived as violent, as a logical consequence of their presumed lack of maturity or experience. A part of the effort to understand this relationship has been the continuous attempt by some segments of civil society and political circles to grasp one among many dimensions of violence: how it impacts a specific sector of the population –in this case youth– and to what extent is that violence being furthered by that age group. The reason for this is that, while on the one hand we understand that youths are the primary victims of violence, on the other, violence tends to originate in this group. Thus, a vicious circle develops and expands with increased intensity day by day, threatening to embrace the entire society. At present, youth and violence display a strong link throughout Central America, urgently requiring a creative solution to what can be seen as the great urban tragedy of the region. Violence has accompanied humankind since the dawn of history and it is in no way a phenomenon restricted to the developing world. “Violence is the result of the complex interplay of individual, relationship, social, cultural, and environmental factors.â€1 It results from a variety of sources, thus demanding comprehensive solutions. It also has a multiplier effect, resulting, among other things, from the way it is perceived, either from what the media conveys or from society’s own understanding of violence, which then reinterprets and translates it. Violence is not specific to a particular social class, nationality, religion, or ethnic group. It permanently combines social, economic, cultural, and even political factors. Therefore, it is a ubiquitous, structural phenomenon, with an undeniable social class component. All of this makes violence more tangible among the destitute, banned strata of society, as these are the hardest hit by poverty. Details: Unpublished paper, 2006(?). 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2013 at: http://www.obrayouthalliance.org/sites/default/files/Arms,Violence,Youth_Central_America.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Central America URL: http://www.obrayouthalliance.org/sites/default/files/Arms,Violence,Youth_Central_America.pdf Shelf Number: 129391 Keywords: Gun-Related ViolenceJuvenile OffendersViolence CrimesYouth GangsYouth Violence (Central America) |
Author: Munyo, Ignacio Title: The Juvenile Crime Dilemma Summary: I develop a dynamic model of behavior to analyze juvenile crime. The consistent decisions between crime and legal activities of forward-looking youths depend upon their work- and criminal-specifi…c human capital, which in turn are shaped by their history of past choices. The model explicitly recognizes the contrasting levels of punishment of the juvenile and adult criminal systems. In order to evaluate whether the model explains the evolution of crime, I calibrate it and test whether it can account for the observed variations in crime levels, as economic and legal factors change over time. The model is able to reproduce virtually all the recent increase in juvenile crime by a¤ecting key model parameters in line with observed facts. Additional counterfactual results suggest an increase in the expected punishments of young offenders within the juvenile justice system is a better way to fi…ght juvenile crime than the reduction of the age of criminal responsibility. Details: Unpublished paper, 2013. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2013 at: http://www.ceres-uy.org/pdfs/the_juvenile%20crime_dilemma_june%202013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.ceres-uy.org/pdfs/the_juvenile%20crime_dilemma_june%202013.pdf Shelf Number: 129392 Keywords: Criminal ResponsibilityEconomics and CrimeJuvenile OffendersPunishment |
Author: Cunningham, Wendy Title: Youth at Risk in Latin America and the Caribbean: Understanding the Causes, Realizing the Potential Summary: Realizing the potential of Latin America and the Caribbean’s youth is essential not only to their well-being, but also to the long-term welfare of the whole region.Young people’s families, communities, and governments— as well as private, nonprofit, and international organizations—have a responsibility to help youth reach their potential. There have been many successes but also important failures. How to build on the successes and correct the failures is the subject of this report. Young people are generally perceived as the source of many problems plaguing the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region today. Crime, violence, and illegal drugs are permeating the region. Youth unemployment rates are reaching new highs, and girls are giving birth at younger and younger ages, putting enormous financial and psychological costs on young people and on their societies. Recent initiatives by young people in the region have shown how the youth of LAC can be productive and contributing members of society. But governments, often more concerned about those who are not successfully navigating the youth years, repeatedly ask for advice from international experts about how best to support them. This book has two objectives: to identify the at-risk youth in LAC, and to provide evidence-based guidance to policy makers in LAC countries that will help them to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of their youth investments. The book concludes that governments can be more effective in preventing young people from engaging in risky behavior in the first place and also in assisting those who already are engaged in negative behavior. To support governments in this endeavor, the book provides a set of tools to inform and guide policy makers as they reform and implement programs for at-risk youth. Many recent studies have analyzed the problems of young people in LAC and made policy recommendations. This book contributes to the debate in six ways that are intended to deepen our conceptual thinking about youth, to present new tools that will allow for a more accurate analysis of the youth population, and to extend the boundaries of policy options and reforms. The book does the following: 1. Focuses on young people who can be considered to be at risk. This subgroup is defined as young people who have factors in their lives that lead them to engage in behaviors or experience events that are harmful to themselves and their societies, and that affect not just the risk taker, but society in general and future generations. These behaviors include leaving school early without learning, being jobless (neither in school nor working), engaging in substance abuse, behaving violently, initiating sex at a young age, and engaging in unsafe sexual practices. 2. Considers the young person in his or her entirety rather than analyzing and proposing policies specifically for, say, the young unemployed, young mothers, or juvenile delinquents. This required the use of data sets that contained information about the many facets of a young person’s life and the use of analytical tools that allowed us to view many different dimensions of a young person’s life simultaneously. 3. Considers the many actors who shape the young person’s environment during his or her youth. This allowed us to make policy recommendations for a wider range of actors than studies that focus only on the young person. 4. Highlights the common factors that underlie most kinds of risky behavior and argues that a small set of broad, well-chosen policies can have a bigger impact than a sector-based portfolio. 5. Develops a new methodology to estimate the cost of risky behavior— to the individual and to society—across Latin America that will yield more accurate information for decision making at the individual and government levels. 6. Narrows the thousands of youth programs in the world to 7 “must have†initiatives, 9 “should have†initiatives, and 7 “general†programs and policies that are the most relevant for at-risk youth in LAC. These 23 programs and policies are the result of intensive consultation with policy makers, practitioners, and academics to identify the most appropriate policies and programs to support at-risk youth in LAC. Details: Washington, DC: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank, 2008. 326p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2013 at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTLACREGTOPLABSOCPRO/Resources/YouthatriskinLAC.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Central America URL: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTLACREGTOPLABSOCPRO/Resources/YouthatriskinLAC.pdf Shelf Number: 116645 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Latin America)Delinquency PreventionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: American Bar Association Title: Assessment of Juvenile Justice in Belize Summary: Through almost 40 interviews of many different actors and material gathered from all over Belize, we have tried to assess the needs of the juvenile justice system. We did our best to gather information from all stakeholders involved in one way or another with juvenile offenders, from the prevention and detention stages to imprisonment and release. This allowed us to learn the opinions and points of view of a significant sample of professionals involved in this area. We interviewed judges, prosecutors, police officers, community rehabilitation officers, social workers from nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and even former offenders themselves with the objective to avoid imposing one single point of view, but to use the variety of different answers to the same question to inform the results. The questions involved legal but also practical considerations that will make it possible to analyze the weaknesses and peculiarities of the system at all levels. Interviews are one of the most efficient ways to gather information because they are fast, the participants add valuable opinions, and those interviewed know they will remain anonymous. Another source of information is the material we have gathered at the centers and institutions as well as the material participants were willing to share. However, this evaluation uses inductive and deductive reasoning that does not allow us to know with certainty how generalized specific bad practices are or if the illegal procedures, sometimes described, really happened. The main objective of the assessment is to create a critical analytical analysis, and not to condemn but to improve the juvenile justice system in Belize, thanks to the input of all the actors involved. We strongly believe that in Belize, as in other countries, any improvement in the system will bear medium term fruits by helping to decrease the adult crime rate, since some studies have concluded that working properly with juvenile offenders can reduce recidivism as much as 50%. Some stakeholders may disagree, wholly or in part, with the findings, but the aim is to create a debate where the same actors involved will be able to discuss ways to improve the juvenile justice system. We also wanted to make this assessment accessible to those unfamiliar with the Belizean justice system. The American Bar Association will convene and facilitate working groups beginning in November 2010, but most of the reform effort falls on the shoulders of the Belizean actors who will be asked to draft guidelines and recommendations for the benefit of the juvenile justice system and the whole society. The reality is that most justice systems in the world are not able to move forward without an internal, self-critical approach. Details: Washington, DC: American Bar Association, 2011. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Rule of Law Initiative: Accessed July 17, 2013 at: http://apps.americanbar.org/rol/publications/belize_assessment_of_juvenile_justice_11_10_eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Belize URL: http://apps.americanbar.org/rol/publications/belize_assessment_of_juvenile_justice_11_10_eng.pdf Shelf Number: 129429 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice Systems (Belize)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Knowles, Jessica Title: Still Behind Bars: Child Incarceration and Juvenile Justice Policy in the Philippines Summary: This report focuses on the implementation of the 2006 Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act in Metro Manila, Philippines. Details: PREDA Foundation, 2010. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2013 at: http://www.preda.org/main/archives/still-behind-bars.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Philippines URL: http://www.preda.org/main/archives/still-behind-bars.pdf Shelf Number: 129433 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice Systems (Philippines)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Howard League for Penal Reform Title: On Our Side? Young People and the Police: Can the police and crime commissioners lead the way for change? Summary: U R Boss is the Howard League’s youth participation project for young people in the criminal justice system. We work with young people to tackle their concerns through legal support and policy and campaigning work. • We have worked with young people across the country who have had varying levels of contact with the police. Participation work has been carried out with young people’s community groups, youth offending teams (YOTs) and young people who are currently or have been in prison. There have been common attitudes, opinions and concerns amongst all the young people we have worked with. • U R Boss has highlighted a number of serious concerns about the police. Some young people find that the police are seen as not caring about young people and some young people experience racism or serious bad practice. Young people are also concerned about being identified as ‘the usual suspects’ and experience inappropriate and intrusive stop and search practices. • We want to improve the purpose and quality of interactions between young people and the police, built on a base of mutual respect. Key to improving relationships is the need for regular and meaningful engagement with young people. • The landscape for policing is changing dramatically with the introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). This is a unique opportunity to make sure community voices, especially those of young people in contact with the criminal justice system, are heard, listened to and acted on to improve practice. • As gatekeepers for much of the criminal justice system, the police occupy a unique position to use their discretion, innovation and intelligence-led policing to use more direct and proportionate responses. A time of austerity and forces facing cuts to their budgets offers an opportunity to reassess the most effective way that resources can be used. • We are asking local PCC candidates to pledge to consult with young people in contact with the criminal justice system when developing their police and crime plans. • We are working with police at all levels to improve practice in their contact with young people. During the campaign, we are building on this by working with young people to identify and collate examples of good practice in policing. After the elections we will offer to work with successful candidates to develop meaningful ways of consulting young people and embed good practice. Details: London: Howard League for Penal Reform, 2012. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2013 at: http://www.urboss.org.uk/downloads/publications/On_our_Side_FULL_document.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.urboss.org.uk/downloads/publications/On_our_Side_FULL_document.pdf Shelf Number: 129465 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenilesPolice-Community Relations (U.S.) |
Author: Stucky, Thomas Title: The Marion County Prosecutor's Office Educating Kids About Gun Violence (EKG) Program Evaluation Summary: In response to high levels of gun violence among youth in Marion County, the Marion County Prosecutor's office developed the Educating Kids about Gun Violence (EKG) program. This program incorporates short video clips and interactive presentations which address legal, physical, and medical consequences of guns and gun violence. This report documents the findings of a program evaluation conducted by the Center for Criminal Justice Research, including analysis of 221 completed pre-program surveys and 176 post-program surveys, focusing on 130 surveys for which pre- and post-surveys could be matched. Included in the analyses are several different types of youth audiences, varying in both age and degree of prior contact with the criminal justice system. Details: Indianapolis: Center for Criminal Justice Research, Indiana University, 2009. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 6, 2013 at: https://archives.iupui.edu/bitstream/handle/2450/3511/EKG%20final%202009.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: https://archives.iupui.edu/bitstream/handle/2450/3511/EKG%20final%202009.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 129549 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionGun Violence (U.S.)Juvenile OffendersViolent CrimeYouth Gangs |
Author: Soto, Danielle A. Title: Hispanic Youth & Delinquency: A Longitudinal Examination of Generational Status, Family Processes, & Neighborhood Context Summary: Current examinations of racial/ethnic differences in delinquency largely treat Hispanics as a monolithic group, with little attention given to differences among Hispanic subgroups. Given that Hispanics are the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the United States, and are also the largest immigrant group in the country, examinations of generational status and delinquency appear rather neglected. Informed by segmented assimilation theory and strain theory, the current study uses the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data to examine racial/ethnic differences in delinquent and violent offending, with particular attention paid to generational status. A subsample consisting solely of Hispanics is also examined in order to further explore differences among Hispanic groups based on generational status. Initial results show that Hispanics do indeed report higher levels of involvement in both delinquency and violence, but further investigation shows that this is almost entirely driven by the second and third generations, with first-generation Hispanics reporting scores either statistically similar to those of whites, or scores significantly lower than those of whites. Family functioning and processes and neighborhood context are both explored as possible mediators of this relationship between Hispanic ethnicity and offending. The current study finds that while neighborhood context does not appear to explain the gaps in offending between whites and Hispanic generational groups (or between Hispanic generational groups themselves), these measures do help to explain offending overall. Family processes, on the other hand, explain a significant proportion of these gaps in offending. Furthermore, these factors, especially permissive parenting and family integration, help to explain much of the effect of gang membership on offending, a factor previously identified as particularly salient in explaining Hispanic offending. Another important finding is that the effect of being bilingual, hypothesized as a potential protective factor by segmented assimilation theory, depends on age. Initial cross-sectional examinations of the effects of being bilingual on offending do show a protective effect, but later longitudinal analyses reveal that while this is the case in adolescence and the teen years, once respondents enter their early 20s, being bilingual is associated with increases in offending. Details: Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University, 2010. 263p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed August 6, 2013 at: https://etd.ohiolink.edu/ap:10:0::NO:10:P10_ACCESSION_NUM:bgsu1277325919 Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: https://etd.ohiolink.edu/ap:10:0::NO:10:P10_ACCESSION_NUM:bgsu1277325919 Shelf Number: 129559 Keywords: Hispanic AmericansJuvenile OffendersMinority GroupsNeighborhoods and Crime |
Author: Catch22 Title: The Heart Programme: Final evaluation report Summary: This report is an evaluation of the Healthy Relationships Training (HEART) pilot programme. HEART was designed to support vulnerable young people and improve their relationships with both peers and prospective partners. The primary focus was on reducing the risk of young women either committing or being subject to serious violence, particularly gang-related and sexual violence, with a view to reducing victimisation and crime levels. The programme was co-ordinated by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and implemented by the charity Foundation4Life (F4L) in the London Boroughs of Lewisham, Newham and Waltham Forest, with Croydon as a later addition. The model comprised several strands: group training (both universal and targeted), mentoring, a website and a helpline. Coreplan UK developed programme content and trained F4L facilitators and mentors to deliver it. Catch22 and Analytica Consulting were commissioned to carry out the evaluation, beginning in November 2011 and following the life of the programme until December 2012. The evaluation focused on the targeted strands of the programme, the ‘distance travelled’ by those on the targeted training and mentoring strands, and the process and implementation of these strands. The evaluation used an ‘outcomes star’ (see Appendix II), a purpose-designed selfassessment tool, to track individuals’ progress towards planned outcomes related to healthy relationships or ‘distance travelled’. Further relevant qualitative information was collected through interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders, including the young participants themselves. Details: London: Catch22, 2013. 101p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2013 at: http://www.catch-22.org.uk/Files/HEART-edited-final-draft-17-04-13.pdf?id=ffe84458-5f05-422a-a3c8-a1ac00e3d308 Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.catch-22.org.uk/Files/HEART-edited-final-draft-17-04-13.pdf?id=ffe84458-5f05-422a-a3c8-a1ac00e3d308 Shelf Number: 129602 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.)Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersMentoringPeer Relationships |
Author: Hällsten, Mark Title: Crime as a Price of Inequality? The Delinquency Gap between Children of Immigrants and Children of Native Swedes Summary: We examine the gap in registered crime between the children of immigrants and the children of native Swedes. Our study is the first in Sweden to address the role of family and environmental background in creating the gap in recorded crimes. Lack of resources within the family and/or in the broader social environment, particularly in neighborhoods and schools, generates higher risks for criminal activity in children, and if the children of immigrants to a larger extent are underprivileged in those resources, a gap in crime may occur. In the empirical analyses we follow all individuals who completed compulsory schooling during the period 1990 to 1993 in the Stockholm Metropolitan area (N=66,330), and we analyze how background factors related to the family of origin and neighborhood segregation during adolescence influence the gap in recorded crimes, which are measured in 2005. For males, we are generally able to explain between half and three-quarters of this gap in crime by parental socioeconomic resources and neighborhood segregation. For females, we can explain even more, sometimes the entire gap. Resources in the family of origin appear to be the strongest mediator. In addition, the residual differences are virtually unrelated to immigrants’ country of origin, indicating that ‘culture’ or other shared context-of-exit factors matter very little in generating the gap. Details: Stockholm: The Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI), Stockholm University; Linnaeus Center for Integration Studies (SULCIS), Stockholm University, 2011. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 19, 2013 at: http://www.su.se/polopoly_fs/1.55504.1321514493!/SULCISWP_2011_1.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Sweden URL: http://www.su.se/polopoly_fs/1.55504.1321514493!/SULCISWP_2011_1.pdf Shelf Number: 129655 Keywords: Immigrants and Crime (Sweden)ImmigrationJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersNeighborhoods and CrimeSocioeconomic Conditions and Crime |
Author: Walsh, Michael Allen Title: Wilderness Adventure Programming as an Intervention for Youthful Offenders: Self-Efficacy, Resilience, and Hope for the Future Summary: A review of the literature on positive youth development clearly identifies demonstrated empirical relationships between perceived self competence, adolescent resilience, and hope, which are theorized in a strengths-based focus on youth offenders to be predictors of reduced recidivism. This evaluation of outcomes associated with participation in the Wilderness Endeavors (WE) Program of Thistledew seeks to test this theory that individuals who participate in WE will develop enhanced levels of perceived self competence, resiliency, and hope for the future, and therefore, result in a reduction of recidivism. The specific aims guiding this exploratory study include: 1) to establish a matched-pair control group using youth who were not referred to Thistledew, but which were referred from the same county court system to a Minnesota Department of Correction (MDOC) disposition or other programs, by using as matching variables age, age of first offense, type of committing offense, and risk assessments as determined by the Youth Level of Service Inventory (YSLI) used by the referring Youth Probation Officer (if possible given county court use of the YSLI from which a control group will be drawn); 2) to assess the baseline scores of the youth participant's on the following measures: a) Perceived-Self Competence (Self Efficacy), b) Hope, and c) Adolescent Resiliency; and to assess post-program scores on Perceived-Self Competence, Hope, and Adolescent Resiliency, and 3) to conduct a six-month follow up assessment that will assess both treatment and control youth re-offense rates, including the nature and degree of the re-offense. The paired t tests revealed that self efficacy and hope scores showed significant changes from pretest to posttest, suggesting that the Wilderness Endeavors Program had a significant positive effect on participant's self-efficacy and hope for the future. The non parametric test (McNemar) utilized to investigate the four hypotheses related to Wilderness Endeavors Program participation on the future offending behaviors (recidivism) of participants revealed that there were no significant differences in recidivism rates, or new program placements, between the treatment and control groups. Furthermore, involvement in school and employment were not significantly associated with recidivism rates in both treatment and control groups. The binary logistic regression showed that higher levels of hope were associated with those Wilderness Endeavors Program participants who did not recidivate, while changes in self-efficacy and resilience scores had no association with recidivism. Finally, the three demographic variables that are supported in the literature as being strong predictors of recidivism for juvenile offenders revealed only YLSI scores were associated with recidivism; those individuals who did not recidivate were more likely to have a lower risk score. Gender and age of first offense had weak or no associations with either group. Details: St. Paul, MN: University of Minnesota, 2009. 184p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed November 11, 2013 at: http://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/57003/1/Walsh_umn_0130E_10685.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/57003/1/Walsh_umn_0130E_10685.pdf Shelf Number: 131611 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersRecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsWilderness Programs Youthful Offenders |
Author: Parren, Franny Title: Combatting Youth Sexual Aggression and Victimization in the European Union: Stakeholder Perspectives and Recommendations Summary: Youth sexual aggression and victimization (Y-SAV) is a problem all over Europe. In most countries where data on sexual violence is disaggregated by age, prevalence figures for sexual aggression and victimization in the age group 12-25 years old are higher compared to average fi gures for the overall population. Understanding and preventing youth sexual aggression and victimization is important not only to tackle the existing high prevalence, but also to invest in sexual health and equal relationships for future generations. Sexual aggression is characterised by many grey areas and there are a range of sexual pressures and unwanted sex that do not necessarily fit within the legal frame of sexual violence, but nonetheless require societal action. Particularly in the current context of over-exposure to media images and virtualised socio-sexual interaction, young people need adequate support to develop positive attitudes towards sexuality and gender roles, and to strengthen their sexual interaction competence. This report forms part of the European Y-SAV project (implemented in the period July 2010 - December 2013). Consultations have been conducted in nine EU member states (Ireland, Spain, Lithuania, Greece, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands) and a total of 73 organisations and 20 individual experts participated. The participants identified the main shortfalls and opportunities to address youth sexual aggression and victimization within a variety of areas and provided recommendations to improve responses towards youth sexual aggression and victimization at the EU level and at the level of individual member states. Details: Utrecht, The Netherlands: Rutgers WPF, 2013. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2013 at: http://ysav.rutgerswpf.org/sites/default/files/ESAP_2013_Online2.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Europe URL: http://ysav.rutgerswpf.org/sites/default/files/ESAP_2013_Online2.pdf Shelf Number: 131662 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Sex OffendersSex OffensesSexual Assault (Europe) Sexual ViolenceVictimization |
Author: Damooei, Jamshid Title: The Evaluation Report For Targeted ReEntry Program of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme Summary: Crime devastates victims, communities, and even perpetrators. Over the last several decades, the United States has faced serious problems with its criminal justice system. The population of incarcerated Americans has grown tenfold since 1970 and those who have been released from prison are more likely than not to return to prison. The vicious cycle of imprisonment, release, and imprisonment need to be reduced and if possible stopped. In the last decade, there has been renewed interest in programs that are intended to reduce the recidivism rate of released prisoners. The Targeted Reentry Program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme is one such program that focuses on the needs of at‐risk juvenile offenders. The program provides services to youth offenders from the time the time they are detained in juvenile facilities through their release and reintegration with the community. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme rely on several collaborators to provide specialized services that are beyond their purview. These collaborators include: - Palmer Drug Abuse Program - Ventura County Public Health - The Ventura County Probation Agency - The Coalition to End Family Violence This study has worked to collect data both from the management of and participants in the Targeted Reentry Program in order to determine the effectiveness of the services provided. Based on these findings, the program proves to be an effective resource in the lives of these young people. Participants perceive the services to be effective and they consistently utilize everything that the program has to offer. Moreover, the rates of recidivism are relatively low and they seem to be gainfully engaged in the community upon release. Data collected through studying the records of program management indicate the following: - Significant proportions (36%) of youths who have received the program services are currently employed. - 84% of those who have participated in the Targeted Reentry Program are either currently in school or they have earned academic credentials that could help them become employed. Most encouragingly, 10% are currently pursuing secondary education beyond high school. - 36% of program participants received counseling services while they were inside the juvenile facility. - 86% of those who received counseling while they were in detention continued to receive counseling after they left the facility and began reintegrating into their communities. - The vast majority of respondents (70%) received substance abuse treatment inside the juvenile facility. This is a significant finding. First, it speaks to the success and ability of the Targeted Reentry Program to provide a service to a large number of program participants. Second, it indicates just how many of the youths entering the program is in need of substance abuse treatment. The majority of participants (52%) who received substance abuse treatment within the Juvenile Facility indicate that they continued to receive such treatment after they released into the community. - 85% of those who participated in the Targeted Reentry Program were not returned to the juvenile facility after their release only for a new offense. In addition to consulting the records of program management, the research team prepared a survey that was administered to program participants. The results of the survey are as follows: - At the time respondents filled out the questionnaire, a majority (53.5%) were legal adults over the age of eighteen. - When entering the program, juvenile offenders were between the ages of 14 and 17. The largest share of respondents (46.7%) was 17 when beginning the program. - Nearly three‐fourths of respondents (73.3%) are males. - 53.3% of respondents indicate that they are full‐time high school students not currently employed. An additional 13.4% are also studying; 6.7% are attending community college fulltime while another 6.7% are attending college while working. An additional third of respondents are no longer pursuing an education. 20% are working full‐time while 13.3% are working parttime jobs. - All respondents to the survey are either working or studying. This means that all these individuals are on the path to having a more stable life. - The findings of the program participant survey are quite promising. Only 13.3% of survey respondents indicate that they have had new charges filed against them after exiting the Targeted Reentry Program for the first time. This level of recidivism is significantly less than national levels that are generally in excess of 60%. - All survey respondents believed that the Targeted Reentry Program helped them to "find [the] real sources of my [their] problems." Specifically, 60% believed the program was very successful while 40% believed it to be only successful in this regard. - All survey respondents indicated that the program changed the way they deal with their problems for the better. This is further evidence that the services of the program are helping to develop pro‐social behavior among participants. - All survey respondents indicated that the program was successful in making them more hopeful about their lives. This is the third question in which program participants indicate unanimously that the program has encouraged pro‐social behavior. - 93.3% of respondents indicate that the program successfully gave them the opportunity to meet people who care about them and their wellbeing. - All survey respondents believe that the program taught them the value of an education for a better life in the future. Such motivation may help them become more likely to take their education seriously. - 86.7% of respondents believe that the program was successful in teaching them useful skills that will help them succeed in the job market. Once again, this finding touches on the issue of employability and the need for helping these youth offenders find stable livelihoods that will encourage them to avoid criminal activity. - Another area in which the program seems to help participants is in allowing them to appreciate the importance of health living. Respondents unanimously believed that the program was successful in teaching them the importance of healthy living. Details: Oxnard, CA: Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, 2010. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2013 at: http://www.bgcop.org/aboutus/impact/tre_report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.bgcop.org/aboutus/impact/tre_report.pdf Shelf Number: 131696 Keywords: At-Risk YouthBoys and Girls ClubsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ReentryReentry (California)RehabilitationReintegrationVoluntary and Community Organizations |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Using the Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set to measure youth recidivism Summary: This report reviewed results and recommendations of a project exploring youth recidivism, including determining whether youth recidivism could be analysed using data from the Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set (JJ NMDS). There are substantial benefits in using a longitudinal data collection such as the JJ NMDS, but also some limitations. Preliminary data analysed showed that nationally, over two-fifths (43%) of young people with sentenced supervision in 2010-11 had returned to sentenced supervision within 1 year, while over three-fifths (63%) of those with sentenced supervision in 2009-10 had returned to sentenced supervision within 2 years. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2013. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series No. 14: Accessed December 4, 2013 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Research/AIHW_UsingTheJuvenileJusticeNationalMinimumDataSetToMeasureJuvenileRecidivism_Dec_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://apo.org.au/files/Research/AIHW_UsingTheJuvenileJusticeNationalMinimumDataSetToMeasureJuvenileRecidivism_Dec_2013.pdf Shelf Number: 131733 Keywords: Juvenile Justice (Australia)Juvenile OffendersRecidivismRehabilitation |
Author: Straub, Christina Title: Evaluation Report: Embedding RESTORE into the fabric of YOI Ashfield - Qualitative analysis of impact and effectiveness - Summary: Ashfield HMP & YOI is a managed Young Offenders Institution caring for 400 male juveniles aged 15-18 years. Interventions are designed around the needs of the individual, with an emphasis on drugs and alcohol as well as violence and anger management. Over the last two years the most significant change in the make-up of the prisoner population at YOI Ashfield was the increase in offences of violent crime often involving weapons. Gang affiliation was closely related to this. Since previous work of the Forgiveness Project in the establishment had been very effective in the prevention of violence, further cooperation was sought by the prison. Funding granted through the Home Office's CAGGK (Communities Against Guns, Gangs & Knives Crime) Fund made this possible. As a result the RESTORE programme operated at Ashfield YOI for two years (July 2011 - March 2013) with support from the CAGGK fund. As well as working towards implementing the above named practical outcomes, the work also focused on developing an in-depth approach to further embed RESTORE in the fabric of the prison. Further funding was received in 2013 to undertake a qualitative evaluation looking at the impact and effectiveness of the RESTORE programme in a broader sense. Data gathered throughout the 2-year implementation period at YOI Ashfield has been analysed3 to provide an in-depth insight into the way this intervention operated, how it affected participants, and where its key strengths lay. Details: London: The Forgiveness Project, 2013. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 16, 2014 at Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://theforgivenessproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Evaluation-Report-YOI-Ashfield.pdf Shelf Number: 131774 Keywords: Intervention ProgramsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersYoung Male Offenders |
Author: Center for Families, Children & the Courts Title: AOC Literature Review: Mental Health Courts: An Overview Summary: Mental illness is a considerable problem within jails and prisons and juvenile detention facilities. A large amount of research argues that adult jails and prisons and juvenile detention centers are the new asylums for mentally ill adults and juveniles and that correctional institutions are now the primary providers of services (Cohen & Pfeifer, 2008; Lamb, Weinberger, & Reston-Parham, 1996; Moore & Hiday, 2006; Robison, 2005). A recent report by the California Judicial Council's Task Force for Criminal Justice Collaboration on Mental Health Issues discussed the role of courts in addressing the needs of offenders with mental illness (Administrative Office of the Courts [AOC], 2011). One strategy for addressing the issues and challenges of both adult and juvenile offenders with mental illness is through a mental health court, a criminal or delinquency court that has a dedicated calendar and judge for offenders with mental illness. Mental health courts, a form of mental health diversion, allow eligible offenders to avoid detention by obtaining community treatment under court supervision. This document will review the literature on adult and juvenile mental health courts and other mental health diversion programs, including the models they use, any evidence related to recidivism and treatment utilization among offenders with mental illness, and whether they are cost beneficial. Most of the research in the area of mental health courts has focused on the adult population because far more adult mental health courts are in operation. However, an increasing number of juvenile mental health courts are being established, and more research is being conducted on the population served by these courts. Details: San Francisco: Judicial Council of California, 2012. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 16, 2014 at Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://courts.ca.gov/documents/AOCLitReview-Mental_Health_Courts--Web_Version.pdf Shelf Number: 131777 Keywords: Adult OffendersJuvenile OffendersLiterature ReviewMental Health Courts |
Author: Ware, Vicki-Ann Title: Mentoring programs for Indigenous youth at risk Summary: This Resource Sheet examines evidence for the effectiveness of mentoring programs in helping to set Indigenous young people at risk of engaging in antisocial and risky behaviours on healthier life pathways. Mentoring is a relationship intervention strategy that research is showing can have powerful and lasting positive impacts on behavioural, academic and vocational outcomes for at-risk youth. Costello and Thomson (2011:1) describe youth mentoring as follows: Youth mentoring is, according to the Australian Youth Mentoring Network, defined as 'a structured and trusting relationship that brings young people together with caring individuals who offer guidance, support and encouragement'. The goal of youth mentoring is to enhance social engagement and thereby minimise negative behaviours through growth in social and developmental behaviours. There are two types of mentoring style found in the literature-natural and planned. Among Indigenous Australians, the natural or informal form of mentoring is often spontaneous through the Elders' traditional role of sharing the wisdom, the knowledge and the spirit, which can draw Aboriginal people back to traditional ways. Elders play an extremely important role in Aboriginal families as role models, care providers and educators (Walker 1993). This Resource Sheet focuses on the planned or formal form of mentoring, which often includes Elders as part of these programs. It does not, however, cover the following formal forms of mentoring: a detailed analysis of mentoring, which occurs within sporting and other programs. (This is covered, where relevant, in a forthcoming Resource Sheet titled Supporting healthy communities through sports and recreation programs.); mentoring embedded within broader youth diversionary or justice programs; mentoring within cadetship or other vocational education programs. There is a strong body of literature on the types of youth mentoring programs and the dynamics of successful programs and mentoring relationships. This Resource Sheet draws on evidence from 45 studies. Over half were Australian studies, with additional evidence from research in other colonised nations such as New Zealand, Canada and the United States. Two-thirds of the studies were Indigenous-specific. A range of methodologies was used including evaluations, critical descriptions of programs, meta-analyses and research syntheses. Details: Canberra: Closing the Gap Clearinghouse, Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2013. 20p. Source: Closing the Gap Clearinghous Resource Sheet No. 22: Internet Resource: Accessed January 16, 2014 Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aihw.gov.au/uploadedFiles/ClosingTheGap/Content/Publications/2013/ctgc-rs22.pdf Shelf Number: 131778 Keywords: At-Risk YouthIndigenous PeoplesJuvenile OffendersMentoring |
Author: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales Title: National Evaluation of the Restorative Justice in Schools Programme Summary: In May 2000, the Youth Justice Board of England and Wales launched a pilot initiative to test the impact of restorative justice conferences in two Lambeth schools. Following early signs that restorative justice conferences showed promise in addressing bullying and other forms of anti-social behaviour, the Board was successful in attracting funding for three years from the Treasury's Invest to Save fund to extend the programme to other areas of London in April 2001. Borough partnerships were invited to tender for these initiatives through the local Youth Offending Teams (Yots). By the end of May 2001, three other boroughs joined the initiative, following the tender process: Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Islington. However, by the summer of 2002, only one of the new boroughs (Hammersmith and Fulham) had made any progress towards implementing a programme of restorative justice work in schools, and the Board decided to take back the funds that had been allocated to Hackney and Islington. The remaining funding was repackaged into a national programme, and Yots in England and Wales were invited to apply for funds to implement restorative projects within schools in their local area. Due to the lack of progress in implementing projects in Hackney and Islington, bids had to demonstrate that Yots already had relationships with the schools in their area. Seven Yots were successful in this bidding process: Barnet, Blackpool, Medway, North Lincolnshire, Oxford, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Somerset. The projects spanned a range of different approaches to introducing restorative practices into schools, including restorative justice conferences. Chapter 3 of this report details these approaches. The newly recruited Yots had only 18 months to develop and implement their projects (because of considerably smaller budgets, ranging between $15,000 and $44,000, and the timespan of the Treasury grant) rather than the three years that the Hammersmith and Fulham, and Lambeth projects had had to implement their projects. As such, the Restorative Justice in Schools programme consisted of nine local Yots working across 26 schools (20 secondary and 6 primary). The contract to evaluate these initiatives was awarded to Partners in Evaluation, a specialist agency with a multi-ethnic team of researchers and a national reputation for conducting evaluations in the fields of health, education, social exclusion and regeneration. The evaluation was intended to explore the following research questions: 1. What are the levels of victimisation, bullying and robbery in the schools in the study? 2. How are restorative justice approaches introduced into the schools? 3. To what extent are participants in restorative justice conferences (victims and offenders) satisfied with the process at the time of the conference? Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2004. 99p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 24, 2014 at: http://www.restorativejustice.org.uk/resource/national_evaluation_of_the_restorative_justice_in_schools_programme/ Year: 2004 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.restorativejustice.org.uk/resource/national_evaluation_of_the_restorative_justice_in_schools_programme/ Shelf Number: 131797 Keywords: BullyingDelinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersRestorative JusticeSchool CrimeSchool Violence |
Author: Senior, Kate Title: Developing Successful Diversionary Schemes for Youth from Remote Aboriginal Communities Summary: This report explores the experiences and aspirations of youth in Wadeye, a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory which has become synonymous with the deviant behaviours of its young people. The research was undertaken over a three year period, and builds upon a previous ten year period of community based research. As such it forms a unique longitudinal study of young people during a period of extreme change in their lives. The research applied a mixed methods approach, utilising ethnography, interviews and the application of a community wide survey. Although young community based people were the primary focus of the study, the research also included the wider community perspectives, service providers and a sample of imprisoned community members. The proliferation of gangs in the Wadeye community has become a primary focus for outsiders' interpretation of social issues in the community. These gangs have been defined by their violent and oppositional cultures. This period of research and the research which preceded it, emphasise the complexity of gang cultures and gang dynamics in this community. The report also emphasises that a primary focus on gangs serves to obscure other factors influencing young people's lives and behaviours. This includes those youth who do not engage in deviant behaviour, who attend school and progress to employment. It also includes youth who engage in non-gang related violent and anti-social behaviour. The report argues that effective service delivery and the development of appropriate diversion activities for young people must recognise the diversity and complexity of the youth experience in the community and recognise and develop their current strengths. Feedback from elders, young people and long-term community workers, advocates that more partnership approaches to further research and program evaluation must become an integral part of the process. Involving young people themselves as part of this research process will provide opportunities to create new roles for them and to establish a positive foundation for the future of the community. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Group, 2012. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2014 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1314/26-0809-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1314/26-0809-FinalReport.pdf Shelf Number: 131811 Keywords: AboriginalsAntisocial BehaviorAt-Risk YouthDelinquency PreventionGangsIndigenous PeoplesJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersLongitudinal Studies |
Author: Munyo, Ignacio Title: Youth Crime in Latin America: Key Determinants and Effective Public Policy Responses Summary: Juvenile delinquency is increasing in almost every country in Latin America - a region where citizen security is the main concern. Youth crime is at the forefront of regional social challenges: Scholars, activists and legislators are all debating both causes and potential solutions to this problem. This report tackles the causes of why an increasing number of youths in the region are engaging in criminal activities, by presenting evidence that this phenomenon could be driven by a change in the incentives to commit crime, rather than created as a result of a generation of youths who differ inherently from its predecessors. In order to do so, this report develops a new dynamic framework with which to analyze juvenile crime as a rational choice in which forward-looking youths decide between legal and criminal activities, and their skills are shaped by their past and present choices. In order to quantify the consequences of each decision, this analysis recognizes the effects of on-the-job training, on-the-crime training, the school of crime in correctional facilities and the social stigmatization of conviction. The report extracts lessons from the case of Uruguay, where substantial changes in juvenile crime incentives come hand in hand with an exponential growth in juvenile offending rates that have tripled over the last 15 years. According to the framework presented in this report, four factors can explain most of the spike in juvenile crime in Uruguay. First, an anemic recovery of wages relative to total income after the severe 2002 economic crisis - which lowered the return to legal activities relative to the financial rewards from crime - accounts for 35 percent of the observed variation. Second, the more lenient juvenile crime law passed in 2004 - which substantially reduced the expected punishment of youth offenders - explains another 30 percent of the increase. Third, the dramatic increase in the escape rate from juvenile correctional facilities - which further lowers expected punishment - accounts for 10 percent of the increase in juvenile crime. Finally, the outbreak of a paste cocaine epidemic - which reduces a youth's capacity to project the future - accounts for another 10 percent of the observed increase in juvenile crime between 1997 and 2010. In other words, a rational framework of behavior is able to explain the threefold increase in juvenile crime in Uruguay as the costs associated with criminal activity substantially decreased, and the gains from crime outgrew the rewards from legal activities. Details: Washington, DC: Brookings Global, Economic and Social Policy in Latin America Initiative, 2013. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 11, 2014 at: http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2013/11/youth%20crime%20in%20latin%20america%20munyo/youth%20crime%20in%20latin%20america%20revised.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Uruguay URL: http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2013/11/youth%20crime%20in%20latin%20america%20munyo/youth%20crime%20in%20latin%20america%20revised.pdf Shelf Number: 131858 Keywords: Drugs and CrimeJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersSocio-Economic Conditions and CrimeYouth Crime |
Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: The Management of Young Women and Girls at Banksia Hill Detention Centre Summary: The riot at the Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre ('Banksia Hill') on 20 January 2013, the ensuing court casesi1and the publication of two independent reportsii2have resulted in considerable debate in government, the media and the non-government sector about youth justice services in Western Australia. It appears to be accepted that the shortcomings that led to the riot were reflective of systemic problems and that organisational and cultural change is needed to improve service delivery, efficiencies and correctional outcomes. The boys held in detention have attracted the most attention. This is not surprising: they represent by far the majority of detainees (over 90 per cent), it was the boys who were responsible for the 20 January riot, and it was the boys who were subsequently transferred to Hakea Prison. However, it is vitally important that the specific needs and challenges of girls in detention are not subsumed by the demands of the boys. This report aims to assess the current 'state of play' with respect to incarcerated girls and to promote further debate and focus. The report is the outcome of an inspection of the girls' unit at Banksia Hill (Yeeda Unit) in April/May 2013. It contains a number of recommendations regarding services and systems and also some more strategic recommendations. While the report stands in its own right, it needs to be read alongside the report of the directed review into the Banksia Hill riot.Pleasingly, the Department of Corrective Services ('DCS') has supported almost all the recommendations. Details: Perth, WA, AUS: Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services, 2014. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Report no. 86: Accessed March 12, 2014 at: http://www.oics.wa.gov.au/index.cfm?objectID=F9248052-0B7C-FDCB-7578862113D36911 Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://www.oics.wa.gov.au/index.cfm?objectID=F9248052-0B7C-FDCB-7578862113D36911 Shelf Number: 131863 Keywords: Detention CentersFemale OffendersJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Anderson, Victoria Title: Second Chances for All. Why Orange County Probation Should Stop Choosing Deportation Over Rehabilitation for Immigrant youth Summary: In recent years, the Orange County Probation Department (OCPD) has adopted a policy of referring immigrant children in its care to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In so doing, OCPD has violated confidentiality laws, undermined the rehabilitative goals of the juvenile justice system, impeded community policing efforts, unlawfully entangled its officers in federal immigration enforcement, and diverted county resources. This report was undertaken by the UC Irvine School of Law Immigrant Rights Clinic to analyze OCPD's referral policy, document some of these harms, and recommend possible solutions to address those harms. As a result of OCPD's referral policy, Orange County has led the state in juvenile immigration referrals. From December 2010 to November 2012, the OCPD Procedure Manual instructed probation officers to proactively investigate the immigration status of youth and granted OCPD's ICE Liaison Officer discretion to refer practically any child with "questionable immigration status" to ICE. Pursuant to this policy, OCPD referred approximately 170 youth to immigration authorities in the year 2011 alone. Between October 1, 2009 and February 10, 2013, ICE issued immigration detainer requests for numerous youth detained in Orange County Juvenile Hall; Orange County accounted for approximately 43% of all ICE detainer requests issued to juvenile facilities in the state. In November 2012, OCPD revised its referral policy; however, key problematic aspects of the policy were left unchanged. In the months following the policy change, OCPD has made a steady, if reduced, number of referrals. Approximately 24 youth were referred between December 2012 and September 2013. OCPD's referral policy violates state confidentiality law and undermines OCPD's mission to rehabilitate juveniles. The policy violates California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 827, which strictly limits access to juvenile case files, by requiring employees to provide ICE with "all pertinent information" to assist ICE's investigation of referred juveniles. Juvenile referrals also cause both children and their families to distrust the probation department, hindering cooperation necessary for rehabilitation. Furthermore, many juveniles referred to ICE are detained in federal custody for an indefinite period awaiting immigration court proceedings, separating them from their families and subjecting them to physical and mental hardships that increase their risk of recidivism. In cases where children are deported, they experience long-term separation from family and friends, and may be left to fend for themselves in countries where they have no support system. Juvenile referrals do not benefit public safety, and may even hinder policing efforts. Studies have repeatedly found that immigration status does not shape future delinquency. Also, OCPD's own studies indicate that as few as 8% of youth who come into contact with OCPD qualify as "chronic recidivists." Thus, targeting immigrant youth for deportation is unlikely to make Orange County safer. In fact, juvenile referrals can harm public safety because they foster distrust between immigrant communities and local police generally. Surveys show that approximately 44% of Latinos are less likely to contact police officers when they fear police officers will investigate their immigration status or that of their loved ones. OCPD's involvement in federal immigration enforcement exceeds its authority under the Constitution and can lead to illegal detention, deportation, and profiling. Under the Constitution, immigration status may only be determined by federal officers and classified according to federal standards, but OCPD's referral policy directs county officers to independently ascertain juveniles' immigration status, according to a local scheme inconsistent with federal standards. The Constitution also guarantees juveniles the right to be free from unlawful detention, but the referral policy violates that right with its blanket directive to detain juveniles subject to ICE detainers for up to five days past their scheduled release dates. Furthermore, officers untrained in the complexities of immigration status are likely to rely on apparent race and ethnicity in selecting juveniles for immigration investigations, exacerbating risks of illegal racial profiling. Finally, OCPD officers may erroneously refer U.S. citizens or other lawfully present youth to ICE, potentially leading to their unlawful detention and deportation. OCPD's referral policy involves the unnecessary expenditure of county resources to subsidize federal immigration enforcement. OCPD employees - including a dedicated ICE Liaison - spend time on the county payroll investigating juveniles' immigration status and communicating with ICE, and the county incurs additional detention costs when OCPD denies out-of-home placement to juveniles subject to ICE detainers and detains such juveniles past their release dates. Further costs may result from lawsuits filed by those affected by OCPD's referral policy or by civil rights organizations, challenging violations of confidentiality laws, the detention of juveniles on the basis of ICE detainers, racial profiling by OCPD officers, or the erroneous referral and resulting detention or deportation of lawfully present juveniles. Details: Irvine, CA: University of California Irvine, School of Law, immigrant Rights Clinic, 2013. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2014 at: http://www.law.uci.edu/academics/real-life-learning/clinics/UCILaw_SecondChances_dec2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.law.uci.edu/academics/real-life-learning/clinics/UCILaw_SecondChances_dec2013.pdf Shelf Number: 131887 Keywords: DeportationIllegal ImmigrantsImmigrant DetentionImmigrant EnforcementImmigrationJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationRehabilitation |
Author: Crisler, Lane Title: Recidivism within Salt Lake Peer Court:A Program Evaluation of Salt Lake Peer Court based on Recidivism Analysis Between Salt Lake Peer Court and the Juvenile Division of Salt Lake City Justice Courts Summary: Background - The younger an individual begins criminal behavior the more costly that individual is to society. - The value of diverting a youth from a lifetime of crime ranges from $2.6 to $5.3 million in 2008 (Cohen M. A., 2009). - Intended to divert youth becoming career criminals, peer courts attempt to leverage the social influence peers have over one another in order to implement restorative justice practices. - Salt Lake Peer Court (SLPC) began in 1993, as peer courts were just emerging in the juvenile justice arena. -- The, program managed 40 youth offender cases and required 15 volunteers. -- Currently, program handles approximately 300 youth offender cases and requires over 120 volunteers. Research - This study analyzed calendar year SLPC cases from 2007 through 2011. - 1101 cases were analyzed (Male=618, Female=467, Unidentified=16). - Of the 1101 cases, 60% of SLPC deferred youth had juvenile court records, disproportionately weighted by males (Male=406, Female=260). - This study seeks to identify characteristics of youth offenders who are most likely to recidivate to Juvenile Court within one year of being deferred to SLPC. - Dependent Variables = ordinal or binary recidivism variables. - Independent Variables = demographics, offenses, sentences, sentence completion, and sentence length. Program Recommendations - Improve treatment for substance abuse and violence offenders. - Attempt to identify benefits of case management. - Develop crisis management plan to help facilitate contract completion. - Emphasize role of SLPC as first point of contact for juvenile offenders - Develop metrics, improve data control , administer follow up surveys Details: Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah, 2013. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2014 at: http://www.globalyouthjustice.org/uploads/Peer_Court_Research.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.globalyouthjustice.org/uploads/Peer_Court_Research.pdf Shelf Number: 131899 Keywords: Juvenile CourtsJuvenile DiversionJuvenile OffendersRecidivismTeen Courts |
Author: Belfield, Clive R. Title: The Economic Burden of Crime and Substance Abuse for Massachusetts and the City of Boston Summary: The negative social and economic burden from youth violence, adult crime, and substance addiction is substantial. Juvenile crime is a large proportion of total crime. Juveniles are arrested for one-in-six violent crimes and over one-quarter of all property crimes (NCJJ [2008]). They also commit crimes in school: 25% of students and 8% of teachers report some form of victimization over a school year (Dinkes et al. [2007]). Also, juvenile offenses are often the precursor to more frequent adult criminal activity: the peak offending ages are 18-22, with many criminals' first offenses during their teenage years. Such crime and violence imposes heavy burdens on victims, as well as on citizens who pay for government prevention programs and the criminal justice system. In similar fashion, substance abuse and addiction is highly prevalent, imposing significant costs on both the health care system and the justice system, as well as adversely affecting families (ONDCP [2004]). The chronic nature of substance abuse and addiction magnifies these burdens as well (Califano [2009]. In this paper we calculate the economic burden of juvenile and adult crime and substance abuse and addiction in Boston, Massachusetts. Placing economic values on these activities is the first step in assessing what public policies are appropriate and what amounts might be justifiably spent on prevention. We begin by describing the extent of juvenile and adult crime and substance abuse. No single statistic fully captures the scale of deviant behavior because it takes many inter-related forms: substance abuse often leads to crime and vice versa (NCASA [2004]). However, we emphasize deviant behavior by youth because of the strong association between youth and adult behaviors. Next, we calculate the total fiscal burden imposed on taxpayers as an annual amount. We also document the economic burden imposed on society (victims). Finally, we calculate the per youth fiscal burden. Estimates are reported as annual figures and as present values over the lifetime for youth with varying characteristics. These present value figures may be interpreted as the expected burden that a deviant youth would impose over their lifetime and so the amount that would be saved should that behavior be prevented. In conclusion, we place these calculations in the context of current public investments. Details: Unpublished paper, 2010. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2014 at: http://www.sel4mass.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Economist-Belfieds-Economic-Burden-Report-March-2010.doc.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.sel4mass.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Economist-Belfieds-Economic-Burden-Report-March-2010.doc.pdf Shelf Number: 131944 Keywords: Costs of CrimeDelinquency PreventionDrug Abuse and CrimeEconomics of CrimeJuvenile OffendersSocioeconomic Status and Crime |
Author: Hawaii Juvenile Justice Working Group Title: Final Report Summary: Over the last decade, Hawaii has made commendable improvements in its juvenile justice system. Juvenile arrests fell 28 percent, and the number of youth annually admitted to the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility (HYCF) declined 41 percent. With declining juvenile arrests and fewer youth being removed from their homes, Hawaii has been headed in the right direction. Building on its success, the state should aspire to continual improvements. In order to keep heading in the right direction and to further the gains, youth-serving agencies-the Judiciary, the Office of Youth Services (OYS), and the Department of Health, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division (CAMHD)-all agree that resources are needed to fully develop an effective continuum of services in Hawaii's communities. The current resources and means of accessing services allow youth to fall through the cracks. Additional resources for these youth would not only further reduce the number of commitments to HYCF and the detention home, but also help strengthen youth, families, and communities. While fewer in number, the youth who are committed to HYCF are staying longer. More youth enter HYCF for misdemeanors than felonies; more enter for property, drug and other nonviolent offenses than for person offenses; and nearly half have no prior felony adjudications. Each bed at HYCF costs state taxpayers $199,320 per year. Three-quarters of the youth who leave HYCF will be re-adjudicated delinquent or reconvicted within three years. While taking steps in the right direction, Hawaii should get better outcomes from the high costs of HYCF. Moreover, if effective alternatives were available, many of these youth could be held accountable and safely supervised in their communities at far lower cost. Every dollar spent on secure confinement is a dollar Hawaii could otherwise use to build the fully-resourced, evidence-based continuum of supervision and services for delinquent youth that was envisioned during the creation of OYS in 1989. Early access to substance abuse and mental health services is a necessary component of this continuum. Youth with urgent and critical needs must have access to needed treatments to prevent future delinquencies. As Hawaii strives to build up this continuum and provide these tools, the state recognizes that success - for Hawaii's youth, families, and communities - will require hard work, collaboration, compromise, and leadership. Without substantial additional resources allocated by the Legislature, the goal of improving the juvenile justice system in Hawaii cannot be realistically achieved. The agencies responsible for providing these services need the resources necessary to achieve these goals and appropriately serve youth. In August of 2013, Governor Neil Abercrombie, Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, Senate President Donna Mercado Kim, and House Speaker Joseph Souki established the Hawaii Juvenile Justice Working Group to develop policy recommendations that will accelerate reductions in the state's use of secure beds for lower-level juvenile offenders while protecting public safety and increasing positive outcomes for youth, families, and communities. The Working Group was charged with analyzing Hawaii's data, policies, and practices; reviewing research on evidence-based principles and national best practices; and recommending policies that will move Hawaii toward a more effective, equitable and efficient juvenile justice system. The Working Group's efforts have resulted in a comprehensive set of policy recommendations that will improve the return Hawaii receives from its investment in juvenile justice. By focusing secure beds on juveniles who pose a public safety risk and strengthening community supervision practices across the islands, the recommendations will put more Hawaii youth on the track toward productive, law-abiding lives, and ensure that taxpayer resources are used efficiently. Taken together, the policies are expected to reduce the HYCF population by at least 60 percent by 2019, producing savings of at least $11 million dollars over the next five fiscal years, and provide for reinvestment in local jurisdictions. With those reinvestments, family court judges and probation officers will have more effective supervision and rehabilitation options, leading to reduced recidivism and increased public safety. Details: Honolulu: Hawaii Juvenile Justice Working Group, 2013. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2014 at: http://www.pewstates.org/uploadedFiles/JJRI-Working-Group-Final-Report-Final.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.pewstates.org/uploadedFiles/JJRI-Working-Group-Final-Report-Final.pdf Shelf Number: 132005 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice PolicyJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Stevens, Alex Title: Review of Good Practices in Preventing Juvenile Crime in the European Union Summary: The report provides information from a review of good practices in preventing juvenile crime in the European Union. It is based on a multi-lingual systematic literature review, visits to EU countries and conferences and a meeting of European experts. These activities took place between June 2005 and February 2006. It provides, in appendices, an inventory of promising and effective European approaches and a glossary of useful terms in crime prevention. Following earlier work in this field (FitzGerald, Stevens, & Hale, 2004), we use the public health approach to the prevention of juvenile crime. This involves work at three levels: 1. Primary prevention - universal approaches that aim to prevent crime before it occurs. 2. Secondary prevention - approaches that focus on those people who are at the highest risks of victimisation and perpetration of crime. 3. Tertiary prevention - approaches that focus on people who have already been victimised or criminal. Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2006. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2014 at: http://www.eucpn.org/pubdocs/A%20review%20of%20good%20practice%20in%20preventing%20juvenile%20ccrime%20in%20the%20EU.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Europe URL: http://www.eucpn.org/pubdocs/A%20review%20of%20good%20practice%20in%20preventing%20juvenile%20ccrime%20in%20the%20EU.pdf Shelf Number: 106733 Keywords: Crime PreventionDelinquency PreventionJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Lyons, J.S. Title: Youth Residential Treatment Options in Newfoundland & Labrador Summary: The Issue In 2009, the Government of Newfoundland & Labrador announced the creation of two youth residential treatment (YRT) centres for youth with complex needs. YRT is a multifaceted form of care that requires programming in the areas of treatment, milieu (i.e., plans to manage group interactions among clients and staff), and the residence itself. A broad range of multi-disciplinary research-based evidence can inform the design and implementation of these YRT centres. For this evidence to be useful to decision makers, it needs to be interpreted in the context of Newfoundland & Labrador. Providing health decision makers with the best available evidence that is attuned to the capacities and characteristics of the province is the goal of the Contextualized Health Research Synthesis Program (CHRSP). The Results The Research Team, led by Dr. John Lyons, synthesized and contextualized the systematic review research literature related to several areas of interest: 1) YRT as a generic treatment program; 2) treating youth with addictions; 3) treating youth with disruptive behaviours; 4) treating sexually aggressive youth; 5) treating Aboriginal youth; 6) YRT site design, staffing and governance; and 7) the health economics of YRT. Despite a long history, YRT does not have a robust base of systematic review evidence due to methodological challenges. Nonetheless, there was evidence indicating that: YRT is most useful for those youth with elevated levels of complex needs. Some established treatments for youth with addictions and youth with disruptive behaviours can produce statistically significant, but clinically small, effects in clients. There are significant gaps in evidence concerning Aboriginal youth with complex needs and several indications that they may need specialized programming in order for treatments to be effective. YRT centres may benefit significantly from an autonomous intake system and they are most efficient if they operate within an integrated continuum of child care services including less intensive options. The costs of not treating youth with complex needs greatly exceeds the costs of treatment, although community-based services are more cost efficient than residential services. Details: St. Johns: NL: Newfoundland & Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research, Memorial University, 2010. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Evidence in Context: Accessed April 9, 2014 at: http://research.library.mun.ca/145/1/Youth_Residential_Treatment_Options.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://research.library.mun.ca/145/1/Youth_Residential_Treatment_Options.pdf Shelf Number: 132058 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersResidential Treatment CentersTreatment Programs |
Author: Smith-Moncrieffe, Donna Title: Youth Gang Prevention Fund Projects: What Did We Learn about What Works in Preventing Gang Involvement? Summary: Public Safety Canada's National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC) has a mandate to help prevent crime in local communities by generating and disseminating evidence-based knowledge of 'what works' in crime prevention. This practical knowledge of effective practices will assist policy makers, program developers and practitioners make the best use of limited resources. Since 2007, NCPC has undertaken a deliberate effort to develop the Canadian knowledge base of effective crime prevention programming focused on addressing known criminogenic factors among specific groups of persons including: children 6-11 who demonstrate early risk factors such as premature police contact, systematic difficulties adapting to school or high levels of impulsiveness and aggression; youth 12-17 who demonstrate multiple risk factors such as substance abuse, school drop-out or contact with the youth criminal justice system; young adults who have a known history of offending and incarceration; Aboriginal peoples because of their significant over-representation as offenders and victims; and gang-involved youth. In order to conduct this work, NCPC provides financial and technical support for the implementation and evaluation of community-based projects that address one or more of these priority areas. This report provides a high level synthesis of key findings from projects addressing youth gangs between 2007 and 2012. During this period, NCPC provided funding to community-based organizations for 17 youth gang intervention projects in communities across Canada through its Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF). These projects aimed to reduce the number of gang-involved youth in communities with a known or emerging gang problem. To determine what works in gang crime prevention, 14 impact evaluation studies of gang projects were conducted across Canada. Evaluation research of crime prevention programs is one of the key activities conducted to generate this knowledge. Given that resources are limited and communities require the most effective programs to reduce offending among at risk children and youth, it is important to rigorously establish what works in crime prevention. This paper provides a context for NCPC's work on youth gangs, briefly describes the funded projects and the approach to conducting the evaluation studies, presents the key findings, and provides some conclusions for moving forward. Details: Ottawa: National Crime prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada, 2013. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2014 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/yth-gng-prvntn-fnd/yth-gng-prvntn-fnd-eng.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/yth-gng-prvntn-fnd/yth-gng-prvntn-fnd-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 132074 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionGangs (Canada)InterventionJuvenile OffendersYouth Gangs |
Author: Suitts, Steve Title: Just Learning: The Imperative to Transform Juvenile Justice Systems Into Effective Educational Systems. A Study of Juvenile Justice Schools in the South and the Nation Summary: The most disadvantaged, troubled students in the South and the nation attend schools in the juvenile justice systems. These children, mostly teenagers, usually are behind in school, possess substantial learning disabilities, exhibit recognizable behavioral problems, and are coping with serious emotional or psychological problems. They are often further behind and hampered with more personal problems than any other identifiable group of students in the nation's elementary and secondary schools. Very often they are confined in large, overly restrictive institutional facilities that are operated without priority or focus on their education. Most juvenile justice schools have such low expectations of student academic performance that they usually report only if students gained or failed to gain basic skills during their period of custody. These reports are usually recorded only for a small fraction of the students who are in the juvenile justice systems. As a result, most students come in and out of the juvenile justice systems with little or no real regard for their education. A large majority of these students, year after year in the South and the nation, have been African American and Hispanic males. Only 37 percent of these students have been confined for some type of harm to others. Almost another one-third has been put under the custody of the juvenile justice system because of a delinquency that did not involve harm to property or persons. Their ages range annually from less than 10 years old to around 21. The majority are in their mid-teens. There is every reason to predict that today most of these students, like those who came before them in the juvenile justice systems, will never receive a high school diploma or a college degree, will be arrested and confined again as a juvenile or adult, and will rarely, if ever, become self-supporting, law-abiding citizens during most of their lives. Yet, substantial evidence shows that, if these children improve their education and start to become successful students in the juvenile justice systems, they will have a far greater chance of finding a turning point in their lives and becoming independent, contributing adults. The cost savings for states and state governments could be enormous. Unlike past era, a young person who enters and leaves the juvenile justice system in the 21st century without a trajectory for achieving more than a high school diploma will likely fail to become a successful and contributing adult. This failure will cost society far more than it should have to pay, and there will be no justice for students or the larger society from a juvenile justice system that fails to improve education for the children in its custody. The nation and its most disadvantaged, troubled youth deserve better. Details: Atlanta, GA: Southern Education Foundation, 2014. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2014 at: http://www.southerneducation.org/getattachment/b80f7aad-405d-4eed-a966-8d7a4a12f5be/Just-Learning-Executive-Summary.aspx Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.southerneducation.org/getattachment/b80f7aad-405d-4eed-a966-8d7a4a12f5be/Just-Learning-Executive-Summary.aspx Shelf Number: 132092 Keywords: Disadvantaged YouthJuvenile Correctional EducationJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenile Offenders |
Author: McGregor, Catherine Title: Youth Offenders Risk Identification (YORI): A Screening Tool for Youth Offenders in Western Australia Summary: The present study arose from early discussions between representatives of the Department of Corrective Services (DCS), Youth Justice and the School of Law and Justice at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in August 2009. Investigators from the School of Law and Justice were already involved in a study with DotAG within the children court aimed at identifying the correlates and risk factors involved in youth offending in Western Australia using a content analysis of existing court reports at five year intervals from 1994 to 2009. This project was known as Uncouth Youth? Building a profile of juvenile offenders in Western Australia ("Uncouth Youth"). Discussions with DCS identified an urgent need to develop a brief, valid and user-friendly tool to assist in targeting services towards youth offenders at the greatest risk of re-offending. A valid and reliable screening tool would allow for the triaging of young offenders coming into contact with DCS. This triage system would operate in the same way as those in hospital emergency departments by identifying those young people who should undergo more intensive intervention. There are a number of available instruments designed to identify young offenders at risk of re-offending and to help guide the selection of appropriate interventions aimed at reducing that risk. However, these instruments are generally too lengthy and detailed for standard operational use by busy frontline staff coming into contact with substantial numbers of young offenders and there is a clear need for a more user-friendly tool. Details: Perth: Edith Cowan University, 2010. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2014 at: https://www.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/83661/Young-Offender-Risk-Identification-YORI-Report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: https://www.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/83661/Young-Offender-Risk-Identification-YORI-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 132093 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquency PreventionJuvenile Offender RecidivismJuvenile OffendersPredictionReoffending |
Author: Wilson, Pam Elizabeth Title: Program Evaluation of the Monongalia County Teen Court Summary: A review of the history of the juvenile courts would not be complete without mention of teen courts. Teen courts are juvenile diversion programs which allow first time offenders with minor offenses a second chance. Instead of facing the traditional court system, these juveniles are given the opportunity to go before a jury of their peers and complete a sentence that jury imposes. If the juvenile offender completes their sentence in the allotted time, their juvenile record is expunged and they are given the opportunity to ‗start over.‘ Teen courts have been in existence since the 1970‘s and received national recognition in the 1990‘s. Teen courts have played a significant role in rehabilitating juvenile offenders and teaching youth volunteers and offenders about the court system. Juvenile offenders are also given the opportunity to serve their community in a constructive way, which gives them a chance to reengage in a positive way. This research project is a program evaluation of the Monongalia County teen court located in Morgantown, West Virginia. This study has looked at the preexisting data set available for juveniles who have been sentenced through this court from 2002-2009. The statistical analysis will give basic information for the program and will make recommendations based on analysis for future improvements. Details: Fairmont, WV: Fairmont State University, 2010. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed April 22, 2014 at: http://www.globalyouthjustice.org/uploads/Monongalia_Teen_Court.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.globalyouthjustice.org/uploads/Monongalia_Teen_Court.pdf Shelf Number: 132125 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile CourtsJuvenile DiversionJuvenile OffendersTeen Courts |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth Detention Population in Australia 2013 Summary: This report examines the numbers and rates of young people who were in youth detention in Australia due to their involvement or alleged involvement in crime. It focuses on trends over the 4-year period from the June quarter 2009 to the June quarter 2013. Fewer than 1,000 young people in detention on an average night -- There were 970 young people in youth detention on an average night in the June quarter 2013. The vast majority (90%) were male. About half (51%) were unsentenced - that is, they were awaiting the outcome of their court matter or sentencing - and the remainder were serving a sentence. About three-quarters (76%) of those in detention were aged 10-17. This equates to 3.3 young people aged 10-17 per 10,000 in the Australian population, or about 1 in every 3,000 young people. The other detainees were aged 18 or over. Numbers are stable, but rates have decreased -- Over the 4-year period, the national youth detention population remained relatively stable, with 948 to 1,081 young people in detention on an average night each quarter. However, when only those aged 10-17 are considered, there was a small but steady downward trend in the number in detention and in the rate of detention, from 3.6 to 3.3 young people per 10,000 on an average night. The rate was highest during 2010 (3.9 per 10,000 in the March quarter 2010) and lower from late 2011 onwards. Decrease in sentenced detention rate -- The decrease in the rate of young people aged 10-17 in detention was mainly due to a decrease in the sentenced detention rate. While the rate of young people aged 10-17 in unsentenced detention remained relatively stable (2.0 per 10,000 in the June quarter 2013), there was a decrease in the rate of sentenced detention over the period (from 1.6 to 1.2 per 10,000). Most of the decrease occurred from late 2011 onwards. One in two in detention are Indigenous -- About half (51%) of those in detention on an average night in the June quarter 2013 were Indigenous. Over the 4-year period, there was an increase in the rate ratio (the rate of detention for Indigenous young people aged 10-17 compared to the rate of non-Indigenous young people) from 26 to 31, mainly due to a decrease in the rate of non-Indigenous young people in detention. Different trends among the states and territories -- There were different trends in the youth detention population among the states and territories. Over the 4-year period, the rate of young people aged 10-17 in detention on an average night decreased in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, increased in Queensland and the Northern Territory, and fluctuated or remained stable in the remaining states and territories. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2013. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series No. 13: Accessed April 24, 2014 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129545393 Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129545393 Shelf Number: 132154 Keywords: Juvenile Detention (Australia)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Mooney, Ann Title: The Health of Children and Young People in Secure Settings Summary: This small-scale descriptive study was commissioned by the Children and Young People's Public Health team within the Department of Health, in partnership with Offender Health, in order to inform preparation and implementation of an Offender Health Strategy document for children and young people. The overall aim was to review what is currently known about healthcare for children and young people in the secure estate, covering all three types of setting (Young Offender Institution, Secure Training Centre and Secure Children's Home) and all aspects of health, but with a particular focus on physical health since more is already known about mental health and substance misuse among young people in secure settings. The study took a multi-method approach involving a focused overview of relevant literature, interviews with key stakeholders, analysis of the most recent full inspection report (obtained for 42 of the 45 institutions holding young people under 18), and case studies of promising practice. It did not include primary research in secure settings, and a number of important caveats concerning the available data are discussed in the report. The strength of the report is that it brings together in one place information about healthcare for children and young people in the secure estate, and begins to identify key issues that need to be addressed. However, further research is needed to validate the conclusions of this study. Details: London: Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, 2007. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 28, 2014 at: http://eprints.ioe.ac.uk/53/1/Health_children_in_secure_settings.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://eprints.ioe.ac.uk/53/1/Health_children_in_secure_settings.pdf Shelf Number: 132188 Keywords: Child ProtectionHealth CareJuvenile Detention FacilitiesJuvenile OffendersTreatment Programs |
Author: Campie, Patricia E. Title: What Works to Prevent Urban Violence Among Proven Risk Young Men? The Safe and Successful Youth Initiative Evidence and Implementation Review Summary: The Massachusetts Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) commissioned a review of the evidence underlying effective programs designed to reduce serious violence among targeted groups of young offenders. A Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) methodology was used to identify and determine the effectiveness of rigorous evaluation studies of programs most similar to the SSYI intervention. A review of the implementation science literature complemented the evidence review to determine what characteristics organizations should demonstrate in order to produce optimal results from their SSYI efforts. Taken together, the guidance from evaluations of effective programs and the characteristics of high quality implementation provide SSYI with valuable insight on enhancing and improving violence prevention efforts moving forward. Findings -- Eleven program evaluations were identified, of which ten were deemed as producing "effective" results, with one program showing ineffective or detrimental outcomes. The two common features of all programs deemed to be effective included: Using street outreach workers. Providing positive development supports to high-risk persons. However, the evaluations were generally not designed to specifically test the individual effects of single intervention components (such as street outreach) on individual or community-level outcomes. Most studies focused on measuring criminal justice outcomes (i.e., arrests and homicides) rather than norms of violence or changes in individual or community-well-being (i.e., mental health status or unemployment). None of the evaluated programs included any reference to trauma-informed supports and none evaluated a program implemented in multiple cities in the same state. Despite some differences with SSYI, most of the initiatives included multi-agency efforts, community mobilization, and the use of street outreach workers. At least three used a "list" of high-risk individuals to target for suppression and social services. The effective programs contained eight themes that can be instructive for guiding efforts to improve SSYI's ongoing implementation and to evaluate impacts. Details: Boston, MA: Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, 2013. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2014 at: http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/What%20Works%20to%20Prevent%20Urban%20Violence%20Among%20Proven%20Risk%20Young%20Men.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/What%20Works%20to%20Prevent%20Urban%20Violence%20Among%20Proven%20Risk%20Young%20Men.pdf Shelf Number: 132211 Keywords: At-Risk YouthDelinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersStreet Outreach WorkersTreatment ProgramsYouthful Offenders |
Author: Hurry, Jane Title: Improving the Literacy and Numeracy of Young People in Custody and In the Community. Research Report Summary: Young people in the youth justice system tend to have lower than average attainment in literacy and numeracy. This makes it more difficult for them to find consistent employment and heightens the chances of offending. As a result, education/training is identified as one of the promising approaches to reducing reoffending, and has been rigorously translated into policy in the UK, with a requirement that 'at least 90% of young offenders are in suitable full-time education, training and employment'. However, the young people themselves are often very reluctant students. There is a shortage of evidence as to the best methods of improving the literacy and numeracy of these young people. The aims of this present study were to: - observe the kind of provision on offer and how students responded to this provision - test the impact of either increasing discrete literacy and numeracy provision or contextualising provision. Details: London: National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy, 2010. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2014 at: http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=183 Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=183 Shelf Number: 132232 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Education and Training EmploymentJuvenile OffendersReoffending |
Author: Stevens, Jack Title: Aftercare Services for Juvenile Parolees with Mental Disorders: A Collaboration Between the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) and Columbus Children’s Research Institute Summary: The purpose of this study was to examine aftercare services available to juvenile parolees after release from correctional facilities. Youth (162) assigned to a mental health caseload were interviewed and assessed within 60 days of release. A declining number were also interviewed at one (60), three (38), and six (24) months post release. About two thirds of youth met criteria for one or more disorder diagnoses prior to release. About 40% of the initial sample were rearrested within six months of release. About two thirds of those interviewed had received some sort of mental health services one month after release. Details: Final report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2007. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 7, 2014 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/245574.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/245574.pdf Shelf Number: 132270 Keywords: Juvenile AftercareJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ParoleesJuvenile ReentryMental Health ServicesMentally Ill Offenders |
Author: Richardson, Thomas Title: Former Juvenile Offenders Re-enrolling Into Mainstream Public Schools Summary: This study examined school re-enrollment procedures employed by two school systems for N=578 former juvenile offenders re-enrolling from secured supervised settings to urban mainstream secondary public schools and alternative schools and programs in New England. Quantitative data regarding student demographics and qualitative data from interviews with 19 support personnel and selected documents were used to evaluate which program elements enhanced or disengaged former offenders from secondary urban schools. The characteristics of former juvenile offenders' lack of school involvement with respect to truancy, school suspension and expulsion, learning, behavior, and emotional disabilities, as well as family, economic, and social disadvantages were examined. Details: Charlotte, NC: Johnson & Wales University, Alan Shawn Feinstein Graduate School, 2012. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: NERA Conference Proceedings 2012. Paper 9 Accessed May 7, 2014,at: http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=nera_2012 Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=nera_2012 Shelf Number: 132277 Keywords: EducationJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Rehabilitation |
Author: Chan, Linda S. Title: Preventing Violence and Related Health-Risking Social Behaviors in Adolescents Summary: Over the last two decades of the 20th century, violence emerged as one of the most significant public health problems in the United States (Administration for Children and Families, 2004). While recent trends have been encouraging, homicide remains the second leading cause of death among adolescents (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2004). During this period, an increasing number of research studies has have sought to characterize youth violence and the contexts in which it occurs, as well as risk and protective factors associated with such violence. At the same time, a myriad of prevention interventions have been developed and evaluated with multiple youth populations and in a range of settings. In the fall of 2004, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) will convene a State-of-the- Science Conference on “Preventing Violence and Related Health-Risking Social Behaviors in Adolescents.” The purpose of this consensus conference is to provide a forum to present and review what is currently known about preventing youth violence. In preparation for this meeting, the Office of Medical Applications of Research (OMAR) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) nominated and supported the topic for an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-sponsored systematic review and analysis of the evidence. AHRQ awarded this project to the Southern California Evidence-based Practice Center (SC-EPC)and its partner, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, to conduct the review and summarize the findings in an evidence report. Researchers were to review longitudinal risk factor research to identify the role of individual, family, school, community and peer-level influences as well as interventional research to evaluate prevention intervention effectiveness. This evidence report addresses the following six key questions: 1. What are the factors that contribute to violence and associated adverse health outcomes in childhood and adolescence? 2. What are the patterns of co-occurrence of these factors? 3. What evidence exists on the safety and effectiveness of interventions for violence? 4. Where evidence of safety and effectiveness exists, are there other outcomes beyond reducing violence? If so, what is known about effectiveness by age, sex, and race/ethnicity? 5. What are commonalities of the interventions that are effective, and those that are ineffective? 6. What are the priorities for future research? For the purpose of this evidence review, we used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition of violence: “threatened or actual physical force or power initiated by an individual that results in, or has a high likelihood of resulting in, physical or psychological injury or death” (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2004). We made the decision to include only the following types of violent behavior: murder or homicide, aggravated assault, non-aggravated assault, rape or sexual assault, robbery, gang fight, physical aggression, psychological injury or harm, and other serious injury or harm. Thus, we did not review the growing literature that reports on studies of suicide, verbal aggression, bullying, arson, weapon carrying, externalizing behaviors (e.g., acting out), attitude about violent behavior, youth crime against property or materials (such as burglary, theft), or intent to commit violence as outcomes. These related behaviors and attitudes are included in this report only to the extent that they have been proposed as risk factors for the forms of violence on which this report focuses. The definition of violence prevention interventions that we used was developed for and published in the Surgeon General’s Report on Youth Violence (Satcher, 2001). According to this definition, “Primary prevention interventions are those that are universal, intended to prevent the onset of violence and related risk factors; secondary prevention interventions are those implemented on a selected scale for children/youth at enhanced risk for youth violence, intended to prevent the onset and reduce the risk of violence; and tertiary prevention interventions are those that are targeted to youth who have already demonstrated violent or seriously delinquent behavior.” Details: Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2004. 372p. Source: Internet Resource: Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, no. 107: Accessed May 8, 2014 at: http://archive.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/adolviol/adolviol.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United States URL: http://archive.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/adolviol/adolviol.pdf Shelf Number: 132296 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionEvidence-Based PracticeJuvenile Delinquents (U.S.)Juvenile OffendersYouth Violence |
Author: DC Lawyers for Youth Title: Capital City Correction: Reforming DC's Use of Adult Incarceration Against Youth Summary: From 2007 to 2012, 541 youth were charged as adults and incarcerated in adult jail in the District of Columbia. While incarcerated in the adult jail, these DC youth were housed in a developmentally inappropriate and inadequate facility where they receive limited educational, behavioral health, and vocational services. Most were not permitted to have in-person visits with family members. The majority of the time that youth spent at the adult jail was prior to trial, when youth are presumed innocent of the offense. Research has consistently shown that trying youth as adults does not promote public safety and that youth in the adult system are at increased risk for victimization and suicide. The Centers for Disease Control found that youth placed in the adult system are more likely to commit future crimes than similar youth treated in the juvenile system. Adult facilities generally do not offer the rehabilitative programs youth need to turn their lives around, and their staff are often insufficiently trained to work with youth. Youth in adult facilities are also at greater risk for sexual victimization, physical assault, and suicide. This report explains how youth enter the adult system in DC, summarizes data about which DC youth experience adult prosecution, explains the scientific literature on adolescent brain development and the effects of incarcerating youth in adult facilities, and notes deficiencies in the Juvenile Unit that currently holds DC youth charged as adults. Finally, the report offers three policy recommendations that would restore balance to DC's approach of the prosecution of youth: 1.Prohibit the pre-trial detention of youth in adult facilities. They are innocent until proven guilty, and innocent children should not be exposed to the harmful environment of adult jail. 2.Allow for "reverse transfer" motions, in which a judge can hear arguments about which system is most appropriate for the youth. If the judge decides that the youth can be rehabilitated before age 21 and that the public interest would be best served by placing the youth in the juvenile system, the judge should be able to transfer the youth back to the juvenile system. 3.End "once an adult, always an adult." Currently, any youth with an adult conviction must have any subsequent charges handled in adult court, no matter how minor they are and even if local prosecutors would prefer to charge the case in juvenile court. The default rule should always be that children under age 18 are treated in the juvenile system. Details: Washington, DC: DC Lawyers for Youth, 2014. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 19, 2014 at: http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/dcly/pages/77/attachments/original/1400460117/Capital_City_Correction.pdf?1400460117 Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/dcly/pages/77/attachments/original/1400460117/Capital_City_Correction.pdf?1400460117 Shelf Number: 132397 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransfersJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersWaiver(of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction) |
Author: Hwang, Sophia Title: Supporting the Needs of Students Involved with the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice System in the School District of Philadelphia Summary: In January 2013, PolicyLab at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) was commissioned by the Mayor's Office of Education (MOE), School District of Philadelphia (SDP), Philadelphia School Reform Commission (SRC), and Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS) to examine the distribution, concentration, and academic outcomes of youth in Philadelphia's public schools involved with the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system. The research was requested to inform policy decisions intended to improve educational success for youth involved with DHS in Philadelphia. This report presents data from a targeted cross-system review of students in the 3rd, 7th, 9th, and 12th grades from the 2011-2012 academic year across all schools within the SDP. The goals of the review were to (1) describe the level of both ongoing and previous child welfare and juvenile justice involvement of students in the SDP and (2) better understand these students' educational needs. The key findings are highlighted below. KEY FINDINGS: I The population of students who have ever been involved with the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system across the School District of Philadelphia is substantial. A Overall, 17% of students have ever been involved with the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system-this increases to one in five for high school students. B Almost half of the high schools in the School District of Philadelphia have more than 100 students ever involved with DHS or more than 20% of the population ever involved with DHS-with some schools having both. C The enrollment of students ever involved with DHS is geographically dispersed across the School District of Philadelphia. II Students who have ever been involved with the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system have greater identified educational needs than their peers. A Nearly one in four students ever involved with the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system received special education services, a rate 64% greater than their peers who never had child welfare and/or juvenile justice involvement. B Educational outcomes (measured by Pennsylvania System of School Assessment scores, high school credit accumulation, and grade promotion) and attendance rates were poorer among students ever involved with the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system. III Although enrollment of students who have ever been involved with DHS is geographically dispersed across the school system, these students tend to cluster in certain school types and have lower educational outcomes than students without DHS involvement. However, within the same school type, the performance of students with DHS involvement over time is similar to that of their peers without DHS involvement. A Students ever involved with DHS are concentrated in Comprehensive and Alternative Education Schools compared to Traditional Charter or Special Admission and Citywide Schools. B Educational outcomes vary by school type, but within similar settings, students ever involved with DHS tend to mirror the performance of their peers who never had DHS involvement. Details: Philadelphia: PolicyLab, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2014. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2014 at: http://policylab.chop.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/publications/PolicyLab_Report_Supporting_Students_Involved_with_Child_Welfare_June_2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://policylab.chop.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/publications/PolicyLab_Report_Supporting_Students_Involved_with_Child_Welfare_June_2014.pdf Shelf Number: 132515 Keywords: Educational ProgramsHigh School StudentsJuvenile OffendersSchool DropoutsSchools |
Author: Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission Title: Improving Illinois' Response to Sexual Offenses Committed by Youth: Recommendations for Law, Policy, and Practice Summary: The Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission performed extensive scientific and legal research to understand the complex issues of the behavior, treatment, and rehabilitation of juvenile sex offenders and the extent to which current knowledge has resulted in practical applications throughout the state. The findings from this research shaped the Commission's recommendations, which aim to increase public safety, improve outcomes for young offenders, and allocate scarce public resources effectively. To do this, Illinois should implement evidence-informed policies for professionals who work with victims and youth offenders; provide individualized, community-based, family-focused treatments and services; and repeal counter-productive sex offender registration requirements and categorical restrictions for young people. Details: Chicago: Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, 2014. 150p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2014 at: http://ijjc.illinois.gov/youthsexualoffenses Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://ijjc.illinois.gov/youthsexualoffenses Shelf Number: 132518 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Sex OffendersRehabilitation ProgramsSex Offender TreatmentSexual Abuse |
Author: Pessin, Sandi R. Title: An Examination of the Effects of Race on the Assignment of Aftercare Services and the Effects of Aftercare Services on Recidivism for Juvenile Offenders Summary: About 100,000 youth return to their communities from correctional facilities each year. Among these youth, it is estimated that two-thirds have drug dependency and abuse problems. In recent years advocates have called for intensive aftercare services to better facilitate transitions back into the community and reduce the probability of the youth reoffending. Barriers to the implementation of aftercare services include the untested nature of most current programs, as well as small sample sizes available to conduct studies. In addition, the racial disproportionality within the juvenile justice system is well documented. This study attempts to examine the effects the provisions of aftercare services had on recidivism in a particular substance abuse facility in Virginia, and the effect race played in the assignment of aftercare services. This study found that the assignment rates of Black youth and White youth to aftercare varies with Black youth receiving aftercare less frequently than Whites. However, after controlling for a number of characteristics of the youths, the difference in the assignment to aftercare does not differ significantly by race. This study also found that Black youth were more likely to be declared "severely delinquent" which appears to have systematically disqualified them from receiving aftercare services. Unfortunately, results regarding the effects of aftercare services on recidivism are inconclusive, mostly due to the small sample size. Details: Washington, DC: Georgetown University, Public Policy Institute 2008. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Master's Essay: Accessed June 19, 2014 at: https://repository.library.georgetown.edu/bitstream/handle/10822/555950/30_etd_srp27.pdf?sequence=3 Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: https://repository.library.georgetown.edu/bitstream/handle/10822/555950/30_etd_srp27.pdf?sequence=3 Shelf Number: 132531 Keywords: AftercareJuvenile Drug OffendersJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ReentryRacial DisparitiesRecidivism |
Author: Martin, Julie H. Title: Predicting Risk to Reoffend: Establishing the Validitoy of the Positive Achievement Change Tool Summary: In recent years, there has been increased reliance on the use of risk assessment in the juvenile justice system to predict and classify offenders based on their risk to reoffend. Over the years, the predictive validity of risk assessments has improved through the inclusion of actuarial assessment and dynamic risk factors. The predictive validity of certain assessments, such as the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI), has been well established through numerous replication studies on different subgroups of the population. The validity of other instruments, such as the Positive Achievement Change Tool (PACT), is in its infancy having only been validated on the sample of the population for which it was created. The PACT, a relatively new juvenile risk assessment tool, was adapted from the Washington State Juvenile Court Assessment and validated on the Florida juvenile population. This study sought to demonstrate the predictive validity of the PACT risk assessment, analyze gender differences in juvenile recidivism, and determine the relative importance of individual-level, social-level, and community-level variables in the prediction of recidivism for a sample of juveniles in Tarrant County, Texas. The results of this research confirmed the predictive validity of the PACT for juveniles served by Tarrant County Juvenile Services (TCJS). Despite possessing adequate predictive validity for the entire population, gender-specific analyses revealed differences in the ability of the PACT to accurately classify female delinquents based on risk to reoffend. Not only did gender differences emerge in the predictive validity of the PACT, but males and female recidivism was also predicted by different social-level indicators. The results of this research provided further evidence for social-causation theories of crime and delinquency, with social-level indicators exerting the strongest relationship with recidivism when compared to individual-level and community-level predictors. The inability of community-level predictors to enhance the predictive accuracy of the assessment suggest broad application of the PACT across jurisdictions. TCJS has invested a considerable amount of time, resources, and funding in the implementation and maintenance of the PACT. The results of this study provided support and direction for the continued use of the PACT at TCJS. In addition, establishing the predictive validity of the PACT on the Tarrant County juvenile population satisfied the legislative requirement for a population specific validation of the risk assessment implemented in each county. Details: Orlando, FL: University of Central Florida, 2012. 119p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 26, 2014 at: http://etd.fcla.edu/CF/CFE0004221/Martin_Julie_H_201205.PhD.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://etd.fcla.edu/CF/CFE0004221/Martin_Julie_H_201205.PhD.pdf Shelf Number: 132559 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRecidivism Reoffending Risk Assessment |
Author: Weemhoff, Michelle Title: Youth Behind Bars: Examining the impact of prosecuting and incarcerating kids in Michigan's criminal justice system Summary: In the mid-1990s, Michigan became part of a national trend to get tough on youth crime. Although crime rates were steadily declining, the state passed a series of harsh laws that funneled thousands of youth into the adult criminal justice system. In addition to automatically considering all 17-year-olds as adults, Michigan broadened juvenile prosecutors' discretion to automatically file in criminal court, expanded the number of juvenile offenses requiring an adult sentence, and allowed children of any age to be criminally convicted and sent to prison. Most youth in the adult system are there for non-violent offenses. From 2003 to 2013, over 20,000 Michigan youth were placed on adult probation, detained in jail, or imprisoned for a crime committed when they were younger than 18 years old. The majority of these cases included non-violent offenses. Some were as young as 10 years old and a disproportionate number were youth of color. Processing youth in the adult system is harmful to them and bad for public safety. The trend to criminalize children was quickly met with the reality that processing youth in the adult system is detrimental to public safety and youth well-being. Youth in prison face exreme risk of violence, sexual assault, and self-harm. Without access to rehabilitative services, young people exiting adult prison are more likely to reoffend and reoffend more violently compared to their counterparts in the juvenile justice system. Michigan's adult probation and prison systems are not equipped to address the unique needs of youth. The majority of the youth sent to adult court in the past decade never received an education higher than the 11th grade or completed a GED. Over half entered the system with known drug or alcohol abuse issues and mental health concerns, and approximately 1,500 young people had at least one dependent. A small number of youth tried as adults are girls, who often enter the system with histories of violence and sexual victimization. Because so few girls are on probation or in prison, there are essentially no services for this vulnerable population. Young people leave the adult system without adequate support to keep them from returning. Once youth leave the corrections system, the lifelong consequences of an adult conviction are devastating. Nearly all youth in prison will eventually return to the community but will find significant barriers to employment, education, housing, and public benefits - the key elements to a successful future. Without effective reentry and support services, young people may find themselves in a revolving door to prison. Contrary to sentiments of the mid-1990s, public opinion in Michigan and across the country has shifted toward becoming "smart on crime." In an effort to protect public safety, improve child outcomes, and save money, leaders nationwide are re-evaluating previous policy decisions and making significant changes to youth transfer laws. It is time for Michigan to join them. Details: Lansing, MI: Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency, 2014. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 30, 2014 at: http://www.miccd.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MCCD-Youth-Behind-Bars-Final.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.miccd.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MCCD-Youth-Behind-Bars-Final.pdf Shelf Number: 132565 Keywords: Costs of Criminal JusticeJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Leiber, Michael J. Title: Race/Ethnicity, Juvenile Court Processing and Case Outcomes: Fluctuation or Stability? Summary: Sampson and Laub's (1993) perspective contends that community characteristics, especially underclass poverty and racial inequality, influence the social control of youth in juvenile justice proceedings. Structural factors are believed to enhance class and race stereotypes of the poor and Blacks as either criminals or drug offenders, but can also be characterized as sexual, aggressive, etc. In turn, these actual and/or perceived threats to middle class values result in the poor and Blacks being subjected to greater social control in communities evidencing impoverishment and racial inequality. An interpretation of the perspective is that the social control of youth, and especially minority youth, will fluctuate over time due to associations with and changes in the economic and racial/ethnic inequality of communities. The main objective of the present study was to use Sampson and Laub's structural theory of inequality to examine whether characteristics of communities explain the social control of youth in general but also focuses on potential racial/ethnic and drug offending disparities across White, Black, and Hispanic youth within juvenile justice proceedings. In anticipation of these possible relationships, an assessment was done to see to what extent these relationships vary or remain relatively stable over time, and if they are race and/or ethnic specific with drug offending. Data was provided by the National Juvenile Court Archive (NJCA) and represented county-level aggregated information for sixteen states involving 172 counties for over thirty years (1985, 1995, 2005, and 2009). Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression was used to predict the proportion of referrals petitioned, detained, received out-of-home placement, and change models to understand how changes in the independent variables over time influenced changes in the dependent variables over time. A second data set, also provided by NJCA, was used that represented individual-level data of all delinquent referrals in 67 counties in a Northeast state from January 2000 through December 2010. Legal variables (e.g. crime severity, prior record), extralegal considerations (e.g. gender, age), and decision-making at intake, adjudication, and judicial disposition were captured. Hierarchical generalized linear modeling (HGLM) was used to analyze the data for the purpose of simultaneously estimating the amount of variation of both the individual (level-1) and county (level-2) measures at three processing junctures. In addition to the estimation of main and interaction effects, cross-level interactions were also estimated to examine how youth from different racial/ethnic backgrounds are treated in the juvenile court depending on county of residence. In short, minimal to modest support was found for Sampson and Laub's (1993) perspective. Macro-level variables were at times found to be determinants of social control at each of the four time frames and to a somewhat greater extent in explaining case outcomes in the 67counties in a Northeast state. However, the effects were sporadic and not always in the predicted direction. In fact, underclass poverty and racial/ethnic inequality most often were not statistically significant determinants of social control. Limited evidence was also found for anticipated relationships between community characteristics and disadvantaged treatment of minorities and drug offenders. When community characteristics significantly impacted the treatment of Blacks, Hispanics, and/or drug offenders and decision-making, the effects at times resulted in leniency rather than greater social control. An examination of the results across thirty years showed, with a few exceptions, stability in the relationships rather than fluctuation or change. At the individual-level, Black drug offenders were subjected to greater social control at intake than other offenders. Hispanics and Hispanic drug offenders were also found to have a greater odds of being adjudicated compared to similarly situated Whites. At judicial disposition, Blacks and Hispanics had a greater likelihood of receiving the more severe outcome of out-home-placement compared to Whites. These effects were enhanced if a minority youth was charged with a drug offense. In addition, drug offenders and in particular, Black drug offenders and Hispanic drug offenders, were responded to differently throughout court proceedings than other types of offenders. The findings reported here indicate that underclass poverty and racial/ethnic inequality alone (or if at all) do not seem to account for these occurrences. Details: Final report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2014. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 30, 2014 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/246229.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/246229.pdf Shelf Number: 132571 Keywords: Drug OffendersJuvenile Case ProcessingJuvenile CourtsJuvenile OffendersMinority OffendersPovertySocioeconomic Conditions and CrimeYouthful Offenders |
Author: National Juvenile Justice Network Title: The Comeback and Coming-from-Behind States: An Update on Youth Incarceration in the United States Summary: The number of youth confined in state and county facilities nationwide strongly declined in 2011, affirming the benefits of key juvenile-justice reforms enacted in various states in the past decade. These findings are included in a new report, "The Comeback and Coming-from-Behind States" released today by NJJN and the Texas Public Policy Foundation's Center for Effective Justice (TPPF). The report highlights the continued positive trend in the nine states leading the nation on reducing incarceration, and showcases a handful of states that, while not keeping pace with the nationwide trend, have opened the door for future progress by adopting crucial incarceration-reducing policies that have been shown to improve conditions for youth and communities. For the 2001-to-2011 ten-year period, the number of confined youth declined by 41% nationwide, or an annual average decline of 4.1% - a dramatic drop since 2000, when a record-setting 108,802 youth were held in detention centers awaiting trial or confined by the courts in juvenile facilities in the U.S. The nationwide decline in 2011 (from 70,793 to 61,423 youth) continues the trend from the previous year (the latest for which data is available), which showed youth confinement was reduced by 32% nationwide from 2001-2010. The report also identifies four states - Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming - that are not keeping pace with the national rate of incarceration decline. As a group, these states' average rate of confinement in 2011 was 87% higher than the national average. However, they are poised to show progress in the coming years, as they have already begun to adopt specific policies proven to reduce incarceration. The report argues that positive turnaround can be achieved through changes to state policy that reflect new understandings of the teenage brain, growing use of alternatives to incarceration, and constrained state budgets. These policy reforms include: - increasing the availability of evidence-based alternatives to confinement; - requiring intake procedures that reduce the use of detention facilities; - closing or downsizing youth confinement facilities; - reducing schools' overreliance on the justice system to address discipline issues; - disallowing incarceration for minor offenses; and - restructuring juvenile justice responsibilities and finances among states and counties. NJJN and TPPF identified these six policies as key measures of positive reform, as all encourage less reliance on detention and incarceration across the U.S. For youth being held in detention centers awaiting trial or incarcerated in juvenile facilities, implementing reforms is a critical change. Youth who are locked up are separated from their families, many witness violence and struggle when they get out, trying to complete high school, get jobs or go to college. Aside from the human toll, the financial costs of maintaining large secure facilities have also made it vital to rethink juvenile justice in every community. "States have made strides in changing their policies so that youth are held accountable in age-appropriate ways, but there is more work to be done," said Sarah Bryer, Director of NJJN. "It is critical that we build upon the success seen over the past twenty years and make every effort possible to adopt meaningful reforms that reduce youth confinement and strengthen our communities." The report, an update to the "Comeback States" report issued by the groups in June, uses data from 2011 (the most recent year for which national data is available) on youth confinement provided by the U.S. Justice Department's (USDOJ) Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to track the ongoing national reduction of youth incarceration, as well as the continued progress of the nine states leading the nation on implementing meaningful juvenile justice reforms resulting in the reduction of youth in confinement in their states. These comeback states include: California, Connecticut, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Mississippi, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. The nine comeback states were selected because they adopted at least two-thirds of the targeted policy changes, exceeded the national-average reduction in youth confinement, and experienced enhanced public safety with a decline in youth arrests. The four come-from-behind states were identified based on their current population-adjusted rates of youth confinement, and their adoption of at least three of the six incarceration-reducing statewide policies identified in the report. Details: Washington, DC: National Juvenile Justice Network, 2014. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2014 at: http://www.njjn.org/uploads/digital-library/The-Comeback-and-Coming-from-Behind-States.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.njjn.org/uploads/digital-library/The-Comeback-and-Coming-from-Behind-States.pdf Shelf Number: 132586 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Swayze, Dana Title: Back to the Future: Thirty Years of Juvenile Justice Data 1980-2010. Volume 1 Summary: In 1980, the United States was on the verge of a spike in juvenile crime that would strain the resources of the juvenile justice system, challenge the resilience of communities, and have lasting repercussions on both public policy and public sentiment regarding youth offenders. Youth involvement in crime began to increase in the mid-1980s and rose precipitously through the mid-1990s. Of particular concern to policy makers and communities was the increase in violent crime. A cadre of academic scholars and criminologists publically warned of a new breed of 'superpredators' who were unique in their brutality and remorselessness. It was projected that these offenders would grow in number prompting a negative, fear-based public perception of juveniles. Contrary to the predictions of many scholars in the field of criminology, juvenile crime not only peaked in the late-1990s but was followed by a significant pattern of decline. Ten years later, youth involvement in the juvenile justice system has continued to decline and now reflects some of the lowest levels in 30 years or more. Criminologists continue to hypothesize and identify what factors contributed to the sudden and continuous decline in juvenile delinquency in the new millennium. Minnesota juvenile justice data mirror the rise and fall of youth involvement in crime observed nationally. In 2010, both the volume of youth arrests and the rate of youth arrests were comparable to figures recorded in 1980, before the juvenile crime wave began.a The title of this report, Back to the Future, is an homage to the 1980s cinema blockbuster of the same name, in which a teenaged Michael J. Fox accidentally travels back in time 30 years to 1955. While there, he inadvertently alters the course of his own future which he must be set right before returning to 1985. While his character is clear as to what must be done to set his future right, less clear are which, if any, juvenile justice policies and practices implemented in the 1980s and 1990s positively affected delinquent youth thirty years later. Volume 1 of this report series is dedicated to the presentation of Minnesota's juvenile justice data. Included are juvenile arrests; court volume; admissions to residential placements; and juvenile probation populations between 1980 and 2010. Regrettably not all data are available due to changes in collection methodology and technology over time. National juvenile justice data are also presented to assess how Minnesota fared compared to the national trend. Volume 2 of this report series compliments Volume 1 through a presentation of factors at the state and national level that may have affected delinquency trends over the past 30 years. Included are a presentation of population changes; characteristics of the macro-environment such as poverty and unemployment; changes to delinquency definitions and statutes; and changing attitudes and practices around serving at-risk youth. Volume 2 explores what the past 30 years have taught practitioners about effective responses to delinquency that can be taken back to the future. Details: St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Justice Programs, 2013. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 2, 2014 at: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ojp/forms-documents/Documents/BTTF_Part%201_FINAL.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ojp/forms-documents/Documents/BTTF_Part%201_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 132592 Keywords: Crime StatisticsJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile JusticeJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Swayze, Dana Title: Back to the Future: Thirty Years of Juvenile Justice Data 1980-2010. Volume 2 Summary: Volume 2 of this report series is dedicated to exploration of the underlying issues that may have affected the reduction in juvenile crime in the 2000s. Included are data related to education and child protection; changes to Minnesota's youth population; changes to socio-economic factors such as unemployment, poverty and wages; and the history of federal funding to states for crime and delinquency prevention and intervention. In addition, Volume 2 includes a detailed account of changes to both Minnesota and national laws affecting juveniles since 1980. Presented in five-year increments, this exploration documents the transition towards a more punitive, accountability-based juvenile justice system during the 1980s and 1990s, before movement back to a more individualized, rehabilitative approach in the 2000s. Changes made at key stages of the justice system are discussed, as are changes to chemical and mental health policy; school-based reforms; and evidence-based policy initiatives. Details: St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Justice Programs, 2014. 120p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 2, 2014 at: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ojp/forms-documents/Documents/BTTF_Part%202_FINAL.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ojp/forms-documents/Documents/BTTF_Part%202_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 132593 Keywords: Crime Statistics Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Justice Juvenile Justice Reform Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Wilber, Shannan Title: Noncitizen Youth in the Juvenile Justice System Summary: This publication provides a guide to working with noncitizen youth in the juvenile justice system. It promotes the adoption of policies and procedures for noncitizen youth that are consistent with the principles of detention and equity reform. The report includes an overview of noncitizen youth in the United States, a review of how immigration status might impact a juvenile justice case and an overview of the law with regards to the intersection between juvenile justice and immigration enforcement. This practice guide aims to assist jurisdictions in being more aware of the impact of immigration status and provide appropriate services to address this population's special needs. Details: Baltimore, MD: Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2014. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: A Guide to Juvenile Detention Reform, No. 7: Accessed July 2, 2014 at: http://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/aecf-NoncitizenYouthintheJJSystem-2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/aecf-NoncitizenYouthintheJJSystem-2014.pdf Shelf Number: 132601 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile ImmigrantsJuvenile OffendersUndocumented Immigrants |
Author: Davis, Antoinette Title: Using Bills and Budgets to Further Reduce Youth Incarceration Summary: States across the country have seen huge reductions in the number of youth incarcerated in detention halls, camps, and state secure facilities. One major reason for the reductions is successful legislation developed by advocates and legislators on both sides of the aisle. The five most successful components of this legislation include provisions that: • Move supervision responsibilities for some youth from the states to county agencies; • Include fiscal incentives to pay for these shifts in responsibilities; • Exclude categories of crimes such as status offenses, misdemeanors, and non-violent felonies from eligibility for incarceration in state facilities; • Require use of the best practices identified by research; and • Encourage stakeholders to place youth in the least-restrictive settings by naming it as a goal in reform legislation. Despite the overall reduction of incarcerated youth, much higher percentages of youth of color remain under formal supervision and in state secure facilities. This suggests that even the most successful states need to employ new strategies. Systems need to continue to reduce out-of-home placements in order to strengthen the links between youth and their families. They also need to identify the most effective supervision strategies. Legislation helps this agenda by guaranteeing the flow of funding to fiscally sustainable, culturally relevant community-based organizations with promising research-based practices. Details: San Francisco: National Council on Crime and Delinquency, 2014. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 2, 2014 at: http://nccdglobal.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdf/bills-and-budgets.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://nccdglobal.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdf/bills-and-budgets.pdf Shelf Number: 132608 Keywords: African AmericansJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Offender SupervisionJuvenile OffendersMinority Youth |
Author: McMurtry, Roy Title: The Review of the Roots of Youth Violence. Volume 4, Research papers Summary: The Review has commissioned a number of literature reviews and research papers to help fulfill its mandate. Some of the leading Canadian experts in the fields of criminology, sociology and race relations have authored these materials. This volume contains the following papers: A Province at the Crossroads: Statistics on Youth Violence in Ontario, by Scot Wortley; Youth Crime: The Impact of Law Enforcement Approaches on the Incidence of Violent Crime Involving Youth and Matters Related to Understanding the Implications of These Findings, by Anthony N. Doob, Jane B. Sprott and Cheryl Marie Webster; A Comparative Analysis of Youth Justice Approaches, by Tullio Caputo and Michel Vallee; Racial Minority Perspectives on Violence, by Rinaldo Walcott, Cecil Foster, Mark Campbell, and David Sealy; A Methodology to Identify Communities in Ontario Where High or Increasing Relative Disadvantage May Lead to Youth Violence, By Desmond Ellis; and Governance Models for the Roots of Youth Violence, by the Institute on Governance. Details: Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2008. 492p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 7, 2014 at: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/english/documents/topics/youthandthelaw/rootsofyouthviolence-vol4.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/english/documents/topics/youthandthelaw/rootsofyouthviolence-vol4.pdf Shelf Number: 132625 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersNeighborhoods and CrimeViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Charish, Courtney Title: Race/Ethnicity and Gender Effects on Juvenile Justice System Processing Summary: Disproportionate minority representation in the juvenile justice system has been a national policy issue since 1992 when Congress amended the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974. The amendments required states participating in the Federal Formula Grants Program to determine the existence of disproportionate minority representation, assess the causes, develop and implement corrective interventions, and evaluate those interventions; and to fund programs addressing gender issues. States that failed to make progress or show good faith efforts towards reducing disproportionate minority representation risked losing one-quarter of their formula grant funds and having to expend the remaining proportion towards achieving progress. The authors of this report conducted an analysis of data for the processing of 25,511 juveniles referred to Oklahoma's juvenile justice system between July 1, 1999 and June 30, 2001. Data for the study was obtained, primarily, from the state's information system for juvenile offenders, the Juvenile On-Line Tracking System (JOLTS). The decision points examined by the study included front end decisions (detention at arrest and intake decisions of district attorneys); and back end decisions made by the juvenile court including decisions to transfer juveniles to the adult criminal justice system, and adjudicatory and dispositional decisions. All outcomes for each decision point were analyzed because inequities, if they existed, may be as much a matter of lack of access to less harsh outcomes as a matter of receiving harsher outcomes. Logistic regression analysis was chosen as the method to determine whether race and gender effects existed and were statistically significant, while controlling for other variables including offense history and its severity, age, the population of counties, household welfare status, and residential area poverty rates. Details: Oklahoma City, OK: Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs, 2004. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 7, 2014 at: http://www.oja.state.ok.us/final%20oja%20report%207-8-04.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United States URL: http://www.oja.state.ok.us/final%20oja%20report%207-8-04.pdf Shelf Number: 135872 Keywords: Disproportionate Minority ContactGenderJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersRace/EthnicityRacial Disparities |
Author: David-Ferdon, Corinne Title: Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action Summary: All forms of violence, including youth violence, suicidal behavior, child maltreatment, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and elder abuse, negatively affect the health and well-being of our country. Youth violence, in particular, is a significant public health problem. Each and every day, approximately 13 young people in the United States are victims of homicide and an additional 1,642 visit our hospital emergency departments because of physical assault-related injuries. Among high school students, 1 in 4 report being in at least one physical fight and 1 in 5 report being bullied in the last year. Youth who are victims of violence also have a higher risk for many other poor physical and mental health problems, including smoking, obesity, high-risk sexual behavior, asthma, depression, academic problems, and suicide. Young people are frequently the ones hurting other youth and commit a significant proportion of the violence in communities-youth aged 10-24 years represented 40% of all arrests for violent crimes in 2012. The damage resulting from youth violence extends beyond the young perpetrators and victims. Each year, youth homicides and nonfatal assault injuries result in an estimated $17.5 billion in combined medical and lost productivity costs. Violence can increase health care costs for everyone, decrease property values, and disrupt social services. Many of our young people and communities view the grim facts about youth violence as unavoidable and have accepted youth violence as a societal reality. However, the truth is that youth violence is not inevitable. Youth violence is preventable. The past investment into monitoring, understanding, and preventing youth violence is paying off and proving that youth violence can be stopped before it occurs. We cannot continue to just respond to violence after it happens—the public health burden of youth violence is too high and our potential to prevent youth violence is too great. Our understanding about youth violence and our ability to prevent it is based on decades of work by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the larger field of youth violence prevention researchers and practitioners. From systematic surveillance, rigorous research on modifiable factors that predict violence, evaluation of prevention strategies, and the strengthening of the capacity of communities to use approaches that work, we have learned a great deal about how to prevent youth violence. To help communities take advantage of the available knowledge, CDC has developed, Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action. This resource summarizes what we currently know about youth violence-the health consequences, trends, disparities, causes, costs, and prevention strategies. This resource outlines important strategies for youth violence prevention that are based on strong evidence and experience. It includes examples of specific programs and activities that have been found to be effective. These evidence-based youth violence prevention strategies focus on reducing the factors that put young people at risk for violence and bolstering the factors that strengthen their positive development and buffer against violence. Everyone has a role to play in preventing youth violence. Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action provides information and action steps that can help public health and other community leaders work with partners to prevent youth violence. This resource also describes actions that young people, families, caregivers, adults who work with youth, and other community members can take to reduce youth violence. A companion document, titled Taking Action to Prevent Youth Violence, is available to help these groups better understand the steps they can take. Details: Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2014 at: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/pdf/opportunities-for-action.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/pdf/opportunities-for-action.pdf Shelf Number: 132706 Keywords: At-Risk YouthCrime PreventionDelinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersViolence PreventionYouth ProgramsYouth Violence |
Author: Smith, Erin Foley Title: Challenging Juvenile Life Without Parole: How Has Human Rights Made A Difference? Summary: Human rights standards and strategies play an important role in social justice legal advocacy in the United States. Human rights help frame new arguments, offer new venues for challenging existing policies and practices, provide opportunities for coalition-building, and afford new means to bring attention to rights violations. One example of human rights strategies at work in the U.S. is found in advocates' efforts to end a practice unique to the United States: sentencing juveniles to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In forty-two states in the United States, a child who commits a crime can be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. There are currently approximately 2,500 individuals serving life sentences for crimes they committed when they were below eighteen years of age. For years, advocates have been working to end this practice, which is typically called juvenile life without parole, or "JLWOP." In the past ten years, human rights strategies have played an important role in challenging states' use of the sentence. Human rights have contributed to increased media attention on the issue, two U.S. Supreme Court decisions limiting the practice, and legislative changes at the state level. This case study, based on interviews with a number of advocates working to end the practice, explores how human rights standards and strategies have helped to advance advocacy strategies to end JLWOP. Details: New York: Columbia University School of Law, Human Rights Institute, 2014. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2014 at: http://web.law.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/microsites/human-rights-institute/files/jwlop_case_study_final_0.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://web.law.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/microsites/human-rights-institute/files/jwlop_case_study_final_0.pdf Shelf Number: 132743 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersLife ImprisonmentLife Sentences |
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: McMurtry, Roy Title: Review of the Roots of Youth Violence (Volume 3): Community Perspectives Report Summary: There are many kinds of communities. Often, we think of a community as something that has a specific location - our own neighbourhood, town or city, or our rural township or region. But we are all familiar with other kinds of communities: those made up of individuals who share common cultures or common interests, or attend the same school or work at the same jobs. In that sense, you are probably a member of several different communities. This volume focuses on what we heard from our community contacts, most especially from the youth. We've provided the full text of the Neighbourhood Insight Sessions Final Report (Insight Final Report), the Grassroots Youth Collaborative's Rooted in Action: A Youth-Led Report on our Demands and Plans to Address the Root Causes of Violence in our Communities (GYC Report) and a report from the Urban Aboriginal Youth consultations, and we've included some of the thoughts contributed by others through our online survey and one-on-one meetings. Details: Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2008. 173p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 4, 2014 at: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/youthandthelaw/roots/volume3/index.aspx Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/youthandthelaw/roots/volume3/index.aspx Shelf Number: 132881 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersPublic AttitudesYouth Violence (Canada) |
Author: Imafidon, Kenny Title: The Kenny Report. How do politics and eocnomics affect gangs and serious youth violence across the UK? Summary: The word 'gang' means different things to different people: for some it may be a group of three or more people with hoodies; or a group of young people who hang about in their local estate till late in the night; or a group of people who join up to commit criminal offences. Gangs and serious youth violence have affected our country for years, especially in major cities such as London, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham. Gangs have been around for decades and have been constantly evolving over the years, they are far from a new problem generated by our modern society. There has been some criticism that the government has not established a single definition that can explain what a gang is for everyone else to understand. In addition, the word 'gang' is widely and loosely used in our society by members of the public, by the media, and by professionals and politicians etc. The widely accepted definition of a gang, which I agree with to a degree, is set out in the Centre for Social Justice's 2009 Report, Dying to Belong. The Centre for Social Justice 2009 report Dying to Belong defines a gang as: "A relatively durable, predominantly street-based group of young people who: 1. See themselves (and are seen by others) as a discernible group; 2. Engage in criminal activity and violence; 3. Lay claim over territory (this is not necessarily geographical territory but can include an illegal economy as territory); 4. Have some form of identifying structural feature 5. Are in conflict with other, similar gangs." Gangs and serious youth violence obviously create social disorder and have a detrimental effect on our society. The big question everyone is asking is how do we solve this gang problem, because the justice system is clearly not deterring the growth of gangs and serious youth violence in our society? At the same time there have been many inquiries, investigations and academic research to "find out about and understand the objective characteristics of gangs such as their history, territories, size, nature and the risk factors that prompt gang involvement. Thanks to all this extensive study and research we are now at a point where we can objectively understand the many dynamics of a gang. Yet all the research we have on gangs still leaves us stuck asking the same big question year after year, government after government: "How do we solve this gang problem?" Gangs consist of people, just like you and me, and yet there is very little research that sets out to understand the subjective characteristics of the people directly or indirectly involved in gangs. Too much time is spent understanding gangs as a whole and not enough time is spent tackling the root of the problem, which must surely include a deeper understanding of the individuals who make up these gangs, the people actively involved in the violence that take place in our communities every day. Understanding the individuals and not the group will enable us to better understand the socio-economic issues that these communities face. Only when we understand the relationship between socio-economic factors and gang involvement, particularly in our deprived communities, can we make the right changes, and start to get to the heart of the problem. It is not possible to solve a problem you do not understand, nor one you do not want to solve. This report asks the question: "How do politics and economics affect gangs and serious youth violence across the UK?" It is based on a highly detailed case study of an individual called Harro, who society would see as a gang member and a cold hearted villain, but who would be described by his friends and family as a decent person with good manners and a heart of gold, and who would do whatever he could for his family and friends. This central case study provides an insight into the thoughts and feelings of a single real-life individual, and the level of socio-economic deprivation he faced. A young man full of potential, who would still be alive today had the support he needed been in place when he needed it. This case study shows us how ill-informed social policy and the ongoing cuts in the youth sector have affected Harro, his family, and many others like them in their community. This case study is based on one individual but this one individual shares characteristics with many young people involved in gangs, for example feelings of hopelessness, exclusion from society, socio-economic deprivation, growing up without positive male role models and not knowing how to get out of it all and "find help to exit that lifestyle. This report analyses seven significant influences, which affect young men like Harro and which steer them in the direction of gang membership and committing serious youth violence. These areas are: education, employment prospects, positive role models, housing, health, relationships and socialisation awareness, and community support. Details: London: Safer London Foundation, 2012. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 12, 2014 at: http://www.saferlondonfoundation.org/resources.php Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.saferlondonfoundation.org/resources.php Shelf Number: 133000 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (U.K.)Juvenile OffendersPovertySocioeconomic Conditions and Crime |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Pathways Through Youth Justice Supervision Summary: Pathways through youth justice supervision explores the types of youth justice supervision experienced by particular cohorts of young people based on data available from the Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set (JJ NMDS) from 2000-01 to 2012-13. The report found that the top 10 pathways accounted for nearly three quarters (71%) of young people who experienced supervision. It also found that young males, young Indigenous people, those aged 10-14 at first supervision and those experiencing sentenced detention at some point were more likely than their counterparts to have more complex and varied pathways through supervision. Details: Canberra, AUS: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile justice series no. 15: Accessed August 12, 2014 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129548158 Year: 2014 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129548158 Shelf Number: 133005 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice (Australia)Juvenile OffendersOffender Supervision |
Author: KPMG Title: Review of the Youth Justice Group Conferencing Program: Final Report Summary: Group conferencing is a program based on restorative justice principles. It is a problem-solving approach to offending that aims to balance the needs of young people, victims and the community by encouraging dialogue between individuals who have offended and their victims. The aim of the Victorian program is to provide a community rehabilitation intervention to the Children's Court at the pre-sentence stage, in order to: - Divert the young person from more intensive supervisory court outcomes by raising their understanding of the impact of their offending on the victim and utilising the resources of the immediate and extended family and/or significant others to support the young person - Reduce frequency and seriousness of re-offending of young people referred to the program - Increase victim satisfaction with the criminal justice process Effectively integrate young people into the community following the conference process. KPMG conducted a review of the Youth Justice Group Conferencing Program between September 2009 and September 2010 to determine the effectiveness of the Program in meeting its stated aims since operations commenced in 2003, as well as to provide the Department of Human Services with recommendation to improve the Program's operation. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Department of Human Services, 2010. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 13, 2014 at: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/675564/review-youth-group-conferencing-report-2011.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/675564/review-youth-group-conferencing-report-2011.pdf Shelf Number: 133041 Keywords: Juvenile DiversionJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation ProgramRestorative Justice (Australia)Youth Group Conferencing |
Author: Bergseth, Kathleen J. Title: Reentry Services: An Evaluation of a Pilot Project in Clay County, MN Summary: The Reentry Services Project (RSP) in Clay County, MN began in July 2003 with funding from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Drug Policy and Violence Prevention and matching funds from the Clay County Joint Powers Collaborative (a collaborative group of local human service agencies). The RSP aimed to improve public safety by assisting youthful offenders in successful community reentry following out-of-home placement. The program included the addition of two Transitional Coordinators (TCs) who worked with Probation Officers (POs) and community-based service providers to identify case specific needs and employ comprehensive case management services. Specifically, the RSP sought to reduce the likelihood of further crime and delinquency by providing comprehensive reentry case management to aid youth in: - Obtaining and maintaining long-term employment, if appropriate, - Maintaining a stable residence, - Addressing substance abuse issues, - Addressing physical and mental health issues, and - Establishing a meaningful and supportive role in the community. RSP was designed to begin at least 30 days prior to release from out-of-home placement, and to continue for six months following release to the community. The program served 124 youth during its first 4 years of operation. This report includes information on 92 RSP youth whose files were closed as of April, 2007. The average (mean) age of youth served during this period was 16.3 years upon return to the community following their most recent out-of-home placement. Of the 92 youth, 72% were male. Half (50%) were White, 26% were Native American or Alaskan Native, 22% Hispanic, and 2% African American. RSP youth averaged 4.2 official contacts with juvenile justice authories prior to program participation, 38% had a prior felony charge, and 54% had a prior person-related crime (i.e., violent offense charge). On average, RSP clients had been on probation for 18 months prior to returning to the community following their most recent placement. RSP clients experienced an average of 3.4 prior out-of-home placements and had spent 197 days in placement, including 173 days in restrictive placement. Nearly all (98%) RSP youth were on indefinite probation, and most (60%) were on maximum or intensive probation supervision. Many RSP youth had extensive histories of problems, such as substance abuse (77%), histories of violence (65%), mental health issues (74%) and school problems (88%). More than three-quarters (76%) had experienced three or more of these problems, and more than half (54%) could be considered dual diagnosis (history of both substance abuse and mental health issues). Details: Fargo, ND: North Dakota State University, Department of Criminal Justice and Political Science, 2007. 119p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 13, 2014 at: http://www.claycountycollaborative.org/meetings/files/RSPFinalReport2007.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.claycountycollaborative.org/meetings/files/RSPFinalReport2007.pdf Shelf Number: 133043 Keywords: Juvenile AftercareJuvenile Offender SupervisionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationJuvenile Reentry |
Author: Katz, Ilan Title: Research on youth exposure to, and management of, cyberbullying incidents in Australia Summary: The Social Policy Research Centre was commissioned by the Australia Government, as part of its commitment to Enhance Online Safety for Children External Links icon , to investigate youth exposure to cyberbullying and how it is being managed. The report was developed in collaboration with National Children's and Youth Law Centre, the University of South Australia, the Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre, and the University of Western Sydney. The research shows that each year, one in five young Australians aged 8-17 are victims of cyberbullying. This behaviour is most prominent in children aged 10-15 years, with prevalence decreasing for 16-17 year-olds. The estimated number of children and young people who were victims of cyberbullying last year was approximately 463,000, with around 365,000 in the 10-15 age group. The report also notes that the prevalence of cyberbullying has 'rapidly increased' since it first emerged as a behaviour. The report indicates that the most appropriate way of addressing cyberbullying is to introduce a series of responses including restorative approaches, educating young people about the consequences of cyberbullying, and requiring social networking sites to take down offensive material. The findings are presented in three parts. Please click on the links below for the separate sections or see the synthesis report for the collated findings. Part A: The estimated prevalence of cyberbullying incidents involving Australian minors, based on a review of existing published research including how such incidents are currently being dealt with. Part B: The estimated prevalence of cyberbullying incidents involving Australian minors that are reported to police, community legal advice bodies and other related organisations, the nature of these incidents, and how such incidents are currently being dealt with. Part C: An evidence-based assessment to determine, if a new, simplified cyberbullying offence or a new civil enforcement regime were introduced, how such an offence or regime could be implemented, in conjunction with the existing criminal offences, to have the greatest material deterrent effect. Appendix A: Literature review - International responses to youth cyberbullying and current Australian legal context Appendix B: Findings of research with adult stakeholders Appendix C: Findings of research with youth Appendix D: Supplementary data and analysis Details: Sydney: Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW Australia, 2014. 8 parts Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2014 at: https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/research/projects/cyberbullying/ Year: 2014 Country: Australia URL: https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/research/projects/cyberbullying/ Shelf Number: 133046 Keywords: BullyingComputer CrimeCyberbullying (Australia)CybercrimeInternet CrimeJuvenile OffendersOnline CommunicationsOnline SafetySocial Networks |
Author: Horgan, John Title: Drug and Alcohol Misuse Among Young Offenders on Probation Supervision in Ireland: Findings from the Drugs and Alcohol Survey 2012 Summary: This research report presents the findings from a national survey on: "Drug and Alcohol Misuse among Young Offenders on Probation Supervision in Ireland". Undertaken by the Probation Service, the survey included all young offenders, aged 20 years or less who were subject to statutory supervision on the 3rd December 2012. For the purposes of the survey, the following interventions by the Probation Service were not included under the definition of supervision: - Offenders in custody - Offenders only subject to community service orders - Offenders only referred for an assessment report - Offenders aged 21 years and over (i.e. born on or after Dec. 5th 1991) From the Probation Service data base (Case Tracking System) it was expected that the total population meeting the criteria would be 808. Questionnaires were in fact returned on 721 offenders. This 88% rate of return is comparatively high for mailed questionnaires. Of the 721 offenders on whom questionnaires were returned, 628 were identified by the Probation Officer as having misused at least one substance. This report describes the key findings from the survey and consists of four main chapters, reflecting the key objectives which were, to: - Determine the number of young offenders under probation supervision who had misused drugs and/or alcohol (Chapter 3) - Investigate the nature and frequency of drug and alcohol misuse (Chapter 3) - To examine the context within which drug and alcohol misuse occurred (Chapter 4) - To ascertain whether a relationship exists between drug misuse and offending behaviour and alcohol misuse and offending behaviour (Chapter 5) - To identify the range and nature of engagement with drug and alcohol treatment services (Chapter 6) The report concludes with a discussion of the survey's findings. The discussion explores options for more effective engagement with young offenders to promote desistance and divert young people from the criminal justice system. Details: Dublin: Ireland Probation Service, 2013. Source: Internet Resource: Probation Service Research Report 3: Accessed August 14, 2014 at: http://www.probation.ie/website/probationservice/websitepublishingdec09.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/Drug+and+alcohol+misuse+among+young+offenders++October+2013/$FILE/Drug+and+alcohol+misuse+among+young+offenders++October+2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Ireland URL: http://www.probation.ie/website/probationservice/websitepublishingdec09.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/Drug+and+alcohol+misuse+among+young+offenders++October+2013/$FILE/Drug+and+alcohol+misuse+among+young+offenders++October+2013.pdf Shelf Number: 133060 Keywords: Alcohol AbuseDrug OffendersJuvenile Offender SupervisionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Probation (Ireland)Substance Abuse |
Author: Daly, Elizabeth Title: Alternatives to Secure Youth Detention in Tasmania Summary: The Alternatives to Secure Youth Detention in Tasmania Inquiry originated from a request by the Minister for Children to the Commissioner for Children for advice in relation to the role of secure detention within Tasmania's youth justice system. - This Inquiry is part of a much broader review of the Youth Justice system in Tasmania, currently being undertaken by the Department of Health and Human Services. - Ashley Youth Detention Centre is the only secure detention centre for youth offenders (both sentenced and unsentenced) in Tasmania. - The Inquiry found that: - Only a very low percentage of Tasmanian youth commit crime - The trend in numbers of young offenders and those who are detained at Ashley Youth Detention Centre (including those on remand) has declined over the last 5 years. - On an average day in 2011-2012, there were 21 young people in Ashley or 94 over the year. - Ashley takes up a disproportionately high percentage of the Youth Justice budget in Tasmania - approximately $10 million - despite the lack of evidence to suggest it is effective in deterring young offenders or that it promotes and facilitates reintegration into the community upon release. - The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the importance of diverting young offenders from the criminal justice system. It also provides that detention should only be used as a last resort and for the shortest possible period of time. - The Recommendations made in this Report are consistent with these fundamental principles. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Commissioner for Children, 2013. 156p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2014 at: http://www.childcomm.tas.gov.au/wp-content/files_mf/1377130036AlternativestoSecureYouthDetentionFINAL2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://www.childcomm.tas.gov.au/wp-content/files_mf/1377130036AlternativestoSecureYouthDetentionFINAL2013.pdf Shelf Number: 129890 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile Detention (Tasmania)Juvenile DiversionJuvenile Justice PolicyJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Choate, David E. Title: Arizona Arrestee Reporting Information Network: 2013 Maricopa County Juvenile Probation Department Report. Summary: The Arizona Arrestee Reporting Information Network (AARIN) is a monitoring system that provides ongoing descriptive information about drug use, crime, victimization and other characteristics of interest among individuals arrested in Maricopa County, Arizona. Funded by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors beginning in 2007, AARIN is modeled after the former National Institute of Justice (NIJ) national-level Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program (ADAM). In three facilities throughout the county, professionally trained interviewers conduct voluntary and confidential interviews with recently booked adult arrestees and juvenile detainees. Questions focus on a range of topics including education, employment and other demographics, patterns of drug use (lifetime and recent), substance abuse and dependence risk, criminal activity, gang affiliation, victimization, mental health, interactions with police, public health concerns, incarceration and probation, citizenship and treatment experiences. Each interviewee also provides a urine specimen that is tested for the presence of alcohol and/or drugs. Arrestees who have been in custody longer than 48 hours are ineligible for participation in AARIN, due to the 72-hour time limitation for valid testing of urine specimen. The instruments used and the reporting mechanism underwent a substantial revision in 2011. While maintaining all of the data elements from the previous core set of questions, the baseline interview expanded by more than 60%. Additionally, with the change in the core questionnaire, the project shifted its reporting strategy to focus reports to each of six key Maricopa County criminal justice agencies: Maricopa County Manager's Office, Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, Maricopa County Attorney's Office, Office of the Public Defender, Adult Probation Department and the Juvenile Probation Department. Overall, AARIN serves as a near-real time information source on the extent and nature of drug abuse and related activity in Maricopa County, AZ. This information helps to inform policy and practice among police, courts and correctional agencies to increase public safety and address the needs of individuals who find themselves in the criminal justice system. Details: Phoenix, AZ: Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety, Arizona State University, 2013. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 25, 2014 at: http://cvpcs.asu.edu/sites/default/files/content/projects/AARIN%20Juvenile%20Probation%202013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://cvpcs.asu.edu/sites/default/files/content/projects/AARIN%20Juvenile%20Probation%202013.pdf Shelf Number: 133138 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug OffendersJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationersOffender Profiles (Arizona) |
Author: Nwalozie, Joel Chijioke Title: Armed Robbery In Nigeria - A Qualitative Study Of Young Male Robbers Summary: This is a Nigerian study, which initially aimed to examine armed robbery culture and the youth subculture. With the employment of subcultural theory, the study became intellectually unviable in explaining the primary data. A replacement was made by seeking recourse to anomie-strain theory and control theory to explain the data. Presently, the main aim of this study is to examine the involvement of youths in armed robbery. Specifically, the study will look at armed robbery from the point of view of offenders and the factors responsible for their crime. Armed robbery is a type of robbery aided by weapon(s) to threaten, force and deprive a person or persons of the right to private, public or corporate belongings. Since the end of the Nigeria civil war (1967-1970), the offence has become a problem in the country, occurring almost on a daily basis in the urban areas more than the rural. Armed robbery can take place in residential homes, commercial places, motorways and any other place the offenders may deem necessary to operate. The current criminal climate has made it possible for armed robbers to engage in interstate criminal operations as well. Methodologically, the research is qualitative, involving semi-structured face-to-face oral interviews (open-ended) with 20 armed robbers in prison custody in Nigeria. There is also an unstructured interview with 4 members of the criminal justice system in Nigeria. The analytical framework employed is interpretive phenomenology, to capture the holistic worldview of the offender sample. Secondary data comes from both the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Prison Service records. Findings are presented under four systematic themes: family circumstances, economic motivations, life course engagement, and situational dynamics in carrying out a robbery. Data reveal the four most significant factors in the hierarchy of response (bad friends, money, poverty and corruption) that may account for the involvement of youths in armed robbery. Since the group of "bad friends" is the main catalyst responsible for the involvement of youths in armed robbery, the thesis concludes that this sample of respondents be regarded as a network of criminals who were strained by the unjust social structure in their native Nigeria. Besides, there is need for a Nigerian criminological theoretical framework that offers an in-depth explanation of crime in the Nigerian society. Details: Manchester, UK: School of Law, University of Manchester, 2011. 319p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed September 9, 2014 at: https://www.escholar.manchester.ac.uk/api/datastream?publicationPid=uk-ac-man-scw:155586&datastreamId=FULL-TEXT.PDF Year: 2011 Country: Nigeria URL: https://www.escholar.manchester.ac.uk/api/datastream?publicationPid=uk-ac-man-scw:155586&datastreamId=FULL-TEXT.PDF Shelf Number: 133188 Keywords: Armed Robbery (Nigeria)Juvenile OffendersRobbersViolent CrimeYouthful Offenders |
Author: Lightowler, Claire Title: Youth Justice in Scotland: Fixed in the past or fit for the future? Summary: During any meaningful conversation about youth justice in Scotland it is all but inevitable that The Kilbrandon Report will be mentioned given that it continues to act as a touchstone for practitioners, policymakers, researchers and politicians. As noted by Professor Stewart Asquith in the Preface to the reprinted version of the report, "The Kilbrandon Report was, and still remains, one of the most influential policy statements on how a society should deal with - children in trouble" (Asquith, 1995: vi). The release of this briefing paper falls, by chance, almost exactly half a century on from the presentation to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Scotland of The Kilbrandon Report in April 1964. At such a significant juncture it seems apposite to take stock of the state of youth justice in Scotland. - How successful is the youth justice system? - Have we translated the aspirations of the Kilbrandon Committee into meaningful support for children and young people? - What have been the recent developments in youth justice in Scotland? - Is there a shared vision for the future of youth justice in Scotland, and what might this look like? From the outset it is important to note that the very term "youth justice" poses a definitional challenge. For the purposes of this paper, we understand the youth justice system in Scotland to encompass the individuals, institutions and services with which young people up to the age of 18 come into contact as a result of their involvement in offending behaviour. However, we operate now in the world of Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) and the Whole System Approach (WSA), initiatives focused on the whole person and the whole system. Both terms would have seemed foreign to Lord Kilbrandon but one imagines that the principles and ethos which underpin them would have met with his approval. Nevertheless, one wonders what his assessment of the strengths, weaknesses, achievements and limitations of the youth justice system in Scotland might be 50 years on. While looking back to the work of the Kilbrandon Committee on the one hand, 2014 is also a hugely important year to look to the future, with a referendum scheduled that will decide whether Scotland becomes an independent nation state or remains part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Values have moved to the forefront of the debate, just as consensus around specific values drove the work of the Kilbrandon Committee. People are beginning to ask deeply challenging questions of themselves and others: not least, what are Scotland's values? Part of the purpose of this paper is in one sense to capture the zeitgeist. In part we want to reflect on the way values (whether stemming from Kilbrandon or other influences) can and might shape the youth justice system. We suspect that without a broad, societal consensus about the way in which offending behaviour by children and young people should be dealt with, it will remain a challenge to deliver the kind of youth justice system envisioned by the Kilbrandon Committee and latterly promoted by the Scottish Government through initiatives such as WSA. The stark reality is that talk is cheap. It is easy to talk about a commitment to the Kilbrandon philosophy but harder to carry through the policy changes that might be required to bring such a philosophy to life. Any politician is beholden to the electorate. It is less controversial for politicians to talk about the indivisible nature of "needs" and "deeds" and the importance of a welfare-oriented approach when making a speech to a supportive audience but much harder to articulate the merit of such an approach when faced with 3 an angry constituent in a drop-in surgery who is irate about youth crime and disorder in his local community. This paper is structured into three parts. Firstly, we examine some of the discernible trends in relation to youth offending patterns over the course of the last decade. Then we examine the interplay of politics, policy, research and practice in post-devolution Scotland as they relate to youth justice. We also explore some of the broader sociological and cultural trends that might account for some of the changes in relation to offending by young people. Lastly, we turn to the question of values and how these shape the current youth justice system. We conclude by outlining five practice and policy improvements which we believe would more effectively realise and update the Kilbrandon vision, building on youth justice developments and progress to date. We hope these suggestions stimulate further discussion and debate about the future of youth justice in Scotland. Details: Glasgow: Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice, 2014. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 23, 2014 at: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Youth-Justice-in-Scotland.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Youth-Justice-in-Scotland.pdf Shelf Number: 133387 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice System (Scotland)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Sethi, Dinesh Title: European report on preventing violence and knife crime among young people Summary: This report highlights interpersonal violence as the third leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability among people aged 10-29 years in the 53 countries of the WHO European Region. This burden is unequally distributed, and 9 of 10 homicide deaths in the Region occur in low- and middle-income countries. Irrespective of country income, interpersonal violence disproportionately affects young people from deprived sections of society and males, who comprise 4 of 5 homicide deaths. Numerous biological, social, cultural, economic and environmental factors interact to increase young people's risk of being involved in violence and knife-related crime. Factors that can protect against violence developing among young people include good social skills, self-esteem, academic achievement, strong bonds with parents, positive peer groups, good attachment to school, community involvement and access to social support. Good evidence indicates that reducing risk factors and enhancing protective factors will reduce violence among young people. The experience accumulated by several countries in the Region and elsewhere shows that social policy and sustained and systematic approaches that address the underlying causes of violence can make countries in the Region much safer. These make compelling arguments for advocating for increased investment in prevention and for mainstreaming objectives for preventing violence among young people into other areas of health and social policy. Details: Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2010. 117p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 23, 2014 at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/121314/E94277.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Europe URL: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/121314/E94277.pdf Shelf Number: 121192 Keywords: HomicidesInterpersonal ViolenceJuvenile OffendersKnife Crime (Europe)Violence PreventionViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Betsinger, Sara Title: Doors to Detention: Statewide Detention Utilization Study Summary: Despite recent drops in juvenile crime in Maryland, the number of youth in secure detention has remained relatively constant. This study investigates the characteristics of youth detained, and the reasons for each detention during the first two months in 2013. Findings: - Just two regions of the State account for a majority of youth in detention. Although they account for only 41% of Maryland's youth population, Baltimore City and the Metro Region (encompassing Prince George's and Montgomery County) comprise 64% percent of detention placements and 60% of average detained population (ADP). - Detained youth in Maryland are overwhelmingly African American males. African American males represent just 31% of the general youth population, but account for 67% of detained youth. - A majority of youth detained in Maryland were under DJS supervision at the time of detention. Sixty-seven percent of youth in detention had already been court ordered to probation or committed supervision (i.e., aftercare). - Although historically around one-third of youth in detention facilities were detained awaiting a committed out of home placement ("Pending Placement" youth), this number has declined markedly in the last year. Various reforms, including Continuum of Care legislation passed in 2012 as well as the subsequent establishment of the Department's Central Review Committee, have begun to reduce the backlog of pending placement youth in detention. During the study period, just 14% of detained youth were pending placement. - A majority of youth detained in Maryland did not commit a violent felony offense. Although more than one-third (36%) of the pre-disposition ADP was comprised of youth whose most recent, most serious alleged offense was a crime of violence, 44% of the pre-disposition ADP consisted of youth who had committed a non-violent misdemeanor as their most serious recent alleged offense. - A new delinquent offense is frequently not the main reason for a detention placement. Detentions often result from a youth's failure to comply with program or supervision conditions, or from some other infraction unrelated to the original offense and not comprising a new offense. Such technical violations account for over 35% of detained youth. - Many youth are detained following a stay in an alternative to detention (ATD) program. Maryland has a robust community-based detention alternatives system, but many youth who were initially court-ordered or intake-authorized into these programs are ultimately detained following a violation of the programs rules or the court order. Infractions include curfew violations, absences without leave (AWOL), equipment tampering, or other actions not rising to the level of a new delinquent offense. Such ATD violations account for one in four youth detained - the largest door to detention in Maryland. A system of graduated sanctions is being developed to allow programs to manage violators without resorting to detention. - The Department's Detention Risk Assessment Instrument (DRAI) drives relatively few detention decisions. Because a majority of detentions do not stem from a new delinquent offense being referred to DJS Intake (and are instead the result of violations or other policies and practices), the practice of administering the DRAI almost exclusively at the point of Intake has not been effective in driving decisions for youth who enter detention through the "back doors." - Even in cases where a new delinquent complaint is referred to DJS Intake, the youth's assessed DRAI risk is frequently not the primary factor in the detention decision. Policy and discretionary overrides often trump detention recommendations based on assessed risk, so a youth who is classified as low risk and who has a less serious alleged offense may still be detained at intake if, for example: - There is an open writ or warrant; - A parent of guardian is unable to take custody of a youth; or - Certain regional policies (or "special decisions") mandate detention for certain offenses (e.g. auto theft) or situations (handgun use or possession). - Low risk youth account for a very small share of the average detained population. Even though the risk score is not the primary driver of detention in many cases, the study found that half of the average detained population was comprised of youth who were assessed by the DRAI as high risk, and just six percent of ADP was comprised of youth who were determined to be low risk. The remaining 44% of ADP was made up of medium risk offenders. Details: Baltimore: The Institute for Innovation & Implementation, 2013. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2014 at: http://www.djs.state.md.us/docs/Statewide%20DUS%20-%206-27-13.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.djs.state.md.us/docs/Statewide%20DUS%20-%206-27-13.pdf Shelf Number: 133469 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Justice Systems (Maryland)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Bellas, Marcia L. Title: Disproportionate Minority Contact Assessment: Court and Diversion Referral Decisions in Vermont's Juvenile Justice System Summary: In 2002, the State of Vermont began to monitor the contact of minority youth relative to white youth at various points in the Juvenile Justice system. In addition to compiling a statewide matrix annually, Vermont's juvenile justice specialist also gathers aggregate-level data for Chittenden, Rutland and Bennington Counties. The Vermont Center for Justice Research (VCJR) conducted three prior DMC assessments using individual-level data to determine the mechanisms responsible for the DMC reflected in aggregate-level data. These assessments examined DMC in admissions to Vermont's juvenile detention facility, DMC in arrests in four municipalities, and DMC in arrests in Burlington, Vermont's largest municipality. The primary goal of the current assessment was to explore whether there were indicators of DMC during at three-year period at three decision points in the juvenile justice system - referrals to juvenile court, referrals to adult court, and referrals to diversion, including to the extent possible pre-charge referrals to Community Justice Centers (CJCs). The assessment used individual-level court, juvenile/criminal history and CJC data for youth in Chittenden, Rutland and Bennington Counties for fiscal years 2009-2011 to determine whether individual-level differences between white and minority youth explain any disproportionate minority representation at the decision points of interest. Details: Northfield Falls, VT: Vermont Center for Justice Research, 2014. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 6, 2014 at: http://www.vcjr.org/reports/reportscrimjust/reports/dmcrpt_files/DMC%20Assessment%202014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.vcjr.org/reports/reportscrimjust/reports/dmcrpt_files/DMC%20Assessment%202014.pdf Shelf Number: 133558 Keywords: Disproportionate Minority ContactJuvenile CourtJuvenile Court TransferJuvenile Justice Systems (Vermont)Juvenile OffendersWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction |
Author: Child Rights International Network Title: Inhuman Sentencing: Life Imprisonment of Children in the European Union Summary: What is immediately obvious from reviewing the justice systems of the European Union (EU), is that life imprisonment of children is now restricted to a small number of States, but that a substantial number of children are affected by such sentences. Within three States - Cyprus, France, and the United Kingdom (including England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) - life imprisonment remains clearly lawful for children. In 22 States, life imprisonment has now been explicitly abolished for children. While certainly something to celebrate, this statistic masks the extremely long maximum sentences that remain legal for crimes committed while under the age of 18 and the disparity in sentencing across Europe. This report reviews the laws and practices of the States within the EU with regards to life imprisonment of children; that is all persons under 18 years of age. Where official information is available on how many children are affected by the relevant sentences, this has been included, and where government figures are not maintained, this too is highlighted. For the purposes of this report, "life imprisonment" has been defined to include a variety of types of sentence under which it is possible for a person to be legally detained for the rest of his or her natural life for an offence committed whilst under the age of 18 years. Details: London: Child Rights International Network, 2014. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 10, 2014 at: https://www.crin.org/sites/default/files/life_in_the_eu3.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: https://www.crin.org/sites/default/files/life_in_the_eu3.pdf Shelf Number: 133633 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersLife Imprisonment, Juvenile (Europe)Life Sentences |
Author: Mulvey, Edward P. Title: Pathways to Desistance - Summary Technical Report Summary: The Pathways to Desistance Study (the "Pathways Study") is a multi-site, collaborative research project that followed 1,354 serious juvenile offenders from adolescence to young adulthood. Interviews were done regularly with the adolescents as well as their family members and friends over a seven-year period after their involvement in court for a serious (overwhelmingly felony level) offense. The aims of the investigation were to: 1) identify initial patterns of how serious adolescent offenders stop antisocial activity, 2) describe the role of social context and developmental changes in promoting these positive changes, and 3) compare the effects of sanctions and interventions in promoting these changes. The larger goals of the study were to improve decision making by court and social service personnel and to clarify policy debate about alternatives for serious adolescent offenders. This study grew out of the planning efforts of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice. The study was part of a broader agenda of the Network to provide juvenile justice professionals and policy makers with empirical information that could be applied to improve practice, particularly regarding the topics of competence and culpability, risk assessment, and amenability of juvenile offenders. Network activities provided the initial forum for conceptualizing and planning this study, and collaboration with Network members and the MacArthur Foundation assisted in dissemination efforts. This study started data collection in November, 2000 and completed the last follow-up interview in April, 2010. Investigators at the University of Pittsburgh coordinated the study, and interview data were collected under contract with investigators at Temple University (Philadelphia) and Arizona State University (Phoenix). The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the William Penn Foundation, the William T. Grant Foundation, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, the Arizona Juvenile Justice Commission, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse all provided funding for data collection and analysis. The study baseline and follow-up interviews covered six domains: (a) indicators of individual functioning (e.g., work and school status and performance, substance abuse, mental disorder, antisocial behavior), (b) psychosocial development and attitudes (e.g., impulse control, susceptibility to peer influence, perceptions of opportunity, perceptions of procedural justice, moral disengagement), (c) family context (e.g., household composition, quality of family relationships), (d) personal relationships (e.g., quality of romantic relationships and friendships, peer delinquency, contacts with caring adults), (e) community context (e.g., neighborhood conditions, personal capital, social ties, and community involvement) and (f) a monthly account of changes across multiple domains (e.g. education, money-making). The monthly data permits an examination of the nature, number, and timing of important changes in life circumstances. More detail about the Pathways study design, methods and measures can be found on the study website at www.pathwaysstudy.pitt.edu. The Pathway study data sets are archived at the University of Michigan Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). Details: Report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2014. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 27, 2014 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/244689.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/244689.pdf Shelf Number: 133827 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersLongitudinal StudiesPathways to Desistance Study |
Author: Ruggles, Kelly V. Title: Gun Possession among American Youth: A Discovery-Based Approach to Understand Gun Violence Summary: To apply discovery-based computational methods to nationally representative data from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions' Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System to better understand and visualize the behavioral factors associated with gun possession among adolescent youth. Results Our study uncovered the multidimensional nature of gun possession across nearly five million unique data points over a ten year period (2001-2011). Specifically, we automated odds ratio calculations for 55 risk behaviors to assemble a comprehensive table of associations for every behavior combination. Downstream analyses included the hierarchical clustering of risk behaviors based on their association "fingerprint" to 1) visualize and assess which behaviors frequently co-occur and 2) evaluate which risk behaviors are consistently found to be associated with gun possession. From these analyses, we identified more than 40 behavioral factors, including heroin use, using snuff on school property, having been injured in a fight, and having been a victim of sexual violence, that have and continue to be strongly associated with gun possession. Additionally, we identified six behavioral clusters based on association similarities: 1) physical activity and nutrition; 2) disordered eating, suicide and sexual violence; 3) weapon carrying and physical safety; 4) alcohol, marijuana and cigarette use; 5) drug use on school property and 6) overall drug use. Conclusions Use of computational methodologies identified multiple risk behaviors, beyond more commonly discussed indicators of poor mental health, that are associated with gun possession among youth. Implications for prevention efforts and future interdisciplinary work applying computational methods to behavioral science data are described. Details: PLoS ONE 9(11): e111893. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2014 at: http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchObject.action?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0111893&representation=PDF Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchObject.action?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0111893&representation=PDF Shelf Number: 134053 Keywords: Gun PossessionGun ViolenceGun-Related Violence (U.S.)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Shah, Riya Saha Title: Juvenile Records: A National Review of State Laws on Confidentiality, Sealing and Expungement Summary: Public access to records of juvenile arrests, court proceedings and dispositions can impede successful transitions to adulthood for many youth, especially when these records remain available long after the youth's involvement with the juvenile justice system has ended. These records can create obstacles for youth seeking employment, education, housing and other opportunities. This Review provides an overview of how juvenile records are treated nationwide. In order to provide a comprehensive review, the authors surveyed state statutes, court rules, and case law governing the treatment of juvenile records in each jurisdiction. Because what is codified in law does not always reflect practice, the authors supplemented research, when possible, with interviews with practitioners. Details: Philadelphia: Juvenile Law Center, 2014. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 18, 2014 at: http://juvenilerecords.jlc.org/juvenilerecords/documents/publications/national-review.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://juvenilerecords.jlc.org/juvenilerecords/documents/publications/national-review.pdf Shelf Number: 134128 Keywords: Criminal Records, JuvenilesExpungementJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Lord Carlile of Berriew Title: Independent Parliamentarians' Inquiry into the Operation and Effectiveness of the Youth Court Summary: The Parliamentary Inquiry into the Operation and Effectiveness of the Youth Court was launched in September 2013. It seeks to determine whether the system of criminal courts for children who offend is meeting its stated aim of preventing offending and having regard to the welfare of the children that appear before them. The inquiry received a total of 55 written submissions and heard from 43 witnesses; these included academics, practitioners, policy makers and young people. Challenges and opportunities - We heard that reductions in the number of children entering the system and coming to court as well as closures of courts has created particular challenges. A key issue of concern is that children are increasingly likely to appear in adult magistrates' courts when they are detained overnight and over the weekend, because there will be no youth court sitting. We were informed too that the youth courts are seeing a greater concentration of children with complex needs in court, likely due to the success in reducing the number of children coming into the system for low level matters. However, the decrease in critical mass offers an opportunity to better focus resources on improving the system for child defendants, victims and their families. Diversion - There was wide support for high levels of diversion among inquiry respondents, with many referring to the strong body of evidence that contact with the criminal justice system can increase the likelihood of offending. There was concern that out-of-court diversion schemes share some of the same negative features as formal system contact, such as Disclosure and Barring Service disclosures, and that this was often not made sufficiently clear to children. Most believed that diversion was effectively preventing children from entering the criminal courts system unnecessarily. However a number of responses argued that some children were still "falling through the net", leading to unnecessary prosecution, particularly children in care. Addressing underlying needs - Submissions emphasised that children's offending flows from a wide range of needs. There was a widely held view that welfare services are often failing to address such needs, which results in children falling into the youth justice system, and struggling to free themselves from it. Particular concern was expressed that resource constraints on children's social services are such that only the most acute cases receive support - typically babies and young children - while vulnerable older children are left out. Involvement of Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) frequently has the effect of further raising the threshold for support, as there is often a perception that YOTs should be the sole body tackling the welfare needs of children who offend. A number of organisations reported that there had been some improvement in children's services involvement with children who offend following the introduction of new remand arrangements. However, it is often the case that courts are only able to focus on the offence, and not the child and the wider circumstances contributing to their behaviour. Lack of engagement and understanding - Submissions highlighted young people's lack of understanding of proceedings or language, owing to the prevalence of neuro-developmental disorders and other problems, that hinder participation and the lack of any systematic court processes to identify these. Additional factors that impede child defendant's understanding include their young age and developmental immaturity and the fact that the cohort of children in the youth court have had fewer educational opportunities. Specialisation - Magistrates and District Judges in youth proceedings must undergo specialist youth training, yet there are no such requirements for defence practitioners or Crown Court judges. Youth specialist prosecutors are only used for part of the court process. To compound the issue, the youth court is often used as a place for legal practitioners to "cut their teeth" and Crown Court judges tend to have little experience of dealing with youth cases. Respondents were virtually unanimous in their belief that all practitioners in youth proceedings should have youth specialist training; many believed that this should be a mandatory requirement. Crown Court - The overwhelming majority of responses argued that the Crown Court was inappropriate for children; its intimidating nature and lack of youth specific expertise was said to prevent effective sentencing and participation and, ultimately, contravene the right of children to a fair trial. There was subsequently strong support for a presumption retaining youth cases in the youth court. The role of the youth court - The prevailing view was that youth proceedings are struggling to meet their principal aim of preventing offending and their duty to have regard to the welfare of the child. Criminal courts do not possess the means to address the wide range of welfare issues that so often underlie a child's offending. There was subsequently wide support for the adoption of a more problem-solving approach to children who offend. Key recommendations - - We recommend that Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service direct all magistrates' courts to introduce a rota system, to ensure that a senior youth magistrate or youth ticketed District Judge is always sitting in the adult magistrates' court when the youth court is not in session - Children who have committed non-serious and non-violent offences, who have stopped offending, should have their criminal record expunged when they turn 18. - We recommend that all legal practitioners representing children at the police station and practising in youth proceedings be accredited to do so. - There should be a clear presumption "in law" that all child defendants are dealt with in the youth court. - We recommend the piloting of a problem solving approach in court for children, which would include judicial monitoring and continuity in cases, and powers to ensure children's underlying needs are met. - We advocate building upon the existing referral order to place greater emphasis on the involvement of victims as well as the participation of families and wider support services to enable the process to address the harm of the offence as well as its underlying causes. The "Problem Solving Conference" would be available to under-16s coming to court and should be initially piloted. Details: London: National Children's Bureau, 2014. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 25, 2014 at: http://www.ncb.org.uk/media/1148432/independent_parliamentarians__inquiry_into_the_operation_and_effectiveness_of_the_youth_court.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.ncb.org.uk/media/1148432/independent_parliamentarians__inquiry_into_the_operation_and_effectiveness_of_the_youth_court.pdf Shelf Number: 134242 Keywords: Juvenile Court SystemJuvenile DiversionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice Systems (U.K.)Juvenile OffendersProblem-Solving CourtsYouthful Offenders |
Author: Wartna, B.S.J. Title: Recidivism report 2002-2008: Trends in the reconviction rate of Dutch offenders Summary: For a third consecutive year Dutch criminal recidivism has decreased on a broad front. The latest measurements of the WODC Recidivism Monitor show another slight reduction of the percentages of adult and juvenile offenders who were reconvicted within two years. The last year of the study relates to persons who were sanctioned by court or PPS in 2008, or who were released during that year from a penitentiary institution. The first year of the research period is 2002. - From 2004, the percentage of repeat adult offenders sanctioned by court or PPS decreased slightly. Of the adults 27.5% sentenced for committing a crime in 2008 relapsed within two years. In 2002 this was 30.8%. - For juvenile offenders sanctioned by court or PPS the decline in recidivism started somewhat later. The national reconviction rate for this population decreased from 2006. In 2002 this was 39.1%. In 2008 35.9% of all minors with a criminal case disposed by court or PPS were prosecuted again within two years after the index case. - The last few years the reconviction rate of ex-prisoners decreased as well. From 2002, the recidivism percentages in the sector of the adult prison system show a downward trend. Of all the adults leaving a penitentiary institution in 2008, 48.5% came into contact with the judicial system again, within two years. In 2002, this was 55.2%. - The 2-year reconviction rate among former inmates of juvenile detention centres who were released in 2002 was 55.3%. For juveniles released in 2008 this was 52.0%. From 2006 a decrease is noticeable. This population also includes minors institutionalised under a civil suit. Details: The Hague: Ministry of Security and Justice, Research and Documentation Centre, 2011. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Fact sheet 2011-5a: Accessed December 10, 2014 at: https://english.wodc.nl/onderzoeksdatabase/actualisering-recidivemeting-sancties-2011.aspx?cp=45&cs=6801 Year: 2011 Country: Netherlands URL: https://english.wodc.nl/onderzoeksdatabase/actualisering-recidivemeting-sancties-2011.aspx?cp=45&cs=6801 Shelf Number: 134298 Keywords: Adult OffendersJuvenile OffendersRecidivism (Netherlands)Reconviction |
Author: Fabelo, Tony Title: Closer to Home: An Analysis of the State and Local Impact of the Texas Juvenile Justice Reforms Summary: Since 1997, arrest rates among juveniles in the United States have sunk to an all time low, and the number of youth incarcerated in state or county correctional facilities has plummeted. After peaking in 1996, arrests of juveniles fell by approximately 50 percent between 1997 and 2011, to their lowest level in 30 years. During the same period, youth confinement rates declined almost 50 percent. Why are so many fewer youth locked up today compared to nearly 20 years ago? It's not simply because arrests are down; trends in the 1990s demonstrate that the number of youth incarcerated can actually increase even while arrest rates decline. A key reason that confinement rates for youth have shrunk so considerably is the deliberate efforts state and county governments have made to address youth incarceration-efforts driven by a combination of research, advocacy, litigation, and fiscal considerations. Policymakers are seeking to learn more about what happens after a youth comes into contact with the juvenile justice system. Many states that track recidivism data report rearrest rates for youth returning from confinement to be as high as 75 percent within three years of release. Despite a convincing body of research demonstrating what works to reduce recidivism among youth in contact with the juvenile justice system, most state and local governments have had little success achieving significant and sustained progress in reducing these recidivism rates. Translating this research into policy and practice and holding agencies and service providers accountable for results has been challenging. After a series of scandals involving the abuse of youth incarcerated in state-run juvenile correctional facilities came to light in Texas, state leaders there instituted the first of a number of reforms intended to shrink the number of youth held in state-run facilities. For example, in 2007 the state prohibited youth who committed misdemeanors from being confined in state-run secure juvenile facilities. The same bill also lowered the age of the state's jurisdiction over youth from 21 to 19, dramatically reducing the number of youth in state-run secure facilities. Two years later, the legislature established a grant program providing counties with financial incentives to decrease the rate at which they committed youth to state-run correctional facilities. Besides lowering the number of youth in state-run secure facilities, Texas state leaders anticipated that these and other measures would generate hundreds of millions of dollars in savings to the state over several years, while shifting to county governments the responsibility of overseeing youth who previously would have been committed to state-run secure facilities. Lawmakers thus took steps to assist these local governments, directing significant funding to county-run juvenile probation departments. After these reforms had been given ample time to take root, Texas state leaders posed important questions that resonate with policymakers in any jurisdiction who are working to reduce the number of youth incarcerated at the state level: To what extent were changes to state policy responsible for driving down the number of incarcerated youth? What types of services and supervision are youth who previously would have been committed to a state-run secure facility now receiving locally? Are youth adjudicated to the supervision of a local juvenile probation department less likely to have subsequent contact with the justice system than youth committed to a state-run correctional facility? Do these outcomes vary depending on the county where the youth is adjudicated? If so, why? This report sheds unprecedented light on the answers to these and other questions, providing Texas state leaders with an assessment of the impact of the reforms to date and an important resource to inform strategies that build and improve upon these reforms. At the same time, this report offers insights that policymakers and practitioners outside Texas who are interested in improving their state's juvenile justice system will find invaluable. Details: New York: Council of State Governments Justice Center; College Station, TX: Public Policy Research Institute, Texas A&M University,2015. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 29, 2015 at: http://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/texas-JJ-reform-closer-to-home.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/texas-JJ-reform-closer-to-home.pdf Shelf Number: 134489 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice PolicyJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice Systems (Texas)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Campie, Patricia E. Title: A Comparative Study Using Propensity Score Matching to Predict Incarceration Likelihoods Among SSYI and non-SSYI Youth from 2011-2013 Summary: A team led by the American Institutes of Research (AIR) and WestEd was commissioned by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to conduct a series of studies to evaluate the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI). To address serious youth violence, particularly that involving guns, Massachusetts launched SSYI in 2011, providing a comprehensive public health approach to addressing young men, between the ages of 14-24, believed to be at "proven risk" for being involved in firearms. Young men deemed as "proven risk" are those with one or more of the following characteristics: committed a violent crime using a gun or knife, victimized by violent crime and prone to retaliation, or being a known gang member. Eleven cities with the highest violent offenses reported to the police in 2010 were selected for SSYI funding beginning in 2011 and then started implementing the program. This report presents findings from a comparative analysis of incarceration status of SSYI and non-SSYI youth living in nine of the eleven SSYI cities, from 2011 to 2013: Boston, Brockton, Chelsea, Fall River, Holyoke, New Bedford, Lowell, Springfield, and Worcester. Details: Boston: Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, 2014. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 30, 2015 at: http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/A%20Comparative%20Study%20Using%20Propensity%20Score%20Matching%20to%20Predict%20Incarceration%20Likelihoods%20Among%20SSYI%20and%20non-SSYI%20Youth%20from%202011-2013_rev.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/A%20Comparative%20Study%20Using%20Propensity%20Score%20Matching%20to%20Predict%20Incarceration%20Likelihoods%20Among%20SSYI%20and%20non-SSYI%20Youth%20from%202011-2013_r Shelf Number: 134504 Keywords: Gun CrimesJuvenile OffendersViolent Crime (Massachusetts)Youth Violence |
Author: Independent Restraint Advisory Panel Title: Implementation of the Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint System Summary: In August 2011, the Restraint Advisory Board (RAB) presented its report titled 'Assessment of Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint (MMPR) for the Children in the Secure Estate', to the Restraint Management Board (RMB) in the Ministry of Justice. The report made 37 recommendations that were designed to assist the responsible authorities to implement the new system and included "changes to deeply held working practices (which) can take years to overcome" (Williamson and Smallridge). Subsequently, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) formed a new group of experts. The new group was named the Independent Restraint Advisory Panel (IRAP). It contained several members who were members of the RAB previously. IRAP was established with two main purposes. They were to: - Assess the quality and safety of systems of restraint commissioned for use with children in Secure Children's Homes (SCHs). The report on this aspect of IRAP's role has also been completed (A Review of Restraint Systems Commissioned for use with Children who are Resident in Secure Children's Homes, June 2014). - Support the implementation of MMPR in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) and Secure Training Centres (STCs). As we describe in Section 1, the introduction to this report, a Memorandum of Understanding was agreed relating to the second of IRAP's tasks. This task is the subject of this report and it was carried out by a sub-group of the panel. Members of IRAP carried out a comprehensive range of activities in order to discharge its tasks. As Section 1 shows in more detail, they: made visits to two STCs and two YOIs; conducted meetings during visits to the STCs and YOIs with managers, staff, national and local trainers, YJB monitors, healthcare staff and young people resident in the STCs and YOIs; provided reports to the YJB and MoJ; attended meetings with national trainers and the YJB's staff to review cases that had been reported as exceptions; reviewed data on the use of MMPR as well as documents provided by the STCs and YOIs; and attended meetings with the Restraint Management Board and officials employed to work in the YJB and MoJ. In particular, the members of IRAP undertook visits to STCs and / or YOIs to both observe and take part in some or all of events as a part of the roll-out prior to implementation of MMPR. Overall, IRAP members noted that the quality of training was very high with a heavy emphasis on a child-centred approach and evident professionalism (Section 4). IRAP members also undertook visits to STCs and YOIs following implementation of MMPR (Section 5). IRAP fully acknowledges, and in no way underestimates, the considerable challenge for both the MMPR trainers and all staff at all levels who work in the secure establishments in introducing a wholly new system of child-centred restraint. IRAP draws attention to its extant concerns in this report (see Section 9 for summaries) and it makes practical suggestions on how to address them. IRAP acknowledges the solid progress made in improving the governance of the restraint system used in the STCs and YOIs with the introduction of a much improved data collection, analysis and feedback system that has accompanied the introduction of MMPR. IRAP recognises how accurate feedback loops can reduce risk gaps and create a culture of learning and improve delivery of timely change to minimise the risks that are associated with physical restraint of children (Section 6). IRAP strongly reaffirms the recommendation of the RAB report that a specially recruited and dedicated team within the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) should undertake training of staff on MMPR. Moreover, having observed tangible progress to date, IRAP strongly recommends that this core specialist team should be retained and maintained. IRAP's opinion is that to do otherwise would jeopardise the progress that has been made to date. Details: London: The Advisory Panel, 2014. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 3, 2015 at: http://socialwelfare.bl.uk/subject-areas/services-client-groups/young-offenders/ministryofjustice/168563irap-mmpr-final-report-2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://socialwelfare.bl.uk/subject-areas/services-client-groups/young-offenders/ministryofjustice/168563irap-mmpr-final-report-2014.pdf Shelf Number: 134521 Keywords: Juvenile Detention (U.K.)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Training CentersPhysical Restraint |
Author: Petrosino, Anthony Title: The Impact of the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) on City-Level Youth Crime Victimization Rates. An Interrupted Time Series Analysis with Comparison Groups Summary: The physical, emotional and financial costs on individuals and neighborhoods resulting from youth violence are well documented. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (2013), the third leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10-24 is homicide; for black males, it is the leading cause of death. To address serious youth violence, particularly that involving guns, Massachusetts initiated the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) in 2011, providing a comprehensive public health approach to addressing young men, between the ages of 14-24, believed to be at "proven risk" for being involved in firearms. Eleven cities with the highest violent offenses reported to the police in 2010 were selected for SSYI funding in 2011 and started implementing the program. Although there are variations across sites, there are some components that are mandatory and must be included in each SSYI program at the city level: - Specific identification of young men, 14-24, at highest risk for being involved in firearms violence - Use of street outreach workers to find these young men, assess their current needs, and act as brokers for services to address unmet needs - The provision of a continuum of comprehensive services including education, employment, and intensive supervision Details: Boston: Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, 2014. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2015 at: http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/SSYI%20-%20Interrupted%20Time%20Series%20Study%20of%20Community%20Victimization%20Outcomes%202011-2013_0.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/SSYI%20-%20Interrupted%20Time%20Series%20Study%20of%20Community%20Victimization%20Outcomes%202011-2013_0.pdf Shelf Number: 134553 Keywords: Gun ViolenceGun Violence (Massachusetts)Juvenile Offenders Street Outreach Workers Treatment Programs Violent CrimesYouth ViolenceYouthful Offenders |
Author: Myrstol, Brad A. Title: Recidivism in Alaska: A Longitudinal Perspective Summary: Study Objectives The primary objective of this study was to examine patterns of delinquent and criminal offending among youth who were admitted to, and subsequently released from, McLaughlin Youth Center's Transitional Service Unit (TSU), located in Anchorage, Alaska, between January 2003 and May 2013. More specifically, the study sought to assess variability in the frequency and intensity of offending among youth released from TSU, including patterns of offending following release from institutional custody, of those youth who: Had completed their treatment program while in residence at McLaughlin Youth Center; Had completed the transitional services program while in residence at McLaughlin Youth Center; and, Were released from institutional custody and had begun the process of reentry into their communities. Group-based trajectory models (GTM) were used to test for previously unrecognized developmental patterns in youth offending prior to institutional release, as well as patterns of reoffending following institutional release. Underlying the developmental approach adopted were two fundamental assumptions. First, it was assumed that youth offending, like other behavioral processes, evolves over time and follows a developmental trajectory. Second, it was also assumed that as with other behavioral phenomena, it was likely that there would be meaningful subgroups within the population, groups that followed distinct developmental trajectories. More precisely, the project's specific empirical aims were to: 1. Determine whether or not TSU youth exhibited distinct offending trajectories; 2. Identify such number of distinct trajectories if multiple trajectories were found to exist; 3. Specify the shape (functional form) of such trajectories; 4. Estimate the probability of membership in the distinct trajectory groups identified; 5. Determine the specific demographic composition and offending characteristics of each trajectory group; 6. Estimate the influence of demographic characteristics on trajectory group membership; and, 7. Assess the effect of participation in TSU on the offending trajectories of youth released from TSU. Details: Anchorage: Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center, University of Alaska Anchorage, 2014. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2015 at: http://www.jrsa.org/pubs/sac-digest/documents/ak_ajsac_tsu_report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.jrsa.org/pubs/sac-digest/documents/ak_ajsac_tsu_report.pdf Shelf Number: 134620 Keywords: Criminal CareersJuvenile OffendersJuvenile to Adult Criminal CareersRecidivism |
Author: Charlton, Kate Title: Statistics on juvenile detention in Australia : 1981-2003 Summary: This paper provides a comprehensive overview of juveniles in detention in Australia between 1981 and 2003. It includes an analysis of the number and rate of juveniles in detention over time, as well as a detailed analysis of the financial year 2002-03. Statistics are derived from the Australian Institute of Criminology's Juveniles in detention dataset, which is compiled from reports submitted on a quarterly basis by the relevant juvenile justice authorities in each Australian jurisdiction. Separate figures are provided for males and females in detention, for different age groups, and for Indigenous and non Indigenous persons, and levels of Indigenous over representation are calculated for each state and territory, 1994 to 2003. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2004. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and background paper no. 10: Accessed March 11, 2015 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tbp/tbp010/tbp010.pdf Year: 2004 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tbp/tbp010/tbp010.pdf Shelf Number: 134900 Keywords: Juvenile Detention (Australia) Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation Title: The Contribution of Youth Offending Teams to the Work of the Troubled Families Programme in England Summary: Youth offending teams were playing an important part in the Troubled Families (TF) programme in their work to reduce reoffending by young people, but needed to address some practical issues, according to independent inspectors. The report, The Contribution of Youth Offending Teams to the Work of the Troubled Families Programme in England reflects the findings of HM Inspectorate of Probation, the Care Quality Commission, Ofsted and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary. The inspection focused on the part played by Youth Offending Teams on preventing and reducing offending and tackling antisocial behaviour by children and young people. Inspectors found many examples where the work had the potential to bear fruit and the interim reoffending patterns were positive, despite the relatively short period of time the local services had been running. However, the limited evaluation which had taken place meant it was not easy to track outcomes from the work. Inspectors also found some partner agencies, such as YOTs, children's social care services and educational services, had made a considerable investment in partnership working, and there were some innovative approaches from police and health care staff. Details: London: Criminal Justice Joint Inspection, 2015. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2015 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/cjji/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/01/Troubled-Families1.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 134930 Keywords: Antisocial BehaviorJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Probation (U.K.)RecidivismYouth Offending Teams |
Author: Philadelphia. Mayor's Office Title: Philadelphia's Strategic Plan to Prevention Youth Violence Summary: Since Mayor Michael Nutter took office in 2008, Philadelphia has reduced violent crime by 15% and property crimes by 9%. This modest success does not change the fact that a shocking number of the city's children, particularly African-American children, are growing up in one of the most violent cities in the United States. That is, if they manage to grow up. The goal of the newly-created Philadelphia Youth Violence Prevention Collaborative (YVPC) is nothing less than a reversal of the current situation for far too many of Philadelphia's youth. This Youth Violence Prevention Plan creates the blueprint for the initial strategy to mobilize the collective resources of our community-- including business, academic, non-profit, philanthropic, religious and government-- to turn one of the nation's most violent cities into one of its safest. This goal requires that Philadelphia government: 1) embeds youth violence prevention and reduction in the work and priority of every relevant city agency through accountability metrics; 2) ensures that youth and high impact communities are engaged in the work; and 3) takes a long-term approach. The Collaborative was created when the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) selected Philadelphia to be among the ten cities participating in the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention. The Forum is a network of communities and federal agencies that work together, share information and build local capacity to prevent and reduce youth violence. The Forum brings together people from diverse professions and perspectives to learn from each other about the crisis of youth and gang violence and to build comprehensive solutions at the local and national levels. Over 30 leaders from government, academia and other stakeholder groups in Philadelphia are part of the Collaborative, which is co-chaired by Anne Marie Ambrose, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services, Kevin Dougherty, Administrative Judge of the Family Court of Philadelphia, and Charles Ramsey, Philadelphia Police Commissioner. The Collaborative members represent the city's leadership across a wide cross-section of disciplines in recognition that many factors contribute to and can alleviate youth violence. Details: Philadelphia: Mayor's Office, 2013. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2015 at: http://www.phila.gov/Newsletters/Youth_Violence_Strategic_Plan_%20FINAL%20September%202013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.phila.gov/Newsletters/Youth_Violence_Strategic_Plan_%20FINAL%20September%202013.pdf Shelf Number: 134940 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention ProgramsJuvenile OffendersPartnershipsViolence PreventionViolent OffendersYouth Violence (Philadelphia) |
Author: Pruin, Ineke Title: Better in Europe? European responses to young adult offending Summary: Over the last ten years approximately, the question of how to respond appropriately to the offending of young adults has emerged as a point of increased focus within international criminological research and criminal policy. This development has mainly been based on recent research results in the field of neurosciences and studies investigating individual differences in criminal careers across the life course, which - taken together - shed a different light on young adult offenders and their behaviour. These research results question the adequacy of immediately and abruptly barring offenders from the special regulations, approaches and procedures provided for under juvenile justice legislation simply because the offence happened to be committed after the offender has turned 18, or because the offender happens to have turned 18 in the course of proceedings (Farrington/Loeber/Howell 2012, p. 729). Recent experiences have shown that the implications of these findings are strong enough to justify a change in criminal policy governing the treatment of young adult offenders. Such change can be extensive, like in the Netherlands, or gradual like in England, where the Transition to Adulthood Alliance in particular has promoted such developments. The last literature review by Prior et al. 2011, commissioned by the Barrow Cadbury Trust and comprising a comprehensive overview of interdisciplinary research results on young adults, is barely three years old, but nevertheless, in the meantime there are new analyses and developments to be reported on. The results from two large working groups comprising many highly esteemed scholars and researchers from the field - one European with 33 scholars and one US-American with 32 scholars (Loeber et al. 2012 and Loeber/Farrington 2012) - were published in 2012. Furthermore, a recent volume in the Cambridge Criminal Justice Series has focused on young adults and their treatment in the criminal justice system, which is based on conference papers from one of the first Transition to Adulthood Alliance experts meetings (Losel/ Bottoms/Farrington 2012). A distinct approach to juveniles New considerations emerge from the following questions: specific juvenile justice systems or approaches have been successfully implemented all over the world. Providing a special approach to responding to juvenile offenders is not only mandatory due to international Human Rights Law - it is also a logical consequence if policy is to be based on a deep and wide base of research evidence: juvenile offending can be characterised as ubiquitous and episodic. Self-report studies have shown that most offenders stop behaving in a criminal manner regardless of whether they have experienced any public reactions (like prosecution) to their offending (spontaneous remission). Therefore, juvenile justice policy rightly tends to regard youth offending as a more or less normal pattern in juvenile development (at least for the vast majority of juvenile offenders who cannot be defined as 'chronic offenders'). Juvenile justice approaches and strategies normally seek to avoid the well-known negative consequences of harsh criminal sanctions like imprisonment, by providing a more tolerant approach to dealing with juveniles. Furthermore, interdisciplinary research has repeatedly and continuously highlighted that juveniles are, for various reasons, not responsible for their criminal behaviour in the same way as adults are for their behaviour (e. g. low impulse control, more susceptible to peer influences, more likely to take risks for excitement, see Farrington/Loeber/ Howell 2012, p. 729 f.). Even leaving such neuroscientific results aside, many existing juvenile justice systems are based around the old notion of doli incapax, i.e. a diminished criminal capacity due to young age. Extending the distinct approach to Young Adults Recent research results and experiences with special approaches to responding to young adult offenders in many justice systems (Dunkel/Pruin 2012) do raise the question whether the arguments in favour of treating juveniles in a manner that better reflects their maturity could not be equally valid for young adults as well? Is it justifiable to regard the 18th birthday as an abrupt cut-off point, after which criminal behaviour is responded to in accordance to adult criminal law, which generally focuses more on retribution than on rehabilitation (at least in most countries) and is doing so logical? Criminological research indeed suggests that the findings pertaining to the particularities of juvenile offending also apply to young adults. Desistance research indicates that changes in patterns of criminal behaviour occur in particular in the phase of young or emerging adulthood. This serves as justification for devoting targeted research to this particular demographic group, and the special provisions that have been put in place in some (juvenile) criminal justice systems throughout Europe give an insight into promising strategies for responding appropriately to offending by young adults. This report aims to summarise recent research results on young adult offenders, focusing on criminological analyses in general and data from Germany in particular, a country where young adult offenders have been included in Juvenile Justice since 1953. A shorter review on some sociological observations on changes in the living contexts of young adults aims to manifest a deeper understanding of the special phase of transition young adults face today. The overview on research results from psychology and neuroscience is concise by comparison due to the respective comprehensive overview by Prior et al. 2011. A second focus of this report lies in providing an overview of the different strategies and practices for responding appropriately to young adult offending that have been put in place in Europe. The presented findings are mainly based on a recent extensive research project conducted by the Department of Criminology at the University of Greifswald, Germany, involving more than 40 international juvenile justice experts (Dunkel et al. 2011), and have been up dated with the help of recent expert interviews. Details: London: Barrow Cadbury Trust; Greifswald, Germany: Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University of Greifswald, Department of Criminology, 2015. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Transition to Adulthood Alliance: Accessed march 19, 2015 at: http://www.barrowcadbury.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/T2A_Better-in-Europe_Report-_online.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://www.barrowcadbury.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/T2A_Better-in-Europe_Report-_online.pdf Shelf Number: 134969 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersYoung Adult Offenders (Europe) |
Author: Lapp, Kevin Title: Databasing Delinquency Summary: For over a century, legislatures and officials have restrained the criminal justice system's ability to collect information about youth. Databasing Delinquency explains how juveniles now find themselves indefinitely cataloged in sex offender registries, gang databases, and DNA databases. It documents the unprecedented breadth and permanence of law enforcement and court record-keeping. And it shows how schools have become mandated law enforcement informants. Moreover, services both public and private make this information available to law enforcement nationwide, employers, government agencies, colleges and the general public. The expansion of this modern culture of "dataveillance" to youth has profound implications. It not only harms individual youth in permanent and stigmatizing ways, it reshapes the very meaning of childhood. Putting the developmental characteristics of youth, and childhood, at the center of the analysis, the article reveals the incoherence and destructiveness of databasing delinquency. Mindful of the public safety benefits and inevitability of law enforcement information gathering, the article calls for limits on the amount of information that the criminal justice system can gather, store and share about juveniles. This would add appropriate restraints so that public safety gains from databasing do not come at the expense of juvenile privacy, juveniles' life chances, or childhood itself. Details: Los Angeles: Loyola University School of Law, 2015. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Loyola-LA Legal Studies Paper : Accessed March 26, 2015 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2576056 Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2576056 Shelf Number: 135056 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Records |
Author: Child Rights International Network Title: Inhuman Sentencing: Life Imprisonment of Children Around the World Summary: In 2010 CRIN, with other partners, launched a campaign for the prohibition of inhuman sentencing of children - defined to include sentences of death, life imprisonment and corporal punishment. Frustrated by the narrow focus on life imprisonment without parole within the children's rights community, CRIN published a report on life imprisonment in the Commonwealth in 2012, highlighting the prevalence of life imprisonment throughout the Commonwealth States and the different forms that life sentences could take. This report was followed up in 2013 with a report on life sentences for children in the European Union. Life imprisonment sentences cover a diverse range of practices, from the most severe form of life imprisonment without parole, in which a person is sentenced to die in prison so long as their sentence stands, to more indeterminate sentences in which at the time of sentencing it is not clear how long the sentenced person will spend in prison. What all of these sentences have in common, however, is that at the time the sentence is passed, a person is liable to be detained for the rest of his or her natural life. International human rights standards universally condemn life imprisonment without parole for children, and now the United States is the only State which continues to sentence children to this form of extreme sentencing. This focus on the worst forms of the sentence, however, has disguised the practice of less severe or overt forms of life imprisonment. The United Nations has begun to look at life imprisonment of children more generally and in November 2012, the General Assembly urged States to consider repealing all forms of life imprisonment for children. The Human Rights Council, meanwhile, has called on States twice to prohibit life imprisonment of children in law and practice. Nonetheless, 73 States retain life imprisonment as a penalty for offences committed while under the age of 18 and a further 49 permit sentences of 15 years or longer and 90 for 10 years or longer. Life imprisonment and lengthy prison sentences for child offenders are not the preserve of a diminishing few, they can be found in the criminal laws of the majority of States. CRIN is concerned that States are handing out lengthy sentences to children, yet international condemnation is often limited to life imprisonment without parole and the death penalty. It is essential - indeed long overdue - to widen the focus and challenge any sentence which, at the time it is passed, a child is liable to be detained for the rest of his or her natural life. It is also time to look at laws permitting the lengthy detention of children, which fall short of the standards set by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. CRIN, with other commentators, believes that the only justification for the detention of a child should be that the child has been assessed as posing a serious risk to public safety. Courts should only be able to authorise a short maximum period of detention after which the presumption of release from detention would place the onus on the State to prove that considerations of public safety justify another short period of detention. The same principles should apply to pre-trial detention. This report serves to highlight the prevalence and the plurality of laws permitting life imprisonment for children, laws that potentially condemn children to die in prison, and hopes to lead to reviews of the sentencing of children to ensure they are fully compliant with the CRC and other instruments. CRIN believes that life imprisonment, of any type, does not have a place in juvenile justice. Details: London: Child Rights International Network, 2015. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 26, 2015 at: https://www.crin.org/sites/default/files/life_imprisonment_report_final.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: https://www.crin.org/sites/default/files/life_imprisonment_report_final.pdf Shelf Number: 135059 Keywords: Juvenile Detention Juvenile Offenders Life Imprisonment Life SentencesSentencing, Juveniles |
Author: Keaton, Sandy Title: Seeking Alternatives: Understanding the Pathways to Incarceration of High-Risk Juvenile Offenders February 2015 Summary: In 2003, San Diego County's juvenile justice system formed a committee to address the issue of Disproportionate Minority Contact of youth, now referred to as Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparity (RED). This committee, which is comprised of key juvenile justice decision makers1 in San Diego County has spent years conducting research and internal reviews to identify and reduce disparities throughout the juvenile justice system. As part of this process, the committee sought to learn more about those youth most deeply entrenched in the system. Research has shown that the trajectory for most (e.g., 90%) juvenile offenders is away from offending and delinquent behaviors. However, for chronic offenders, their adolescent years are spent in and out of school, custody, and under the scrutiny of the court and the rules of probation. Recent research in the field has shown that long-term incarceration of youth does not reduce recidivism and in some cases, for lower-level offenders, it can actually increase criminal recidivism. This information, combined with the overrepresentation of youth of color in parts of the system, and the belief that more could be done to redirect these entrenched youth, provided the impetus for the RED committee to seek out the support of The California Wellness Foundation (CWF) to learn more about this population. RED members approached CWF to fund a study designed to examine factors contributing to youth becoming deeply entrenched in the juvenile justice system with the purpose to inform California juvenile justice systems. Of particular interest was capturing the youths' perspective on their experiences prior to and during their involvement in the justice system. In partnership with San Diego County Probation and The Children's Initiative, SANDAG's Applied Research Division designed and conducted a qualitative study of 40 high-risk youth either sentenced to the Youthful Offender Unit (YOU) or to the Community Transition Unit (CTU) to learn more about their paths deeper into the system and what interventions could have altered that course, and when those interventions could have been implemented to the greatest advantage. YOU is a graduated sanctions program in which youth are in custody locally for up to 9 months and supervised in their communities for the remaining 3 months, for a total of 12 months. CTU is a community-based supervision program for youth who are returning to their communities after completing a sentence in a Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facility. A mixed-model design was used with data gathered from a structured interview with the youth, validated assessments, and official Probation records. The goal of the research was to capture information on all the systems the youth had come in contact with, including education and Child Welfare Services (CWS). Details: San Diego: SANDAG, 2015. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2015 at: http://www.sandag.org/uploads/publicationid/publicationid_1925_18816.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.sandag.org/uploads/publicationid/publicationid_1925_18816.pdf Shelf Number: 135079 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity SupervisionDisproportionate Minority ContactJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Reentry |
Author: Butts, Jeffrey A. Title: Staying Connected: Keeping Justice-Involved Youth Summary: When justice-involved youth are supervised by local agencies and placed with locally operated programs rather than being sent away to state facilities, they are better able to maintain community ties. They stay connected with their families and they are more likely to remain in local schools. Policy reforms that localize the justice system are often called "realignment." New York's "Close to Home" (or C2H) initiative is a prominent example of youth justice realignment. Launched in 2012, it is the latest chapter in a decade-long commitment by New York State and New York City to improve the justice system for young offenders by investing in programs and interventions that allow youth to stay close to their homes and families. Details: New York: Research & Evaluation Center, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, 2015. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2015 at: https://jjrec.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/c2h2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://jjrec.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/c2h2015.pdf Shelf Number: 135124 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice PolicyJuvenile Justice RealignmentJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Offenders |
Author: New Zealand. Ministry of Social Development Title: Evaluation Report for the Military-style Activity Camp (MAC) Programme Summary: This report outlines the findings from an evaluation of the Military-style Activity Camp (MAC) programme. The MAC programme, introduced in October 2010 as part of the Government's Fresh Start reforms, targets 40 of the most serious and persistent youth offenders in New Zealand each year. MACs are delivered in partnership by Child, Youth and Family (CYF) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). The evaluation, carried out between February and June 2013, identifies parts of the MAC programme that are working well or not so well and examines early evidence regarding the overall effectiveness of the MAC programme. The evaluation uses several methods of data collection, including qualitative interviews with residential and community-based staff and a small number of young people; an analysis of CYF administrative data; in-depth case studies of four young people; and a reoffending outcomes analysis for MAC participants taking place six months and 12 months after completion of their Supervision with Residence (SwR) orders. Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Social Development, 2013. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2015 at: www.msd.govt.nz Year: 2013 Country: New Zealand URL: www.msd.govt.nz Shelf Number: 135140 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersRecidivismTreatment ProgramsWilderness Treatment Programs |
Author: Elwick, Alex Title: Improving outcomes for young offenders: An international perspective Summary: This review of international approaches to education and interventions for young people in custody identifies differences between judicial systems, and in particular youth justice systems, across the world. It focuses on reoffending behaviour in these different systems and the methods these administrations employ to address the issue. The review draws upon a series of case studies from a range of high-performing jurisdictions in order to exemplify institutions, interventions and programmes which have either been shown to have a positive impact on reoffending or indirectly contribute towards these acknowledged or proven high-performing systems. Based upon these case studies, a number of key features of provision for young offenders in custody emerge which, within their own contexts, contribute to a successful approach. These include: - Education is placed at the heart of an institution's focus. - Interventions are personalised and targeted. - Staff are given multidisciplinary training, often to graduate level, and custodial staff are also involved in the education of offenders. - Institutions are relatively small, and are split into units which are even smaller. - There are high ratios of staff to offenders. - Offenders are assigned mentors who work with them up to 12 months after their release. - Activities within the community are a key aspect of provision. - Residential facilities are locally distributed, situated reasonably close to the homes of young offenders. Building on this analysis, a number of recommendations are made in terms of the future of youth custody in England and Wales: Details: Reading, Berkshire, UK: CfBT Education Trust, 2013. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2015 at: http://cdn.cfbt.com/~/media/cfbtcorporate/files/research/2013/r-improving-outcomes-2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://cdn.cfbt.com/~/media/cfbtcorporate/files/research/2013/r-improving-outcomes-2013.pdf Shelf Number: 135268 Keywords: Educational ProgramsEvidence-Based ProgramsJuvenile OffendersRecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsReoffending |
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: Weiss, Catherine Title: 51-Jurisdiction Survey of Solitary Confinement Rules in Juvenile Justice Systems Summary: The attached survey provides an overview of policies governing the solitary confinement of juveniles in 50 states and the District of Columbia. The survey allows the reader to understand each state's approach to imposing this punishment or employing alternatives. This accompanying memo discusses the trends that emerge from the survey, caveats to keep in mind while reading the survey, and ways in which New Jersey's policymakers may be informed by other states' policy choices. The survey reveals that nineteen jurisdictions prohibit lengthy punitive solitary confinement (also called room restriction, isolation, seclusion, or segregation, among other terms). Some states allow confinement for only a few hours a day; these are counted among the states that disallow confinement. For example, Idaho allows confinement for up to eight hours. Most states that prohibit confinement as a punishment do allow confinement when necessary to prevent harm to other youth or the security of the facility (the distinction between punitive and non-punitive confinement is further explored below). A number of jurisdictions also restrict the use of confinement for even non-punitive reasons to under a few hours. These include Delaware, Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Among states that allow punitive confinement, the most common limits on the amount of time that juveniles may spend in confinement are three days and five days. Eleven states allow juveniles to remain in confinement for between one and four days. In eleven other states, time limits on confinement range from five to ninety days. Ten more states place no time limit on confinement. In most states, confinement triggers due process protections. Additionally, facilities must seek administrative approval for prolonged confinement. For example, in Georgia, juveniles are entitled to a hearing before any confinement is imposed. Confinement beyond three days may only be imposed for certain enumerated offenses, and confinement beyond five days requires approval from six administrators, including the Deputy Commissioner of Youth Services. Although counted in the survey among states allowing punitive confinement, the conditions of confinement in Maine and Mississippi are less restrictive than conditions in other states. In Maine, juveniles are allowed to attend activities and meals outside of the cell, while in Mississippi, juveniles are allowed outside the cell for at least four hours a day. The programs in these states could be classified as either solitary confinement or a loss of privileges. This survey classifies the programs as solitary confinement because they punish offenses by confining a juvenile alone in a cell for most of his or her waking hours. The survey distinguishes between states that use confinement as a punishment for past actions and states that use confinement non-punitively, to reduce the threat from the juvenile's behavior to himself, others, or the security of the facility. States that fall into the latter category often specify that the juvenile may only be kept in room restriction until the juvenile is no longer a threat. For example, in Utah, confinement may only be used when necessary to prevent harm to another person, prevent the youth from escaping, prevent damage to property, or prevent continued program disruptions. The juvenile must be released once he or she demonstrates a example, it is possible that a facility with a disciplinary policy that is unspecified in the state's administrative code and cannot be found online has a more restrictive policy than a facility for which information is available. States' confinement polices vary in their restrictiveness. Some states allow solitary confinement for an unspecified amount of time each day, while others require that a youth in solitary be allowed outside of the cell for a minimum period. Youth may be given other privileges that make the confinement experience less solitary. Two states that have policies straddling the line between solitary confinement and a loss of privileges are Mississippi and Maine. Maine is frequently cited as a state that has disallowed punitive solitary confinement for juveniles. By statute, Maine does not authorize solitary confinement for juveniles. However, Maine's regulations allow for punitive room restriction for up to 30 hours for "major misconduct." Youth in room restriction are allowed to leave their rooms for educational and treatment programs, regularly scheduled visits, and meals. In Mississippi, youth must be allowed out of their cells for a minimum of four hours a day. These policies stand in contrast to some more restrictive policies, such as New Jersey's current rules, which do not specify that the youth may leave confinement for educational activities, and require that the facilities provide only five hours of recreation outside of the cell per five-day period of confinement. The careful reader should bear these distinctions in mind when categorizing states according to their confinement policies. Details: New York: Lowenstein Sandler, 2013. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2015 at: http://www.lowensteinprobono.com/files/Uploads/Documents/solitary%20confinement%20memo%20survey%20--%20FINAL.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.lowensteinprobono.com/files/Uploads/Documents/solitary%20confinement%20memo%20survey%20--%20FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 135364 Keywords: IsolationJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersSolitary Confinement (U.S.) |
Author: Norton, Michael H. Title: Youth Courts and their Educational Value: An Examination of Youth Courts in Chester, Pennsylvania Summary: Youth courts are becoming increasingly common across the country. Whether run by the legal community, community agencies, or within school settings, all youth courts share two common features: 1) youth who commit minor offenses appear before their peers and receive sentences from other youth; and, 2) youth design sentences with the goal of repairing the harm done to individual victims and the broader community From 2009 through 2012, the Stoneleigh Foundation supported the creation and sustainability of youth courts in Chester Upland School District (CUSD) through the work of Stoneleigh Fellow Gregg Volz. In 2011, the Foundation commissioned Research for Action (RFA) to conduct a study of CUSD youth courts during the 2011-12 school year. This executive summary presents a brief review of the context surrounding youth courts in Chester; general findings related to students' participation in youth courts; and a set of lessons learned for youth court implementation and future research. CUSD youth courts were developed in Chester, Pennsylvania, a city which has persistently ranked among the state's most socio-economically distressed for many years. The CUSD has spent the past decade in a constant state of crisis, with student proficiency in math and English far below the state average, and graduation rates far below that of most districts across the state. In 2011-12, state education budget cuts resulted in teacher layoffs and personnel transfers across the district, which destabilized school supports for youth courts. Despite these adverse conditions, the youth courts continued with the support of dedicated students, teachers, and administrators in the CUSD, along with substantial support and advocacy from the Stoneleigh Foundation and other legal, higher education, and community partners. While the study was initially intended to assess the effect that youth court participation had on participants, three key challenges restricted RFA's ability to conduct these analyses: selection bias, inconsistent participation records, and limited interviews with participants. However, this study reveals that the long-term academic performance of youth court volunteers, students who serve on the courts, and respondents (students who have committed low-level offenses), was significantly stronger than that of their peers in the following ways: - Significantly more volunteers graduated than non-volunteers (79% vs. 47%); - Significantly fewer volunteers dropped out of school than non-volunteers (6% vs. 21%); - Significantly more respondents than non-respondents graduate (71% v. 49%); and, - Significantly fewer respondents dropped out of school than non-respondents (10% v. 21%). Details: Philadelphia: Research for Action, 2013. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 24, 2015 at: http://www.researchforaction.org/wp-content/uploads/publication-photos/1187/Norton_M_Youth_Courts_and_their_Educational_Value.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.researchforaction.org/wp-content/uploads/publication-photos/1187/Norton_M_Youth_Courts_and_their_Educational_Value.pdf Shelf Number: 135380 Keywords: Juvenile CourtsJuvenile OffendersYouth Courts (U.S.) |
Author: Great Britain. House of Commons. Home Affairs Committee Title: Gangs and youth crime. Thirteenth Report of Session 2014-15 Summary: - Prompted by the summer 2011 riots, the Government conducted a review assessing the scale and causes of gang and youth violence. The 'Ending Gang and Youth Violence' strategy, which aims to match a robust enforcement response with robust support to exit gang life and an intensive prevention strategy, has been running for three years. - The Home Office has spent over L10 million on its Ending Gang and Youth Violence programme, but has failed to effectively evaluate the project. The Home Office must undertake high-quality comparative evaluation in order to assess what works best in combating gang and youth crime and in identifying areas for improvement. - It is vital that a unified gang definition is used across the Home Office and police forces to ensure greater understanding of the scale of this issue both locally and nationally. - Every Chief Constable should appoint a lead officer responsible for combating gangs, including mentoring and training officers and addressing the needs of gang-associated individuals at risk of sexual exploitation. - The Home Office should produce a league table of gang injunctions on a six monthly basis. The lead officer on gangs in every police force should be responsible for a continuing programme of peer reviews to ensure the efficacy and increased uptake of gang injunctions. - The Committee welcomes the launch of the national voluntary scheme to reduce the number of no-suspicion stop and search powers. It is vital that forces undertake local consultation work to ensure that complaints processes are accessible to young people of all backgrounds, to help restore young people's confidence in the complaints system. - It is clear that young people feel that their experiences are not taken into account. The Home Office's annual evaluation of the gangs programme should also include statements from local lead police officers stating what work they have completed on gangs and stop and search alongside young people's responses. - We should accept that children as young as seven are at risk of gang involvement. The Committee believes that the primary school anti-gang education programme should be expanded. In every school where there is local knowledge of gangs, a senior teacher should be nominated to ensure mentoring to assist young people at risk of gang involvement. - The Committee recommends that the existing work of local organisations that are well supported and have grown from the resident communities, such as Gangsline and the SOS project, should be expanded. The Home Office should ensure that detailed evaluation is undertaken of projects deemed to be examples of best practice, in order to create models that can work for communities across the country. - Programmes with records of turning around the lives of young people in gangs and with entrenched behavioural difficulties need to be commissioned more consistently. The Government should expand support for mentoring programmes that focus on gang-affected young people. Details: London: The Stationery Office, 2015. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: HC 199: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmhaff/199/199.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmhaff/199/199.pdf Shelf Number: 135382 Keywords: GangsJuvenile OffendersYouth Gangs (U.K.)Youth Violence |
Author: National Center for Juvenile Justice Title: When Systems Collaborate: How Three Jurisdictions Improved their Handling of Dual-Status Cases Summary: When Systems Collaborate (19 pages) provides case studies of three jurisdictions trying to coordinate information and services to youth with dual-status in both the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. The jurisdictions were selected based on a 50-state survey of efforts to coordinate data and services to dual status youth and selects examples that provide starting places for developing solutions on a complex reform issue. The first example focuses on delinquency referral intake and diversion, the second example focuses on community supervision or probation and the final case study explores efforts in a state to keep both child welfare and juvenile corrections involved in facilitating reentry and aftercare for dual-status youth. Details: Pittsburgh, PA: National Center for Juvenile Justice, 2015. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 6, 2015 at: http://www.ncjj.org/pdf/Juvenile%20Justice%20Geography,%20Policy,%20Practice%20and%20Statistics%202015/WhenSystemsCollaborateJJGPSCaseStudyFinal042015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjj.org/pdf/Juvenile%20Justice%20Geography,%20Policy,%20Practice%20and%20Statistics%202015/WhenSystemsCollaborateJJGPSCaseStudyFinal042015.pdf Shelf Number: 135525 Keywords: Child Welfare Systems Collaboration Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile OffendersPartnerships |
Author: Young, Douglas Title: Traversing Two Systems: An Assessment of Crossover Youth in Maryland Summary: Awareness about the vulnerabilities of children who are involved in both the juvenile justice and child welfare systems has grown exponentially over the past decade. The emergent challenge with helping crossover youth - those involved at some point in their lives in the dependency and delinquency systems - is not due to a lack of available guidance about what should be done for them. Rather, the challenges for addressing crossover youth include properly identifying them and their needs, and implementing evidence-based practices tailored to those needs. The present study was designed to begin to build a knowledge base to address these challenges in Maryland. Employing a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, the research focused on the five most populous jurisdictions in the state, Baltimore City, and Anne Arundel, Montgomery, Prince George's, and Baltimore Counties. Based on interviews with 26 officials in state and local agencies and survey responses from a representative sample of 164 stakeholders working with crossover youth, our review of state and local practices suggests a picture with preliminary signs of progress against a backdrop of general inattention to this population. Several state-led initiatives are promising in that they incorporate practices encouraged in the crossover youth practice literature, although none focus specifically on this group. Interview and survey results revealed some local efforts involving information sharing, collaborative case reviews, and joint attendance at court hearings on dual-system cases. About 60 percent of survey respondents reported using routines for identifying dual-system youth, providing cross-system notifications on proceedings, and holding family and multi-disciplinary team meetings for these cases. However, there was little use of formal, structured efforts, such as collaborative funding agreements, joint attendance at all hearings, or consolidated case planning or supervision. Survey results showed stakeholders were well aware of crossover youths' risks and needs and the challenges of working with these youth. Organizational expertise on crossover youth, and attention and resources paid to this population were given low ratings. Consistent with prior studies, quantitative analyses comparing samples of crossover youth (N=526) and delinquency-only youth (N=601) showed crossover youth were engaged in the juvenile justice system in deeper and more chronic ways, with their first arrest at an earlier age and having more arrests and referrals. Detention, placement, and commitment outcomes for crossover youth were particularly frequent, outsizing observed differences with delinquency-only youth on charges, filings, and adjudication hearings and suggesting that crossover youth face more harsh responses in the juvenile justice system. Compared with the delinquency-only group, crossover youth had less favorable results on risk, need, and protective measures on school attendance and performance, peer and adult relationships, and attitudes reflecting empathy, remorse, and self-control. The groups' most stark differences were on objective indicators of mental health needs. Analyses of Baltimore City crossover youth (N=200) and a dependency-only sample (N=200) showed the crossover group to have somewhat different and more persistent family problems, more placements, and longer length of placement. These findings, together with the interview and survey results suggest a consensus need for more focused efforts on crossover youth in Maryland. Several practices already in use - the one judge/one family court model, case identification, family and multi-disciplinary meetings, information sharing, collaborative case reviews, joint hearing attendance - should be expanded, routinized, and sustained. Results from the risk and needs analyses underscore the importance of responding to the mental health treatment needs of crossover youth in the state. These Maryland findings reinforce and extend those reported in prior research, providing detailed information on needs and protective factors and risk factors related to maltreatment. More generally, the results should heighten the urgency of increasing attention to this population. Details: College Park, MD: Institute for Governmental Service and Research, University of Maryland, College Park, 2014. 154p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2015 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248679.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248679.pdf Shelf Number: 135539 Keywords: At-Risk YouthChild ProtectionChild Welfare SystemJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Offenders (U.S.) |
Author: Valentine, Erin Jacobs Title: Becoming Adults: One-year impact findings from the Youth Villages transitional living evaluation Summary: Young adults with histories of foster care or juvenile justice custody experience poor outcomes across a number of domains, on average, relative to their peers. While government funding for services targeting these groups of young people has increased in recent years, research on the effectiveness of such services is limited, and few of the programs that have been rigorously tested have been found to improve outcomes. The Youth Villages Transitional Living Evaluation is testing whether the Transitional Living program, operated by the social service organization Youth Villages, makes a difference in the lives of young people with histories of foster care or juvenile justice custody. The program, which was renamed "YVLifeSet" in April 2015, is intended to help these young people make a successful transition to adulthood by providing intensive, individualized, and clinically focused case management, support, and counseling. The evaluation uses a rigorous random assignment design and is set in Tennessee, where Youth Villages operates its largest Transitional Living program. From October 2010 to October 2012, more than 1,300 young people were assigned, at random, to either a program group, which was offered the Transitional Living program's services, or to a control group, which was not offered those services. Using survey and administrative data, the evaluation team is measuring outcomes for both groups over time to assess whether Transitional Living services led to better outcomes for program group youth compared with the control group's outcomes. This is the second major report in the evaluation. An earlier report provides a detailed description of the Transitional Living program model and assesses its implementation. This second report assesses whether the program affected key outcomes during the first year after young people enrolled in the study. It shows that the Transitional Living program improved outcomes in three of the six domains that it was designed to affect. The program boosted earnings, increased housing stability and economic well-being, and improved some outcomes related to health and safety. However, it did not improve outcomes in the areas of education, social support, or criminal involvement. These results indicate that the Transitional Living program can improve multiple outcomes for young adults with histories of foster care or juvenile justice custody, a notable finding given the paucity of documented positive effects for programs that serve these populations. While the individual effects of the program were modest, their breadth across several domains is consistent with the highly individualized nature of the program model, which is designed to address the wide variety of needs and circumstances of the young people it serves. These findings set the stage for additional analysis using a second year of follow-up data and an assessment of the program's benefits relative to its costs. Those results will be available in 2016. Details: New York: MDRC, 2015. 156p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2015 at: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/Becoming_Adults_FR.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/Becoming_Adults_FR.pdf Shelf Number: 135676 Keywords: At-Risk YouthFoster CareJuvenile AftercareJuvenile Justice ProgramsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Reentry |
Author: Ja, Davis Y. Title: The Repeat Offenders Prevention Project (ROPP) of the City/County of San Francisco: A final evaluation report Summary: In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, Orange County conducted exploratory studies that resulted in the identification of characteristics or “risk factors” associated with serious, chronic offending by juveniles (Schumacher and Kurz, 2000). Over a three-year period, first-time offenders with these risk factors were found to account for 55% of all repeat offenses. Commonly referred to as the “8% Problem” or “8% Population,” these juveniles constituted only 8% of all first time offenders. The “8% Population” risk factors identified in the Orange County research were: Being a first-time ward of the juvenile court at age 15 ½ years or younger Displaying at least three of the following: School behavior and performance problems (attendance problems, suspension/expulsion, failure of two or more classes); Family problems (poor supervision/control, history of domestic violence, child abuse/neglect, family members with criminal backgrounds); Substance abuse problems (regular use of alcohol or drugs); and/or High-risk pre-delinquent behaviors (e.g., stealing, chronic runaway, gang membership or association). In 1994, the California Legislature established a three-year pilot project, contingent upon the appropriation of funds, to be called the Repeat Offender Prevention Project (ROPP). The legislation called for the counties of Fresno, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Mateo and Solano to design, establish, implement, and evaluate a model program to meet the needs of the “8% Population” as identified in the Orange County research. The enabling legislation (Welfare and Institution Code Sections 743-749), further specified that: Programs involve a collaborative team approach to case assessment and management Both the participating youth and their families receive services developed by a multi-disciplinary team Each program be evaluated by randomly assigning all eligible juveniles to ROPP (treatment group) or to standard probation (comparison group), and then comparing the groups on the following outcomes at 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-month intervals: Number, subject matter and disposition of subsequent petitions to declare the minor a ward of the juvenile court; Number of days served in any local or state correctional facilities; Number of days of school attendance during the current or most recent semester; and Grade point average for the most recently completed school semester Each county submit written progress reports and evaluation reports to the Board of Corrections (Board) Based on the county reports, the Board provide annual reports to the Legislature on the effectiveness of the programs in achieving the demonstration project and program goals The 1996/97 Budget Act (Chapter 162) appropriated $3.5 million for ROPP. The 1997/98 Budget Act (Chapter 282) augmented the initial funding by $3.5 million and extended the grant expiration date from June 30, 1999 to June 30, 2000. In 1998, the Legislature passed AB 2594 (Chapter 327), which made the City/County of San Francisco eligible for ROPP funds. In addition, the 1998/99 Budget Act (Chapter 324) appropriated another $3.8 million to ROPP and extended the grant to June 30, 2001. To give counties the opportunity to increase the number of participants in their projects as well as the time needed to thoroughly assess the impact of interventions, the Legislature subsequently extended the grant period until June 30, 2002 and provided $3.8 million to fund this extension in the 2000/01 Budget Act (Chapter 52). San Francisco County received a total of $981,254 in State funds to implement ROPP, and contributed an additional $1,637,642 in local funds. This report describes San Francisco County’s ROPP program and the results of the program evaluation. Details: San Francisco: Davis Y. Ja and Associates, Inc., 2003. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2015 at: http://www.dyja.com/sites/default/files/u20/ROPP_Final_Report.pdf Year: 2003 Country: United States URL: http://www.dyja.com/sites/default/files/u20/ROPP_Final_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 135705 Keywords: Chronic OffendersJuvenile OffendersRecidivismReoffendingRepeat Offenders |
Author: Meservey, Fred Title: Caring for Youth with Mental Health Needs in the Juvenile Justice System: Improving Knowledge and Skills Summary: Approximately two-thirds of youth in the care of the juvenile justice system have a diagnosable mental health and/or substance use disorder. Too frequently, staff supervising these youth have received little formal adolescent mental health training and lack the knowledge and skills to provide adequate supervision and care. This can often lead to the use of ineffective and unnecessarily punitive responses to youth which can further exacerbate a youth's symptoms and create stressful situations for all. To address this challenge, the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice (NCMHJJ), with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, created and tested a mental health training curriculum for juvenile justice staff. Details: Delmar, NY(?):National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Program Brief, vol. 2, no. 2: Accessed May 20, 2015 at: http://cfc.ncmhjj.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/OJJDP-508-050415-FINAL.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://cfc.ncmhjj.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/OJJDP-508-050415-FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 135719 Keywords: Adolescent OffendersJuvenile OffendersMental Health ServicesMentally Ill OffendersSubstance Abuse Treatment |
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: Moncrieffe, Joy Title: Life Histories of at-risk Youth in Jamaica Summary: OBJECTIVE: The objective of conducting life histories is to inform the complexity of the challenges faced by young people in high-risk and disadvantaged communities in Kingston and St Andrew and to better understand how the programme has intervened in their life trajectories. ACTIVITIES The activities for this consultancy include: (i) in-depth interviews with 10 young people (5 females and 5 males below the age of 30) who live in CSJP participating communities; (ii) transcripts in English of the 10 life histories; and (iii) a one-page summary for each of the 10 life histories. METHODOLOGY In consultation with the CSJP and the IADB, 10 young people will be selected from 5 of the 15 participating communities in Kingston. The following guidelines will help to define sample selection: 1. Communities will have varying characteristics, such as levels of violence; community structures and governance processes; political affiliation; and levels of poverty. 2. Two young persons (one male and one female) will be selected from each community. This will allow for reflection on the differential challenges males and females encounter within the same contexts; 3. All respondents will be between 22 and 30 years; and 4. In order to properly assess the types of challenges young people encounter as well as how persons with different aptitudes and attitudes negotiate these, the sample will include interviewees who have been more and less successful, with similar interventions from CSJP. Consistent with the deliverables, this report contains transcripts of each taped session. The transcripts are preceded by a summary, which entails the basic socio-demographic data provided by each respondent, as well as the researcher's observations and conclusions. For each transcript, patois words have been translated to English; however, in order to retain the flavour of the interviews, the texts have not been translated to "formal" English. Thus, readers should not expect grammatical precision. In some cases, actual statements have been modified to ensure that the reader understands what the respondent and moderator hoped to convey. The moderators used language that respondents would most easily understand; this is reflected in the transcripts. Certain questions are repeated, sometimes to verify data. Repeating previous questions and statements is also typical of how Jamaicans converse. This, too, is reflected in the text. Readers are encouraged to bear these qualifications in mind as they try to interpret the material. Details: Washington, DC: Inter-American Development Bank, 2013. 167p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper, No. IDP-DP-305: Accessed May 22, 2015 at: http://publications.iadb.org/bitstream/handle/11319/5769/IDB-DP-305_Life_Histories_of_at-risk_Youth_in_Jamaica.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2013 Country: Jamaica URL: http://publications.iadb.org/bitstream/handle/11319/5769/IDB-DP-305_Life_Histories_of_at-risk_Youth_in_Jamaica.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 131614 Keywords: At-Risk YouthJuvenile JusticeJuvenile OffendersLife Histories |
Author: Levy, Horace Title: Youth Violence and Organized Crime in Jamaica: Causes and Counter-Measures. An Examination of the Linkages and Disconnections Summary: This Project emanated from the need to establish research-based grounds of solid value for an alternative to the mano dura approach, elements of which the authorities planned to continue using, or even extending, to address Jamaica's high homicide rates. The objective, therefore, was to investigate the relationship between youth violence and organized crime, with special attention given to the role of women and best practices and with the aim of influencing policy. Enabled by the Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) qualitative methodology, the Institute of Criminal Justice and Security (ICJS) research team was able, through focus groups and interviews with key informants, to engage directly with gangs and crews in communities in Kingston, and to a lesser extent, those in Spanish Town. The team encountered "defence crews" that were aligned to communities. These crews did not exhibit behaviour similar to that of illegal, wealth-seeking criminal gangs and, indicated no movement in that direction. Instead, they were strongly supported by women and responded positively to the mediatory and developmental "best practices" of state and non-state agencies. A significant number of criminal gang members also showed interest in pursuing an alternative and legal lifestyle. Women, for their part, were not associated with personal weapon usage. They tried to discourage conflicts and played an important part in community bonding. However, by having sexual relationships with "the enemy", they were often the ones blamed for provoking conflicts. For inner-city people, the community is of prime importance and defence crews and sometimes gangs are embedded in it. The various crews provide a constant source of enjoyment for inner-city people who live in depressed conditions. The research team recommends a national security policy that, rather than focusing simply on attacking the gangs, proposes the combination of community policing with community development and firmly asserting the central authority of the state. In the series of public forums held with security officials, the researchers received support for this approach from high-ranking officers of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). A number of specific recommendations include the provision of additional resources to "best practices", and women's empowerment, as well as ceasing to grant contracts to criminal gangs. Details: Ottawa: International Development Research Centre (IDRC), 2012. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 22, 2015 at: https://idl-bnc.idrc.ca/dspace/bitstream/10625/51348/1/IDL-51348.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Jamaica URL: https://idl-bnc.idrc.ca/dspace/bitstream/10625/51348/1/IDL-51348.pdf Shelf Number: 135756 Keywords: GangsHomicidesJuvenile OffendersOrganized CrimeSocioeconomic Conditions and CrimeViolenceViolent CrimeYouth Gangs |
Author: Earl, Catherine Title: Justice or an Unjust System? Aboriginal over-representation in South Australia's juvenile justice system Summary: Twenty-times more likely to be imprisoned than the non-Aboriginal population and making up 46% of the young people in SA's detention centres, this report highlights the problem of over-representation of Aboriginal young people in this state's juvenile justice system. The report recommends a new approach to engage Aboriginal people at all levels in the justice system, with a formally negotiated Indigenous Justice Agreement as a first step. There is little doubt that Aboriginal people are overrepresented in the SA juvenile justice system. The evidence suggests that similar trends are reflected across the nation and are also present in the adult population. However, this report focuses only on the juvenile system in South Australia. At its broadest, the juvenile justice system comprises all interactions with law enforcement. While this could include out-of-home care, the focus of this report is on the custodial and non-custodial system applying once a breach of the law is identified. In this part of the system, both the overall number of Aboriginal young people within it and the rate (per 100,000 population) have both decreased in recent years. However, the level of overrepresentation (that is discrepancy between rates for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people) has actually increased (because the rate of involvement of the general young population has decreased at a greater rate). The figures are stark: - Aboriginal young people comprise only 4% of the total population aged 10-17 years old, but make up 46% of young people in detention and 34% of young people under community-based supervision; - Aboriginal young people are 12.5 times more likely to be involved with the juvenile justice system than non- Aboriginal young people, and 19.7 times more likely to be in detention; - This level of over-representation is higher for young people than for the adult population: Aboriginal young people 19 times more likely to be imprisoned, by comparison with 16 times more likely for adults; - Over the five year period from 2009-2013 South Australia's rate of contact of Aboriginal young people with the juvenile justice system was the second highest in the country and well above the national average; - In 2013-14, the cost of incarcerating a young person in South Australia was $1,000 per young person per day, while the cost of community supervision was $73 per young person, per day; - The current cost of detention and non-custodial supervision of Aboriginal young people in South Australia is $13.3m per year; - If there was no over-representation, that is, if the rate of detention and community supervision of Aboriginal young people was the same as for the general young population, there would be fewer Aboriginal young people in the SA juvenile justice system, and a saving to the state budget of over $12m per annum. Several key inquiries and commissions have investigated issues of over-representation, providing a vastly underutilised resource for addressing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in the justice system. The interviews and voices in this report add depth to this literature and suggest a need to revisit those reports and to re-address many of the recommendations which have not been carried through systematically or effectively. Details: Unley, SA, AUS: South Australian Council of Social Service, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 26, 2015 at: http://www.sacoss.org.au/sites/default/files/public/documents/Reports/150401_Youth_Justice_Report_FINAL.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.sacoss.org.au/sites/default/files/public/documents/Reports/150401_Youth_Justice_Report_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 135786 Keywords: AboriginalsIndigenous PeoplesJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersRacial Disparities |
Author: Larson, Kimberly Title: Developing Statutes for Competence to Stand Trial in Juvenile Delinquency Proceedings: A Guide for Lawmakers Summary: The National Youth Screening and Assessment Project, part of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's Models for Change Initiative recently released a guide for policymakers who are considering creating juvenile competence to stand trial legislation. Authored by Kimberly Larson, J.D., Ph.D. and Thomas Grisso, Ph.D., the guide outlines the sixteen most important points lawmakers must consider in the creation of such legislation. Statutory language examples are provided throughout the guide on each of the sixteen key issues. This guide provides a comprehensive look at juveniles' competence to stand trial. It will be of use not only to those considering drafting legislation in this area or currently creating juvenile competence to stand trial laws in their state, but also to judges who are addressing the issue of competence within their courts. Attorneys and mental health professionals can also use it to learn more about the application of competence to juveniles. Details: National Youth Screening & Assessment Project, 2011. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 26, 2015 at: http://modelsforchange.net/publications/330 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://modelsforchange.net/publications/330 Shelf Number: 129792 Keywords: Competence to Stand TrialJuvenile OffendersMental Health |
Author: Helmond, Petra Title: Inside Out: Program Integrity and Effectiveness of the Cognitive-Behavioral Program EQUIP for Incarcerated Youth Summary: This dissertation focuses on the program integrity and effectiveness of the cognitive-behavioral program EQUIP for incarcerated youth. The title 'Inside Out' refers to opening the 'black box' of the implementation of EQUIP. We will uncover the actual implementation of the EQUIP program by bringing out what happens inside group meetings of the EQUIP program. In another sense, we will turn the implementation of EQUIP inside out by assessing the program integrity of EQUIP and the impact of program integrity on the effectiveness of EQUIP in a detailed way. Last but not least, we hope to contribute to the 'what works' literature in correctional treatment with the knowledge on program integrity obtained in our research. In this way, the present dissertation hopes to contribute to keeping youths inside out, from inside correctional facilities to outside, out into society. Effective intervention outcomes can be established on the condition that interventions contain effective ingredients and that interventions are implemented with high levels of program integrity (see Table 1). Although program integrity is widely recognized as an important factor influencing the effectiveness of interventions, many studies still fail to include measures of program integrity (Durlak & DuPre, 2008; Landenberger & Lipsey, 2005; Roen, Arai, Roberts, & Popay, 2006). Although correctional treatment researchers have written extensively about the importance of program integrity for the success of rehabilitation programs (Andrews & Dowden, 2005; Gendreau, Goggin, & Smith, 1999; Landenberger & Lipsey, 2005; Lipsey, 2009), studies on the effectiveness of correctional treatment that include measures of integrity are almost nonexistent (Andrews & Dowden, 2005; Landenberger & Lipsey, 2005; Lipsey, 2009). Yet, it is crucially important to know whether interventions have been implemented with high levels of program integrity for two reasons. First, without any information on program integrity we do not know whether the experimental manipulation (i.e., the intervention) has succeeded and whether positive, negative or absent outcomes can and should be attributed to the intervention program (Dane & Schneider, 1998; Durlak & DuPre, 2008; Mowbray, Holter, Teague, & Bybee, 2003). Second, in general, studies have shown that higher levels of program integrity are related to higher levels of program effectiveness (Caroll et al., 2007; Durlak & DuPre, 2008). For instance, the intervention Multisystemic Therapy (MST) showed that higher levels of program integrity predicted higher effectiveness of MST, in terms of rates of youth criminal charges after the intervention (Schoenwald, Chapman, Sheidow, & Carter, 2009). In a correctional setting, Family Functional Therapy (FFT) and Aggression Replacement Training (ART) produced greater reductions in recidivism when implemented competently (Barnoski, 2004). A major shortcoming of this latter study was that the measurement of "competence" was based on post-hoc recollections of involved supervising staff rather than on real time measurement (Barnoski, 2004). In this dissertation, we have examined the program integrity and effectiveness of EQUIP, a cognitive-behavioral program aimed at reducing antisocial behavior of incarcerated offenders. Previous studies on the effectiveness of EQUIP showed diverse results (Brugman & Bink, 2011; Devlin & Gibbs, 2010; Leeman, Gibbs, & Fuller, 1993; Liau et al., 2004; Nas, Brugman, & Koops, 2005). However, none of these previous studies included measures of program integrity. Thus, for these previous studies on EQUIP it is unclear whether the program was actually implemented as intended and whether the diverse findings should be attributed to poor program implementation or to a lack of effectiveness of the EQUIP program itself. Therefore, the aim of this dissertation was to assess the program integrity of EQUIP, and to examine whether higher levels of program integrity would stimulate the effectiveness of EQUIP on program outcomes (i.e., cognitive distortions, social skills, and moral development) and behavioral outcomes (i.e., recidivism). Details: Utrecht: Universiteit Utrecht, 2013. 213p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 26, 2015 at: http://dspace.library.uu.nl/bitstream/handle/1874/272325/helmond.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2013 Country: Netherlands URL: http://dspace.library.uu.nl/bitstream/handle/1874/272325/helmond.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 129791 Keywords: Cognitive-Behavioral TreatmentCognitive-Treatment ProgramsCorrectional ProgramsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Treatment Programs |
Author: Prince, Kort Title: Minors in the Utah Adult Criminal Justice System. Retrospective Characteristic Study Summary: America's youth are facing an ever changing set of problems and barriers to successful lives. Many youth are imperiled by poverty, abuse, neglect, violence, lack of education, substance abuse and poor community resources. And with these barriers comes more crimes committed by juveniles along with more juveniles sentenced as adults for heinous crimes (Thigpen, Beauclair, Innes, & Halley, 2011). Approximately a quarter-million juveniles end up in the adult criminal justice system each year and they are more likely to have a higher recidivism rate than those juveniles who are kept in the juvenile justice system (Griffin, 2008). Youth who are transferred from the juvenile justice system to the adult criminal justice system are approximately 34% more likely than youth retained in the juvenile justice system to be re-arrested for violent or other crimes (Center for Disease Control Morbidity and Mortality Report, 2007). Before 1970, juvenile offenders transferred to the adult criminal justice system in most states were court-ordered on a case-by case basis. In the 1970s and 1980s, states began to gradually adopt direct file laws1 and mandatory waiver2 laws. In the late 1980s youth violence began to rise, and in 1994 hit an all-time high, resulting in states modifying their statutes. During this time, nearly every state lowered age and offense thresholds to facilitate transfers to the adult system. The number of states with mandatory laws during this time went from 20 states to 38. Prosecutorial discretion laws3 went from being present in 7 states to 15. Transfer law changes since 2000 have been less common by comparison. Rather, states have kept the modified laws in place despite significant decreases in juvenile violence since 1994. Instead, the trend of the states is generally a refusal to review the policies (Griffin, Addie, Adams, & Firestine, 2011). In spite of the fact that states made it easier to remove juvenile cases to the adult criminal justice system, judicial waiver4 rates decreased by 35% between 1994 and 2007 (Griffin, et al., 2011). The decline in the number of cases judicially waived after 1994 may be attributable to the large increase in the number of states that passed legislation excluding certain serious offenses from juvenile court jurisdiction and legislation permitting the prosecutor to file certain cases directly in criminal court (Puzzanchera, Adams, & Sickmund, 2010). There is a concern that the lack of individualized review and lack of recourse for the juvenile, which is inherent in these types of laws, may actually increase recidivism or at the very least not decrease it. Additionally, the harmful effects on a juvenile in the adult system may counteract the deterrence effect these statutes are supposed to achieve (Mulvey & Schubert, 2012). Juvenile justice systems were created to better meet the needs of juvenile offenders; understanding that, developmentally, juvenile offenders were much different than adult criminal offenders and services should to be tailored to meet those needs. The establishments of transfer laws, however, are contrary to this notion that juvenile offenders need different services than adult offenders if recidivism is going to be reduced. Numerous research studies have shown that adult criminal justice systems are not equipped to meet both the cognitive (e.g. ability to problem solve) and environmental (e.g. family dynamics) needs that youth offenders possess, and, furthermore, were never designed to serve juvenile offenders (Redding, 2008; Washburn, 2008; Steiner, & Wright, 2006; Woorland, 2005). Understanding that juveniles do in fact commit crimes that would normally be associated with adults (e.g. murder, rape) and may require more punitive punishments, it is equally important to understand that, to be successful in rehabilitating juveniles offenders, both justice systems need to be cognizant of the characteristics of their populations, what services have and have not been provided to juvenile offenders and what the impact transferring juveniles to the adult criminal justice system is having on recidivism. To gain a better understanding of the juvenile offender population in Utah, the Utah Division of Juvenile Justice (UDJJS) partnered with the University of Utah's Criminal Justice Center (UCJC) in FY13 to embark upon a retrospective study examining the characteristics (e.g. criminal history, gender, race, and recidivism) of juvenile offenders that enter the adult criminal justice system through either the Serious Youth Offender (SYO) or Certified Youth to the Adult System (CYAS). The purpose of this study is twofold: 1) to identify and examine any unique characteristics of this population and 2) to determine the type of UDJJS interventions these youth received before entering the adult criminal justice system as a minor. It has been understood from the onset of this study that courts and juvenile justice systems cannot eliminate all criminal behaviors; nonetheless, a retrospective look at the juvenile offenses, recidivism outcomes, and placement history variables might prove useful to guide future decision-making and reduce the number of youth entering the adult system. Details: Salt Lake City: Utah Criminal Justice Center, University of Utah, 2013. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 27, 2015 at: http://ucjc.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/MIAS-Report9_5_2-13_forUCJC-Site.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://ucjc.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/MIAS-Report9_5_2-13_forUCJC-Site.pdf Shelf Number: 129966 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransfersJuvenile OffendersRecidivismWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction) |
Author: Blair, Lesli Title: Juvenile Drug Courts: A Process, Outcome, and Impact Evaluation Summary: This bulletin provides an overview of an Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention-sponsored evaluation of drug court intervention programs, their processes, and key outcome features. The authors evaluated nine juvenile drug courts from three regions nationwide, assessing the relative effect of each court and the courts' combined effectiveness in reducing recidivism and improving youth's social functioning. Some of the authors' key findings follow below. - Seven of nine sites saw higher rates of new referrals for drug court youth when compared with youth on traditional probation, and six of nine sites saw higher rates of new adjudications for drug court youth when compared with youth on traditional probation. - Only one of nine sites evidenced significant reductions for both new referrals and new adjudications. These positive outcomes may be due to the referral agencies providing treatment on the court's behalf adhering more closely to evidence-based practices. - Many of the juvenile drug courts were not adequately assessing their clients for risk, needs, and barriers to treatment success. - Juvenile drug courts in general were not adhering to evidence-based practices. Only two of the nine courts performed well in the process evaluation that measured adherence to evidence-based correctional treatment practices, and only one court's referral agencies performed well in the process evaluation. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2015. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: OJJDP Juvenile Justice Bulletin, 2015: Accessed May 30, 2015 at: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248406.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248406.pdf Shelf Number: 135806 Keywords: Drug CourtsDrug TreatmentJuvenile CourtsJuvenile Drug CourtsJuvenile OffendersProblem-Solving Courts |
Author: Males, Mike Title: The Plummeting Arrest Rates of California's Children Summary: A new research report by CJCJ's Mike Males documents a pronounced decline in arrests of California's children over the past 30 years. The absence of specific, statewide policy aimed at reducing the arrest of children, coupled with favorable trends in youth issues suggest the decrease in childhood arrests may reflect a real decrease in child crime, rather than a shift in arrest practices. Key findings: - In 1978, nearly 14,000 children under age 12 were arrested, 4,400 of whom were under age 10. But in 2013, with a pre-teen population 40 percent larger, arrests for children under 12 fell to 1,394, and arrests of children under 10 fell to 219 - leading to a 92 percent drop in arrest rates. - Forty-seven of the 58 counties (including all major ones) experienced dramatic drops in child arrests between 1980 and 2013. In Los Angeles County, the number of arrests of children under 10 dropped from 485 to 17; in Fresno County, from 132 to four; and in Alameda 321 to six. - The decline in youth arrests is in striking contrast to arrests of older ages: While people under age 25 experienced large declines in felony arrests, those ages 25-29 saw a modest increase, and those ages 30 and older saw large increases. - A supplemental report reveals one exceptions to California's decline in child arrests: Stockton, which along with the city of San Bernardino allows school district officers to arrest students and have arrest rates 24 times higher than the rest of California. Stockton, with one percent of California's youth under age 10, now accounts for 26 percent of the state's arrests of children that age. The dramatic and sustained declines in child arrests, combined with other positive youth outcomes, provide California the opportunity to research what lies behind the trends, adjust youth crime forecasts, and reexamine investments in new juvenile facilities. Details: San Francisco: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, 2015. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 2, 2015 at: http://www.cjcj.org/uploads/cjcj/documents/final_child_crime_report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.cjcj.org/uploads/cjcj/documents/final_child_crime_report.pdf Shelf Number: 135845 Keywords: ArrestsCrime StatisticsJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation Title: Joint thematic inspection of resettlement services to children by Youth Offending Teams and partner agencies Summary: Context The inspection took place as the Government had just launched Transforming Youth Custody which includes plans for the improvement of resettlement work with children. The Youth Justice Board and the National Offender Management Service are tasked with taking these plans forward. The inspection This inspection was led by HMI Probation, in collaboration with partner inspectorates, in response to the findings from our mainstream inspection programme of youth offending work which suggested that services to children in custody and on release were not being delivered consistently well enough. The inspection focused on the journey and experience of the child. Their cases were tracked through the custodial period, their release and the initial phase out into the community. We talked to them and their parents/carers where possible and appropriate, about the things that made it easier for them to settle back into their community successfully and about what got in the way. We also talked to staff and managers within the Young Offender Institutions, the Secure Training Centres and Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) as well as chairs of the YOT management boards and senior managers from the organisations with oversight of this work throughout England. Overall findings The offending outcomes for many of the children whose cases we inspected were poor. Too many had been rearrested, charged or convicted of new offences within months, or even weeks, of being released. Other outcomes: accommodation, education, training or employment, substance misuse and/or physical or mental health was also poor for too many. Very often, the support to help these children to successfully stop offending and start new, law-abiding lives had not been good enough. Many of the children in our inspection were vulnerable to harm, either through their offending or from others. They led complicated and chaotic lives, often in very difficult circumstances. Much hard work was carried out in the custodial institutions but it was not linked to giving children the best chance to stop offending and make a new life. It did not meet the individual, and often complex, needs of the child frequently enough; it was restricted to what was routinely available within the institution, the provision of education and behaviour management. Key staff did not fully understand each other's roles, did not always value each other's input and did not always work together. Information sharing was inconsistent both within and between organisations. Sentence planning was not integrated across all internal services, did not always take account of previous assessments or individual need and was not genuinely linked to the community. Plans were not useful tools to drive progress; they were generic, wordy and unfocused. Planning meetings were ineffective and failed to properly engage children and their parents/carers. Over one-third of children were held over 50 miles from home. This impacted on the ability of parents/carers to visit and be involved in planning, as well as the processes for gaining accommodation and accessing constructive activities. At the custodial stage, work in the community was not proactive and in too many cases was largely about attending meetings in the institution rather than preparing for release. Sometimes, having meetings and putting plans on a database had become ends in themselves; children recognised that and had become frustrated and disengaged. The worst examples of this were the lack of suitable accommodation being considered early enough and the failure to organise appropriate, realistic education, training and employment provision or constructive activities at the point of release. These were the two main complaints from those to whom we spoke. Children did not understand why things were not in place when they had been in custody for months. Too often, children and their parents/carers were not involved or engaged to any meaningful extent in the plans for release. They were at best, merely aware of the plans and, at worst, kept in the dark. There was little preparation to help them cope with the impact of the child's release. While there are some promising local resettlement projects, resettlement work in the community often started too late. Resources and services were not in place soon enough before release, leaving the child insufficiently supported at the most crucial point. Too often, it did not take into account what had taken place in custody. Contingency planning for the period following release was almost non-existent and Release on Temporary Licence was not used to promote successful resettlement. We found that some children were released without any form of statutory supervision following recall. At every stage, we found that children were held to account for their behaviour. We did not see a corresponding rigour towards the agencies tasked with providing services to them, either inside or outside custody. Conversely, we saw some excellent work both in custody and in the community, and for a small number of children, this hard work had contributed to successful resettlement back into the community. Those children had not reoffended. They had been helped to find and maintain suitable accommodation, they were engaged in education, training or employment and they told us about how they had changed the way they thought about themselves and their future. They were determined to make a new start and to stop offending. As outlined in the foreword, there are a number of agencies and departments responsible for resettlement policy and strategy. Across England and Wales, no one individual or organisation is ultimately accountable for the improvement of resettlement outcomes, in particular the reduction in the high level of reoffending of children leaving custody. The Youth Justice Board and the National Offender Management Service are again planning to improve resettlement practice under the auspices of the Government's Transforming Youth Custody. Previous initiatives have failed to embed improvements in services to those leaving custody or substantially reduce their reoffending. Locally, we found that YOT management boards did not identify or analyse the specific needs of children leaving custody or look at the reasons for their failure to settle back into the community successfully. Nor were children's social care services and housing providers sufficiently engaged, or held to account, in relation to the resettlement needs of children. Details: Manchester, UK: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation, 2015. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 3, 2015 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/03/Youth-Resettlement_report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/03/Youth-Resettlement_report.pdf Shelf Number: 135863 Keywords: AftercareJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationJuvenile ReentryJuvenile Resettlement |
Author: Mendel, Richard A. Title: Maltreatment of Youth in U.S. Juvenile Corrections Facilities: An Update Summary: In its 2011 report, No Place for Kids: The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration, the Annie E. Casey Foundation demonstrated that America's heavy reliance on juvenile incarceration is a failed strategy for addressing youth crime. Specifically, No Place for Kids showed that heavy reliance on correctional confinement exposes incarcerated youth to widespread maltreatment; results in alarming levels of recidivism; incarcerates children who do not pose significant threats to public safety; ignores the emergence of treatment models that produce better outcomes; wastes money with costs that often exceed $100,000 per young person per year; and fails to provide adequate mental health, educational, substance abuse and other services. In short, the report found that these institutions are dangerous, ineffective, unnecessary, obsolete, wasteful and inadequate. This report focuses on the first of these challenges, the widespread and persistent maltreatment of youth confined in America's juvenile corrections facilities. These facilities often go by euphemistic labels such as training school, reformatory, correctional center, etc., but are in essence youth prisons. In No Place for Kids, the Casey Foundation found that clear evidence of recurring or systemic maltreatment had been identified in the vast majority of states since 1970. In nearly half the states, this clear record of systemic maltreatment had been documented in juvenile correctional facilities since 2000. No Place for Kids also identified 52 lawsuits since 1970 that resulted in a court-sanctioned remedy in response to allegations of systemic problems with violence, physical or sexual abuse by facility staff and/or excessive use of isolation or physical restraints. The following pages update those findings, and the news is not good. Rather, in the nearly four years since No Place for Kids was published, a flood of new revelations of abuse and maltreatment has emerged. Details: Baltimore: The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2015. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 8, 2015 at: http://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/aecf-maltreatmentyouthuscorrections-2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/aecf-maltreatmentyouthuscorrections-2015.pdf Shelf Number: 135921 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: National Disability Rights Network Title: Orphanages, Training Schools, Reform Schools and Now This? Summary: Children with disabilities are disproportionately placed in the juvenile justice system, receive inadequate treatment and are denied educational opportunities, the National Disability Rights Network asserted in a report released today. "More than 65 percent of youth in the justice system meet the criteria for a disability, a rate that is three times higher than that of the general population," said Curt Decker, NDRN's executive director. "The millions we spend housing and feeding our young people behind razor wire can be far better spent helping them to find their way in this world." The findings in Orphanages, Training Schools, Reform Schools and Now This? are based upon scores of reports from the nationwide Protection and Advocacy (P&A) System. P&As provide legal and other advocacy services to children and youth with disabilities in the juvenile justice system, and also maintain a presence in the facilities in which they are found, including prisons, jails, and detention centers. P&As have the legal authority to monitor and investigate allegations of abuse in these facilities. Issues addressed in this report include: Diversion of children and youth with disabilities from the juvenile justice system (particularly stemming the "School to Prison Pipeline"), humane conditions while incarcerated (such as accommodation and communication needs, medical care, mental health treatment, and the prevention of abuse and neglect) and re-entry services like education and treatment to ensure the child or youth's success upon release from the facility. The report describes the problems children and youth with disabilities encounter, solutions used with success by the P&As, and provides specific recommendations for systemic improvements. Some of those recommendations include: -Congress should authorize and fund a Protection and Advocacy for Juvenile Justice Program to help divert youth with disabilities from entering the juvenile justice system, investigate and monitor conditions for youth with disabilities in the juvenile justice system, and ensure proper return to the community with needed services and supports. -Congress should prohibit the use of solitary confinement and/or isolation for all juveniles, including those housed in adult settings. -Congress should require that schools identified as having elevated school-based arrest rates: 1) lose the opportunity to use federal funds to employ School Resource Officers (SROs); 2) ensure SROs work is limited to traditional police activities and not discipline of non- violent student behavior; and, 3) require SROs in those schools to undergo training in specific, related topics. -The U.S. Department of Education (ED) and Department of Justice (DOJ) should fully enforce laws requiring that education of youth in facilities is equal to that provided to students in other public schools. Details: Washington, DC: National Disability Rights Center, 2015. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 8, 2015 at: http://www.ndrn.org/images/Documents/Issues/Juvenile_Justice/NDRN_-_Juvenile_Justice_Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.ndrn.org/images/Documents/Issues/Juvenile_Justice/NDRN_-_Juvenile_Justice_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 135922 Keywords: DisabilityJuvenile DetentionJuvenile DiversionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Gupte, Jaideep Title: Can Targeted Transition Services for Young Offenders Foster Pro-Social Attitudes and Behaviours in Urban Settings? Evidence from the Evaluation of the Kherwadi Social Welfare Association's Yuva Parivartan ProgrammeJaideep Summary: Can targeted preventive action and access to employment for school dropouts act as a preventive measure against delinquency and crime? Kherwadi Social Welfare Association's Yuva Parivartan (Youth Betterment) programme is evaluated through a mixed-methods approach on the following five programme-specific Sub-Questions (SQs): SQ1: Is the Yuva Parivartan (YP) programme effective at imparting on youth a set of prosocial values that are consistent with job-seeking and crime-avoidance behaviours? SQ2: Are the benefits of the YP programme reaching the population who self-report committing a crime? SQ3: Does the YP programme lead to pro-social behavioural changes? SQ4: Is there a relationship between attitudes towards aggressive and/or violent behaviour, entitlement, anti-social intent and employment outcomes? SQ5: Does the YP programme manage to instill a feeling of confidence among the trainees about their future prospects of finding a job? The evaluation design enables a critical comparison of employment outcomes and behavioural changes among cohorts of school dropouts varying by time since participating in the vocational training programme. Results are interpreted in conjunction with detailed indepth narratives describing the experiences of young offenders as well as key insights into the perceptions of programme effectiveness. The sample comprised 1,207 youth (average age of 20 years), who were either aspiring to enroll in the programme, were currently enrolled, or had graduated from the programme up to three years prior to the survey. Respondents within each group were randomly selected from a roster of all programme participants past, present and prospective across urban Maharashtra. Details: Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies, 2015. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Evidence Report no. 136: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/6167/ER136_CanTargetedTransitionServicesforYoungOffendersFosterPro-SocialAttitudesandBehavioursinUrbanSettings.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2015 Country: India URL: http://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/6167/ER136_CanTargetedTransitionServicesforYoungOffendersFosterPro-SocialAttitudesandBehavioursinUrbanSettings.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 136010 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionEmployment ProgramsJobsJuvenile OffendersSchool DropoutsYouthful Offenders |
Author: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales Title: Youth offending teams: making the difference for children and young people, victims and communities: final report Summary: Introduction 1.1 The YJB is a non-departmental public body created by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to oversee, monitor and lead the youth justice system in England and Wales. The statutory aim of the youth justice system is to prevent offending by children and young people. 1.2 Youth offending teams (YOTs) are multi-agency partnerships that deliver youth justice services locally. The YJB sets standards in youth justice services and monitors YOTs' performance. YOTs are funded by their statutory partners and receive an annual grant from central government administered and overseen by the YJB. 1.3 Over February and March 2015 YJB Board members undertook a series of visits to a representative sample of 20 YOTs in parallel with and to complement the Ministry of Justice's 'stocktake' through providing a more qualitative contextual analysis. The purpose of the visits was to deepen our understanding of how YOTs have evolved, and to explore examples of good practice and innovation. This report outlines our key findings. Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2015 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445271/Board_Visits_Final_Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445271/Board_Visits_Final_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 136067 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile JusticeJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Butts, Jeffrey A. Title: Line Drawing: Raising the Minimum Age of Criminal Court Jurisdiction in New York Summary: In his 2014 State of the State address, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the formation of a state commission to produce a plan for raising the age at which juveniles are charged as adults in New York courts. Currently, New York is one of two states where all 16 year-olds accused of violating the law are automatically handled in criminal (adult) court. Governor Cuomo directed the new Commission on Youth, Public Safety & Justice to develop an effective strategy for changing the policy that currently sets the lower boundary for criminal court jurisdiction at age 16. He described the policy as "outdated." The ultimate goal of the newly formed Commission, according to the Governor, is to create a "roadmap" for reforming the justice system to "promote youth success and ensure public safety." During 2014, the Commission will: - Develop a plan to raise the age of criminal responsibility, including proposing concrete recommendations to protect public safety with regard to the small number of young violent offenders. As with the entire plan, these recommendations will be informed by the science of what works and other relevant factors to reduce recidivism and maintain public safety; - Make other specific recommendations as to how New York's juvenile and criminal justice systems can better serve youth, improve outcomes, and protect communities; and - Ensure that for the small percentage of youth who engage repeatedly in violent or other harmful behavior, protecting communities and The following report is designed to inform the Commission's efforts by examining the reasons for changing the age of criminal jurisdiction and by reviewing the implications of such a change. The report examines the relationship of jurisdictional age to serious crime and it reviews the experiences of states that have previously changed their jurisdictional age laws. Next, the report addresses the cost considerations involved in these policy changes and it describes the types of detailed cost-benefit analyses that New York should undertake to project their effects on shifting court caseloads and the number of youth likely to be placed in various supervision programs and placement settings. Details: New York: Research & Evaluation Center, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 2014. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2015 at: http://johnjayresearch.org/rec/files/2014/02/linedrawing.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://johnjayresearch.org/rec/files/2014/02/linedrawing.pdf Shelf Number: 136076 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransfersJuvenile Justice PolicyJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile OffendersWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction) |
Author: Baglivio, Michael Title: The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Disposition Matrix: A Validation Study Summary: As part of the Juvenile Justice System Improvement Project (JJSIP), the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (FDJJ) has developed and implemented a Disposition Matrix to guide Juvenile Probation Officers in their recommendations to the court. This report is the first assessment as to whether dispositions/placements made according to the Disposition Matrix suggestions have more successful outcomes than those made which deviate from the Disposition Matrix recommendations. Highlighted Results: 92% of the dispositions fell within the Disposition Matrix suggested range. Female youth were more likely to receive an optimum placement than male youth. White and Hispanic youth were more likely to receive an optimum placement than Black youth; Youth receiving placements within the Disposition Matrix suggested range had significantly lower subsequent recidivism than those placed outside of the suggested range. This result held true for males, females, across race/ethnicity, and for all risk levels of youth. Overall, the 12 month recidivism rate of those placed outside of the Disposition Matrix suggestions is two times higher than that of those placed within the suggested range; The recidivism rate of low risk to re-offend youth placed outside of the Disposition Matrix suggestions is 114% higher than the rate for low risk youth placed within the suggestions. The recidivism rate for high risk to re-offend youth placed outside of suggestions is 39% higher than the rate for high risk to re-offend youth placed within suggestions. Similar results hold true for moderate and moderate-high risk to re-offend youth, though not as pronounced; For males, a disposition/placement above guidelines is associated with a 67% increase in recidivism from the optimum placement rate, and a below guidelines disposition/placement is associated with a 148% increase in recidivism from the optimum placement rate; For females, a disposition/placement above guidelines is associated with a 43% increase in recidivism from the optimum placement rate, and a below guidelines disposition/placement is associated with a 304% increase in recidivism rate from the optimum placement rate; Youth who receive optimum placements have the highest success rates both during and after placement. Youth who receive placements below suggestions, meaning not restrictive enough according to the Disposition Matrix, have the worst performance. The recidivism rate for all race/ethnic subgroups was over 50% for below guidelines dispositions/placements; Dispositions/placements made outside of the Disposition Matrix suggestions lead to over 1.5 times more failures in terms of a comprehensive measure that includes both adjudications during placement and within 12 months of release; The failure rates on a comprehensive measure including both offenses and violations during service and 12 month recidivism for above guidelines placements was 59% higher than those of optimum placements and the failure rates for below guidelines placements was 108% higher than those of optimum placements; Regardless of the outcome measure examined (recidivism, offenses during service, or a combined metric of both) dispositions/placements within the Disposition Matrix performed significantly better than those outside of the suggested range. Details: Tallahassee: Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Bureau of Research and Planning, 2014. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2015 at: http://www.djj.state.fl.us/docs/research2/the-fdjj-disposition-matrix-validation-study.pdf?sfvrsn=0 Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.djj.state.fl.us/docs/research2/the-fdjj-disposition-matrix-validation-study.pdf?sfvrsn=0 Shelf Number: 136078 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationRecidivism |
Author: Wider Impact Consultancy Title: Birmingham Based Police Youth Crime Officers: Independent Evaluation Summary: Wider Impact Consultancy has been delighted to accept this commission, the overall aim of the work being to carry out an independent evaluation of the effectiveness of the Birmingham Youth Crime Officers (YCOs) in relation to their prime objective of reducing youth offending by enforcement and intervention measures. Details of key objectives are highlighted at Section . 1.2 Methodology Our research has been undertaken in three distinct phases: 1. Desk research. 2. Field research. 3. Presentation of our final report. Desk research has included accessing and assessing key youth related national, regional, sub-regional and local policies and strategies. Field research has been extensive and has included site visits / meetings / observational studies, one to one meetings, group meetings and site visits / meeting key staff / researching "best practice" in other areas of the Country. 1.3 Key Findings The Youth Offending Service (YOS) was established by the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act, which requires each Chief Executive of a local authority to establish a local statutory multi-agency partnership involving (within Birmingham) the National Probation Service - West Midlands, West Midlands Police and Birmingham Primary Care Trusts. Based on national, regional, sub-regional and local policy and strategies, we have no doubts that the Birmingham based YCOs have a key role to play in the achievement of youth related national, regional, sub-regional and local aims and objectives. The Birmingham YCOs are extremely professional in their approach to their work, and are, on the whole, well regarded and appreciated within the multi-agency YOT offices. They provide a valuable and essential 'police presence', which is clearly best delivered by their working within YOT offices and in close partnership with fellow YOT staff members and other key multi-agency members. Their primary role has been focussed on delivering Final Warnings and associated record keeping / carrying out and arranging appropriate interventions and information sharing; including gathering intelligence on behalf of West Midlands Police. Other tasks carried out by the Birmingham YCOs include specific interventions for young people subject to Reprimands and Community Resolutions; officers designing and implementing group and individual intervention programmes; for example in response to new Government guidance on dealing with knife crime. It is apparent however, that the YCO Job Description (Appendix A), which outlines other "key main duties and responsibilities" is not being fully utilised. There is a lack of consistency across the YOS in the implementation and emphasis on such tasks, which requires attention. During our research, it has become apparent that, on the whole, operation police officers have limited knowledge of the roles of the YCOs within the YOTs and how they could enhance their front line roles of preventing and detecting crime. As will be highlighted, increased emphasis of "partnerships", as a result of Programme Paragon, and the subsequent force restructure along with our recommendations, should lead to increased awareness of and engagement with the YCOs. It has been an observation, that on the whole within the Birmingham area, there is excellent and innovative work going on within local YOTs and at operational (LPU) policing levels to deliver common objectives, which include preventing and reducing youth crime and anti-social behaviour, and improving public confidence in the Criminal Justice System. In relation to the role of the YCOs, we have noted a useful analogy, of there being a number of locally based LPU and YCO "beehives", containing valuable resources and sources of information and intelligence; with each working independently, without much input from the YCOs. It is the view of many we have spoken to that the ideal situation would be for the Birmingham based YCOs to be playing a significant role in "connecting" the "beehives" together in terms of youth related police / YOT / multi-agency intelligence coordination, information sharing and innovative partnership working. Details: Birmingham, UK: West Midlands Police and Birmingham Youth Offending Service, 2010. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2015 at: http://www.widerimpact.com/docs/Birmingham-Police-Youth.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.widerimpact.com/docs/Birmingham-Police-Youth.pdf Shelf Number: 136079 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersPolice EffectivenessPolice OfficersYouth Adult Offenders |
Author: Mitchell, Mary Title: Keeping Youth Away from Crime: Searching for Best European Practices Summary: Scotland is a small country with a commitment to social justice and inclusion, and public policy aims to respect the rights of children and young people. Current policy trends in Scotland include: emphasising early intervention rather than provision at the point of crisis; investing in early years services; integrated working across services for children; and holding services accountable by outcomes, rather than focusing on processes. There is much in Scottish children's services to celebrate, but equally much that is in need of improvement. Scotland is around the OECD average in terms of inequality in PISA outcomes. There is a wide gap in pupil attainment linked to social deprivation. Pupils with additional support needs and from deprived neighbourhoods are significantly more likely than others to be excluded from school. The Scottish Children's Hearings systems emphasises welfare rather than punitive approaches, and secure accommodation is used only rarely. However, the rate of imprisonment of 18-25 year olds in Scotland is one of the highest in Europe. The Getting it Right for Every Child programme emphasises inter-agency and preventative approaches, but there has as yet been no national evaluation of its effectiveness. Overall, levels of economic inequality in Scotland are high, and whilst children's services can ameliorate some of the difficulties that inevitably arise, major social change will require a fairer distribution of national economic and social resources. Details: Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh, Centre for Research in Education Inclusion and Diversity, 2015. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2015 at: http://www.docs.hss.ed.ac.uk/education/creid/Reports/33i_Providus_report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.docs.hss.ed.ac.uk/education/creid/Reports/33i_Providus_report.pdf Shelf Number: 136085 Keywords: At-Risk YouthDelinquency PreventionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Wright, Kathy Title: The Incarceration of Children & Youth in New Jersey's Adult Prison System Summary: Each year, over 200,000 children and youth are tried as adults across the country. In the state of New Jersey, youth as young as 14 can be tried, sentenced and incarcerated in the adult prison system, and those age 16 or older are subject to mandatory (automatic) waivers if they commit certain crimes. It is the position of the New Jersey Parents' Caucus, Inc. (NJPC) and its membership that the state's current policies which promote the trying, sentencing and incarceration of children and youth between the ages of 14 and 17 in adult system are unjust and require further review. No youth should face an increased likelihood of adult waiver for a similar crime in a similar circumstance because of race, ethnicity, geography or socio-economic status. As well, for those children who are waived to the adult system, safety, rehabilitative services, treatment, and appropriate educational services and support, must be provided, particularly for those children with a history of mental health needs and/or special education involvement. As part of the New Jersey Youth Justice Initiative, we at the New Jersey Parents' Caucus have been able to gather comprehensive state data from the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJ DOC) on 472 children tried, sentenced, and incarcerated in the adult prison system. The data largely covers the period 2007 - 2015, though some information gathered dates back to 2003. In addition to the data retrieved from the NJ Department of Corrections, we've received qualitative data from a subset of the same population (120 youth) by means of a survey assessment provided to incarcerated youth and their parents, caregivers and family members. All data includes youth residing in the following adult prisons: Garden State Youth Correctional Facility, Albert Wagner Youth Correctional Facility, Northern State Prison, New Jersey State Prison, Mountainview Youth Correctional Facility, Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center, South Woods State Prison, Edna Mahan Correctional Facility, Mid-State Correctional Facility, Southern State Correctional Facility, East Jersey State Prison, Central Reception and Assignment Facility, and Bayside State Prison. Our Key Findings - Gross Racial & Ethnic Disparities: Youth of color are disproportionately represented among those waived to the adult prison system in New Jersey and make up approximately 90% of youth included in our data set who are incarcerated in the adult system. Of those children and youth, approximately 72% of are African American and 18% are Latino. - Justice by Geography: Rates of incarceration in the adult prison system vary significantly across counties in New Jersey, suggesting that justice depends on where one lives, not on the facts of a given case. For example, in Camden County, 14 to 17 year olds make up 5.8% of the population of children between the ages of 0-17, but make up 15.3% of our data set between 2007 and 2015. In comparison, in Hunterdon County, where youth 14 to 17 make up 6.3% of the population of children between the ages of 0-17, 0% were incarcerated in the adult system between 2007 and 2015. - Youth are Regularly Deprived of Due Process: Approximately 30% of the 472 youth waived to adult court during the study period spent more than 2 years incarcerated, between their arrest date and their sentencing date. - Youth are Subject to Long Term Solitary Confinement In the Adult Prison System: Solitary confinement is known to be psychologically damaging, especially to children. Yet, based on our survey data, over half the youth in adult prisons are put into solitary confinement; 5 percent spend over a year there, and about 4 percent spent 2 years or more in solitary. Nearly 70 percent of those placed in solitary had a mental health disorder. - Youth Suffer Abuse While in Adult Prison. Once incarcerated in an adult prison, one in four youth surveyed reported physical abuse; 5% reported sexual abuse. - Youth Needs are Not being Met in the Community: About 71% of youth waived to the adult system were known to at least two child-serving agencies, prior to their involvement in adult court, with the majority having been involved in the mental health system. Of those youth, more than two out of three children and youth have two or more mental health diagnoses. Details: Elizabeth, NJ: New Jersey Parents' Caucus, 2015. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2015 at: http://cfc.ncmhjj.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/NJPC_YJI-Data-BriefFinalll.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://cfc.ncmhjj.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/NJPC_YJI-Data-BriefFinalll.pdf Shelf Number: 136088 Keywords: Disproportionate Minority ContactJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersRacial DisparitiesYouth in Adult Prisons |
Author: Morse, Amyas Title: Care Leavers' Transition to Adulthood Summary: The system for supporting young people leaving foster or residential care in England to live successful independent lives is not working effectively, according to the National Audit Office. This is despite the fact that there is a clear legal framework and an inspection regime in place. The numbers of care leavers in employment, education and training have deteriorated since 2007-08. In 2013-14, over 10,000 young people aged over 16 left care, an increase of almost 50% since 2003-04. Moreover, 33% of those aged 16 or over who left care did so before their 18th birthday. The government wants to ensure that care leavers get the same care and support that their peers would expect from a reasonable parent, such as help finding a job or setting up home. However, those leaving care may struggle to cope with the transition to adulthood and may experience social exclusion, unemployment, health problems or end up in custody. Care leavers have had these problems for a long time. Only half of children in care have emotional health and behaviour that is considered normal and this poses additional challenges when adapting to life after care. In 2013, 50% of young people were still living with their parents at the age of 22. But young people in care have to leave by their 18th birthday and some have to live independently as soon as they leave care. The cost of not moving into adulthood successfully is likely to be high to both care leavers and the public. The principal outcome measure is the number of care leavers not in education, employment or training (NEET). In 2013-14, 41% of 19-year-old care leavers were NEET compared with only 15% of their age peers. According to the NAO, the lifetime cost of the current cohort of 19-year-old care leavers being NEET would be around $240 million, or $150 million more than if they had the same NEET rate as other 19-year-olds. In 2013 the government published the Care Leaver Strategy, setting out how it planned to improve support for care leavers. In the same year the Department for Education introduced its Staying Put policy to help care leavers stay with foster carers until the age of 21. These were positive steps but it is too early to assess their effect and there is no reliable information to monitor the lives of care leavers over time. Support for care leavers comes mainly through local authorities but the quality and cost of services vary widely. Ofsted inspections of care leaver services have found that two-thirds of services inspected require improvement or are inadequate. Local authorities have no information on 17% of their 19-21 year-old care leavers even though they are often vulnerable. Local authorities spent on average $6,250 for each care leaver in 2013-14, ranging from an estimated $300 to $20,000. The NAO's analysis shows there is minimal correlation between local authorities' reported spending on care leavers and the quantity and quality of their services. Details: London: National Audit Office, 2015. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: HC: 269, 2015-16: Accessed July 20, 2015 at: http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Care-leavers-transition-to-adulthood.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Care-leavers-transition-to-adulthood.pdf Shelf Number: 136101 Keywords: Juvenile AftercareJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ReentryTransition to Adulthood |
Author: Teplin, Linda A. Title: Violent Death in Delinquent Youth After Detention Summary: This bulletin examines the results of the Northwestern Juvenile Project - a longitudinal study of youth detained at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Chicago, IL. Among the issues under examination, the authors looked at mortality rates among the youth enrolled in the project. Some findings include the following: - The standardized mortality rate for delinquent youth is more than four times the rate for youth in the general population. - The mortality rate for delinquent female youth is nearly eight times the rate in the general population. - The vast majority of deaths among delinquent youth were homicides from gunshot wounds. - African American youth continue to experience the highest mortality rate. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2015. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: OJJDP Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Accessed July 20, 2015 at: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248408.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248408.pdf Shelf Number: 136113 Keywords: Gun-Related ViolenceHomicidesJuvenile OffendersRacial DisparitiesViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School, Center for Studies in Criminology and Criminal Law Title: Understanding the "Whys" Behind Juvenile Crime Trends Summary: By examining national trends in serious violence, one gains a better understanding of why juvenile crime dropped so dramatically during the 1990s and remained relatively low for at least a decade. While most would agree that the decrease actually occurred, there still are those who contend that the drop (or its continuation) is largely an artifact of manipulation of crime statistics by some police departments and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (Karmen, 2000). Measuring the decrease through multiple lenses should put this speculation to rest. Disaggregating overall trends in serious juvenile crime informs the use of more rigorous analytical methods for identifying and isolating factors that preceded or accompanied the drop in crime. To the extent that the decrease was greater for some types of crime than others, greater among some populations, or greater in some specific places, that helps narrow the range of possible explanations. If the crime drop occurred disproportionately in large central cities, for example, then the search for explanations could focus on those places and determine what it is about them that could have precipitated their more pronounced decreases. Finally, the crime trends can be used to check on the adequacy of the explanations emerging from more sophisticated analysis. Factors identified from theory and more fine-grained analysis as the likely causes of crime drop must be shown to fit the national crime trends during that period. That is, these factors must be shown to (1) have a likely effect on crime; (2) be of sufficient magnitude or prevalence that changes in them could account for a substantial portion of the drop; and (3) be distributed in the population, over time, and across places in a manner that would account for the observed trends. The description of crime trends presented here, then, will not only suggest where to look for explanations but also test whether the factors identified in other analyses could have produced the decreases observed. The intent of this project is to meet a specific need in juvenile justice policy analysis rather than provide a comprehensive review of all scientific literature on causes of juvenile crime. This book has five chapters, Chapters 2-5, which will be summarized in the remainder of this chapter: - Chapter 2 establishes the groundwork for the subsequent three, using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) and the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) to describe Nation-level trends in serious juvenile crime. - Chapter 3 accounts for trends in measurable conditions and processes in communities which, combined, contribute to national trends in serious and violent juvenile delinquency. - Chapter 4 focuses primarily on the cultural processes that influence families and, in turn, children's involvement in delinquency. It examines both risk and protective cultural factors related to family, school, religiosity, the legitimacy of the criminal justice system, violence in the media, use of firearms, and gang membership. - Chapter 5 includes evaluations of the impact of various public policies and practices on juvenile crime trends. Details: Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 2012. 170p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2015 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/248954.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/248954.pdf Shelf Number: 136133 Keywords: Crime StatisticsDelinquency PreventionJuvenile Crime TrendsJuvenile Justice PolicyJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Bright, Charlotte Title: Multijurisdictional Teen Court Evaluation: A Comparative Evaluation of Three Teen Court Models Summary: Teen Courts, also called Youth Courts and Peer Courts, are increasingly used to divert youth with minor offenses from the juvenile justice system. Ten Teen Courts currently operate in Maryland, and the widespread use of Teen Courts underscores the importance of understanding their process and effectiveness. To facilitate a better understanding of Maryland's Teen Courts, this report presents data on the processes, outcomes, and perspectives of Teen Courts using data gathered in three geographically diverse Teen Courts in Maryland: Baltimore City, Charles County, and Montgomery County Teen Courts. The study also assessed recidivism data collected by matching cases from the three Teen Courts with data from the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. Observations and structured interviews yielded process data while survey and interview data provided rich information from the perspectives of Teen Court volunteers, youth respondents involved in Teen Court, and parents or guardians of these respondents. The evaluation was conducted by the University of Maryland School of Social Work, the Institute for Governmental Service and Research, and the Court Operations Department of the Administrative Office of the Courts, with substantial input from the three Teen Courts and the Maryland Teen Court Association. Overall, the study found the three Teen Court programs offer an alternative to traditional case processing with lower recidivism rates while garnering support from youth and parents. The study notes that Teen Courts in Charles County, Montgomery County, and Baltimore City have a similar structure and procedure. They emphasize youth decision-making with support from adult volunteers. One structural difference in the three counties is the practice of conducting concurrent versus sequential cases in the same courtroom. Also, the observed jurisdictions handle different types of offenses and, accordingly, recommend different sanctions. Analysis of data from the Department of Juvenile Services revealed lower rates of recidivism for program completers. Recidivism rates measured at six months and 12 months after Teen Court showed dramatic differences depending on program completion. In all three Teen Court locations, youth who did not complete the Teen Court program were more likely to have a DJS referral and to recidivate more quickly than were youth who completed the program. a. In Baltimore City Teen Court, which accepts youth with a prior DJS history and with more serious offenses than the other teen court locations in this study, non-completers were at least 2.5 times more likely to recidivate at both the six- and twelve-month follow-up. b. In Charles County, non-completers were about 10 times more likely to be referred to DJS at the six-month follow-up and nearly six times more likely to be referred to DJS at the twelve-month follow-up. c. In Montgomery County Teen Court, non-completers were seven times more likely to be referred to DJS at the six-month follow-up and four times more likely to be referred to DJS at the twelve-month follow-up. Additionally, the percent of youth who did not complete the program and the percent of youth who recidivate was higher for given subgroups (e.g., prior DJS involvement, particular case types), suggesting that program enrichments targeted at particular subgroups may be warranted. These differences varied by court location. The study further reveals that youth respondents and their parents/guardians scored relatively high on standardized measures of functioning and coping. Their scores indicate that this population of youth offenders possesses substantial strengths. Notably, youth respondents and parents/guardians did not show statistically significant improvement between pre-intervention and post-intervention in standardized measures of coping, family functioning, and civic engagement. Youth respondents and their parents/guardians reported very low rates of problems at home, with friends, in school, and with the law at approximately four months post-intervention. This suggests that Teen Court may be effective at preventing recidivism and also may be helping youth curb problematic behaviors. Qualitative data indicate substantial support for Teen Court from respondents, parents/guardians, and volunteers. For example, 86.4% (19) of respondents interviewed indicated that Teen Court was beneficial to them. Nearly 95 percent of respondents interviewed considered their sanctions fair, with many of them saying they learned their lesson, they understood what they did wrong, and they deserved the sanctions, and 83.3% of the 17 parents/guardians interviewed found the Teen Court experience positive. When asked whether the Teen Court experience was valuable for their children, 82% (14 of the 17 parents/guardians) said yes. Furthermore, a number of benefits are noted to accrue to youth who volunteer in Teen Court settings, in addition to respondents and their families. These benefits include an opportunity to serve others and their community, education, experience in a legal setting, and the chance to become a positive role model. After thorough review, the overall findings of this comprehensive two-year evaluation strongly support the continued operation of Teen court programs in Maryland. Details: Baltimore, MD: Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts, 2013. 97p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2015 at: http://www.globalyouthjustice.org/uploads/New_Teen_Court_Evaluation.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.globalyouthjustice.org/uploads/New_Teen_Court_Evaluation.pdf Shelf Number: 136143 Keywords: Juvenile CourtsJuvenile OffendersTeen Courts |
Author: Burdick, Katherine Title: Building Brighter Futures: Tools for Improving Academic and Career/Technical Education in the Juvenile Justice System Summary: Youth typically enter juvenile justice placements with significant educational deficits. Nationally, as many as two-thirds of youth drop out of school after release from juvenile facilities. This publication examines one particular initiative that has shown great success in combating this problem - the Pennsylvania Academic and Career/Technical Training Alliance (PACTT). PACTT's model suggests that, despite the inevitable stress and disruption of juvenile placement, thoughtful interventions can help youth to get back on track. Details: Philadelphia: Juvenile Law Center, 2015. 155p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 24, 2015 at: http://www.jlc.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdfs/Building-Better-Future-PACTT-ToolKit-4.2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.jlc.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdfs/Building-Better-Future-PACTT-ToolKit-4.2015.pdf Shelf Number: 136158 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionEducationJuvenile OffendersVocational Education and Training |
Author: Grant, Lorna Title: A Study on the Profile of Children in Conflict with the Law in Jamaica Summary: The charge was to: a) review international and regional conventions and laws regarding responses to children in conflict with the law (CCL) and, b) to provide a profile of CCL in Jamaica and, to offer recommendations to prevent children from coming into conflict with the law. Many international instruments provide a normative framework for the administration of juvenile justice and the minimum standards for prisons and closed facilities for children in conflict with the law. The report offers a summary of nine of these documents relevant to children in conflict with the law. The international instruments are: The Convention of the Rights of the Child (1990) The United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty, 1990. (Havana Rules) United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice, 1985. (The Beijing Rules) United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency, 1990 (The Riyadh Guidelines) Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, 1955 (Standard Minimum Rules) Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, 1988 (Detention Principles) Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners, 1990 United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures, 1990 (The Tokyo Rules) Guidelines for Actions on Children in the Criminal Justice System, 1997 (Vienna Guidelines) For the current empirical mixed methods study, given that there are approximately 400 CCL at any point in time in Jamaica, at least a half of this number were purposively sampled for interviews. Between July 13 and July 30, 2010 data collection from the children occurred largely using the Office of the Children‟s Advocate (OCA) Profile of Children in Conflict with the Law developed instrument. There was a comparison group of 45 children - boys and girls who were not in conflict with the law. They included 24 students in corporate area high schools who were attending summer school and 21 wards of the Child Development Agency (CDA) who were not in conflict with the law. The sample of children in conflict with the law (n=209) were males (149) and females (60). Most were from the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) facilities (St Andrew Remand, Hill Top, Rio Cobre, Ft. Augusta and Horizon); others were from CDA facilities (Glenhope, Homestead, Strathmore, St. Augustine and Granville). Thirty-five practitioners working with children in conflict with the law in Jamaica were also interviewed. They included researchers; management and staff of the Department of Correctional Services and Child Development Agency; social workers; teachers; house mothers and guidance counselors. They were asked to describe the children in conflict with the law; the reasons they were in conflict; their recommendations for both preventing and responding to children breaking the law and their perceptions about the effectiveness of various service providers. Quantitative data were analyzed by running basic descriptive statistics such as frequencies and cross-tabulations; and regression analyses. Qualitative data were coded and examined for patterns and themes in the responses. SUMMARY PROFILE The child in conflict with the law is most often, 16 years old, male, with a charge of uncontrollable and, or unlawful wounding, who used a weapon, most likely a knife at the time of the current offence. The offence likely occurred between noon and 6:00p.m. on a weekend during the school year. He is likely to attribute this to idleness and the influence of "bad company" (peers). He is likely to be a poor reader from a low income family, who knows his father, but lives with his mother, who is head of the household, and about two to four siblings (although there are likely more siblings outside of the home). He would have heard often that he is loved, but might have missed school because his parent told him that bus fare and/or lunch money was not available. He would have moved at least once. He would know what it is like to be picked on in school and he would have been suspended and/or expelled at some point from a school in which fighting is relatively common. He is likely to have a relative as an adult confidant and to have a family member who has been in conflict with the law. He is likely to be from Kingston and St. Andrew or some other urban area with gangs in the community. He would have been affiliated with a gang at some point. His community is one in which marijuana is readily available for use and, he would have seen and, or heard someone being shot in the community. Fights are also not uncommon on those streets. He is likely to have used alcohol and possibly marijuana. He has experienced the loss of a family member, such as the death of a grandparent. He is likely to be a football player who admires the likes of Vybz Kartel and Asafa Powell. He perceives religion to be important and he has a part time job. If the child in conflict with the law is a girl, her profile is very similar except that she is likely to be a better reader than a male CCL and she has experienced some abuse. Details: Kingston, Jamaica: Office of the Children's Advocate, 2011. 130p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2015 at: http://www.welcome.oca.gov.jm/resources/ Year: 2011 Country: Jamaica URL: http://www.welcome.oca.gov.jm/resources/ Shelf Number: 136227 Keywords: GangsJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Young people returning to sentenced youth justice supervision 2015 Summary: The rate of return to sentenced youth justice supervision is an indicator of the effectiveness of the services provided to young people serving supervised sentences. Around 20% of those aged 10-16 when released from sentenced community-based supervision in 2012-13 returned to sentenced supervision in 6 months, and 44% returned within 12 months. The rate of return was higher for those released from sentenced detention: 50% returned to sentenced supervision within 6 months and 76% returned within 12 months Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2015. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series No. 18: Accessed July 29, 2015 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129551648 Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129551648 Shelf Number: 136243 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity SentencesCommunity-Based CorrectionsJuvenile OffendersRecidivism |
Author: Aslund, Olof Title: Education and Criminal Behavior: Insights from an Expansion of Upper Secondary School Summary: We study the impact on criminal activity from a large scale Swedish reform of vocational upper secondary education, extending programs from two to three years and adding more general theoretical content. The reform directly concerns age groups where criminal activity is high and students who are highly overrepresented among criminal offenders. The nature of the reform and the rich administrative data allow us to shed light on several behavioral mechanisms. Our results show that the prolonged and more general education lead to a reduction in property crime, but no significant decrease in violent crime. The effect is mainly concentrated to the third year after enrollment, which suggests that being in school reduces the opportunities and/or inclinations to commit crime. Details: Stockholm: Institute for Evaluation of Labor Market and Education Policy (IFAU), et al.; 2015. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2015 at: http://www2.ne.su.se/paper/wp15_06.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Sweden URL: http://www2.ne.su.se/paper/wp15_06.pdf Shelf Number: 136328 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Education Juvenile OffendersVocational Education and Training |
Author: Raoul Wallenberg Institute Title: A Measure of Last Resort? The Current Status of Juvenile Justice in ASEAN Member States Summary: A Measure of Last Resort? The Current Status of Juvenile Justice in ASEAN Member States. Being the first study of its kind, it provides statistical and narrative overviews of the juvenile justice systems in all ASEAN countries. The aim has been to identify issues of common concern across member states, and RWI hopes that it may lead to new initiatives and dialogue that may enhance the protection of children in conflict with the law. The fear of an increasing number of juveniles in conflict with the law in member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has sparked concerns throughout the region. While this report confirms that crime is on the rise, the number of juveniles brought into formal contact with the criminal justice system remains surprisingly low: we estimate that approximately 70 000 juveniles are formally charged with a criminal offence each year in ASEAN member states. Comparatively, this number is far lower than, for example, the European Union (EU) or USA. Another main finding of the report is that the highest number of juvenile crimes reported is within the category of theft. Robbery and drug related crimes are other crimes high on the statistics. In particular Thailand reports of extremely high percentages of drug related crimes (45.51%). A rough estimate of figures provided shows that around 16 000 children are deprived of their liberty within the ASEAN region. In comparison, statistics from 2012 in the European Union shows that 8700 children in 21 out of the 28 member states were detained in custodial institutions. 3 In 2010 a staggering 70 000 juvenile offenders in USA were in residential placement facilities. It was outside of the scope of the study to report quantitatively on the conditions of juvenile residential institutions. It is, nevertheless, an undeniable fact that many still serve in prisons together with adults, and that there is much room for improvement within rehabilitation centres. This is particularly important for institutions housing juvenile drug users. The country reports indicate that throughout the region, legislative and institutional improvements are being made to secure the rights of children in conflict with the law. All states within the region have recently installed, or are in the process of installing a distinct legislative framework for juvenile justice. This is compatible with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Several of the country experts highlight the instrumental role UNICEF and other organisations are playing in the facilitation of improving legislative and institutional frameworks throughout the region. This has clearly strengthened efforts in the establishment of comprehensive child-friendly justice systems. The report reveals, however, that the minimum age of criminal responsibility remains markedly low for international standards. The average in the region is 10.4 years, which is well below the 2009 estimated world median of 12 years. General Comment No. 10 of the Committee on the Rights of the Child states the absolute minimum age for criminal responsibility should be not less than 12 years. A majority of the countries formally include in their laws alternatives to custodial sentences or measures of diversion. However, despite a legal framework in place, diversion is not always used; decision-makers lack adequate knowledge and resources to implement the programmes. Diversion procedures also vary across the region. Some countries alluded to the need for proper facilities and increased staff to encourage diversion programmes and other non-residential options for children in conflict with the law. Another important finding is the diverging uses of traditional restorative justice models within the different ASEAN countries. While some member states leave the mediation process to traditional village based institutions, others maintain a strict governmental control over the diversion process. Whichever procedure is applied, the outcomes are often similar and include reactions typical to restorative justice such as community work or some sort of compensation to the victim. Very few countries in the region have established specialised police and investigation units for children in conflict with the law. If units are present, access to properly trained police and investigators is often limited. This is in line with most country reports emphasising the need to increase training of all duty-bearers for juvenile justice rights. Increased capacity building is required not only for police and investigators but also for prosecutors, judges, parole officers and social workers. Another significant finding is that nearly all researchers have concerns over adequate legal aid for children in conflict with the law. In some states these are practically non-existent while others employ them to a limited degree. Only a few states provide full rights and actual access to free legal aid throughout the proceedings. Details: Lund, Sweden: Raoul Wallenberg Institute, 2015. 214p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 7, 2015 at: http://books.rwi.lu.se/index.php/publications/catalog/view/31/31/208-1 Year: 2015 Country: Asia URL: http://books.rwi.lu.se/index.php/publications/catalog/view/31/31/208-1 Shelf Number: 136352 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Laliberte, D. Title: Results of Crime Prevention Programs for 12 to 17 Year Olds Summary: One of the fundamental objectives of Public Safety (PS) Canada's crime prevention activities is to assist those responsible for the implementation and delivery of crime prevention in making the best informed decisions. In order to achieve this objective, Public Safety Canada develops and disseminates practice-oriented knowledge on effective and cost-effective preventative interventions. In turn, this is done through rigorous impact evaluation studies of selected community-based prevention projects funded by PS to determine what works, how it works and at what cost (Smith-Moncrieffe, Lauzon and Jobin, 2008). Through the program funding made available under the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), Public Safety Canada supports the implementation of community-based projects that respond to specific priorities such as youth gangs, youth violence and bullying. Most of these community-based projects aim to implement interventions that address criminogenic (risk) factors that are known to be related to an increased likelihood of offending, and protective factors that decrease this probability.Footnote 1 These projects aim to test programs that have been evaluated in other countries, but their effectiveness is not known in Canada. The NCPS also evaluates projects that are innovative or promising to better understand what elements of the interventions are evidence-based.Footnote 2 Since 2008, PS has focused most of its efforts on developing knowledge of effective practices in the following domains: early risk factors among at-risk children and youth; youth gangs; recidivism among high risk groups; and prevention in Aboriginal communities. The particular focus on children and youth is explained by well-established knowledge that discernible risk factors can be identified when children enter school, that the earlier the intervention the larger the benefits, and that if nothing is done, a proportion of these children will be at risk of entering into chronic delinquency patterns. Furthermore, delinquency peaks at age 18, and so it is very appropriate that preventative interventions would largely focus on this group.Footnote 3 Using the knowledge base of effective practices developed in other countries, especially in the USA, PS funded crime prevention projects aimed to replicate and evaluate promising and model programs in Canada, focusing on this group of the population. Wherever possible, similar interventions were implemented and evaluated in multiple sites. Overall, since 2010, PS has been conducting 11 evaluation studies of 10 different models implemented for 12 to 17 year olds in 16 different sites across Canada (see names of programs, locations and dates in Table 1). The following programs have been tested: Alternative Suspension; Intervention Rethink Refocus Reintegrate; Prevention Intervention Toronto; Multisystemic Therapy; Programme de suivi intensif de Montreal / Gangs de rue; Youth Inclusion Program; Leadership and Resiliency; Velocity; Life Skills Training; and Towards No Drugs. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, National Crime Prevention Centre, 2015. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report: 2015-R006: Accessed August 8, 2015 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/rslts-crm-prvntn-12-17/rslts-crm-prvntn-12-17-eng.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/rslts-crm-prvntn-12-17/rslts-crm-prvntn-12-17-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 136370 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Loughran, Thomas Title: Studying Deterrence Among High-Risk Adolescents Summary: The Pathways to Desistance study followed more than 1,300 serious juvenile offenders for 7 years after their conviction. In this bulletin, the authors present some key findings on the link between perceptions of the threat of sanctions and deterrence from crime among serious adolescent offenders. Selected findings are as follows: - There was no meaningful reduction in offending or arrests in response to more severe punishment (e.g., correctional placement, longer stays). - Policies targeting specific types of offending may be more effective at deterring youth from engaging in these specific offenses as opposed to general policies aimed at overall crime reduction. - In response to an arrest, youth slightly increased their risk perceptions, which is a necessary condition for deterrence. - Creating ambiguity about detection probabilities in certain areas or for certain types of crime may have a deterrent effect by enhancing the perceived risk of getting caught. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2015. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: OJJDP Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Accessed August 10, 2015 at: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248617.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248617.pdf Shelf Number: 136383 Keywords: DeterrenceJuvenile OffendersPathways to DesistanceRecidivismSerious Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Miera, Germaine Title: Evaluation of the Youthful Offender System (YOS) in Colorado: Report of Findings per 18-1.3-407, C.R.S. Summary: In 2014, The Colorado Division of Criminal Justice undertook a semiannual evaluation of the Department of Correction's Youthful Offender System. This report presents recidivism rates and a broad picture of the operations of YOS as observed from the perspective of the residents, staff, and managers. Division researchers administered two surveys, one of staff (with 71% response rate) and one of inmates (with a 42% response rate), and conducted 16 focus groups of residents and staff and 8 interviews with YOS staff and officials. From these multiple data collection efforts, various themes emerged to answer the research questions that guided the study. Details: Denver: Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, 2014. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 12, 2015 at: http://cjdc.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/YOS-2014-DCJ-Evaluation.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://cjdc.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/YOS-2014-DCJ-Evaluation.pdf Shelf Number: 136385 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile 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: Boyne, Shawn Marie Title: Juvenile Justice in Germany Summary: In this article, I trace the emergence of diverse models of juvenile prosecution practice in Germany and show how those models reflect local and regional attitudes towards the character of juvenile crime. The evolution of distinct local practices poses an intriguing challenge to a key underlying premise in the German criminal justice system-namely that prosecutorial decision-making is objective, impartial, and grounded in neutral legal standards which are impervious to political influence. To set the stage for this inquiry, I begin by laying out the basic framework of German juvenile law and the ambit of discretion which it permits. I then explore the actual patterns of juvenile criminality and punishment using published statistical reports. In the chapter's core, I delve into prosecutors' perceptions of the purposes of juvenile crime and actual sanctioning practices. This includes a discussion of decision making norms. Finally, the article details the aims and practices of newly developed fast-track programs and innovative "repeat offender" units established in some German cities. In the framework of that discussion I show how the latitude inherent in the law as well as the structure of management controls and workload pressures empower prosecution offices with the latitude to tailor prosecution policies to respond to community and political pressures Details: Indianapolis: Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, 2015. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law Research Paper No. 2015-28 : Accessed August 14, 2015 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2608878 Year: 2015 Country: Germany URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2608878 Shelf Number: 136425 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersProsecutionProsecutorsRepeat Offenders |
Author: Pew Charitable Trusts Title: Re-Examining Juvenile Incarceration : High cost, poor outcomes spark shift to alternatives Summary: A growing body of research demonstrates that for many juvenile offenders, lengthy out-of-home placements in secure corrections or other residential facilities fail to produce better outcomes than alternative sanctions. In certain instances, they can be counterproductive. Seeking to reduce recidivism and achieve better returns on their juvenile justice spending, several states have recently enacted laws that limit which youth can be committed to these facilities and moderates the length of time they can spend there. These changes prioritize the use of costly facilities and intensive programming for serious offenders who present a higher risk of reoffending, while supporting effective community-based programs for others. In general, research has found that juvenile incarceration fails to reduce recidivism: - Meta-analyses - studies that combine the results of multiple evaluations - suggest that placement in correctional facilities does not lower the likelihood of juvenile reoffending and may, in fact, increase it in some cases. One longitudinal study of serious adolescent offenders in Maricopa County, Arizona, and Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, found that after matching youth offenders on 66 factors, including demographics and criminal history, those in placement fared no better in terms of recidivism than those on probation. - A separate analysis of the same data found that youth who reported the lowest levels of offending before being placed were more likely to reoffend following institutional stays. - In Texas, a recent study found that youth in community-based treatment, activity, and surveillance programs had lower rearrest rates than those with similar criminal histories and demographic characteristics who were released from state facilities. - An examination of long-term recidivism and education outcomes in Cook County, Illinois, found that juveniles who experienced confinement were more likely to drop out of high school and to be incarcerated as adults than youth offenders who were not incarcerated. Details: Philadelphia: Pew Charitable Trusts, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Brief: Accessed August 19, 2015 at: http://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/Assets/2015/04/Reexamining_Juvenile_Incarceration.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/Assets/2015/04/Reexamining_Juvenile_Incarceration.pdf Shelf Number: 136492 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersRecidivism |
Author: Payton, Joanne Title: Motivating respect: A Welsh intervention into youth-perpetrated domestic abuse Summary: This report tackles the emerging issue of domestic abuse perpetrated by adolescents, explored through the experiences of Gwent Domestic Abuse Service (GDAS), a charity founded in 2003, providing support to both the perpetrators and victims of domestic abuse, delivered with a whole family approach. Domestic violence perpetrated by people under the age of 18 is an emerging problem, with violence and abuse directed towards parents and carers being a particularly prevalent but ignored issue, although violence against partners/ex-partners, siblings and peers are also found in Wales and may be under-recognised. So far, interventions to challenge abusive behaviour have overwhelmingly focussed upon adults. GDAS's pilot targeting young people is innovative, based on one-to-one encounters primarily using the techniques of Motivational Interviewing. These techniques are labour-intensive but allow for pro-active and tailored approach to young people's behavioural issues. GDAS's interventions are well-received by referring agencies and in much demand, particularly with regard to the emerging issue of the abuse of parents and carers in Wales. There is scope for development through securing reliable funding to underwrite and extend this much-needed service, and to provide additional in-house support to victims in line with GDAS's 'whole family' approach. Details: Cardiff, Wales: Cardiff University, 2015. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 19, 2015 at: http://orca.cf.ac.uk/72876/1/Payton%20%26%20Robinson%20%282015%29%20Motivating%20Respect.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://orca.cf.ac.uk/72876/1/Payton%20%26%20Robinson%20%282015%29%20Motivating%20Respect.pdf Shelf Number: 136495 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceJuvenile OffendersViolence Against WomenViolent Juvenile OffendersYouthful Offenders |
Author: McDowell Group, Inc. Title: Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Anchorage Youth Court Summary: This analysis examines the extent to which the benefits of the Anchorage Youth Court may be quantified and how those benefits compare to the costs of operating the program. It also addresses less quantifiable benefits. The study draws on a review of national literature, analysis of AYC program data, analysis of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) data on juvenile offenses, and interviews with experts on AYC and Alaska juvenile justice. Major Findings The Anchorage Youth Court (AYC) creates a complex set of benefits for participating defendants, youth volunteers, and the larger community. In addition to producing economic benefits significantly in excess of its cost, AYC conducts substantial education and life-skills training, and its structure and processes contribute to social-emotional growth for both defendants and volunteers. The practice of peer justice—with youth volunteers exercising maximum responsibility for, and control over, the court process and sentencing—contributes to AYC’s success. This approach requires more intensive volunteer training and participation than more adult-dominated youth courts typical of many other states. AYC’s one-year re-referral rate (a proxy for recidivism) was 16 percent, while that of a comparison group of juvenile defendants who committed offenses similar to those of youth court participants and received informal probation was 39 percent. A “re-referral” occurs when law enforcement refers a youth to the Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) for a new offense. 1 The percentage of youths who complete AYC and are subsequently re-referred to DJJ for another offense also compares favorably with re-referral rates for other youth courts as reported in a recent study published by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Based on the premise that the AYC and informal-probation comparison groups are fundamentally similar, AYC’s lower re-referral rate means the Anchorage community experienced an average of 40 fewer crimes per year between 2009 and 2012 than it would have if all of AYC’s defendants had simply received informal probation • Each of the 40 crimes averted saved an estimated $3,900 in victim, criminal justice, and law enforcement costs for a total of $156,000 saved annually. • The largest economic benefit of AYC is the value to young offenders of not having a criminal record. The net present value of this additional income over a working lifetime is approximately $116,000 for each defendant who avoids the stigma of a criminal record as a result of his or her AYC experience. The number of AYC defendants who benefit each year in this way is estimated to be between 2 and 4, for a total annual benefit of between $232,000 and $464,000. AYC produces other benefits to the Anchorage community in addition to less crime. In 2013, the quantifiable portion of these benefits was worth an estimated $80,450 and included: • Nearly 3,750 hours of community service by offenders, worth, at minimum wage, approximately $29,000. • 1,470 hours of youth volunteer time to conduct court proceedings, worth an estimated $16,000. • More than 400 hours of legal education worth $21,000 plus another $12,000 in pro-bono legal services donated by adult attorneys and judges for a total of $33,000 in services donated by adult volunteers. • $2,450 in donated classroom facilities. Details: Juneau: McDowell Group, Inc., 2014. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 25, 2015 at: http://www.anchorageyouthcourt.org/uploads/MCDOWELL_GROUP_STUDY.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.anchorageyouthcourt.org/uploads/MCDOWELL_GROUP_STUDY.pdf Shelf Number: 136576 Keywords: Cost-Benefit AnalysisJuvenile CourtJuvenile OffendersYouth CourtYouthful Offenders |
Author: Texas Juvenile Justice Department Title: Overview of Community-Based Juvenile Probation Programs, Part 1 Summary: The Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) Program & Services Registry was created in 2010 with the purpose of cataloging the community-based programs offered in juvenile probation departments across the state. Each juvenile probation department is required to enter information into the program registry for all active community-based programs. In addition to programs offered by the department, community-based programs include those contracted through the department and those receiving referrals from juvenile probation. Program entries provide general contact information and a description of the program and its goals. Departments must also provide information regarding duration and funding, eligibility requirements, and distinct program components. This brief will explore the information captured in the Program & Services Registry, focusing on the basics of programs offered throughout the state. It will examine program types offered, program duration, funding, and the intended attributes of juveniles to be served. While most of the data presented in this brief is presented as it is reported by departments, some information regarding program type and juveniles served has been changed to reflect recommendations made in a January 2012 program audit. This brief is the first in a series exploring the community-based programs available to juveniles involved in the juvenile justice system and the effectiveness of those programs in lowering recidivism rates. Future briefs in this series will examine the characteristics of juveniles served and outcomes for program participants. Lastly, TJJD will report on recidivism rates throughout the state and determine which programs are providing meaningful interventions and what program elements improve youth outcomes. This information will be used to assist juvenile probation departments in creating more effective programming. Details: Austin: Texas Juvenile Justice Department, 2013. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Community-Based Program Evaluation Series: Accessed August 28, 2015 at: https://www.tjjd.texas.gov/statistics/CommunityBasedJuvenileProbationPrograms.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://www.tjjd.texas.gov/statistics/CommunityBasedJuvenileProbationPrograms.pdf Shelf Number: 135713 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity-Based CorrectionsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Probation |
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: Dunkel, Frieder Title: Research and Selection of the Most Effective Juvenile Restorative Justice Practices in Europe: Snapshots from 28 EU Member States Summary: The IJJO in conjunction with its think tank the European Council for Juvenile Justice (ECJJ) has just released Volume I of its 'European Research on Restorative Juvenile Justice'. This volume, entitled 'Research and Selection of the Most Effective Juvenile Restorative Justice Practices in Europe: Snapshots from 28 EU Member States' analyses the existing restorative practices across the EU, and is the basis for the best practices recommended in Volume II, the 'European Model for Restorative Justice with Juveniles', soon to be published. The research was led by the team of Professor Frieder Dunkel, Doctor Andrea Parosanu and Doctor Philip Horsfield, of Greisfwald University, who were responsible for individual snapshots of restorative juvenile justice in each of the EU Member States, before concluding with a comparative overview of practices across the EU as a whole. Each snapshot was complied following extensive research and most are written by local experts on subject. There is a total of 30 snapshots, as the UK is broken up into three parts (England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), due to differences in legal systems and approaches to restorative justice. The aim of the 'Snapshots' is to provide a better understanding as to what makes for a successful restorative justice programme. As such, it takes into account the access and use of restorative practices as determined by its legal base in each country. The implementation of restorative justice itself is also a focus of the 'Snapshots'; this is determined by its organisational structure in each jurisdiction. Finally the work evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of each restorative system. In her foreword to the volume, Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children, emphasises the importance of restorative justice in both reducing reoffending and protecting child rights. She argues that it provides a successful and cost effective way of rehabilitating and reintegrating child offenders with society. The Special Representative praised the research itself for its emphasis on child rights, without compromising the rights of the victim. The 'Snapshots' provide the background research for the next volume to be released, the 'European Model for Restorative Justice with Juveniles'. Based on the 28 national snapshots this volume analyses the key features of good restorative justice systems. It then picks out three case studies; Belgium, Finland and Northern Ireland, examining in greater detail the practices in each. From the good practices established in the 'European Model', the final volume will provide a toolkit to practitioners involved in juvenile justice and aims to diffuse the most effective restorative justice methods. Details: Brussels: International Juvenile Justice Observatory, 260p. Source: Internet Resource: European Research on Restorative Juvenile Justice Volume 1: Accessed September 2, 2015 at: http://www.ejjc.org/sites/default/files/volume_i_-_snapshots_from_28_eu_member_states.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://www.ejjc.org/sites/default/files/volume_i_-_snapshots_from_28_eu_member_states.pdf Shelf Number: 136649 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRestorative Justice |
Author: Washburn, Jason J. Title: Detained Youth Processed in Juvenile and Adult Court: Psychiatric Disorders and Mental Health Needs Summary: This bulletin presents results of a study of the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among youth transferred to adult criminal court compared with those processed in juvenile court. Key observations, findings, and recommendations include: - Many youth are being transferred to adult criminal court, with males, African Americans, Hispanics, and older youth significantly more likely to be processed in adult criminal court than females, non-Hispanic whites, and younger youth (even after controlling for the current charge). - The prevalence of one or more disorders among youth transferred to adult criminal court does not significantly differ from that among youth processed in juvenile court. - Among youth processed in adult criminal court, those sentenced to prison had significantly greater odds than those who received a less severe sentence of having a disruptive behavior disorder, a substance use disorder, or co-occurring affective and anxiety disorders. - Community and correctional systems must collaborate to identify and treat youth with psychiatric disorders who are transferred to adult criminal court. Youth who are transferred to adult criminal court and receive prison sentences should be considered a particularly high-risk group who are likely to require additional services. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2015. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Accessed September 11, 2015 at: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248283.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248283.pdf Shelf Number: 136722 Keywords: Co-concurring DisordersJuvenile CourtJuvenile Court TransfersJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersMental Health ServicesMentally Ill Offenders |
Author: U.S. Department of Justice. Civil Rights Division Title: Investigation of the St. Louis County Family Court, St. Louis, Missouri Summary: Following a comprehensive investigation, the Justice Department today announced its findings regarding the Family Court of the Twenty-First Judicial Circuit of the state of Missouri, commonly known as the St. Louis County Family Court. The Justice Department found that the family court fails to provide constitutionally required due process to children appearing for delinquency proceedings, and that the court's administration of juvenile justice discriminates against Black children. The investigation was conducted under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which gives the department the authority to seek a remedy for a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the constitutional or federal statutory rights of youths in the administration of juvenile justice. "The findings we issue today are serious and compelling," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division. "Missouri was at the forefront of juvenile corrections reform when it closed its large juvenile institutions and moved to a smaller, treatment-focused system and we are hopeful that Missouri will rise to this challenge to, once again, be a leader in juvenile justice reform. This investigation is another step toward our goal of ensuring that children in the juvenile justice system receive their constitutionally guaranteed rights to due process and equal protection under the law." Since opening this investigation in November 2013, the Civil Rights Division has analyzed data relating to nearly 33,000 juvenile cases, including all delinquency and status offenses resolved in St. Louis County Family Court between 2010 and 2013; and has reviewed over 14,000 pages of documents, including family court records, transcripts, policies, procedures and external reports. In June 2014, Justice Department attorneys and its consultants-a law school clinical professor and experienced juvenile defense attorney and a nationally-recognized expert on measuring juvenile justice disparities through statistical analysis-visited the family court and interviewed a number of court personnel, including all of the judges and commissioners as well as the heads of many of family court programs and services. They also collected information from both the state and local public defender's offices, private attorneys with experience in the family court and the parents of youth who had been involved in delinquency proceedings with the family court. The Justice Department found a number of constitutional violations, including: -Failure to ensure youth facing delinquency proceedings have adequate legal representation; -Failure to make adequate determinations that there is probable cause that a child committed the alleged offense; -Failure to provide adequate due process to children facing certification for criminal prosecution in adult criminal court; -Failure to ensure that children's guilty pleas are entered knowingly and voluntarily; -An organizational structure that is rife with conflicts of interest, is contrary to separation of powers principles and deprives children of adequate due process; and -Disparate treatment of Black children at four key decision points within the juvenile justice system. The department has opened four cases examining whether juvenile justice systems comply with children's rights since 2009. In 2012, the department settled its first investigation of this kind, reaching an agreement with the Juvenile Court of Shelby County, Memphis, Tennessee that calls for comprehensive due process, equal protection and facility reforms. On June 19, 2015, the Justice Department announced a partial settlement of its lawsuit alleging violations of children's due process rights in Lauderdale County, Mississippi. In March 2015, the department announced its investigation of due process and disability discrimination issues in the Dallas County Truancy Court and Juvenile District Courts. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, 2015. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 16, 2015 at: http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2015/07/31/stlouis_findings_7-31-15.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2015/07/31/stlouis_findings_7-31-15.pdf Shelf Number: 136300 Keywords: Child ProtectionDue ProcessFamily CourtsJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersProblem-Solving CourtsRacial BiasRacial Disparities |
Author: Teplin, Linda A. Title: Psychiatric Disorders in Youth After Detention Summary: This bulletin examines the results of the Northwestern Juvenile Project-a longitudinal study of youth detained at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Chicago, IL. The authors discuss the findings related to the prevalence and persistence of psychiatric disorders in youth after detention. Key findings include the following: - Five years after the first interview, more than 45 percent of male juveniles and nearly 30 percent of female juveniles had one or more psychiatric disorders. - Substance use disorders were the most common and most likely to persist. Males had higher prevalence rates of substance use disorders over time. - As compared to African Americans, non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics had higher rates of substance use disorders. - Females had higher rates of depression over time. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2015. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Accessed September 16, 2015 at: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/246824.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/246824.pdf Shelf Number: 136791 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersMentally Ill OffendersMentally Illness |
Author: Ryan, Liz Title: Notorious to Notable: The Criminal Role of the Philanthropic Community in Transforming the Juvenile Justice System in Washington, D.C. Summary: In 2000, then D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams appointed a Blue Ribbon Commission to rethink how the District of Columbia treated some of its most vulnerable residents, youth in the juvenile justice system. The Blue Ribbon Commission recommended the closure of the District's long-term youth incarceration facility, the Oak Hill Youth Center; its replacement with a smaller, homelike facility; the redirection of resources from incarceration to community- based alternatives; and a reduction in the prosecution of youth in adult criminal court. Between the years 2000 and 2011, the District's juvenile justice system went from one of the worst - with a notorious and inhumane juvenile prison, an over-reliance on incarceration, and a dearth of community programs - to one of the most notable, receiving recognition from Harvard University. The purpose of this report is to highlight the ways that the philanthropic community aided this effort. It is a story of collaboration and collective effort by local D.C. foundations and national funders that contributed to tremendous change in the treatment and outcomes for youth in D.C.'s juvenile justice system. The reforms ultimately reduced youth re-offending rates by decreasing the District's over-reliance on incarceration; closing and replacing Oak Hill with a smaller, homelike facility and an innovative and acclaimed school; and redirecting funding from incarceration to community- based alternatives. Starting with the Blue Ribbon Commission, funders supported the policy development of the Commission and subsequent policy and advocacy work of the community to ensure their recommendations became law.. Details: Washington, DC: 2011. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2015 at: https://giving.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/notorious-to-notable-final.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: https://giving.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/notorious-to-notable-final.pdf Shelf Number: 136796 Keywords: Community-Based CorrectionsJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersRecidivism |
Author: Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance Title: Juvenile Prisons: National consensus and alternatives Summary: Recent reports issued by the Office of the Child Advocate1 and by a consultant to the Department of Children and Families itself raise urgent concerns about conditions at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School and the Pueblo Unit. In addition to immediately improving safety at these facilities, the state should develop a long-term plan for youth in the juvenile justice system that maximizes their prospects for rehabilitation. A wealth of research and the experience of other states show that correctional facilities offer the worst outcomes for youth at the highest cost. The Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance makes the following recommendations in the interest of child well-being, public safety and responsible use of taxpayer dollars. 1. Conditions must be improved immediately at CJTS and Pueblo, with input from national experts and with independent oversight, as recommended by DCF's own consultant. 2. The state must work toward closing these facilities. CJTS should close in 18 to 24 months. Pueblo should close much sooner. 3. Closure must be preceded by the development of a robust system of care that meets the needs of all children, in the least restrictive setting possible. The objective is not simply to close facilities - it is to serve kids better. 4. Connecticut must draw on outside expertise to develop this system. In particular it should be guided by the successes of other states as described in this report. This report includes a summary of findings about CJTS and Pueblo, research on the failure of youth prisons as well as successful state-level initiatives to close them in favor of community-based programs that are producing far better results. The experience of other states shows that improved outcomes and cost savings are clearly achievable - in fact, are highly compatible. Furthermore, their experience creates a blueprint for Connecticut. Details: Bridgeport, CT: Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance, 2015. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 18, 2015 at: http://www.ctjja.org/resources/pdf/youthprisonreport81115.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.ctjja.org/resources/pdf/youthprisonreport81115.pdf Shelf Number: 136823 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile OffendersTraining Schools |
Author: Abram, Karen M. Title: Perceived Barriers to Mental Health Services Among Detained Youth Summary: This bulletin is part of a series that presents the results of the Northwestern Juvenile Project - a longitudinal study of youth detained at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Chicago, IL. The authors examine youth's perceptions of barriers to mental health services, focusing on youth with alcohol, drug, and mental health disorders. Findings include the following: - Most frequently, youth did not receive services because they believed their problems would go away without outside help (56.5 percent). - Nearly one-third of youth (31.7 percent) were not sure whom to contact or where to get help. - Nearly one-fifth of the sample (19.1 percent) reported difficulty in obtaining help. - African American and Hispanic detainees received significantly fewer services in the past compared with non-Hispanic white youth. Male detainees also received significantly fewer services in the past when compared with female detainees. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2015. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Bulletin: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248522.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248522.pdf Shelf Number: 136870 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersMental Health Services |
Author: Amnesty International Title: A Brighter Tomorrow: Keeping Indigenous kids in the community and out of detention in Australia Summary: Children are vital to any community. Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Indigenous children, like children everywhere, have the right to develop their personalities, abilities and talents to the fullest potential, to grow up in an environment of happiness, love and understanding. The Convention recognizes each child as an individual and a member of a family and community. The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognises the right of the right of Indigenous families and communities to secure the well-being of their children and to have greater control over decision-making about their own lives and futures. Community is everything when it comes to ensuring all young people have what they need to enjoy their rights as children. Indigenous youth detention in Australia is a national crisis - and the crisis is getting worse. Indigenous young people are "more likely to be incarcerated today than at any other time since the release of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody final report in 1991" said the Australian House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs in 2011. The most recent data, from 2013-14, shows that Indigenous young people are 26 times more likely to be in detention than non-Indigenous young people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people make up just over 5 per cent of the Australian population of 10-17 year-olds but more than half (59 per cent) of those in detention. The situation is bleaker still among the youngest Indigenous children, who made up more than 60 per cent of all 10-year-olds and 11-year-olds in detention in Australia in 2012-13. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has more people in younger age brackets than the non-Indigenous population, with larger proportions of young people. In light of this, the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples noted in 2013 that "unless the rate of increase in youth detention can be reduced, rates of incarceration across the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population are likely to continue to increase into the future." This report details the nature of this crisis, and makes practical recommendations on ways the Australian Government can reduce these escalating rates. It is based on field and desk research carried out between 2013 and early 2015 by Amnesty International. In Australia, each state and territory government is responsible for its own laws, policies and practices for dealing with young people accused of committing, or convicted of, offences. However, it is the Federal Government ('Australian Government'), as a signatory to international human rights conventions, which bears ultimate responsibility for fulfilling the rights of Indigenous young people in all states and territories. In 2012 the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child expressed regret that, despite its previous recommendations, "the juvenile justice system of the [Australia] still requires substantial reforms for it to conform to international standards." This report highlights state and territory-based laws that breach international human rights obligations. The Australian Government should invalidate these laws, or work with the states and territories to have them repealed. Importantly, across all Australian states and territories children are held criminally responsible from just 10 years of age, despite the Committee on the Rights of the Child having concluded that 12 is the lowest internationally acceptable minimum age of criminal responsibility. The Western Australian Criminal Code Act 1913 (WA) requires magistrates to impose mandatory minimum sentences on young offenders in a number of circumstances. The Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2012 again recommended that the Australian Government take steps to abolish this practice. Far from accepting this recommendation, at the time of writing, the West Australian Legislative Assembly had in fact just passed a Bill that will increase the number of offences attracting a mandatory minimum sentence. Queensland treats 17-year-olds as adults in its criminal justice system. In 2012 the Committee on the Rights of the Child again recommended that Australia remove children who are 17 years old from the adult justice system in Queensland. Ignoring this recommendation, in 2014, the Queensland Government amended its Youth Justice Act 1992 to require all 17-year-olds with six months or more left of their sentence to be transferred to adult jails. This is contrary to Article 37(c) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In 2014 the Queensland Government introduced a further law that is in direct conflict with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which says that the court must disregard the principle that detention must be a last resort. This report sets out further actions that the Australian Government should take to comply with international legal obligations across all states and territories. For example, Australia should withdraw its reservation to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as this reservation has been justified to detain children with adult prisoners where separation is not "considered to be feasible having regard to the geography and demography of Australia." The Committee on the Rights of the Child has repeatedly noted that the reservation should be withdrawn. Details: Broadway NSW: Amnesty International Australia, 2015. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2015 at: http://www.amnesty.org.au/images/uploads/aus/A_brighter_future_National_report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.amnesty.org.au/images/uploads/aus/A_brighter_future_National_report.pdf Shelf Number: 136928 Keywords: Indigenous PeoplesJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Scott, Elizabeth S. Title: The Supreme Court and the Transformation of Juvenile Sentencing Summary: In the past decade, the Supreme Court has transformed the constitutional landscape of juvenile crime regulation. In three strongly worded opinions, the Court held that imposing harsh criminal sentences on juvenile offenders violates the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. In combination, these cases create a special status for juveniles under Eighth Amendment doctrine as a category of offenders whose culpability is mitigated by their youth and immaturity, even for the most serious offenses. The Court also emphasized that juveniles are more likely to reform than adult offenders, and that most should be given a meaningful opportunity to demonstrate that they have done so. In short, because of young offenders’ developmental immaturity, harsh sentences that may be suitable for adult criminals are seldom appropriate for juveniles. These opinions announce a powerful constitutional principle—that “children are different” for purposes of criminal punishment. In articulating this principle, the Supreme Court has also provided general guidance to courts sentencing juveniles and to lawmakers charged with implementing the rulings. At the same time, the Court did not directly address the specifics of implementation and it left many questions unanswered about the implications of the opinions for juvenile sentencing regulation. In the years since Roper, Graham, and Miller, courts and legislatures have struggled to interpret the opinions and to create procedures and policies that are compatible with constitutional principles and doctrine. This report addresses the key issues facing courts and legislatures under this new constitutional regime, and provides guidance based on the Supreme Court’s Eighth Amendment analysis and on the principles the Court has articulated. •Part I begins with the constitutional sentencing framework, grounded in the opinions and embodying the key elements of the Court’s analysis. It then explains the underlying developmental knowledge that supports the constitutional framework and the “children are different” principle. •Part II Part II examines how courts and legislatures have responded to the Eighth Amendment opinions, through reforms of state laws regulating juvenile life without parole (JLWOP). While some state lawmakers appear to ignore or subvert the Supreme Court’s holdings, others have responded in ways that clearly embody the principles underlying Miller and Graham. •Part III translates Miller’s directive that specific factors be considered in making individualized sentencing decisions. The report's aim is to guide courts and clinicians in structuring sentencing hearings that incorporate sound developmental research and other evidence supporting or negating mitigation, without going beyond the limits of science. •Part IV explores the broader implications of the Supreme Court’s developmental framework for juvenile sentencing and parole, implications that have already sparked law reforms beyond the relatively narrow holdings of Graham and Miller. •Finally, the paper ends on a cautionary note, pointing to evidence that constitutionally sound, developmentally-based policies may be vulnerable to political and other pressures. Aside from mandates in the holdings themselves, reforms can be dismantled or discounted if conditions change. Measures to sustain the current trend in law reform are discussed. Details: New York: Columbia University, 2015. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2015 at: http://modelsforchange.net/publications/778?utm_source=%2ftransformation&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=redirect Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://modelsforchange.net/publications/778?utm_source=%2ftransformation&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=redirect Shelf Number: 136947 Keywords: Evidence-Based PracticesJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Sentencing |
Author: Mills, John R. Title: No Hope: Re-examining Lifetime Sentences for Juvenile Offenders Summary: In a handful of U.S. counties, teenagers are still being sentenced to a lifetime in prison with no chance of release. This harsh and increasingly isolated practice falls disproportionately on black and Hispanic youth and is a remnant of an earlier period of punitiveness based on an unfounded prediction of a new class of superpredators that never actually materialized. While the use of this sentence has dramatically declined in recent years, it continues to be practiced in a relatively small number of jurisdictions. The Supreme Court now has the opportunity to declare juvenile life without parole a cruel and unusual punishment, far outside our standards of decency in the twenty-first century. In Miller v. Alabama, the Court took the first step by forbidding mandatory sentences of life without parole for homicide offenses committed by juveniles (JLWOP). The opinion, however, left open the question of whether the Eighth Amendment prohibits the imposition of life without parole upon juveniles entirely. That question, the constitutionality of life without parole sentences for juvenile offenders, is being presented to the Court in two cases. In one case to be argued in October, the Court will consider whether its earlier rulings on this subject apply to past cases and not just cases going forward. A brief offered by the Charles Hamilton Institute for Race and Justice urges the Court to tackle the constitutional question of whether the punishment should stand at all. In another case, an inmate serving a JLWOP sentence has directly presented the question: "Does the Eighth Amendment prohibit sentencing a child to life without possibility of parole?" This report examines the key evidence for answering the question of whether there is now a national consensus against juvenile life without parole. To make this assessment, the Court generally examines legislative enactments and actual sentencing practices. This report catalogs the rapid abandonment of JLWOP, both legislatively and in terms of actual use. Although JLWOP dramatically expanded between 1992 and 1999 - an era of hysteria over juvenile super-predators—since Miller states have rapidly abandoned JLWOP in law and practice. Nine states have abolished JLWOP after Miller, bringing the current number of jurisdictions completely banning the sentence to fifteen. California and Florida, two of the most frequent users of the sentence, have dramatically limited the reach of JLWOP by restricting its application to a narrow set of circumstances. Moreover, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Washington have abolished JLWOP for a category of offenders. This pace of abolition far outstrips those that occurred in the years prior to the high Court's rulings that the executions of juveniles and the intellectually disabled are unconstitutional. This report provides an in-depth analysis of state and county JLWOP sentencing practices. At the state level, just nine states account for over eighty percent of all JLWOP sentences. A single county, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, is responsible for nearly ten percent of all JLWOP sentences nationwide. Orleans Parish, Louisiana, has tenfold the number of JLWOP sentences as its population would suggest. Five counties account for more than one fifth of all JLWOP sentences. JLWOP, in practice, is isolated in a handful of outlier jurisdictions. Finally, state sentencing practices also show marked racial disparities in JLWOP's administration. Starting in 1992, the beginning of the super-predator era, a black juvenile offender would be twice as likely to receive a JLWOP sentence as his white counterpart. The disproportionate application of the punishment on juveniles of color is stark. All of Texas's JLWOP sentences were imposed on persons of color. Pennsylvania has imposed it eighty percent of the time on persons of color. There is now a growing consensus against JLWOP, calling into question its constitutionality. The policy's suspect origins and disparate implementation require rigorous examination to determine whether it serves any legitimate penological purpose. Details: Durham, NC: Phillips Black Project, 2015. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2015 at: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/55bd511ce4b0830374d25948/t/5600cc20e4b0f36b5caabe8a/1442892832535/JLWOP+2.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/55bd511ce4b0830374d25948/t/5600cc20e4b0f36b5caabe8a/1442892832535/JLWOP+2.pdf Shelf Number: 136976 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile SentencingLife ImprisonmentLife SentenceLife Without ParoleMinority GroupsRacial Disparities |
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: Fumia, Danielle Title: Washington's Coordination of Services Program for Juvenile Offenders: Outcome Evaluation and Benefit-Cost Analysis Summary: Coordination of Services (COS) is an educational program for low-risk juvenile offenders that provides information about services available in the community. The program is designed to help juvenile offenders avoid further involvement with the criminal justice system. COS currently serves about 600 youth per year in Washington State. The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) first evaluated COS in 2004 following its first year of implementation. As part of ongoing work to identify research- and evidence-based programming in juvenile justice, WSIPP re-evaluated COS to determine its current impact on recidivism. Based on the results from both of WSIPP's evaluations of COS, we estimate that the program reduces recidivism by about 3.5 percentage points (from 20% to 16.5%). Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public policy, 2015. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 29, 2015 at: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/ReportFile/1617/Wsipp_Washingtons-Coordination-of-Services-Program-for-Juvenile-Offenders-Outcome-Evaluation-and-Benefit-Cost-Analysis_Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/ReportFile/1617/Wsipp_Washingtons-Coordination-of-Services-Program-for-Juvenile-Offenders-Outcome-Evaluation-and-Benefit-Cost-Analysis_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 137005 Keywords: At-Risk YouthCommunity-Based ProgramsCost-Benefit AnalysisEducational ProgramsEvidence-Based ProgramsJuvenile OffendersRecidivismTreatment Programs |
Author: Phillips Black Project Title: Juvenile Life Without Parole After Miller v. Alabama Summary: Across the country, we are beginning to turn the page on juvenile justice policies that are out of step with science, medicine, and common sense. They were informed by the popular myth of the juvenile superpredator. The prophesied generation of superpredators has never materialized, and the promised benefits of criminalizing childhood never arrived. The policies the myth spawned, however, remain. The results of these polices have been troubling. They created a straight line from poorly funded schools to juvenile hall and on to the institutions of adult mass incarceration. Our nation's least-advantaged children, the children of poverty, mental illness, and historically discriminated against groups, have fared the worst under these policies. Children of color have been disproportionately adjudicated as delinquents and institutionalized while their peers were far more frequently allowed to work things out without involving courts and jails. We stripped courts and prosecutors of the discretion required to provide treatment tailored to juveniles' individual needs, blinding our institutions to the reality that children are fundamentally different than adults. And we have sentenced thousands of our nation's youth to die in prison for crimes they committed before they were old enough to vote. The time for change has come. Courts and legislatures are rejecting the most extreme policies that were the product of this era. The use of life without parole sentences for children is waning. Solitary confinement for children is ending. Legislators are promulgating laws permitting courts and prosecutors to treat children differently than adults. And courts are now being required to exercise discretion in light of the unique aspects of the individual child before imposing the most severe sentences authorized for juveniles. This report focuses on this last development. The report catalogues how U.S. jurisdictions have responded to the Supreme Court’s mandate to provide individualized sentencing of juveniles before sentencing them to life without possibility of parole. Even as we developed this report, states abandoned the practice of sentencing children to die in prison. We hope that the applicability of this report to juvenile life without parole sentencing will continue to decrease as juvenile life without parole sentences become exceedingly rare. However, we have focused on this mandate because it is premised on the need for individualized consideration at sentencing. We are each more than the worst thing we have ever done, a reality particularly salient for impetuous youth. When sentencing judges are able to consider a juvenile for who that person is as a unique individual and are able to tailor treatment accordingly, the mythical superpredator disappears, and a juvenile justice system very different than the one we currently have will emerge. Details: St. Louis, MO: Phillips Black Project, 2015. 106p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2015 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55bd511ce4b0830374d25948/t/55f9d0abe4b0ab5c061abe90/1442435243965/Juvenile+Life+Without+Parole+After+Miller++.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55bd511ce4b0830374d25948/t/55f9d0abe4b0ab5c061abe90/1442435243965/Juvenile+Life+Without+Parole+After+Miller++.pdf Shelf Number: 137030 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile SentencingLife ImprisonmentLife SentenceLife Without ParoleMiller v. Alabama |
Author: Council of State Governments, Justice Center Title: Locked Out: Improving Educational and Vocational Outcomes for Incarcerated Youth Summary: The report, “Locked Out: Improving Educational and Vocational Outcomes for Incarcerated Youth,” reveals that despite spending between $100,000 to $300,000 per incarcerated child in secure facilities, only 13 states provide all incarcerated youth with access to the same types of educational services that students have in the community. Meanwhile, only nine states offer community-equivalent vocational services to all kids in lock-up. While most youth incarcerated 10 years ago were in facilities operated by state government, nearly two-thirds of youth locked up in the U.S. today are held in facilities operated by local government agencies or nonprofit or for-profit organizations. The survey, conducted by the CSG Justice Center and in partnership with the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators, asked leaders in each state: Who is responsible for educating kids incarcerated in this patchwork of institutions? The report found that in more than 80 percent of states, no single state agency is charged with this authority, leaving an absence of leadership and, ultimately, accountability for ensuring youth make sufficient progress towards college and career readiness. The report also found: •Fewer than one in three states is able to document what percentage of youth released from a juvenile correctional facility subsequently obtain a high school diploma; •In nearly half of the states, it is up to the parent or guardian of the youth, or perhaps a community-based organization advocating on his or her behalf, to get that young person enrolled in a public school or another educational setting after his/her release from a correctional facility; •In more than one-third of states, youth released from a facility are automatically enrolled in an alternative educational setting, which often do not meet state curricular and performance standards and suffer from lower graduation rates that traditional public schools. Details: New York: Center for State Governments Justice Center, 2015. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2015 at: https://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/LOCKED_OUT_Improving_Educational_and_Vocational_Outcomes_for_Incarcerated_Youth.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/LOCKED_OUT_Improving_Educational_and_Vocational_Outcomes_for_Incarcerated_Youth.pdf Shelf Number: 137210 Keywords: Educational ProgramsJuvenile OffendersOffender RehabilitationVocational Education and Training |
Author: Maryland. Administrative Office of the Courts Title: A Registry of Juvenile Court Program Initiatives Summary: Through its 1969 enactment of the revised Juvenile Causes Subtitle, the Maryland General Assembly intended to create a separate system of courts, procedure and method of treatment for juveniles that is civil in nature, rather than criminal. The underlying concept of juvenile law is the protection of the juvenile, so that when judges make dispositions in juvenile cases, they consider the child's need for protection or rehabilitation, not the child's guilt. Juvenile law does not contemplate the punishment of children where they are found to be delinquent, instead it attempts to correct and rehabilitate them. The Judiciary has responded to the spirit and latitude of the unique nature of juvenile proceedings as legislated. Within the courtroom judges have adapted national models of problem solving courts to respond to local issues. Juvenile drug courts and family recovery courts specifically address the substance abuse of delinquent youth and parents who have had their children removed from their care as a result of their misuse of controlled substances. The models listed in this registry range widely among counties, but share the core values of treatment and of accountability to the Court. Intensive monitoring of these participants by the assigned judge results in a relationship that research has demonstrated plays a key role in the participant's recovery. Further, the Maryland Courts have supported the extended use of alternative dispute resolution methods in delinquency, child in need of assistance and termination of parental rights cases. Youthful offenders who are confronted by their victims in a structured Community Conference, a restorative justice model, are more likely to pay restitution and less likely to re-offend. Mediation of post adoption contact agreements between biological and adoptive parents lessens the trauma to all parties, lowers the number of contested termination of parental rights cases and reduces the time to achieve permanency. This Registry of Juvenile Court Program Initiatives demonstrates many collaborative, innovative and effective strategies that are based on national models and implemented throughout the state. These joint efforts demonstrate understanding by the judicial, legislative and executive leadership in Maryland that juveniles are unique, requiring judges to extend law and justice beyond the courtroom to achieve the ultimate safety and welfare of youth and the community. The registry is the first compilation of these programs and marks the beginning of a comprehensive review and analysis of court-based and court-referred programs in the juvenile delinquency arena. The Department of Family Administration will begin compiling and evaluating available data on these programs with the hope of learning which programs are effective and warrant further investment and expansion. The sensitivity, significance and separateness of juvenile proceedings is underscored by the legislative amendments added in 2001, which require the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals to approve the circuit administrative judge's juvenile assignment selection. The amendments further state that juvenile judges possess a personal interest in and experience with children, as well as the desire and temperament to address problems likely to come before the juvenile court. The rotation of judges through juvenile court was also modified to specifically state that juvenile judges are not subject to automatic rotation, presumably precluding assignment of judges better suited to other matters while preserving the ability of effective judges to remain longer than a minimum term. The General Assembly's recognition that youth charged with delinquent acts (crimes if committed by adults) require unique proceedings and consequences was echoed by the United States Supreme Court in Roper v. Simmons. Relying largely on psychological and scientific evidence the Court held that execution for a crime committed by a juvenile under the age of 18 is cruel and unusual punishment that violates the Eighth Amendment. The Court considered three differences between juveniles and adults in reaching these conclusions: 1) comparative immaturity and irresponsibility, 2) increased vulnerability and susceptibility to negative influences and outside pressures, including peer pressures, and 3) a juvenile's character being less formed than an adult's, with personality traits that are more transitory and less fixed. Historically, the executive agencies have been responsible for programming for families and children involved with juvenile court. However, the Judiciary has recognized that families with increasingly complex problems are appearing in their courtroom. For example, child neglect can be a result of parental substance abuse, delinquent youth often have learning difficulties that lead to spiraling truancy and dropout rates, and abused children committed to the Department of Social Services sometimes "cross over" to the delinquency system and are in need of mental health treatment. Details: Baltimore: Maryland Judiciary, 2013. 119p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 24, 2015 at: http://www.courts.state.md.us/family/publications/programregistry20130325.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.courts.state.md.us/family/publications/programregistry20130325.pdf Shelf Number: 137315 Keywords: Juvenile CourtsJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile LawJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Treatment Programs |
Author: Gewirtz, Marian Title: Recidivism Among Juvenile Offenders in New York City, 2007-2012: A Comparison by Case Outcome Summary: New York State's Juvenile Offender (JO) Law was passed as part of the Omnibus Crime Control Bill of 1978 in response to concerns about serious crime committed by young offenders. The JO Law lowered the age of criminal responsibility for juveniles in New York State from age 16, already among the lowest in the country, to age 14 for selected serious felony offenses1 and to age 13 when the charge was second degree murder. In accordance with the provisions of this law, cases are brought directly to the adult rather than the juvenile court for prosecution. Previous CJA research on recidivism among juveniles processed in the adult courts in New York City focused solely on juveniles processed in the Supreme Court (upper court), excluding the many juveniles whose cases were dismissed in the Criminal Court (lower court) or transferred to the Family Court. Furthermore, the previous research did not directly consider re-arrest during pretrial case processing. That is, that research tracked re-arrest regardless of whether the re-arrest occurred before the initial case reached disposition, between disposition and sentencing, after sentencing, or even after the juvenile served any sentence. However, the research showed very high rates of recidivism. Most of the juveniles were re-arrested at some point (three quarters were re-arrested within four years at risk and half were re-arrested for a violent felony offense within that time), though only 16 percent of the re-arrests in that study were prior to disposition. The current research focuses on the relationship between recidivism and case outcome. Re-arrest rates are compared across juveniles whose cases reached disposition in the Criminal Court, by dismissal or by transfer to the Family Court, or in the Supreme Court, by conviction3 or by dismissal or transfer to the Family Court. We begin with a description of the research dataset and of the juveniles that are in the two groups used in this research. The second section presents case outcome and release status in the full research file to provide context for the two research groups. The third section discusses the relationship between case outcome and the demographic and court-related characteristics of the juveniles. The re-arrests are the focus in the fourth section which includes discussion of the first re-arrest, re-arrest rates by demographic, CJA interview and court-related factors, as well as re-arrest rates by time at risk to re-arrest. We then report the results of multivariate analyses using Cox proportional hazards regression to explore the factors associated with elapsed time to first pretrial re-arrest and first pretrial felony re-arrest for both research groups to determine if re-arrest varies by case outcome. Details: New York: New York City Criminal Justice Agency, 2015. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 25, 2015 at: http://www.nycja.org/library.php Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.nycja.org/library.php Shelf Number: 137337 Keywords: Case ProcessingJuvenile Court TransferJuvenile OffendersRe-ArrestRecidivismWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction) |
Author: Campaign for Youth Justice Title: Zero Tolerance: How States Comply with PREA's Youthful Inmate Standard Summary: The United States' extraordinary use of adult correctional facilities to house youth presents numerous concerns, including serious, long-term costs to the youth offender and to society at large. Science and research conducted over the last 20 years confirm what common sense tells us: kids are different. Adolescent development and adolescent brain research have prompted leaders across the country to start looking at our juvenile justice system through a developmentally appropriate lens.1 Such a perspective equally applies to the treatment of youth who would be eligible for adult prison sentences. In light of the decline of youth arrests and youth crime, coupled with the requirements of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) the housing status of the 1200 youth under 18 years of age in the adult prison must be investigated. Each state has its own unique prison system, so in order to determine the housing status of youth we gathered information on each state's statutes, policies, and practices for housing the shrinking - and at times - invisible, population of youth in adult prisons across the country. Despite the strong language provided in the Prison Rape Elimination Act, state laws vary widely as to the regulations and parameters for housing youth in adult prisons. In fact, some states have no regulations or parameters governing the treatment of youth sentenced as adults at all. While some states have fully removed youth from their prison systems - Hawaii, West Virginia, Maine, California, and Washington - the overwhelming majority of states allow youth to be housed in adult prisons. In fact 37 states housed youth under 18 years of age in their state prisons in 2012. The PREA requirements have become the emerging standard of care for the housing of youth in adult facilities, yet the majority of states still permit the housing of youth in adult facilities, often times with no special housing protections. Once youth are sentenced in adult court to an adult prison term, few jurisdictions have enacted safeguards to protect their physical, mental and emotional health. Additionally, programs and behavioral responses in adult facilities rarely are adjusted to meet the needs of adolescent populations. To further complicate matters, nine states have a lower age of court jurisdiction which allows more youth under 18 to enter the adult criminal justice system automatically. Where the age of juvenile court jurisdiction ends at 15 or 16 years of age, state prison systems grapple with housing even younger youth and at high rates. For instance, on any given day New York houses approximately 131 youth under 18 in its state prisons while Georgia houses nearly 100 youth under 18. The dearth of policies to safely house youth under 18 in adult prisons requires further examination and should encourage policymakers to investigate alternatives to practices that put children in harms way. As state and local policymakers grapple with budget and resource allocations, removing youth from adult prisons should be a part of that calculation. This report explores how states house youth under 18 in prisons in the new age of PREA compliance and enforcement. Furthermore, this report highlights national trends in juvenile arrests, crimes, and incarceration of children in the adult system. With evidence of the decreasing number of youth entering the adult system, the recommendations focus on how states can successfully remove all youth from adult prisons. Details: Washington, DC: Campaign For Youth Justice, 2015. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 3, 2015 at: http://www.campaignforyouthjustice.org/images/pdf/Zero_Tolerance_Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.campaignforyouthjustice.org/images/pdf/Zero_Tolerance_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 137434 Keywords: Juvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersPrison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)Youth in Adult Prisons |
Author: Great Britain. HM Inspectorate of Prisons Title: Children in Custody 2014-15. An analysis of 12-18-year-olds' perceptions of their experience in secure training centres and young offender institutions Summary: This report sets out how children in secure training centres (STCs) and young offender institutions (YOIs) describe their experience in the secure estate. It is based on the responses to surveys that were part of the unannounced inspections of every STC and YOI in 2014-15. Of the children in these establishments at the time of the inspections, 84% of them completed a survey. Survey responses do not provide a complete picture of an establishment - a key part of their purpose is to suggest the areas that need closer examination during the inspection. Similarly, this annual review raises important questions that policy makers and practitioners looking to the future of youth custody would do well to pursue. Children in STCs generally reported more positively than those in YOIs, and overall, in both types of establishment, about four in five children said staff treated them with respect. Nevertheless, a significant minority of children in both STCs and YOIs described being frightened and unhappy. Although around four in five children described feeling safe on their first night, almost a third said they had felt unsafe at some time and more than one in 10 said they felt unsafe at the time the survey took place. Two out of five children said they had been physically restrained. This report contains some analysis of what other factors children who feel unsafe or have been restrained have in common, which may suggest areas on which to focus, in order to reduce these concerns. Only slightly more than half the children in both types of establishment felt they had done anything in custody to make them less likely to offend in future. It is a significant concern that fewer boys in YOIs reported being involved in any kind of purposeful activity than at the time of any of our reports in the last five years. Details: London: HM Inspectorate of Prisons, 2015. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 11, 2016 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/12/HMIP_CP_-Children-in-custody-2014-15-FINAL-web-AW.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/12/HMIP_CP_-Children-in-custody-2014-15-FINAL-web-AW.pdf Shelf Number: 137454 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth detention population in Australia: 2015 Summary: This bulletin presents information on the youth detention population in Australia, focusing on quarterly trends from June 2011 to June 2015. There were fewer than 900 young people in detention on an average night in the June quarter 2015, just over half (55%) of whom were unsentenced. Numbers and rates of young people in detention dropped slightly over the 4 years, but trends varied among the states and territories. Just over half (54%) of all young people in detention on an average night were Indigenous. Details: Canberra: AUS: AIHW, 2015. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 131: Accessed January 22, 2016 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129553700 Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129553700 Shelf Number: 137587 Keywords: Juvenile Detention (Australia) Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Ringland, Clare Title: Can child protection data improve the prediction of re-offending in young persons? Summary: Aim: To determine whether the inclusion of child protection data improves the ability to predict re-offending in young persons with few prior formal contacts with the criminal justice system. Method: A cohort of young persons who had their first, second or third formal contact with the criminal justice system (i.e., police caution, youth justice conference, or court appearance) in 2011 or 2012 were identified in the Re-offending Database maintained by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. For these young persons, NSW Department of Family and Community Services provided data relating to risk of significant harm (ROSH) reports and out-of-home-care (OOHC). Models predicting re-offending using demographic and criminal history variables were developed and compared with models that also included child protection information. Separate models were developed for males and females, as well as for the subgroup of young persons having their first contact with the criminal justice system. Results: While some variables relating to ROSH reports and OOHC data were significant predictors of re-offending, the inclusion of child protection data did little to improve the ability to predict re-offending within 12 months in young persons with few prior formal contacts. Models with and without child protection data were similarly poor at predicting those who would go on to re-offend. Conclusion: Early identification of young persons at risk of re-offending using administrative data sources remains a challenge Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 188: Accessed January 27, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/bocsar_canchildprotectiondataimprovethepredictionofreoffendinginyoungpersons_jan_2016.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/bocsar_canchildprotectiondataimprovethepredictionofreoffendinginyoungpersons_jan_2016.pdf Shelf Number: 137662 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRe-offendingRecidivism |
Author: Moodie, Kristina Title: Security Care in Scotland: A Scoping Study: Developing the measurement of outcomes and sharing good practice Summary: This is a scoping study designed to help identify evidence gaps regarding the outcomes experienced by children and young people placed in secure care in Scotland. Initially a brief literature review examining recent papers and articles discussing outcomes for young people both in and leaving secure care was carried out. Gaps in the literature were identified and then semi-structured interviews completed with heads or deputy heads of service within each of the five secure units in Scotland, to further clarify where the gaps and challenges are in relation to this subject. While individual units have been working to identify their own outcomes models, there is currently an evidence gap with regards to both short term outcomes and longitudinal follow up of young people leaving secure care. This is an area of enquiry that it is difficult for individual units to progress given the scale and complexity of the task. However, with the secure estate now effectively splintered and competing for business with one another, concerns were raised that not only were individual secure units no longer collaborating and sharing information, they were also not sharing good practice. This tension between competition for business and sharing good practice could potentially impede overall improvement of the service. Interviewees identified that this would be a considerable challenge for any efforts to redress the evidence gap. By examining the literature and interviews with secure care providers multiple questions were raised including: how should baselines be measured; what constitutes a positive (or a negative) outcome; when should these outcomes be measured; should it be on leaving the unit or examining where the young people have reached years down the line; and how can reaching an objective be attributed to any particular intervention or placement. Interviewees identified a range of current and significant challenges within the secure care sector and expressed a desire to see these issues explored in any future studies. The three most significant issues raised were mental health, continuity of care, and lack of care planning. Despite steps taken by the Scottish Government to ensure that the mental health of young people in residential and secure care is streamlined and coordinated to ensure the best possible mental health care and support is available, there are still some areas where this is not yet happening, resulting in disjointed care. Several secure care units themselves have identified this as a gap and a priority for the service they offer in the future, if funding allows. Continuity of care for young people transitioning out of secure was identified as a concern for secure care units. Issues described included a lack of forward planning and unanticipated short-term stays. Interviewees identified that good work can be easily undone when young people are moved without planning, a contention that is also reflected in wider literature. This lack of planning is similarly an issue when it comes to staff in the secure units being able to spend time with young people working on the aims and objectives identified on arrival. Staff are not always able to reach the point of starting to work on issues such as health and wellbeing, resilience and education. Details: London: Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice, 2015. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2016 at: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/CYCJ-Secure-Scoping-FINAL.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/CYCJ-Secure-Scoping-FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 137691 Keywords: Child Protection Juvenile OffendersMental Health Services Residential Care Secure Care |
Author: Amnesty International Title: Growing Up on Death Row: The Death Penalty and Juvenile Offenders in Iran Summary: Between 2005 and 2015, Amnesty International recorded the execution of 73 juvenile offenders (people younger than 18 at the time of the crime), including at least four in 2015. A UN report issued in 2014 stated that more than 160 juvenile offenders were on death row. In 2013, Iran adopted a new Islamic Penal Code granting judges discretionary power to replace the death penalty with an alternative punishment if they find that a juvenile offender convicted of murder or certain other capital offences did not understand the nature of the crime or its consequences or there are doubts about his or her "mental maturity and development". Hopes were reinforced by a 2014 decision from Iran's Supreme Court that all juvenile offenders on death row could seek retrial. However, over the past two years the authorities have continued to carry out executions of juvenile offenders, failing to inform them of their right to file an "application for retrial". Also worryingly, several juvenile offenders who had been granted a retrial have been resentenced to death. These cases highlight, yet again, the urgent need for Iran to comply with its international obligations by abolishing completely the use of the death penalty against juvenile offenders. Details: London: AI, 2016. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 28, 2016 at: http://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/growing_up_on_death_row_-_the_death_penalty_and_juvenile_offenders_in_iran_final.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Iran URL: http://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/growing_up_on_death_row_-_the_death_penalty_and_juvenile_offenders_in_iran_final.pdf Shelf Number: 137700 Keywords: Capital PunishmentDeath PenaltyDeath RowExecutionsJuvenile JusticeJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Connecticut. Office of the Child Advocate Title: Investigative Facility Report: Connecticut Juvenile Training School and Pueblo Unit Summary: The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) is charged with investigating, evaluating, and publicly reporting regarding the efficacy of state-funded services to children. OCA is specifically charged with reviewing conditions for children and youth in state-funded facilities and in programs serving children with special needs. The following investigation was undertaken in part because of concerns about conditions at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School and Pueblo brought to OCA by whistleblowers, some of whom work at the Department of Children and Families. CJTS and Pueblo are DCF-run juvenile correctional programs for boys and girls adjudicated as delinquent and committed to state custody due to juvenile offenses. Most of the children confined at CJTS have adjudications for non-violent offenses. The primary purpose (if not the sole purpose) of CJTS and Pueblo is to improve public safety through the rehabilitation/treatment of delinquent youth. The vast majority of children and youth at CJTS and Pueblo have histories of trauma, abuse, neglect, complex psychiatric disorders, and special education needs. To rehabilitate successfully, these youth require intensive, therapeutic supports, seven days a week, and discharge to rigorous and effective services and supervision. OCA's months-long review of facility video tapes, incident reports, and treatment records revealed urgent safety problems for youth. Findings include inadequate suicide prevention, lack of appropriate support and training for staff, inadequate and harmful crisis management, and an opaque system that, despite significant public funding, reports scant information regarding quality, public safety outcomes, and oversight. There is a tension between the rehabilitative mission of the juvenile justice system and the operations of a maximum-security facility like CJTS. These tensions give rise to many of the risks and harms discovered by OCA during this investigation. In part due to similar findings around the country and research demonstrating such programs are ineffective for improving public safety, many states are moving away from prison-like facilities for high need youth and re-allocating dollars towards more effective interventions. Connecticut has rightfully been lauded as a national leader in decreasing incarceration rates for juveniles and adults. However, reliance on the state's maximum security juvenile correctional complex continues, despite stakeholders' and leaders' historic lack of confidence in this facility. OCA respectfully and strongly urges close attention to the urgent issues outlined in this report. OCA's recommendations are also similar to those recently offered by DCF's consultant, Dr. Robert Kinscherff of the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice. DCF has pledged to act on several of Dr. Kinscherff's recommendations and has begun to take additional steps to do the following: 1. Eliminate unlawful restraint and seclusion of children in the facilities; 2. Improve suicide prevention protocols and training; 3. Improve risk assessment and response; 4. Strengthen trauma-informed supports for youth; 5. Improve quality assurance and reporting. OCA applauds that commitment. Given the gravity of OCA's findings, the unique vulnerability of confined youth and the extraordinary state expenditure for CJTS and Pueblo, it will be critical to ensure that changes are implemented expertly, expeditiously, and transparently. Given the complexity of issues reviewed during this investigation, OCA consulted extensively with mental health and other professionals to support our review and recommendations. To that end, OCA also consulted with the State's Office of Protection and Advocacy-charged with protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. The Office of Protection and Advocacy (OPA) reviewed numerous primary source records, including treatment plans, progress notes, and video tapes collected during our investigation. The Office of Protection and Advocacy has issued a responsive public statement, attached to this report. Details: Hartford, CT: Office of the Child Advocate, 2015. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2016 at: http://www.ct.gov/oca/lib/oca/oca_investigative_cjts_pueblo_report_july_22_2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.ct.gov/oca/lib/oca/oca_investigative_cjts_pueblo_report_july_22_2015.pdf Shelf Number: 137786 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Porteous, David Title: The Development of Specialist Support Services for Young People who have Offended and who have also been Victims of Crime, Abuse and/or Violence: Final Report Summary: Introduction 1. This report was commissioned to inform the development of support services for young people who have offended and who have prior experience of victimisation, including but not limited to mental, physical and sexual abuse. In 2014, the London Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime secured $400,000 from the Ministry of Justice Victim's Fund to invest in these services which will be delivered through two London Resettlement Consortia (LRC) areas, each comprising six Youth Offending Services (YOSs), one in North East London, the other in South London. 2. The research involved an online survey and follow up interviews with a sub-sample of YOS professionals, a review of existing research and knowledge on the matter and interviews with seven key informants with specialist knowledge of the issues addressed. Background 3. Existing evidence from academic and applied policy research shows that children and young people are more likely to be victims than offenders and more likely to be victimised than adults, albeit that these comparisons are not straightforward. Furthermore, children and young people known to have offended are more likely to have been a victim of crime, violence and or abuse than young people with no recorded offending history. Many will have emotional and mental health needs and vulnerabilities linked to such traumatic events and when these occur alongside or in the context of other forms of disadvantage and victimisation, young people are particularly vulnerable and find it more difficult to recover from the experience. 4. Children and young people in the youth justice system also have significantly greater speech, language and learning difficulties relative to the general population, are disproportionately likely to have a diagnosed learning disability and to have had a seriously disrupted education. Neurobiological research suggests that traumatic events in early childhood can have a detrimental impact on a range of cognitive and verbal communication skills and may find it difficult to engage productively with treatments that require a certain level of abstract reasoning such as cognitive behavioural therapy. 5. The prevalence and nature of mental health problems relating to crime, violence and abuse varies by ethnicity and gender. Young black males are over-represented in the criminal justice system and in terms of referrals to mental health services made via the CJS. Young women involved in group-related offending are significantly more likely to be victims of sexual assault. 6. There has been growing awareness and recognition of these issues at a policy level in recent times as indicated by the commissioning of the services to be developed in the LRC areas. At the same time, there is concern at a national level about the real term cuts in funding for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and the implications for mainstream service provision. Details: London: Middlesex University, 2015. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2016 at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/gla_migrate_files_destination/Final%20Report_May18th2015_0.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/gla_migrate_files_destination/Final%20Report_May18th2015_0.pdf Shelf Number: 137823 Keywords: Children and ViolenceChildren, Crimes AgainstJuvenile OffendersVictim ServicesVictimizationVictims of Crime |
Author: Larkins, Cath Title: 'Just Putting Me on the Right Track': Young people's perspectives on what helps them stop offending Summary: HMI Probation (2011) found that that not enough attention has been given to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of interventions that tackle offending behaviour, suggesting that Youth Offending Teams need to access and make more use of information about what works in making interventions more effective and that better case planning is needed, together with training and development for practitioners. There is very little evidence of why particular interventions work and also a need for high quality research on "offenders" views on what helped or hindered them in giving up crime' (Sapouna 2011: 43). This research therefore aimed to: - build on existing understanding of what works in reducing reoffending - conduct participatory research to explore the relevance of these studies in the context of the lived experiences of young people in contact with YOT; - understand from young people's perspectives why particular interventions may work; - make recommendations regarding YOT practice as appropriate. The research was carried out by Cath Larkins and John Wainwright at The Centre for Children and Young People's Participation at the University of Central Lancashire School of Social Work. A literature review was presented to a core group of four young people in custody. They reflected on the themes in existing research and their own experience. They then developed participatory research activities. The researchers conducted these activities with a further 46 young people in contact with YOT. The research will be followed by an action planning process to consider how any strategic developments emerging from report might be implemented. Details: Preston, UK: University of Central Lancashire, 2014. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2016 at: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/9483/1/Larkins%20and%20Wainwright%202014%20-%20right%20track%20PUBLISHED.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/9483/1/Larkins%20and%20Wainwright%202014%20-%20right%20track%20PUBLISHED.pdf Shelf Number: 137826 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionDesistanceInterventionsJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Young people in child protection services and under youth justice supervision 2013-2014 Summary: This report presents information on young people aged 10-17 who were involved in the child protection system and under youth justice supervision in 2013-14, and demonstrates the insights that can be gained through data linkage. One-quarter of young people in youth justice detention were also in the child protection system in the same year. Those who were younger at their first youth justice supervision were more likely to also be in child protection. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2015. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Data Linkage Series No. 21; Accessed February 11, 2016 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129554445 Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129554445 Shelf Number: 137842 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Sentencing Project Title: Juvenile Life Without Parole: An Overview Summary: An overview of developments regarding Juvenile Life without Parole: An Overview encompasses the impact of the Supreme Court's recent decision in Montgomery v. Louisiana, which will sharply curtail the number of people serving life without parole sentences for offenses committed as juveniles. Approximately 2,500 people are currently serving life without parole for offenses committed as juveniles; 16 states and the District of Columbia have banned the use of the sentence for juvenile offenders. The policy brief traces a decade's worth of Supreme Court rulings, legislative responses to those rulings, and current research about teenage development and the juveniles likely impacted by the decision. Details: Washington, DC: The Sentencing Project, 2016. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 17, 2016 at: http://sentencingproject.org/doc/publications/jj_Juvenile_Life_Without_Parole.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://sentencingproject.org/doc/publications/jj_Juvenile_Life_Without_Parole.pdf Shelf Number: 137877 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersLife ImprisonmentLife SentenceLife Without ParoleSentencing |
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: Kentucky. Legislative Research Commission Title: Report of the 2013 Task Force on the Unified Juvenile Code . (2013 Senate Concurrent Resolution 35) Summary: In 2013, Senate Concurrent Resolution 35 extended the Task Force on the Unified Juvenile Code, which had been created the year before. The task force was directed to continue its review of the juvenile justice system to develop recommendations for reform. The task force was a bipartisan, inter-branch group with diverse representation from juvenile justice stakeholders. It conducted a detailed analysis of Kentucky's juvenile justice system and, based on this work, developed recommendations to protect public safety, hold offenders accountable, improve outcomes for children and families, and control costs in the juvenile justice system. Seeking to improve public safety and achieve better outcomes for youth and their families, the task force studied Kentucky data, reviewed research on proven juvenile practices, and looked to other states to identify solutions. The task force analysis led to findings in four areas of Kentucky's juvenile justice system: - Kentucky is spending significant resources on out-of-home residential placement for lowlevel status and public offenders.b The Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) spends more than half of its $102 million annual budget on secure and nonsecure residential facilities that cost an average of $87,000 per bed per year. In addition, the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) spent an estimated $6 million in fiscal year 2012 for out-of-home placement of status offenders. - Lower-level offenses make up a significant share of the juvenile justice system. Misdemeanants and violators make up the majority (ranging from 55 percent to 87 percent) of youth in of each type of out-of-home placement. - The length of time probation/court order violators and misdemeanor offenders spend in outof- home facilities has increased 31 percent and 21 percent, respectively, over the past decade. The amount of time these offenders spend out of home differed by less than 1 month from those adjudicated on felony offenses. Hundreds of status offenders are spending time out of home through commitments to DCBS or in detention. - A lack of funding for and access to services and alternatives in the community has contributed to more expensive commitments to DJJ and DCBS and more youth being placed out of home. Recommendations And Impact The task force recommendations are grouped into four categories: - Reinvest savings to provide for sustained funding, expand community services, and improve supervision. - Focus resources, particularly expensive out-of-home facilities, on higher-level offenders, and reinvest savings into strengthening early intervention and prevention programs. - Increase effectiveness of juvenile justice programs and services. - Improve government performance by providing oversight of reform implementation, tracking performance measures, and maximizing federal resources. Details: Frankfort, KY: Legislative Research Commission, 2013. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Memorandum No. 514: Accessed February 24, 2016 at: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/lrcpubs/rm514.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/lrcpubs/rm514.pdf Shelf Number: 137950 Keywords: Justice ReinvestmentJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Depew, Briggs Title: Judges, Juveniles and In-Group Bias Summary: We investigate the existence of in-group bias (preferential treatment of one's own group) in court decisions. Using the universe of juvenile court cases in a U.S. state between 1996 and 2012 and exploiting random assignment of juvenile defendants to judges, we find evidence for negative racial in-group bias in judicial decisions. All else the same, black (white) juveniles who are randomly assigned to black (white) judges are more likely to get incarcerated (as opposed to being placed on probation), and they receive longer sentences. Although observed in experimental settings, this is the first empirical evidence of negative in-group bias, based on a randomization design outside of the lab. Explanations for this finding are provided. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2016. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper 22003: Accessed February 24, 2016 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w22003.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w22003.pdf Shelf Number: 137952 Keywords: JudgesJudicial Decision-MakingJuvenile CourtJuvenile DefendantsJuvenile OffendersRacial BiasRacial Discrimination |
Author: Hart, Di Title: Tell them not to forget about us. A guide to practice with looked after children in custody Summary: This guide is aimed primarily at Children's Services Authorities1 to support their work with looked after children and care leavers who are imprisoned within Young Offender Institutions (YOIs). It will also be relevant for Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) and staff in YOIs. Although the research did not include Secure Training Centres (STCs), the messages about effective planning are equally applicable. It is written in recognition of the fact that a significant proportion of children in custody have been in the 'care' system at some point and are still entitled to social work support. This guide aims to support practice by providing: - key messages from 12 case studies of looked after children in prison - a model to assist social workers, YOTs and prison/STC staff to work together - briefing notes on aspects of child care and youth justice policy, research and practice - practical exercises and checklists - examples of good practice and protocols - a list of references and sources of information - templates for information-sharing, assessment and planning that are compatible with the Integrated Children's System. Details: London: National Children's Bureau, 2006. 90p. Source: Accessed February 29, 2016 at: http://www.ncb.org.uk/media/441684/tell_them_not_to_forget_about_us_web.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.ncb.org.uk/media/441684/tell_them_not_to_forget_about_us_web.pdf Shelf Number: 137989 Keywords: Detention CentersJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Carnevale Associates, LLC Title: Findings from the Economic Analysis of JDC/RF: Policy Implications for Juvenile Drug Courts Summary: Findings from the National Cross-Site Evaluation of Juvenile Drug Courts and Reclaiming Futures (JDC/RF) indicate that costs associated with providing services in accordance with the JDC/RF integrated model are offset by substantial savings to society. The integrated model, which was created as a combination of two existing models: Juvenile Drug Courts: Strategies in Practice (JDC: SIP) & Reclaiming Futures (RF), is part of an effort by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to improve the effectiveness and efficacy of JDCs. The JDC/RF National Cross-Site Evaluation includes five sites that received funding under this initiative. This brief describes a two-part study of JDC/RF program costs, meaning the monetary value of time and resources required to operate the program, and estimated net economic benefits, meaning the monetary value of program benefits minus the program costs. Adolescent treatment program costs and associated net benefits are not studied as frequently as adult programs, despite the fact that studies of this nature for adults have become more numerous in recent years. The findings of the current study help fill this gap, lending an important contribution to the adolescent treatment research community. The study found that the five sites participating in the JDC/RF National Cross-Site Evaluation experienced net benefits to society that greatly exceeded JDC/RF program costs. These benefits were directly related to data collected before and after the JDC/RF intervention on traditional measures of JDC programmatic success such as crime, substance abuse, education, physical health, and mental health. Findings provide preliminary economic justification for the JDC/RF program. Details: Tucson: University of Arizona: Accessed February 29, 2016 at: 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 29, 2016 at: https://sirow.arizona.edu/sites/sirow.arizona.edu/files/Policy%20Brief%20%23%20Cost%20Study_FINAL_upload2_1.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://sirow.arizona.edu/sites/sirow.arizona.edu/files/Policy%20Brief%20%23%20Cost%20Study_FINAL_upload2_1.pdf Shelf Number: 137992 Keywords: Cost-Benefit AnalysisDrug CourtsJuvenile Drug CourtsJuvenile OffendersProblem-Solving Courts |
Author: Kassabian, Taline Title: Responses to Youth Crime in Canada: An Examination of the Micro & Macro Processes Associated with the Tough-on-Crime Legislation Summary: The enactment of tough-on-crime legislation in Canada is questionable given the abundance of research rejecting its underlying premises and goals. While there appears to be ongoing concern in Canada about the tough-on-crime agenda, there is currently a shortfall in information addressing the processes through which Bill C-10 (Part 4) was developed and legislated by the Conservative Government. As such, there is limited data that informs Canadians about the ways in which politicians make meaningful decisions about youth crime policy and legislation. Consequently, the objective of this dissertation is to provide a better understanding of the individual (micro) and governmental (macro) processes associated with the tough-on-crime approach in Canada, with a specific focus on responses to youth crime. Using a conflict and Marxist/critical perspective (Alvi, 2012; Chambliss & Seidman, 1971; DeKeseredy, 2011; Garland, 2001; Habermas, 1973, 1985; Hall et al., 2013; Quinney, 1970), this dissertation examines the state as a legitimate power and the ways in which it gains and maintains legitimacy. Theorists suggest modern laws work as an instrument of power to reflect the dominant ideology that is reproduced within the social structural system. Thus, this dissertation specifically examines the claim that laws are shaped by a consensus of dominant interests and values that are embodied and preserved in the tough-on-crime legislation, and is ultimately supported by the public. This research investigates three central questions: First, what are the processes through which Bill C-10 (Part 4) developed and was legislated? Second, in what way(s) has tough-on-crime legislation been implemented in Canadian youth courts? Finally, how does Texas (United States) differ in their response to youth crime, relative to their model of crime control and placement on the tough-on-crime spectrum? To examine the tough-on-crime approach, interviews were conducted with twenty-two participants who were either involved in the political debates of Bill C-10 (Part 4) or had intimate knowledge of the youth justice system. The interview data were cross-referenced and compared to the applicable parliamentary records in Hansard. Second, a case law analysis was conducted to determine how the tough-on-crime mandate has been implemented within Canadian youth courts (2003-2013). Finally, an analysis of case law in Texas was carried out in order to understand how more punitive jurisdictions respond to youth crime and how their legislation differs from Canada (1996-2013). The findings suggest the enactment of the tough-on-crime legislation in Canada was a result of a complex interaction between a number of agencies, institutions, and individuals after the Conservative's won a majority government in 2011. Moreover, the findings demonstrate the values embodied within the tough-on-crime legislation reflect the dominant (conservative) ideology and served as a means of maintaining legitimacy (Habermas, 1985; Hall et al., 2013). While the Canadian case law did not indicate that youth in conflict with the law were more adversely affected by Bill C-10 (Part 4), there was no evidence to suggest that future substantive changes in practice would not occur. However, marginalized Canadian youth were noted as most likely to be subject to tough-on-crime measures (Alvi, 2012). The results from the case law analysis of Texas suggest the state focuses on diversion and rehabilitation, but to a lesser degree than Canada. This is largely due to Texas' transfer laws or ability to impose a determinate sentence. As a result, there appears to be a disproportionate use of the tough-on-crime legislation in Texas, often affecting minority youth. These findings are not only illustrative of a more punitive model of crime control relative to Canada, but point to the potential dangers of enacting tough-on-crime policies. Overall, the implication of the findings from both jurisdictions is that the tough on-crime movement is a way of deflecting unspecified social problems onto youth as marginal political subjects, in an effort to mobilize the political power of the state (Alvi, 2012; DeKeseredy, 2011; Garland, 2001; Hall et al., 2013). In the Canadian context, there is evidence to suggest the state employed both "adaptive" and "non-adaptive" strategies to address the problem of youth crime (Garland, 1996). In effect, the newly enacted tough-on-crime legislation moves Canada further away from a reliance on various collaborative techniques and community based programs, and therefore supports a strong state-centric approach to crime control. Details: Waterloo, ONT: University of Waterloo, 2015. 480p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 5, 2016 at: https://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/bitstream/handle/10012/9248/Kassabian_Taline.pdf?sequence=3 Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: https://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/bitstream/handle/10012/9248/Kassabian_Taline.pdf?sequence=3 Shelf Number: 138120 Keywords: Juvenile Justice PolicyJuvenile LegislationJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Deal, Teri Title: Measuring Subsequent Offending in Juvenile Probation Summary: NCJJ has released a new StateScan publication that summarizes the results of a review of publicly available recidivism reports that include measures of recidivism for youth adjudicated to probation. This StateScan is the 6th in a series that distills important knowledge from NCJJ's Juvenile Justice Geography, Policy, Practice & Statistics website (www.JJGPS.org). The authors organize results from an online search for available state-level recidivism reports. Most reports located focused on juvenile correction populations, but 14 reports included measures of reoffending for youth under probation supervision. This publication explores the different ways reoffending is measured for this population, including the various marker events and follow-up periods used. This original analysis also emphasizes the need to measure reoffending among probationers given that most court involved youth are supervised by probation departments Details: Pittsburgh, PA: National Center for Juvenile Justice, 2015. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: STATESCAN: Accessed March 7, 2016 at: http://www.ncjj.org/pdf/JJGPS%20StateScan/JJGPS%20Measuring%20Subsequent%20Offending%20in%20Juvenile%20Probation%202015_6.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjj.org/pdf/JJGPS%20StateScan/JJGPS%20Measuring%20Subsequent%20Offending%20in%20Juvenile%20Probation%202015_6.pdf Shelf Number: 138122 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity-Based CorrectionsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationRecidivism |
Author: South Australia. Attorney-General's Department. Office of Crime Statistics and Research Title: Caution versus conference referral: a comparison of police diversion in reducing re-contact by first-time Indigenous juvenile offenders in South Australia Summary: The over-representation of Indigenous young people in the criminal justice system remains a significant social justice and public policy issue in Australia. It has been suggested that an increased use of effective police diversion can reduce Indigenous over-representation. Diversion can be defined as the practice of diverting young people from entering or continuing into the formal criminal justice system and commonly involves pre-court processes and programs. Two of the most frequently used methods of diversion in South Australia are formal police cautioning and family conferencing. While a number of studies have investigated the effectiveness of diversion in reducing re-offending by Indigenous juveniles, only Cunningham (2007) and Allard et al. (2009) have investigated the effectiveness of formal police cautioning and family conferencing in reducing re-offending by first-time Indigenous juvenile offenders (F-TIJOs). However, these two studies report conflicting findings and contain notable methodological limitations, including: (i) short follow-up periods, (ii) failure to track re-offending into adulthood, (iii) small sample sizes, (iv) failure to examine more than two recidivism outcomes, and (v) risks of bias due to failure to control for significant predictors of re-offending and failure to analyse data on intention to treat. The current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of two methods of diversion; cautioning and referral to conferencing, in reducing re-contact by F-TIJOs using methods to overcome the limitations of previous research. To address these methodological limitations the current study (i) employed a follow-up period of 24 months for each offender regardless of whether this period extended into the adult justice system, (ii) analysed four recidivism outcomes, (iii) analysed data on intention to treat, and (iv) employed propensity score matching to control for significant predictors of re-offending. The following research question was examined: (1) Did the proportion of F-TIJOs who re-contacted with police within 24 months differ between those who received a formal police caution and those who received a referral to a family conference? For those who re-contacted within 24 months, the following research questions were also examined: (2) Did the frequency of re-contact differ between F-TIJOs who received a formal police caution and those who received a referral to a family conference?, (3) Did the seriousness of first re-contact differ between F-TIJOs who received a formal police caution and those who received a referral to a family conference?, and (4) Did time to re-contact differ between F-TIJOs who received a formal police caution and those who received a referral to a family conference? Details: Adelaide: Office of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2016 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/research_reports/OCSAR_Research_Report_Caution_vs_Conference_Referral.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/research_reports/OCSAR_Research_Report_Caution_vs_Conference_Referral.pdf Shelf Number: 138202 Keywords: Family ConferencingIndigenous PeoplesJuvenile DiversionJuvenile OffendersPolice Cautioning |
Author: National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice Title: Strengthening Our Future: Key Elements to Developing a Trauma-Informed Juvenile Justice Diversion Program for Youth with Behavioral Health Conditions Summary: Developed by the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice (NCMHJJ) and the Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc. (TAC) as part of the 2014-15 Policy Academy-Action Network Initiative, this report: - presents the current understanding of child trauma in the context of juvenile justice - identifies 9 implementation domains essential to achieving a trauma-informed juvenile justice diversion approach, and - highlights case examples from each state involved in the initiative (Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, and Tennessee). Details: Delmar, NY: Policy Research Associates, Inc., National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, 2016. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2016 at: http://www.ncmhjj.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/traumadoc012216-reduced-003.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncmhjj.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/traumadoc012216-reduced-003.pdf Shelf Number: 138209 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity-Based TreatmentJuvenile DiversionJuvenile OffendersMental Health Services |
Author: Northern Ireland Criminal Justice Inspection Title: Monitoring of Progress on Implementation of the Youth Justice Review Recommendations Summary: Reducing the number of children entering the criminal justice system and dealing more appropriately and effectively with those that do, were the main goals of the Youth Justice Review. This report, the second of two by Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland, examines whether we are any closer to the youth justice system envisaged when the review team reported in 2011. As a general observation on recent criminal justice reform programmes, it is very hard to maintain momentum on recommendations, especially those which require the collaboration and support of other Northern Ireland Executive departments. Some of the recommendations within the Youth Justice Review are less relevant now than when they were made, and some were unrealistic in expecting the delivery of both the spirit and letter of what was intended. Legislative changes envisaged by the Review Team have been frustrated by a lack of political consensus and the opportunities for progress within the lifetime of the current Northern Ireland Assembly are limited. The criminal justice system is changing before our eyes and it is important that in any assessment of progress, we factor in the fiscal challenges and current operating environment. The Department of Justice's target of 90% achievement of recommendations has not been met however, it is the nature of some that have been achieved which, in my view, deserve special mention. We should acknowledge that no child has been held in an adult prison for the last four years. Fewer children are being committed to youth custody, and the age and offending profile of those who are, means that we are dealing with the most difficult and disturbed young people. Details: Belfast: Criminal Justice Inspectorate, 2015. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2016 at: http://www.cjini.org/CJNI/files/35/355260de-ceb0-43f8-ad83-e91fee363dd1.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cjini.org/CJNI/files/35/355260de-ceb0-43f8-ad83-e91fee363dd1.pdf Shelf Number: 138226 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile DiversionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Schafer, N.E. Title: Evaluation of a JAIBG-Funded Project: Voice and Location Telephone Monitoring of Juveniles Summary: Direct supervision of juvenile probationers is seldom possible in many communities in Alaska due to their remoteness, so alternative supervision strategies are desirable. Electronic monitoring or voice recognition systems can substitute for institutionalization or face-to-face supervision by a probation officer. This report describes and evaluates the use of a voice and location telephone monitoring system for the supervision of juvenile probationers through the Mat-Su Youth Corrections Office in Palmer. In practice, VALUE - Voice And Location Update Evaluation - was used primarily as a transitional tool for clients "stepping down" from traditional electronic monitoring to release from supervision. Details: Anchorage: Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage, 2001. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2016 at: http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/research/2000/0010.kap/0010.kap.pdf Year: 2001 Country: United States URL: http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/research/2000/0010.kap/0010.kap.pdf Shelf Number: 138245 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationElectronic MonitoringJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationOffender SupervisionVoice Recognition Systems |
Author: New South Wales. Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Making Connections: Providing family and community support to young people in custody Summary: Inspector of Custodial Services' first inspection examining juvenile justice centres looked at the ways in which family and community support is provided to young people in custody. That there is value in providing family and community support to young people in detention is widely recognised and is reflected in domestic legislation and Juvenile Justice Standards. It has been highlighted by the experience in other jurisdictions, such as the 1998 Queensland Forde Inquiry, that contact with family and community should be an entitlement of detainees, rather than a privilege. Family and community contact can reduce detainees' sense of isolation while in custody and can also support reintegration outcomes when they are released. This inspection examined two centres: Juniperina Juvenile Justice Centre and Reiby Juvenile Justice Centres. Juniperina is the only female-only centre in NSW, and Reiby accommodates both younger boys (10-16 years old) and those with behavioural issues. These centres were selected as they offered an overview of the types of issues faced by young people held in detention, who are often from a complex and disadvantaged background. The inherent challenges faced by JJNSW in assisting young people to maintain links with their family and community while incarcerated are exacerbated by the fact that a high proportion of young people are placed in a detention centre outside their home region and tend to spend a relatively short time in custody. Overall, the inspection found that JJNSW promotes and facilitates contact between young people and their families and communities in a satisfactory way. Contact with family is mainly facilitated through telephone and face-to-face visits; and juvenile justice officers involve family in the case management process where possible. Engagement with the local community is achieved through having programs delivered in the centres by non-government organisations, or the use of external leave or work arrangements where this is assessed as appropriate. The family contact policies are well defined by JJNSW and administered effectively by staff in the centres, although there are some differences in the ways they may be applied to individual cases. The Inspector appreciates the need to maintain flexibility when applying these policies, but underscores the importance of remembering that contact with family is an entitlement of all young people in detention and access to family should never be used as a tool to manage behaviour. A key point of concern for the Inspector that became evident during this inspection was the level of security utilised during visits. Rigorous security processes are essential to the smooth running of the centre, but they should not unfairly impinge on the rights of young people. Current practice sees strip-searching of young people carried out as routine procedure after, and in some cases before, being granted a visit with family. Young people are also dressed in security overalls for all visits, including non-contact ones. The Inspector believes these measures can create further problems for already fragile young people and that a proper risk-based assessment would target the trafficking of contraband equally as well. The inspection found that both centres have regular and ongoing engagement with their local communities and NGOs. Centre management works with local groups to deliver a range of in-house programs for young people, although the level of interaction varies across centres. An outstanding example of outreach with the local community is seen at the Waratah Unit at Reiby, a pre-release unit focusing on developing the life skills of young men before they are released. There are notable differences in the opportunities and programs offered to young men and young women and the inspection recommends that comparable opportunities should be available to women as they are to men. Such opportunities should be available for both in-house programs and access to a transitional program and external work release, such as that offered at the Waratah Unit. Details: Sydney: Inspector of Custodial Services, 2015. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2016 at: http://www.custodialinspector.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/FINAL%20Making%20Connections%20report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.custodialinspector.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/FINAL%20Making%20Connections%20report.pdf Shelf Number: 138246 Keywords: Community ParticipationFamilies of InmatesJuvenile Detention CentersJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Kotze, Kevin Title: More Care Less Court: Keeping Youth out of the Criminal Justice System Summary: New Brunswick's rate of youth charged for criminal offences has been decreasing since the enactment of Canada's youth crime legislation, the Youth Criminal Justice Act, in 2002. Yet still nearly a decade passed in our Province without corresponding progress being made in regard to the number of youths being sent to pre-trial detention and secure custody. Far too often it is the most vulnerable youths who are caught in the system - youths with mental health disorders, youths with addictions issues, youths with backgrounds as victims of abuse and neglect; homeless youth; youth with intellectual disabilities; youths from marginalized or minority identity groups. The good news is that New Brunswick has in the past few years begun to make real progress in youth criminal justice issues. The RCMP and their Community Program Officers, as well as municipal police forces, began to lead the way by increasingly diverting youth away from court and toward supports that can reduce their risk of further involvement in crime. However, it takes the work of many different stakeholders to address youth crime effectively, and it takes a system that is built to be responsive to the developmental needs of youth. Very recently, government's Provincial Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy has worked with police and civil society to produce a Youth Diversion Model that addresses some of the root causes of youth crime. The model is in line with a shift toward an evidence-based child-rights focus that reflects not just what is easiest but what works best. This work deserves praise and holds much promise, but we must bear in mind it is only the beginning of the necessary shift. Much work is still to be done to keep youth from crime. Pre-trial detention rates and secure custody rates remain unduly high. Youth admissions to correction services as a whole in New Brunswick remain higher per capita than other provinces. Reaction must be in proportion to the gravity of the offence. Sentencing should be for the shortest time possible. Community-based sentences should be the usual route. Incarceration should be a last resort, normally reserved for serious violent offences. Only in the most serious cases should youth have to await trial while detained at the detention and secure custody facility. If New Brunswick can take a child-rights approach in all areas involving children and youth, we can lead the way in providing the means to allow children to develop positive senses of how they feel, think and act. This is what will keep youth out of the criminal justice system. The More Care Less Court report seeks to provide an overview of the youth criminal justice system in New Brunswick generally, and shed some light on some of the most apparent problems with the system. The report's recommendations intend to support the work of the Provincial Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy, and suggest necessary improvements to the youth criminal justice system. Details: Fredericton, NB: Office of the Child and Youth Advocate, 2015. 173p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 16, 2016 at: https://www.gnb.ca/0073/Child-YouthAdvocate/MCLC-PAMP/MoreCareLessCourt.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: https://www.gnb.ca/0073/Child-YouthAdvocate/MCLC-PAMP/MoreCareLessCourt.pdf Shelf Number: 138251 Keywords: At-Risk YouthDelinquency PreventionJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile DiversionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Parker, Khristy Title: Juvenile Justice Referrals and Charges in Alaska, FY 2006-2015 Summary: This fact sheet presents juvenile justice statistics from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) for state fiscal years 2006-2015. Law enforcement agencies make referrals to DJJ if there is probable cause that a youth committed an offense which would be criminal if committed by an adult, committed a felony traffic offense, or committed an alcohol offense after two prior District Court convictions for minor consuming. Youth who commit very serious offenses such as murder and sexual assault may be waived, or moved, to the adult criminal justice system. Youth waived to adult court may be prosecuted at the discretion of the district attorney. DJJ is a restorative justice agency whose mission is to hold juvenile offenders accountable for their behavior, promote the safety and restoration of victims and communities, and assist offenders and their families in developing skills to prevent crime. DJJ has three components: Probation, Detention, and Treatment, all overseen by the state office. This report focuses on data for youth referrals to the Probation component of DJJ (which also processes intake) for the period FY 2006-2015. DJJ services are directed through four separate regional administrative units that differ widely in demographic and geographic makeup. The Anchorage Region (ANC) covers the Anchorage metropolitan area. The Northern Region (NRO) includes Fairbanks and much of rural Alaska from Bethel to Barrow. The South Central Region (SCRO) covers the southern portion of the state from the Aleutians in the west through Prince William Sound in the east. The Southeast Region (SERO) covers the entire Southeast panhandle from Yakutat to Metlakatla. The data presented in the figures and tables below reflect the referrals, charges, and number of unique referred individuals for Alaska FY 2006-2015. All of the data were extracted from the DJJ Data Trends website Details: Anchorage: Alaska Juvenile Statistical Analysis Center, 2016. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Fact Sheet: Accessed March 16, 2016 at: http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/ajsac/2016/ajsac.16-02.djj_referrals.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/ajsac/2016/ajsac.16-02.djj_referrals.pdf Shelf Number: 138267 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransfersJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersWaiver of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction |
Author: Bateman, Tim Title: Criminalising children for no good purpose: The age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales Summary: In England and Wales, children are deemed to be criminally responsible, and become subject to the full rigour of the criminal law, from the age of ten. Children too young to attend secondary school may nonetheless be arrested and detained at a police station. They can be prosecuted and, if convicted, will receive a criminal record that, for some purposes, must be declared indefinitely. If a 10-year-old commits an offence considered to be a 'grave crime', he or she will be tried in the Crown Court and may be given a custodial sentence equivalent to that available in the case of an adult. Similarly, a child of that age co-accused with an adult will be subject to trial in an adult venue. The National Association for Youth Justice (NAYJ) considers that the arguments for maintaining the status quo are unconvincing: the government's rejection of calls to review the point at which children become criminally liable is motivated by an ideological commitment to appear tough on youth crime rather than a dispassionate review of the evidence. The NAYJ believes that such a review demonstrates that criminalisation of children at such a young age: represents a breach of international standards on children's rights; does not take account of children's developing capacity and imputes culpability inappropriately; and is illogical, unnecessary, and damaging. Details: UK: National Association for Youth Justice, 2012. Source: Internet Resource: Campaign Paper: Accessed March 17, 2016 at: http://thenayj.org.uk/wp-content/files_mf/criminalisingchildrennov12.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://thenayj.org.uk/wp-content/files_mf/criminalisingchildrennov12.pdf Shelf Number: 138309 Keywords: Age of ResponsibilityJuvenile Court TransfersJuvenile Justice PolicyJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction) |
Author: Semczuk, Megan Title: An analysis of the relationship between a community-based prevention program for young people with multiple and complex needs and the prevalence of crime Summary: Background There is an absence of high-quality evidence about which programs are most effective in reducing juvenile offending and crime recidivism. Aims This study identifies the most common types of police incidents involving high-risk young people, describes the demographic characteristics of the persons of interest, examines the extent to which a community prevention program (BackTrack) is associated with reductions in police incidents, and identifies the perceptions of key stakeholders about the impact of BackTrack. Methods Routinely collected crime data were obtained from 1999-2013 for Armidale (the BackTrack community). Descriptive analyses identified the most common incidents and their characteristics. Segmented regression analysis of an interrupted time series estimated BackTrack's impact, with segments specified for pre (1999-2005) and post (2006-2013) the commencement of BackTrack. A thematic analysis was applied the perceptions of police officers and the magistrate in Armidale. Results The most common types of police incidents were: break and enter dwelling; malicious damage to property; assault (non-domestic violence); and trespass. Most persons of interest were male, aged 14-17 years. A statistically significant reduction from pre- to post-commencement of BackTrack was identified for three outcomes (p≤0.05), while the fourth (break and enter) approached significance (p=0.055). A key perception was that outcomes are optimised when key stakeholders in community programs and the criminal justice system work together. Conclusions BackTrack appropriately targets high-risk young people and is effective in reducing the most common types of criminal incidents Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2012. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: NDARC Monograph Report Number 65: Accessed March 17, 2016 at: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/NDARC%20Monograph%2065.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/NDARC%20Monograph%2065.pdf Shelf Number: 138310 Keywords: At-Risk YouthCrime PreventionDelinquency PreventionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Newell, Michelle Title: Reforming the Nation's Largest Juvenile Justice System Summary: Research confirms that incarcerating young people is harmful - contributing to lower educational achievement, higher unemployment, higher alcohol and substance abuse and increased mental health problems. Roughly three-quarters of youth leaving locked facilities nationally are rearrested and - depending on local juvenile justice statutes - up to 70 percent are convicted of a new offense. These dismal outcomes, combined with a high price tag, have largely made youth incarceration a failed public policy approach. The good news is that youth incarceration rates in the U.S. have declined by 41 percent over the last 15 years, reaching the lowest level since 1975. While this is due largely to decreasing crime rates and state budget cuts, it also reflects the increased use of cost-effective, community-based programs for youth who pose a minimal threat to public safety. Nevertheless, approximately 70,000 youth nationwide - 2,000 in Los Angeles County - are still confined in juvenile detention facilities on any given day. While the goal remains to reduce these numbers further and keep young people out of the system whenever possible, a small number of youth will remain in secure facilities. How these youth are treated while incarcerated has a marked impact on the rest of their life, their communities, and on our society as a whole. The Los Angeles County juvenile justice system is the largest system in the nation, with locked facilities that include three juvenile halls and fourteen probation camps. Yet many observers of the system, including legal groups, advocates and organizers, the media, and elected and appointed officials, have concluded over the years the camps are not meeting the needs of youth, and not helping them become law-abiding and productive members of society. Details: Los Angeles: UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and Children's Defense Fund, California, 2013. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief: Accessed March 17, 2016 at: http://www.cdfca.org/library/publications/2013/reforming-the-nations.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.cdfca.org/library/publications/2013/reforming-the-nations.pdf Shelf Number: 138314 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationProbation Camps |
Author: Herz, Denise C. Title: The Los Angeles County Juvenile Probation Outcomes Study Summary: In Los Angeles County, an alarming number of children and youth live in unsafe, impoverished communities with entrenched violence, have struggling and isolated parents, and attend poorly performing schools. As a result, many of these children and youth end up in the County's health, mental health, child welfare, human services, and juvenile justice systems. Children who enter the juvenile justice system, in particular, face myriad challenges. Research demonstrates that these vulnerable young people often have risk and need factors that include: low academic achievement, mental health and/or substance abuse issues, negative peer networks, and lack of appropriate parental supervision. Los Angeles Probation-involved youth, for example, often face the following risk and need factors: - Education: Standardized tests indicate that youth placed in probation camps are, on average, 16.7 years old and therefore are in the 11th grade but are achieving at a fifth grade level in math and reading (McCroskey, 2006, p. 2). California High School Exit Examination 2003-04 results for graduates from 492 Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) students in juvenile hall and Community Day School programs show that only 26% passed the English Language Arts exam, compared with 70% of all students in the County who took and passed the exam. Additionally, LACOE data show that the percentage of students identified as requiring special education was higher than the national average of 13.7%.1 Of the 2,047 students enrolled in juvenile hall schools as of November 2005, 79% (n=1,617) were classified as regular education students and 21% (n=430) were classified as special education students. - Mental Health: In 2008, a UCLA research study on Los Angeles' juvenile Probation camp population reported that 58% of youth had received counseling or mental health services prior to being placed in Probation Department camps, with 65% receiving such services during their stay at camp. The same study also found that the most common mental health problems reported by youth who self-identified with a mental health problem were depression and anger. - Substance Abuse: An external survey conducted with youth in Probation Camps found that 58% of Probation-involved youth reported they had received a prior diagnosis of substance abuse and dependency. Additionally, according to a UCLA study on Los Angeles Probation Camps, over one-third of Probation-involved youth have been in an alcohol or drug placement in the past, including 43% of girls and 36% of boys). Because so many Probation-involved youth enter the juvenile justice system with these factors, the Probation Department may be viewed as the primary agency responsible for resolving these issues. Probation, however, cannot address all of these risk factors alone. Instead it relies on collaboration with other County departments, including Health Services, Mental Health and Public Health, whose staff have expertise in health, behavioral health and other child and family issues. For example, an early study (1995) using cross-departmental data linkages to identify families being served by multiple Los Angeles County departments underscores this point. Findings from this study showed that, during that year, 59.4% of Probation families also received services from DPSS, 25.5% also received services from DCFS, 30.3% also received services from DHS, and 18.2% also received services from DMH (Los Angeles County Children's Planning Council, Data Analysis and Technical Assistance Committee, 1995). Despite these findings, identifying and documenting shared connections across County agencies is nearly impossible because agency data systems are seldom integrated, and the interpretation of confidentiality protections limits the exchange of information across agencies. Without interagency coordination, though, youth and families may not receive the services they need, they may receive duplicative services, and/or they may receive inappropriate services. A starting point to better serve Probation-involved youth and families is a better understanding of the characteristics and needs of Probation-involved youth and their outcomes over time. Unfortunately, defining and consistently reporting outcomes for youth under Probation supervision has been elusive for at least three reasons. First, Probation lacks the data and sophisticated data systems necessary to produce meaningful outcome measures. In 2010, Harvard Kennedy School researchers conducting a review of juvenile reentry in Los Angeles County reported that the Probation Department was unable to provide the following information in a timely and comprehensive manner: - educational outcomes in camps and after (high school/GED completion rates, drop-out rates, rates of re-enrollment in school after camp); - percent of youth receiving mental health services; - percent of youth receiving substance abuse services; - percent of youth participating in reentry programs; - what reentry programs youth are currently accessing; - rates of recidivism that capture camp return and entrance in the adult criminal justice system (beyond six month subsequent sustained charge); and, - number of youth violating their Probation terms. Second, the use of data produced by Probation's information system is often driven by compliance rather than case management, quality improvement, or assessing practice over time. In other words, the most readily available and used Probation data elements tend to reflect whether a required protocol was completed, rather than the impact of that practice on youth outcomes. Third, Probation is limited in what it can collect, share and have access to - particularly in terms of mental health and education data - based on legal restraints and confidentiality concerns. Despite knowing that many youth "cross over" between the child protective services and juvenile justice systems, for example, shared access to the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) has been limited due to strict interpretation of statutes and regulations designed to protect confidentiality (see, for example, the Federal Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information Systems [SACWIS] regulations). Collectively, the challenges to interagency coordination and the urgent need for clear and consistent outcomes make a compelling argument for increased attention to the data systems that undergird Probation practices and program, so that County decisions are guided by standardized data collection based on desired outcomes for youth and shared information can drive better interagency coordination and collaboration. Specifically, this study focuses on youth placed in suitable placement and camps (i.e., youth who penetrate deeply into the juvenile justice system) because their experiences and stories arguably provide the unique opportunity to: (1) identify how agencies, communities, and families can better prevent youth entry into the juvenile justice system; (2) provide insight into how to prevent youth who enter the juvenile justice system from reaching the point of being placed in out-of-home care (suitable placement) and/or Probation camps; (3) provide direction on how to build an integrated and coordinated response system that would address the complex needs of youth and families, particularly those who penetrate deeply into the system; and, (4) identify key outcomes that can be measured consistently and regularly (e.g., annually) by Probation, LACOE and allied County departments. This report begins by providing an overview of the need for and purpose of juvenile justice data as well as the current structures of data collection in Los Angeles County (Chapter 1). Next, it examines the characteristics and situational contexts of youth exiting from suitable placements and juvenile camp placements during 2011 (Chapters 2 & 3). Eight in-depth youth case histories taken from Probation records are presented to illustrate the context within which these youths' stories unfold from the perspective of the Probation Officers who supervise and oversee youth in the system (Chapter 4). Based on the findings presented in this report, Chapter 5 presents recommendations to improve practice through targeted reform and improved use of data. Details: Los Angeles: Advancement Project, 2015. 156p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2016 at: http://www.cdfca.org/library/publications/2015/la-probation-outcomes.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.cdfca.org/library/publications/2015/la-probation-outcomes.pdf Shelf Number: 138315 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationProbation Camps |
Author: Abrams, Laura S. Title: Perceived Needs, Barriers, and Social Supports Among the Youth Reentry Population in Los Angeles County Summary: Goal of Study: To identify the transition needs, barriers to use of existing services, and key social supports for youth transitioning out of Los Angeles County probation camps. Method: A face-to-face original survey was completed with 36 males from Camp David Gonzales and 35 females from Camp Scott who were within 60 days of their release. The average age of the sample was 17.6. Youth identified their primary ethnicity as: 76% Hispanic/Latino/a/Chicano/a, 11% African American, 10% White, and 3% "other." Risk Factors - Close to 50% of youth at both camps were classified as "transient," meaning that they had moved between homes and placements three or more times in their lives. - Nearly 25% of the youth were involved with DCFS/foster care, including 37% of girls and 11% of boys. - A very high number of youth (80% of boys and 65% of girls) reported being associated with a gang. - Six girls and six boys (17% of the total sample) reported being parents of infants or young children. Educational Needs and Barriers - The most common immediate post-camp educational goal was to obtain a high school diploma or GED. - Youth expressed moderate to low confidence in writing and math skills, and girls reported slightly higher confidence than boys in their academic skills. - Girls reported slightly higher long-term educational aspirations, as 57% of girls versus 39% of the boys stated that they planned to attend a two-year or four-year college in the next five years. Employment Needs and Barriers - Boys were more likely than girls (77% versus 43%) to state that they had made money through illegal activities in the past. They were also twice as likely to suggest they would continue these activities. - Boys reported wanting to earn an average hourly wage of $13.30, and girls, $7.80 upon their release. Their short-term and long-term goals differed somewhat in regard to occupational choice. - Close to 60% of sample believed that their criminal record would serve as a barrier to achieving their vocational goals. However, very few youth reported needing legal assistance. Mental Health Needs and Barriers - Of youth who reported receiving a mental health diagnosis, 67% agreed that they had a problem. - Overall, youth found their counseling experiences, both in the past and in camp, to be useful. - A higher percentage of girls stated they would seek counseling upon their release (54% versus 16%). Details: Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Department of Social Welfare, 2008. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2016 at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228456815_Perceived_Needs_Barriers_and_Social_Supports_Among_the_Youth_Reentry_Population_in_Los_Angeles_County Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228456815_Perceived_Needs_Barriers_and_Social_Supports_Among_the_Youth_Reentry_Population_in_Los_Angeles_County Shelf Number: 138319 Keywords: Juvenile AftercareJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Reentry |
Author: Uman, Gwen C. Title: Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools Program in Los Angeles County Probation Camps: Evaluation Report Summary: With the highest youth incarceration rate in the world, the United States (U.S.) imprisons approximately 70,000 youth nationwide on any given day. The U.S. juvenile justice system, which began shifting in the 1980's from a rehabilitation to a punishment model, has created a broad sense of "perpetual surveillance," or "a state of conscious and permanent visibility" for thousands of American youth, especially young men of color. The exiling of American youth in the juvenile justice system has dire personal, educational, social, and economic effects. Some of the negative effects of youth incarceration include: lower educational achievement, higher unemployment, higher alcohol and substance abuse, increased mental health problems, and higher rates of learning disabilities. Studies have also documented the high costs of incarcerating youth; the U.S. spends $6 million per year in juvenile corrections and $88,000 in direct costs per juvenile each year. While youth incarceration has proven to be both harmful and costly, the number of youth in juvenile detention facilities across the country remains high. L.A. COUNTY'S JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM The L.A. County juvenile justice system is the largest system in the nation. In a recent policy brief entitled "Reforming the Nation's Largest Juvenile Justice System," probation camps in L.A. were characterized as ineffective, operating under an outdated era of juvenile justice which relies heavily on penitentiary-like facilities and strictly enforced routines. Recently, a series of lawsuits and allegations in probation camps have identified the following problems in probation camps: "failure to protect youth from harm," "insufficient and problematic staffing," and "inadequate rehabilitative and educational services." To address recent lawsuits and allegations, the L.A. County Probation Department and LACOE have recently advanced a number of efforts, including the following: implementing integrated behavioral treatment models and evidence-based programs like Aggression Replacement Training and interdisciplinary, hands-on, and evidence-based educational programs (i.e. Road to Success Academy); decreasing the staff-to-youth ratio for both Probation Officers and teachers; and moving forward with a probation camp replacement project for Camp Kilpatrick to achieve a small group treatment model. An additional effort to remedy the problems addressed in recent lawsuits and allegations included piloting the CDF Freedom Schools program, which was implemented in two L.A. probation camps in 2013. A brief overview of the CDF Freedom Schools program is provided, with a fuller description of the L.A. County Project. Details: Los Angeles: Children's Defense Fund, California, 2013. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2016 at: http://www.cdfca.org/library/publications/2014/report-cdf-freedom-schools.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.cdfca.org/library/publications/2014/report-cdf-freedom-schools.pdf Shelf Number: 138321 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationProbation Camps |
Author: Chung, Angela Title: Rising Up, Speaking Out: Youth Transforming Los Angeles County's Juvenile Justice System Summary: When youth are taken away from their homes and communities and placed under the custody of a juvenile justice system, all of us have an important responsibility to ensure that during this most formative period of their lives, young people heal and are prepared to succeed when they return to their communities. Instead, our most vulnerable young people, overwhelmingly youth of color, end up locked up in juvenile justice facilities across the U.S. and in Los Angeles County. These facilities are all too often warehouses, where youth are retraumatized and deprived of a quality education and support system. In fact, many youth are more likely to return to their communities under-resourced, overcriminalized, and pre-programmed for adult prisons rather than on a direct path toward college or career. In short, the juvenile justice system has failed in its promise of rehabilitation. Los Angeles County - home to the largest juvenile justice system in the U.S. - now has a historic opportunity to leave behind its outdated and harmful correctional camp model. Over the last decade, the Los Angeles County Probation Department - driven in part by lawsuits and the Department of Justice (DOJ) monitoring - has implemented a number of reforms to address the problems and abuse found in their camps. But these changes are not enough; what is needed is true transformation. By tearing down the decades-old Camp Kilpatrick - a relic of the penitentiary-like, boot-camp style that Los Angeles County built in the 1960s -the county is piloting a therapeutic approach to working with young people. Referred to as the Los Angeles Model (LA Model), this approach is inspired by promising practices across the country, including the Missouri Model, which pioneered a non-institutional and homelike approach to treatment for youth removed from their communities. It is built on the notion that youth cannot heal, change and thrive without safety, and that safety is best achieved through relationship-building and positive youth development. The LA Model is an unprecedented collaboration among the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Probation Department, Office of Education (LACOE), Department of Mental Health (DMH), advocates, researchers, youth and families. If successful, this collaboration can be a model for juvenile justice reform throughout the state of California. The most important voices in guiding and informing the LA Model and any juvenile justice reform in this country are youth who have experienced the system. In this policy brief, five young people - in partnership with CDF-CA's policy researchers - share their own unique experiences inside probation camps and amplify key recommendations from an important UCLA focus group study on how to improve conditions inside Los Angeles County's camps. This brief weighs in on the debate around what works, what does not work, and what should be changed in juvenile justice facilities, while bringing to light the voices, experiences and ideas for change of those who have experienced the system. Details: Los Angeles: Children's Defense Fund - California, 2015. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief: Accessed March 18, 2016 at: http://www.cdfca.org/library/publications/2015/rising-up-speaking-out.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.cdfca.org/library/publications/2015/rising-up-speaking-out.pdf Shelf Number: 138328 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Terry, Diane J. Title: Social Supports and Criminal Desistance among Formerly Incarcerated Youth in the Transition to Adulthood Summary: Nearly 100,000 youth exit correctional facilities each year and reenter the community. As they attempt to resituate themselves in their former environments, many will encounter emotional, social and logistical challenges that may deter them from achieving success. Further, many will reoffend shortly after their release. In order to break cycles of crime and recidivism among youth offenders, it is necessary to explore the pathways that lead them away from crime, particularly as they transition into adulthood. Theory asserts that criminal desistance is a process that entails individual behavioral changes, changing life circumstances, and environmental context. Little is known however, about how young people perceive and navigate the challenges they encounter in this process. Moreover, scholars have not fully explored the relationships between social supports and desistance, including how formerly incarcerated youth perceive, utilize, and access support to help them stay out of trouble. This study used a narrative, life history approach to explore the relationship between criminal desistance, perceptions, and use of social supports among formerly incarcerated, transition-age youth. The researcher conducted 30 in-depth qualitative interviews with 15 formerly incarcerated young men, ages 19-24. Coding and memoing were used to identify major themes related to the participants' desistance journeys and to develop a set of findings concerning the relationship between social support and criminal desistance in the transition to adulthood. This study located three offender typologies, each holding different ideas of desistance ranging from complete abstinence from crime to committing crimes while avoiding police contact. These definitions shaped how they approached the desistance barriers they faced: appearance, feeling marked, and relationships with people and places in the environment. Three important findings emerged with regards to the study variables. First, micro-level decision making helped the participants to navigate desistance barriers. Second, successful desisters latched onto "hooks" that enabled them to transition into adulthood and away from their criminal pasts. Last, social supports served as both a barrier and a coping strategy in the desistance process. Key implications are identified regarding how to better understand the construct of desistance, and how social supports can help young men in the desistance process. Details: Los Angeles: University of California at Los Angeles, 2012. 212p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 18, 2016 at: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/1s1455vg Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/1s1455vg Shelf Number: 138329 Keywords: DesistanceJuvenile OffendersRecidivismRehabilitationSocial ServicesYouthful Offenders |
Author: Marin County Civil Grand Jury Title: Marin County Juvenile Hall: A Time for a Change Summary: Marin County has experienced a significant decline in juvenile detention in recent years. Despite this decline, the cost of operating Marin County's 40-bed Juvenile Hall (JH) has not decreased and continues to be approximately $4,000,000 annually. Because the number of offenders has dwindled, the County's net cost per detainee per day has risen astronomically. To illustrate, the Average Daily Cost (ADC) to house and care for each detained JH youth rose during the past three years (2011-2014) from $464 to $901.64 because the Average Daily Population (ADP) declined from 18.9 to 9.2 detained youths. As a result, the Marin County Grand Jury recommends that Marin County and the Marin County Probation Department (MCPD) negotiate a contract for juvenile detention services with a neighboring county at a reduced cost and reallocate the savings towards expansion of Alternatives to Detention (ATDs), which are in the best interests of Marin youth. The Grand Jury also recommends that Marin County and MCPD consider other uses for this facility. The Grand Jury learned that Marin's decline in juvenile detention is consistent with a major nationwide paradigm shift away from incarceration. Research indicates that detention does not serve youth well, and community-based ATDs, particularly non-residential programming options, deliver equal or better results for a fraction of the cost. Further, the use of risk assessment tools has eliminated the need to confine the majority of Marin's juvenile offenders. Decriminalization of marijuana possession has also significantly reduced arrests and detention. Detentions of juvenile offenders in Marin County's JH decreased from 1,674 in 1995 to 253 in 2014, and its Average Daily Population (ADP) declined 69% in the past decade, from 30 in 2005 to 9.2 in 2014. The median length of stay for youth in the JH is brief, just 8.4 days in 2014. With California's Title 15 mandated staffing requirements to assure safety, security, education, rehabilitation and healthcare in juvenile facilities, most JH operating costs are fixed. MCPD informed the Grand Jury that JH is required to maintain a staff approximating 21 full-time, part-time and on-call personnel irrespective of a variable average daily census. Thus, as detentions decline, costs per detainee increase, while overall costs remain the same. Although California requires every county to have a juvenile hall, it permits two or more counties to operate a joint juvenile hall. According to the California Board of State and Community Corrections, Marin County can satisfy its juvenile detention obligation by contracting with another county for placement of its detainees. The Grand Jury learned from numerous counties that such contracts currently range from $85 to $190 per youth per day. This contracted daily rate may or may not include inter-county transportation costs and certain health care costs, as applicable. Details: San Rafael, CA:Marin County Civil Grand Jury, 2015. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2016 at: http://www.marincounty.org/~/media/files/departments/gj/reports-responses/2014/juvenile-hall.pdf?la=en Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.marincounty.org/~/media/files/departments/gj/reports-responses/2014/juvenile-hall.pdf?la=en Shelf Number: 138330 Keywords: Costs of Criminal JusticeDetention CentersJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Shah, Riya Saha Title: Future Interrupted: The Collateral Damage Caused by Proliferation of Juvenile Records. Summary: Every year, 1.5 million youth are arrested across the country. The moment each of these children comes into contact with the police, a record is created. These records are not confidential. They do not disappear when the young person's case is closed or when she becomes an adult. These records interfere with children's opportunities to move ahead in life and demonstrate their ability to make better choices. Children's juvenile court records tell the story of what they once did - not the story of who they are. In Future Interrupted, Juvenile Law Center urges that we allow children to grow up unfettered by their childhood mistakes-to have their court involvement remain in the past so they can move forward with their lives. Juvenile records are increasingly available to the public through state police databases or private background check company databases. This report demonstrates, through youths' own stories, how records carry devastating collateral consequences when they remain unprotected. The report also examines how the background check companies operate to sometimes provide inaccurate or out of date information. Future Interrupted acts as a call to policymakers to increase record confidentiality and opportunities for expungement and decrease ready access to juvenile record information. It also argues for employers, educational institutions and housing authorities to understand that children grow up and the mistakes of their past shouldn't follow them for their lifetime. Details: Philadelphia, PA: Juvenile Law Center, 2016. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2016 at: http://jlc.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdfs/Future%20Interrupted%20-%20final%20for%20web.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://jlc.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdfs/Future%20Interrupted%20-%20final%20for%20web.pdf Shelf Number: 138342 Keywords: Criminal Records, JuvenilesExpungementJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Records |
Author: Sapp, Dona Title: School-based Probation Program Surrvey, 2014 Summary: The Marion Superior Court Probation Department is a unified, urban probation system which employs 238 employees. The Department, which consolidated adult and juvenile services in 2005, operates in a de-centralized, community-based model with locations throughout Marion County. The majority of juvenile probation officers work under a school-based probation model from local high schools. Probation services are offered to both pretrial and post-trial populations. In October 2013, the Juvenile Services Division of the Marion Superior Court Probation Department (MSCPD) requested the assistance of PPI in gathering and interpreting the information necessary to make a decision regarding whether to continue with a school-based juvenile probation program or to restructure the program and relocate school-based probation personnel to other MSCPD facilities. This report summarizes project research findings related to the following tasks: 1) a review of existing literature on school-based probation programs, 2) key informant interviews, and 3) surveys of school-based probation officers (SBPOs) and school personnel. Details: Indianapolis, IN: Indiana University Public Policy Institute, 2014. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2016 at: https://policyinstitute.iu.edu/Uploads/PublicationFiles/School-based%20Probation%20Survey%20Findings_Final%20Proof_031414.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://policyinstitute.iu.edu/Uploads/PublicationFiles/School-based%20Probation%20Survey%20Findings_Final%20Proof_031414.pdf Shelf Number: 138376 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Probation Juvenile Probation Officers Juvenile Probationers School-Based Probation |
Author: Elsass, H. Jaymi Title: Juvenile delinquency outliers: an analysis of high rate offenders and pure conformists Summary: While the study of juvenile delinquency and young adult crime has a long history in a variety of disciplines, including criminology, criminal justice, sociology, and psychology, much of the research has been focused on the normalcy of law-violating behavior - the vast majority of young people break the law at some point, do so in groups, and age out of crime by early adulthood. Typically this delinquency is relatively minor and infrequent. There has been little research on two of the most interesting outliers of youthful crime and delinquency, namely high-rate offenders and pure conformists. There is much to be learned from the experiences of those juveniles and young adults who deviate from the statistically normal pattern of minor group offending during adolescence. Data from Waves I and II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health are analyzed using conjunctive analysis of case configurations, binary logistic regression, and multinomial logistic regression in order to uncover correlations between the groups of juveniles. The results of these analyses indicate that there are at least two distinct types of pure conformity - active and passive pure conformists. Active pure conformists likely sit on the opposite end of the delinquency spectrum from high-rate offenders. There is mixed evidence as to whether passive pure conformists are more similar to high-rate offenders than they are to either active pure conformists or statistically normal juveniles. Considerations for future research, as well as limitations of the current work, are also discussed. Details: San Marcos, TX: Texas State University, 2015. 208p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 28, 2016 at: https://digital.library.txstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10877/5876/ELSASS-DISSERTATION-2015.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://digital.library.txstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10877/5876/ELSASS-DISSERTATION-2015.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 138442 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersSerious Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Guy, Laura S. Title: Advancing Use of Risk Assessment in Juvenile Probation Summary: Juvenile probation officers at three sites in two States (Mississippi and Connecticut) were trained to use the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY; Borum, Bartel & Forth, 2006) and the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-Second Version (MAYSI-2; Grisso & Barnum, 2000, 2006). Also included in the use of these instruments was a decisionmaking model for case planning that integrated information about behavioral health variables and risk for reoffending. A standardized implementation process was used to assist sites in the selection of tools, development of policies, categorization of available services and interventions, as well as the development or modification of existing case plans. Results indicate that probation staff can be trained to complete violence risk assessment using the structured professional judgment approach. This produced a high degree of inter-rater agreement, and case management decisions can take into account a youth's risk for future offending. The study advises that in order for risk assessment to impact youths' cases and individual outcomes, risk assessment must occur early in the judicial process. Risk assessment should be conducted before making decisions about disposition, placement, and the services to be provided. It is also recommended that States use a structured, empirically validated approach to risk assessment. A variety of inconsistencies were found in probation staffs' use of the MAYSI-2, despite efforts to train staff to use this assessment tool. Reasons for this inconsistent use of MAYSI-2 are suggested, and recommendations are offered to address it. Study limitations and future research are discussed. Details: Boston: University of Massachusetts Medical School Department of Psychiatry, 2015.202p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2016 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/249155.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/249155.pdf Shelf Number: 138470 Keywords: Case ManagementJuvenile Offender ClassificationJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationReoffendingRisk Assessment |
Author: Gilbert, Jarrod Title: Youth Desistance in Aotearoa New Zealand: What We Can Learn from Higher Risk Former Offenders Summary: This report is based on a study of 51 people who were imprisoned at a young age and who were assessed as having a medium to high risk of re-offending, but who nonetheless desisted from crime. The research was commissioned to understand how and why this desistance occurred. Despite uniformity of the qualifying factors, there were significant differences between many participants within the research cohort. At each end of this spectrum of difference we identified high- and low-end outliers, and these became important lenses through which to view different desistance processes and challenges. - Prison was reported to be a deterrent from crime by 81 percent of the cohort. - Sentence length was not related to deterrence: there were no meaningful differences between longer and shorter sentences. - Deterrence was influenced by both fear of returning to prison and the boredom associated with imprisonment. Executive summary - There was a sense among most participants that they did not 'fit in' with other prisoners. Nonetheless, many reported in hindsight that the prison experience had some positive effects. - Those who had spent time in both youth and adult units reported that youth units were harder, more frightening and more dangerous places than adult facilities, and that they felt less safe within them. - In order of likelihood, the decision to desist was made in prison, before prison, and after prison. The decision to desist was most often a conscious and quick one, made at the point of arrest, conviction or imprisonment. For a minority of subjects the decision formed over a longer timeframe and tended not to be overt or conscious. Both types of desistance decision ended in a 'switch' in thinking, meaning a desire to not commit crime in the future. - One strong deterrent element of imprisonment among some participants was the shame they felt about the embarrassment caused to other family members. Details: Canterbury, NZ: Independent Research Solutions, 2014. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2016 at: http://www.jarrodgilbert.com/uploads/1/1/6/3/11633778/desistance_report_final.pdf Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.jarrodgilbert.com/uploads/1/1/6/3/11633778/desistance_report_final.pdf Shelf Number: 138493 Keywords: DesistanceDeterrenceJuvenile OffendersOffender RehabilitationReoffendingRepeat Offenders |
Author: Fernandez, Elizabeth Title: A Study of the Children's Court of New South Wales Summary: Australia's child welfare system can be traced to the period of white settlement. Significant child welfare problems emerged in this period when mortality rates and levels of neglect and deprivation were high (Liddell 1993). From the earliest days of the New South Wales colony, concern was expressed about the care and protection of convict children who roamed the streets and who were thought to be responsible for petty crime. A charity set up by Governor King's wife was to provide schooling for these vulnerable children. As early as the mid nineteenth century state involvement in children and families is evident through the establishment of universal schooling and industrial schools (Van Krieken 1991). Later in the nineteenth century child labour laws and compulsory education were established, along with policies to board out children rather than accommodate them in institutions (Picton and Boss 1981, Tomison, 2001). Unsurprisingly, child care and juvenile justice were seen hand-in-hand both to protect children and to protect the wider society from crime. This report is concerned with reviewing this complex system for the twenty-first century. Details: Sydney: University of New South Wales, 2014. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2016 at: http://www.childrenscourt.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/chcourt%20assessment.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia URL: http://www.childrenscourt.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/chcourt%20assessment.pdf Shelf Number: 138498 Keywords: Child ProtectionChild WelfareJuvenile CourtJuvenile Offenders |
Author: McMurtry, Roy Title: The Review of the Roots of Youth Violence: Volume 1: Findings, Analysis and Conclusions Summary: Ontario is at a crossroads. While it is a safe place for most, our review identified deeply troubling trends in the nature of serious violent crime involving youth in Ontario and the impacts it is having on many communities. Those trends suggest that, unless the roots of this violence are identified and addressed in a coordinated, collaborative and sustained way, violence will get worse. More people will be killed, communities will become increasingly isolated and disadvantaged, an ever-accelerating downward cycle will ensue for far too many, and our social fabric as a province could be seriously damaged. To open the door for this kind of review required wisdom and foresight. We commend Premier Dalton McGuinty for asking the bold questions that led to these conclusions. In an era when many seek short-term political gain by simply calling for more law enforcement, despite chiefs of police stressing that "we cannot arrest our way out of this problem," the Premier took a different approach. He gave us a wide mandate and full independence to look at where the violence is coming from, and to identify ways to address its roots, in order to advance the health, safety and long-term prosperity of Ontario. This has been a most challenging assignment. Ontario is a large and diverse province. The issues are interconnected and controversial. Time was limited, and both the pressures and expectations have been high. We nonetheless thank the Premier for the opportunity he gave us to explore the deep and complex issues that lie behind the roots of violence involving youth. We describe in our report the process we followed to understand those issues. In a little over 10 months, we or our staff met with over 750 people, whether in their individual capacities or as representatives of organizations. We met with more than a dozen Ontario deputy ministers, several on more than one occasion. We met with Ontario's Poverty Reduction Committee and its political and public service staff, and separately with certain Cabinet ministers. And, as directed in our mandate, we established a strong working relationship with the City of Toronto and the United Way, whose leadership on these kinds of issues is well-known. We also commissioned a youth-led neighbourhood insight process to delve, as deeply as time permitted, into the issues facing eight neighbourhoods in the province. We engaged the Grassroots Youth Collaborative, a consortium of highly diverse youth-led organizations, to help us hear youth voices in Toronto that might otherwise not have come to our attention. We also engaged the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres to bring us the views of urban Aboriginal youth from across the province. As well, we commissioned five major research papers and two comprehensive literature reviews, obtained 11 background papers from Ontario ministries, provided provincewide access to our work via a website, an online survey and a 1-800 number, and travelled to England to better understand some particularly relevant approaches there. Nonetheless, we do not profess to have studied all that could have been studied, nor to have met with all who could have helped us with our task. We have almost certainly not done full justice to the work of all who shared their ideas and insights with us and may have failed to fully credit everyone whose ideas inspired us. In all of our work, we joined a conversation rather than started one. We have been encouraged by the large number of people, most certainly including youth, who are bringing expertise and energy to bear on the issue of violence in Ontario. They include people within all orders of government, in community agencies and organizations, and in communities themselves. We have also been encouraged by the commitment the Premier has shown to addressing some key aspects of this issue in recent initiatives such as full-day learning for four- and five-year-olds and the appointment of a Cabinet committee to develop "a focused poverty reduction strategy with measures, indicators and reasonable targets by the end of 2008." For reasons we discuss in our report, we focused on the most serious violence involving youth. We also address the other forms of violence that can be its precursors, but consider the heart of the matter to be those youth who are so alienated and disconnected from our society that they carry guns and often use them in impulsive ways, demonstrating indifference to the consequences and placing no value on human life. We inquired into the mindset of those youth and, from that analysis, we identified the immediate risk factors for their behaviour. This then led us to the roots of those factors and to actions to address those roots. We found the roots to be extensive and pervasive. They permeate society, but are intertwined and particularly virulent in certain neighbourhoods, and made worse everywhere when they include racism. Our core finding can be simply stated: neither the breadth nor the depth of the roots is taken into account in shaping public policy in Ontario. The initiatives underway to address various aspects of them are largely inadequate for the task, and there is no structure to give coherence to those initiatives. Overall, Ontario has not recognized how vital it is to the health of this province to put an aligned and sustained approach to the roots of violence involving youth at the heart of the government's agenda. In reaching these conclusions, we did not adopt a rigid definition of youth. The roots of the immediate risk factors can take hold even before birth and continue to pose threats all through a child's life. Similarly, there is no accepted upper limit on who should be considered a youth, and we do not propose to create one. Certainly, the definition should go beyond the age limit for the Youth Criminal Justice Act (18), up to some point in a youth's early to mid-20s, but there is no benefit in trying to be more precise than that in looking at violence involving youth and considering actions to address its roots. In approaching our work, we were asked not to reinvent the wheel. We found little need to do so. Good work and good ideas abound. To work with that metaphor, we found many excellent "wheels." The problem, however, is that they are not all connected to the same vehicle, and those that are on the same vehicle frequently have separate steering systems and often separate drivers with different ideas of what the destination is and how to get there. That is why we give the highest priority to governance, and otherwise tend to provide more advice than recommendations. What matters most is getting the wheels onto vehicles that are following an agreed-upon map to a shared destination. We are confident that the destination we describe in our report is the right one. It focuses on repairing a social context that is broken for many youth; strengthening neighbourhoods and community agencies; establishing clear outcome goals for initiatives for youth; providing youth with engagement, hope and opportunity; and aligning the provincial ministries to deliver a coordinated, collaborative agenda of change over the long term, including by working effectively with other orders of government and community residents. Having described that destination, we are largely content to leave the details to the planning process we describe in the balance of this report. We do not make a lot of detailed recommendations because so doing would suggest that there are neat, discrete solutions to problems that are deep and intertwined. In our view, only an integrated, collaborative and sustained approach to the roots will succeed. That is why we propose a body at the centre of government with the mandate and resources to consider our advice, situate it within the context of the balance of the government"s agenda, determine priorities, make linkages among ministries and with other governments, and manage a process of both building and being responsive to communities across the province. Only this kind of body and approach will be able to produce a coherent, long-range plan for the province, set agendas for ministries individually and collectively, establish overall and interim targets and monitor work towards them to ensure an aligned and sustained response. We are confident that, with this kind of strong coordination and leadership, we can rely upon Ontario's ministries and their partners to do the detailed planning required to respond to the advice we offer throughout our report. This need not be a lengthy exercise, but it will call for a major focus from many ministries. Given that focus and the leadership structure we propose, we believe that the planning exercise can be completed, and the plans made public, by May 2009. In the result, the recommendations we make to the Premier emphasize the need to recognize the breadth of the issues and to address them by creating significant new governance mechanisms to coordinate the energy and capacity that are waiting and eager to take on the work that must be done. Details: Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2008. 458p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2016 at: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/youthandthelaw/roots/volume1/chapter01_intro.aspx Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/youthandthelaw/roots/volume1/chapter01_intro.aspx Shelf Number: 138524 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Offenders Neighborhoods and Crime Violent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Tarrant, Emily Title: An evaluation of the effectiveness of the JETS Programme in changing thoughts, feelings and behaviours Summary: The JETS programme is an accredited thinking skills programme that was developed for young people aged 15 to 18. The programme aims to reduce re-offending by helping young people to develop thinking skills to enable them to deal with people and problems more effectively. The JETS programme was originally developed at HMYOI Wetherby, in consultation with members of the Operational Services & Interventions Group at NOMS. The programme is now owned by the Operational Services & Interventions Group at NOMS who provide training for the programme and oversee the delivery and development of the programme. The programme addresses six aspects of thinking, shown to be linked to offending behaviour. The six aspects of thinking addressed include: - Problem solving: Using a logical approach to solve problems - Self control: Skills to help us to slow down, stop and think, and manage emotions - Cognitive style: Developing flexible thinking to allow greater creativity in solving problems and achieving goals - Social perspective taking: Skills to understand other people's points of view - Moral reasoning: Looking at what is important to us and exploring why we hold certain values - Critical reasoning: Understanding what affects our thinking and how to challenge irrational thoughts The programme is delivered at HMYOI Wetherby to groups of eight young people and consists of 25 sessions. The programme is an integral part of the regime at HMYOI Wetherby and contributes significantly to the work of the prison in reducing re-offending. Currently there are resources for 64 young people to complete the programme each year at HMYOI Wetherby. An initial evaluation was carried out (see below) at HMYOI Wetherby. A much larger scale evaluation is currently underway which will include data from other juvenile establishments also delivering the programme. Details: York, UK: University of York, 2012. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed April 5, 2016 at: https://www.justice.gov.uk/youth-justice/effective-practice-library/the-jets-programme Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justice.gov.uk/youth-justice/effective-practice-library/the-jets-programme Shelf Number: 138565 Keywords: Cognitive SkillsJuvenile OffendersProblem SolvingTreatment Programs |
Author: Stageberg, Paul Title: Status Report: Juvenile Offenders Serving Life Sentences in Iowa Summary: Over a century ago the United States started developing and implementing juvenile courts; based upon the concept that juveniles were not as mature as adults, and were more amicable to rehabilitation. Current, ongoing research indicates that the human brain does not fully develop until the early to mid-twenties. This brain development research has been a portion of the impetus to the United States and Iowa Supreme Courts to conclude that juveniles are not as culpable as adults and that sentences for juveniles convicted of serious crimes must be individualized to take into account a youth's development and other relevant factors. While advances have been made in the understanding of brain development, scientists are urging caution when linking brain development with human behavior, as the research in this relationship continues. The U.S. Supreme Court has handed down three significant decisions regarding the sentencing of youth prosecuted in criminal (adult) courts: Roper v. Simons, Graham v. Florida, and Miller v. Alabama. Each of these decisions changed sentencing possibilities for youth convicted in criminal (adult) courts. Additionally, in 2013 the Iowa Supreme Court, in State v. Ragland, concluded that the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Miller was a substantive change and in Iowa would apply retroactively. Since 1964, there have been 48 youth in Iowa who have been sentenced to life-in-prison without the possibility of parole. Seven of those sentences were for convictions on non-homicide offenses, and the remaining 41 were for murder in the first degree. Of these, there have been four inmates released from prison, two upon their deaths, one case was overturned, and one was released on parole. In 2011, a change to the Iowa Code established a life sentence with a possibility of parole after serving a minimum of 25-years for those youth convicted of a class 'A' felony that was not a murder in the first degree. This change to the Iowa Code was in response to Graham v. Florida. In 2012 Governor Branstad commuted the sentences of the 38 persons serving life-without-parole for murder in the first degree whose offenses had been committed by offenders under age 18. This commutation order specified new sentences of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 60 years. The Governor's commutations were in response to Miller v. Alabama. As of this report there are currently 28 inmates who are in the process of court actions based on the Graham and Miller decisions. Additionally, one of the commuted inmates, Kristina Fetters, has been paroled to hospice after her prison term was re-sentenced. Details: Des Moines: Iowa Department of Human Rights, Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning, Statistical Analysis Center, 2014. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2016 at: https://humanrights.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/media/CJJP_Status%20Report--Juvenile%20Offenders%20Serving%20Life%20Sentences%20in%20Iowa.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://humanrights.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/media/CJJP_Status%20Report--Juvenile%20Offenders%20Serving%20Life%20Sentences%20in%20Iowa.pdf Shelf Number: 138569 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersLife ImprisonmentLife Sentence |
Author: University of California, Berkeley. School of Law. Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy Title: Los Angeles County Juvenile Indigent Defense System Summary: The County's juvenile indigent defense system was created over twenty years ago. Since that time, juvenile defense has evolved; defense attorney's roles have expanded; and attorneys are required to serve their client not only during all phases of the delinquency process, but including representation of the juvenile once his/her case has concluded. Defense attorneys are now expected to provide post-disposition representation which ensures the youth receives services ordered by the court, such as educational, medical and psychological; representation at post-disposition meetings; assisting with the sealing or expunging of records; and appealing of cases. Unfortunately, the County's system has not changed nor kept up-to-date with these new and expanding defense requirements. The aforementioned concerns and other system improvements are discussed in more detailed below and in the attached consultant’s report. Details: Berkeley, CA: The Institute, 2016. 258p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 9, 2016 at: http://file.lacounty.gov/bc/q1_2016/cms1_241526.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://file.lacounty.gov/bc/q1_2016/cms1_241526.pdf Shelf Number: 138614 Keywords: Defense AttorneysIndigent Defense, JuvenilesJuvenile OffendersLegal AidLegal Assistance to the PoorPublic Defenders |
Author: Klofas, John Title: Juvenile Justice Reform Extension Evaluation Report Covering January 2012-June 2014 After-Hours Cases, Diversion Review Process, and Juvenile Detention Data Summary: This report is an evaluation of Monroe County, New York's Juvenile Justice Front-End Reform grant, which had the goals of reducing the number of juveniles (youth under sixteen years old) unnecessarily detained in Monroe County and increasing the number of juvenile cases diverted from court by ensuring diligent efforts were made at engaging juveniles and their families in the diversion process. Additional goals included decreasing the number of days between a juvenile's arrest and probation intake, ensuring there is always justification for detaining juveniles, and reviewing and documenting reasons for petitioning juvenile cases to be sure diversion attempts have been exhausted for that case. As such, four initiatives were implemented in Monroe County in March 2012: the after-hours detention hotline, expedited appearance tickets, a respite program, and a Diversion Review Committee (DRC). This report thoroughly describes each of these reforms, how they change the juvenile justice process, and whether they contributed to the goals of the reforms. We also examine factors that may have affected our results, such as the everyday practice of using these reformed systems and the relocation and capacity reduction of the local juvenile detention center. By reviewing data from multiple sources, this report reveals the effects of these reforms on juvenile case processing and outcomes. We find that all of the reform efforts were successfully implemented and largely had the desired impact. Since the reforms were implemented, - there are fewer juvenile detentions, - more juvenile delinquent cases are diverted from Family Court, - juvenile detentions and petitions are thoroughly and objectively assessed and justified through administrative review, and - juveniles are being seen, on average, 1-2 days after their after-hours arrests. Our findings indicate some room for process improvement, but the implementation of these reforms overall has been very successful. Details: Rochester, NY: Center for Public Safety Initiatives, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2014. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper #2014-18: Accessed April 11, 2016 at: https://www.rit.edu/cla/criminaljustice/sites/rit.edu.cla.criminaljustice/files/images/2014-18%20-%20Probation%20Final%20Report%202014%20no%20appendices.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.rit.edu/cla/criminaljustice/sites/rit.edu.cla.criminaljustice/files/images/2014-18%20-%20Probation%20Final%20Report%202014%20no%20appendices.pdf Shelf Number: 138625 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationDiversion ProgramJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Beyond Youth Custody Title: Resettlement Work with Young People: Using Individual Case Studies to Assess Costs and Benefits Summary: Effective resettlement has a wide range of benefits, both to individual young people and to wider society, but research also suggests very strongly that 'getting it wrong' can be enormously expensive to a range of stakeholders. Issues concerning costs and benefits are therefore of key importance to the field, not least because budgets continue to be under considerable pressure. There is a pressing need for evidence concerning the costs and benefits of different approaches to inform decision-making at several different levels. This briefing focuses on how individual case studies can be used to help us understand and demonstrate the costs and benefits of resettlement work with young custody-leavers. It explores specific areas that should be considered as part of a cost-benefit assessment and provides examples of costed individual case studies. The briefing ends with some comments on cost-benefit trajectories, and on the scope for using costed case studies to draw conclusions about wider groups of young offenders. Details: London: Beyond Youth Custody, 2016. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2016 at: http://www.beyondyouthcustody.net/wp-content/uploads/Resettlement-work-with-young-people-using-individual-case-studies-to-assess-costs-and-benefits.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.beyondyouthcustody.net/wp-content/uploads/Resettlement-work-with-young-people-using-individual-case-studies-to-assess-costs-and-benefits.pdf Shelf Number: 138686 Keywords: Juvenile Aftercare Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Reentry Juvenile Resettlement |
Author: Howard League for Penal Reform Title: Criminal Care: Children's homes and criminalising children Summary: - 'Looked after' children living in children's homes are being criminalised at excessively high rates compared to all other groups of children, including those in other types of care - Staff in children's homes are too frequently calling out the police, often over minor incidents - Exposure to the criminal justice system affects the already damaged life chances of these highly vulnerable children - Three-quarters of England's 1,760 children's homes are run by private companies - Lack of transparency, particularly in relation to private children's homes, means that homes are not accountable, bad practices are hidden and children suffer - These problems are widely recognised by the government, the police, local authorities, Ofsted and other relevant authorities but they are not being addressed - In 2014, 5,220 children were living in children's homes. The number of children going into care is at its highest point in 30 years Details: London: The Howard League, 2016. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2016 at: http://www.howardleague.org/fileadmin/howard_league/user/pdf/Publications/Criminal_Care.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.howardleague.org/fileadmin/howard_league/user/pdf/Publications/Criminal_Care.pdf Shelf Number: 138692 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales Title: Youth Justice Statistics 2014/15: England and Wales Summary: general statistics areas covered include: - offences which have resulted in a disposal - court remands - disposals - intensive supervision and surveillance programmes - custody - key performance indicators - resources The YJS in England and Wales works to prevent offending and reoffending by young people under the age of 18. The system is different to the adult system and is structured to address the needs of young people. The YJS is far smaller than the adult system (see Chapter 11 for more details). The Youth Justice Board (YJB) is the executive non-departmental public body that oversees the YJS in England and Wales. The overall number of young people in the YJS continued to reduce in the year ending March 2015. Reductions have been seen in the number entering the system for the first time (First Time Entrants, FTEs), as well as reductions in those receiving disposals1, including those receiving custodial sentences. Compared to the year ending March 2010, there are now 67% fewer young people who were FTEs, 65% fewer young people who received a youth caution or court disposal and 57% fewer young people (under 18) in custody in the youth secure estate. The reoffending rate has increased (by 5.6 percentage points since the year ending March 2008, to 38.0% in the year ending March 2014), but there were significant falls in the number of young people in the cohort, the number of reoffenders and the number of reoffences. Details: London: Youth Justice Board and Ministry of Justice, 2016. 106p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/youth-justice-annual-statistics-2014-to-2015 Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/youth-justice-annual-statistics-2014-to-2015 Shelf Number: 139089 Keywords: Criminal Justice StatisticsJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersRecidivismReoffending |
Author: Action for Children North Carolina Title: From Push Out to Lock Up: North Carolina's Accelerated School-to-Prison Pipeline Summary: More than 80 percent of today's fastest-growing and highest-paying jobs require post-secondary education or training. In the 21st century global economy, a high school diploma and resultant skills to succeed in college and the workplace are essential. And yet, each year far too many students in North Carolina fail to graduate on time with their peers. Studies have shown a link between juvenile and adult criminal system involvement and dropouts. A student arrested in high school is twice as likely to leave school early or to be pushed out, and a court involved high school student is four times as likely to drop out of school as his or her peers. Although juvenile delinquency has declined across the nation and the state, the percentage of complaints filed against juveniles that originate in North Carolina public schools continues to rise. The funneling of students from schools to jail or prison is a national phenomenon that has come to be called the school-to-prison pipeline. North Carolina's pipeline differs from that in most other states because it deposits 16- and 17-year-old students directly into the adult criminal system, regardless of the severity of their alleged offense. Juveniles who are prosecuted in the adult system are more likely to reoffend, and to commit more serious crimes when they do, than youth who receive age-appropriate treatment and rehabilitation through the juvenile justice system. The stigma of an adult criminal record erects barriers that, in many cases, prevent young people from reintegrating into society, successfully transitioning into the workforce or pursuing advanced education or training. The school-to-prison pipeline leaks talent and potential from North Carolina's future workforce, while limiting the trajectory of many of our students' lives. Investing in dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline is good policy because it ensures that students become productive and contributing members of society. At a time when businesses face an increasingly competitive global marketplace, it is imperative that every student in North Carolina graduates from high school prepared to pursue college and career success. This report presents a statewide overview of the various segments in North Carolina's school-to-prison pipeline that move vulnerable students into the court system: underfunded schools, harsh discipline, increased policing of school hallways and a lack of adequate intervention programs or alternative education placements. The final section of the report proposes four recommendations to begin dismantling the school-to-pipeline: 1.Raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction from 16 to 18 for youth who commit misdemeanor offenses; 2.Implement evidence based reforms to ensure equitable treatment for all students in North Carolina; 3.Improve data collection and reporting requirements to better inform school administrators, parents and policymakers; and 4.Establish a legislative task force on school discipline policies. Details: Raleigh, NC: Action for Children North Carolina, 2013. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2016 at: http://www.ncchild.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/2013_STPP-FINAL.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncchild.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/2013_STPP-FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 132009 Keywords: EducationJuvenile OffendersSchool DisciplineSchool SuspensionsSchool-to-Prison Pipeline |
Author: Sarver, Christian M. Title: Utah Cost of Crime. Intensive Supervision (Juveniles): Technical Report Summary: While originally designed as a cost-saving mechanism for diverting adult offenders from institutional placements, intensive supervision programs (ISP) have also been implemented with juveniles. With juvenile offenders, ISPs explicitly attend to both the rehabilitative- and surveillance-oriented goals of the juvenile justice system (Armstrong, 1991). These programs typically provide treatment and services for both offenders and their families, target offenders' interactions in peer- and school-environments, and provide structure to monitor the goals of the court (Altschuler & Armstrong, 1991; Wiebush, Wagner, McNulty, Wang, & Le, 2005). In the 1990s, the United States Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) created an intensive aftercare research and demonstration program to provide best practice guidelines for reintegrating high-risk, juvenile parolees into the community. Known as intensive aftercare programs (IAP), this model used increased supervision as one component of a structured, multi-dimensional intervention that included assessment, transition planning, case management, and graduated sanctions (Wiebush et al., 2005). Prior Research Research on juvenile offenders provides inconclusive results on the effectiveness of intensive supervision as a strategy for deterring criminal and delinquent behavior (Drake, Aos, & Miller, 2009; Henggeler & Schoenwald, 2011; Lipsey, 2009; MacKenzie, 2006). In an analysis of intensive supervision for juveniles, MacKenzie (2006) combined nine (9) effect sizes and found no difference in recidivism rates for juveniles placed in ISPs when compared to regular supervision or secure placement. Drake, Aos, and Miller (2009) also found no difference in recidivism rates between juveniles in ISPs when compared to regular supervision (three (3) studies) or secure placements (five (5) studies). In contrast, an earlier study by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) found that juvenile offenders on intensive supervision had significantly lower rates of recidivism than offenders on regular supervision (Aos et al., 2001). The WSIPP analyses found no difference in recidivism when comparing ISP to incarceration; however, given cost differences between community-based supervision and a secure placement, the authors concluded that intensive supervision was cost effective when compared to incarceration (Aos et al., 2001). Increasingly, research indicates that ISPs are effective despite, rather than because of, intensive surveillance strategies (Henngeler & Schoenwald, 2011). In a meta-analysis of more than 500 studies of interventions for juvenile offenders, Lipsey (2009) found that program effectiveness-in both community and secure settings-was primarily a function of program philosophy and treatment quality. Regardless of setting, programs that were grounded in therapeutic treatment philosophies were more effective than programs that were grounded in surveillance- and control-oriented philosophies. These findings suggest that disparities in the research on juvenile ISPs might be a function of differences in treatment and service delivery rather than the nature and intensity of supervision strategies (Lipsey, Howell, Kelly, Chapman, & Carver, 2010). Details: Salt Lake City: Utah Criminal Justice Center, University of Utah, 2012. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 23, 2016 at: http://ucjc.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/ISP_Juv_Tech_updateformat.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://ucjc.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/ISP_Juv_Tech_updateformat.pdf Shelf Number: 138779 Keywords: Costs of crimeCosts of Criminal Justice Electronic Monitoring Intensive Supervision Juvenile AftercareJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationOffender Supervision |
Author: KPMG Title: Final Report for the Evaluation of Queensland's Youth Boot Camps Summary: In early 2013, we began a trial of 2 types of boot camps that aimed to keep young people out of trouble and detention. They were: - early intervention youth boot camps, for teenagers at risk of long-term offending - sentenced youth boot camp, for teenagers who ◦had a history of offending and were facing detention ◦were from Townsville and had 3 or more motor vehicle offences. In August 2015, we received an evaluation of the youth boot camp trial. We decided we would end the trial because of the report's findings. Our youth boot camp trial ended in October 2015 Details: Brisbane: Department of Justice and Attorney-General, 2015. 251p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2016 at: https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/ac40e5a2-e3e6-4a2a-a7bd-c616116c3a5e/resource/a654be83-cd7f-43b3-b6cd-cdf2c9c8b48d/download/finalreportfortheevaluationofqueenslandsyouthbootcamps.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/ac40e5a2-e3e6-4a2a-a7bd-c616116c3a5e/resource/a654be83-cd7f-43b3-b6cd-cdf2c9c8b48d/download/finalreportfortheevaluationofqueenslandsyouthbootcamps.pdf Shelf Number: 138901 Keywords: Alternatives to DetentionAt-Risk YouthBoot CampsDelinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersRecidivism |
Author: Hopkins, Ziyad Title: Diverted from Counsel: Filling the Rights Gap in New Zealand’s Youth Justice Model Summary: This report provides observation and commentary on the following question: What are the merits of increasing access to Youth Advocates, specialised lawyers for young people facing criminal allegations, within the youth justice sector? The release of the Youth Crime Action Plan 2013-2023 (YCAP) marks a period of reflection and focus on New Zealand's youth justice sector and the landmark Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989 (CYPFA). This policy analysis reviews CYPFA, and the implementation of youth justice, from a rights-based perspective. Despite the well-earned positive international reputation of New Zealand's youth justice model, many young New Zealanders miss out on legal advice. Approximately 80 per cent of youth charges are addressed informally, before court proceedings and the appointment of a lawyer. Drawing on interviews and observations from all phases of youth justice - from apprehension through sentencing - the report argues that increasing young people's meaningful access to trained Youth Advocates can ensure their individual rights when faced with state intervention whilst also promoting youth development. Mindful of budgetary restraints, but also with the need to promote equity, the report recommends five specific actions that can align New Zealand's youth justice sector with principles expressed in CYPFA; the UN Convention on the Rights of Children; and positive youth development: - Appoint a Youth Advocate to each child or young person within twenty four hours of arrest - Require the presence of a Youth Advocate for all police interviews with young people - Provide a legal-advice scheme for young people offered alternatives to prosecution as well as independent oversight of the alternative action programme - Invite Youth Advocates to each "intention to charge" family group conference - Update and promulgate practice standards for Youth Advocates For Massachusetts, the New Zealand experience - with the protections of access to legal advice - offers three important opportunities to adapt practice: - In lieu of lawyer-driven courtroom based plea bargaining, use family group conferencing to reach dispositional agreements - Upon the successful completion of a state intervention plan, empower judges to deem that the charges had never been filed - Develop state-wide principles that encourage and govern pre-court resolution of charges Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Justice, 2015. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2016 at : http://www.fulbright.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Ziyad-Hopkins-report-abstract.pdf Year: 2015 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.fulbright.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Ziyad-Hopkins-report-abstract.pdf Shelf Number: 138903 Keywords: Family Group CounselingJuvenile CourtJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: McMurtry, Roy Title: The Review of the Roots of Youth Violence: Volume 2: Executive Summary Summary: When Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty asked us to undertake this review in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of a high school student at school, he had the wisdom not to simply ask for short-term ideas about how to deploy yet more law enforcement resources to try to suppress this kind of violence. Instead, he asked us to spend a year seeking to find out where it is coming from - its roots - and what might be done to address them to make Ontario safer in the long term. This turned out to be a most challenging assignment. Ontario is a large and diverse province. The issues are complex and controversial. Time was limited, and both the pressures and expectations have been high. We nonetheless thank the Premier for this opportunity and commend him for the initiative he took in placing the focus on the long-term well-being of Ontario and its residents. In undertaking this work, we joined a conversation rather than starting one. Our work, although focusing on a more fundamental analysis than has often been the case, did not begin in a vacuum. In provincial and other governments and, perhaps most importantly, in communities across this province, many individuals have combined compassion with passion to help address the violence in our society. However, we found no overall policy in place to guide this work and no structures to coordinate the efforts of those doing it. We found a focus on problems rather than on the roots of problems, and on interventions once the roots had taken hold rather than on actions to prevent that happening. Overall, our analysis brought to light a number of underlying issues that call for attention in a structured and sustained way. While this "roots" analysis has by definition caused us to focus on often very deep and sometimes divisive problems and has perhaps in some areas given our report a negative tone, we believe that our plan for the future is positive. With good communications and sustained and visible commitment, it will earn and receive significant public support. Details: Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2008. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2016 at: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/english/documents/topics/youthandthelaw/rootsofyouthviolence-vol2.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/english/documents/topics/youthandthelaw/rootsofyouthviolence-vol2.pdf Shelf Number: 138926 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Offenders Neighborhoods and Crime Violent Crime Youth Violence |
Author: Vessels, Lauren Title: Racial and Ethnic Fairness in Juvenile Justice: Availability of State Data Summary: Youth of color are overrepresented in many aspects of the juvenile justice system from arrest to court referral and confinement. A core requirement of federal juvenile justice policy (Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 2002) requires each state to identify where disparities may exist across various juvenile justice decision points. Where disparities are identified, the states must complete self-assessments informed by comprehensive data and use this research to develop solutions. The monitoring task begins with understanding federal policy for identifying racial and ethnic groups and exploring what national juvenile arrest data can tell us. Of equal importance is charting state progress toward transparently reporting meaningful fairness indicators to the public, conducting more detailed self-assessments and advancing specific strategies to improve racial and ethnic fairness at the local-level. This publication summarizes the results from a review of publicly available data that describe racial and ethnic fairness across the country. This StateScan publication is the 7th in a series that distills important knowledge from NCJJ's new Juvenile Justice Geography, Policy, Practice & Statistics website (www.JJGPS.org). The author organizes results from a national search for publicly available state-level sources for racial and ethnic fairness data. This publication outlines important details provided in the data, describes the importance of sharing this data publicly, and discusses the underlying obstacles to data collection. This original analysis also describes the federal requirements to collect and report this data; however, few states share this information with the public. Details: Pittsburgh: National Center for Juvenile Justice, 2015. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: StateScan: Accessed May 6, 2016 at: http://www.ncjj.org/news/15-08-06/New_JJGPS_StateScan_-_Racial_and_Ethnic_Fairness_in_Juvenile_Justice_Availability_of_State_Data.aspx Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjj.org/news/15-08-06/New_JJGPS_StateScan_-_Racial_and_Ethnic_Fairness_in_Juvenile_Justice_Availability_of_State_Data.aspx Shelf Number: 138960 Keywords: Disproportionate Minority ContactJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersMinoritiesRacial Disparities |
Author: Davis, Antoinette Title: No Place for Youth: Girls in the Adult Justice System Summary: During the past three decades, states across the country passed legislation making it easier to move youth under age 18 into the adult criminal justice system (Puzzanchera & Addie 2014; Johnson, Lanza-Kaduce, & Woolard; Mulvey & Schubert 2012; Griffin, Addie, Adams, & Firestine 2011). These laws made youth eligible for transfer to the adult court system for a greater number of crimes, lowered the age of adult criminal responsibility, increased the ability of prosecutors to file cases in adult court directly, and excluded certain crimes from eligibility for juvenile court adjudication. These legislative changes resulted in an unprecedented rise in youth serving time in adult criminal justice facilities (i.e., jails and prisons). Not only does this phenomenon add a layer of difficulty to the operation and staffing of facilities charged with overseeing these young offenders, but it also directly conflicts with research showing that housing youth in adult correctional facilities is harmful, on a variety of levels, for young people. Adult jails and prisons are not designed for the confinement of youth, and as a result most are not equipped to meet the inherent and specific needs of adolescents. Studies show that youth in adult confinement do not receive age-appropriate educational, medical, or rehabilitative services. They are subject to conditions that are developmentally inappropriate and physically and emotionally unsafe; these conditions run counter to rehabilitative goals. In addition, a growing body of research shows that youth confined in adult facilities are exposed to seasoned offenders and, as compared to youth who are placed in juvenile facilities, are more likely to recidivate with more severe crimes upon release (Hahn et al., 2007; Redding 2010; Fagan, Kupchik, & Liberman 2007; Johnson, Lanza-Kaduce, & Woolard 2011). Although not widely considered by practitioners, researchers, and other stakeholders, a growing proportion of youth prosecuted as adults are female. In 2010, girls were defendants in 8% of all cases judicially waived from juvenile to adult courts (Puzzanchera & Addie 2014). This bulletin focuses on the population of girls under age 18 who are confined to adult facilities in the United States. It provides a summary of current research, incorporates the voices of practitioners, and offers recommendations for improving conditions and outcomes for girls who are sentenced to adult facilities. Data examined for this bulletin include results of a national survey of correctional administrators conducted by the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) and the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) in 2014. The NIC/NCCD survey was designed to collect information from members of the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA) about issues and challenges that adult facilities face in serving youth under age 18, with a particular focus on girls. ASCA is a professional organization whose membership consists of current and former administrators of correctional facilities or the correctional system of a jurisdiction. Survey findings are included throughout the bulletin, and results are summarized in the appendix. NIC and NCCD also held a listening session with a select group of corrections professionals; these individuals have extensive experience overseeing state correctional departments or women's correctional facilities and providing services for female offenders. Quotes from this listening session are highlighted in the bulletin. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. National Institute of Corrections, 2015. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 6, 2016 at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/031370.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/031370.pdf Shelf Number: 139018 Keywords: Female OffendersJuvenile DetentionJuvenile in Adult FacilitiesJuvenile OffendersJuvenile WaiverWaiver to Adult Court |
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: Molloy, Jennifer K. Title: Utah Cost of Crime. Therapeutic Communities in Secure Settings for Substance-abusing Offenders (Juveniles): Technical Report Summary: Between 70% and 85% of the U.S. prison population is in need of some level of substance abuse treatment (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2009). The link between drug use and crime has been substantiated in an extensive body of research, leading many to the conclusion that treatment is a necessary component of preventing offenders from reoffending after release from custody (Harrison & Gfroerer, 1992; Lipton, 1998; Wexler, 1995). Therapeutic communities (TCs) are a treatment option commonly used in prisons or jails to address the substance abuse treatment needs of offenders while they are incarcerated. TCs are residential settings that use a hierarchical model of care combined with treatment stages that reflect increased levels of personal and social responsibility. Unlike other treatment models, TCs utilize a "community as method" approach that sees treatment staff and those in recovery as agents of change. TC members interact in structured and unstructured ways to influence attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors associated with drug use and antisocial activities. Another fundamental component of a TC is "self-help," where the individuals themselves are main contributors to the change process. Of all incarceration-based drug treatment programs, TCs are the most intensive and typically the longest in duration (6 to 12 months). Therapeutic Communities (TCs) were first implemented in U.S. psychiatric hospitals in the 1950s, extending to community-based substance abuse programs in the 1960s, and eventually to prisons in the late 1960s (Canode, 2007). The development of the prison TC model can be attributed to a rapidly increasing prison population and a growing awareness of the link between drugs and crime (Wexler & Prendergast, 2010). TCs were developed as an offshoot of the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) model in order to treat "hard core" heroin-dependent criminals. Subsequently, the model has evolved to include a broader perspective and population, serving individuals from a diverse demographic who are severely dependent on drugs (Gerstein, 1992; Wexler, 1995). The success of the TC model has led to its application with specific populations including women (Sacks et al., 2008), inmates with co-occurring disorders (Sacks, Banks, McKendrick, & Sacks, 2008), and youth (Gordon, 2002). Details: Salt Lake City: Utah Criminal Justice Center, University of Utah. 2012. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2016 at: http://ucjc.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/TC-Technical-Report_updateformat.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://ucjc.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/TC-Technical-Report_updateformat.pdf Shelf Number: 139129 Keywords: Drug OffendersEvidence-Based ProgramsJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile OffendersSubstance Abuse OfficersSubstance Abuse TreatmentTreatment Programs |
Author: Campbell, Liz Title: Looking Back, Moving Forward: The History and Current State of Evidence-based Intervention in Pennsylvania Summary: Nearly two decades ago, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) began a deliberate effort to bring effective violence prevention programs to communities across the Commonwealth. Through a variety of efforts Pennsylvania has created an infrastructure intended to support the adoption, implementation, and success of select evidence-based programs where they are needed. This infrastructure includes a cross-system Resource Center for Evidence-based Prevention and Intervention Programs and Practices. In 2008, with funding from PCCD and the Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF), the Penn State EPISCenter was established, with the primary goal of advancing high quality implementation, impact assessment, and sustainability of a menu of evidence-based programs identified by the Resource Center, in order to maximize the positive impact for youth, families, and communities. Evidence-based intervention programs (EBIs) play an important role in the state's initiative to reduce dependency, delinquency, youth violence, and substance abuse. Programs such as Functional Family Therapy (FFT), Multisystemic Therapy (MST), and Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) provide effective intervention for youth who exhibit behaviors bringing them in contact with the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. In FY 2011/2012, a total of 3,650 Pennsylvania youth were served by EBIs. The vast majority of these youth were referred by the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and 60% were at imminent risk of placement, according to the providers who served them. With the support of EBIs, 88% of these youth remained in their communities and 87% had no new offenses at the time of discharge. It is estimated that the state saw an immediate savings of over $16 million related to diversion from placement across the three programs and will experience an economic benefit of $71.4 million resulting from crime reduction due to the use of these programs. While Pennsylvania has seen a strong return on its investment in EBIs, providers report immediate threats to sustainability that are resulting in significant financial losses for many programs. If left unaddressed, the inevitable result will be program closures and fewer evidence-based options for serving high-risk Pennsylvania youth. Current challenges include underutilization of services, delays in the start of services, administrative requirements that draw from providers' limited resources, and difficulty accessing adequate funding to cover all aspects of the service. These challenges are interrelated in complex ways and would be most effectively addressed through collaboration between state leaders, counties, and providers to identify creative and systemic solutions. Policies and regulations that provide a comprehensive approach to supporting the sustainability of EBIs statewide are needed. Details: State College, PA: EPIS Center, Pennsylvania State University, 2012. 31p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 25, 2016 at: http://www.episcenter.psu.edu/sites/default/files/resources/EBIs%20in%20PA%20-%20Looking%20Back%20Moving%20Forward.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.episcenter.psu.edu/sites/default/files/resources/EBIs%20in%20PA%20-%20Looking%20Back%20Moving%20Forward.pdf Shelf Number: 129796 Keywords: Evidence-Based PracticesJuvenile Offender TreatmentJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Decker, Scott H. Title: Street Outreach Workers: Best Practices and Lessons Learned. Innovative Practices from the Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initiative Series Summary: Street outreach workers are an important part of the Senator Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initiative (CSI) comprehensive gang and youth violence reduction strategy in Massachusetts1. Street outreach involves the use of individuals to "work the streets," making contact with youth in neighborhoods with high levels of gang activity. These individuals are generally not employed by the criminal justice system agencies but rather are based in community service organizations or other non- governmental agencies. Street outreach workers provide an important bridge between the community, gang-involved youth, and the agencies (whether social service or law enforcement) that respond to the problems of delinquency and gangs. This guide offers information, guidance, and lessons learned from street outreach programs nationally and within the Massachusetts Shannon CSI communities to help guide existing street outreach programs and support communities considering developing new street outreach programs. The guide provides the following information: - History of street outreach worker programs in the United States - Functions and characteristics of street outreach worker programs - Street outreach programs in Massachusetts - Challenges of street outreach worker programs and recommendations for success Details: Boston: Northeastern University, Institute on Race and Justice, 2008. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 25, 2016 at: http://www.mass.gov/eopss/funding-and-training/justice-and-prev/grants/shannon-csi/shannon-pub-4.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.mass.gov/eopss/funding-and-training/justice-and-prev/grants/shannon-csi/shannon-pub-4.pdf Shelf Number: 139158 Keywords: Community-Based ProgramsGang ViolenceGangsJuvenile OffendersStreet Outreach ProgramsYouth Violence Prevention |
Author: Hockenberry, Sarah Title: Juveniles in Residential Placement, 2013 Summary: Between 1997 and 2013, the number of youth held in residential placement for committing an offense declined 48 percent, according to a bulletin the Justice Department released today. The Office of Justice Programs' Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) bulletin, Juveniles in Residential Placement, 2013, presents a detailed picture of the youth held in custody across the nation, including such characteristics as age, race, gender, offenses and adjudication status. This census, conducted in October 2013, provides information on 54,148 juveniles charged with or adjudicated for an offense, held in 1,947 facilities. Despite historic declines to the lowest levels since the first census was conducted in 1997, disparities persisted as youth in racial and ethnic minority groups accounted for 68 percent of juveniles in custody in 2013. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 2016. 16p. Source: Internet Resource; National Report Series: Accessed May 31, 2016 at: Office of Justice Programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: Office of Justice Programs Shelf Number: 139248 Keywords: Juvenile Detention Juvenile Inmates Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Great Britain. HM Inspectorate of Probation Title: Desistance and Young People Summary: Desistance is the process of abstaining from crime amongst those who previously had engaged in a sustained pattern of offending. Desistance theories have had a growing influence on probation policy and practice with adult offenders. By contrast, there is more limited research and evidence about youth desistance and no unified, accepted definition. To add to the evidence base, we have assessed the effectiveness of practice in Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) across the main themes which desistance research has identified as being important in supporting children and young people's routes away from offending. In recent years, YOTs statutory workloads have reduced significantly, as has their funding and often their continuity of staff. Alongside the paucity of research, those changes may well have affected the extent to which some YOTs are able to apply themselves to youth desistance, and do so skillfully. In this inspection we found that a small number of case managers clearly had an excellent grounding and understanding of desistance theory. They were able to reference relevant research and identify some of the key ideas and implications for practice. The majority of staff, however, were not schooled in desistance theory and were unclear about how key concepts and approaches could be applied. In this report we confirm that as with adults, personalised approaches work best - those that take into account gender and ethnicity, for example. In this inspection we found that effective methods for children and young people are age-appropriate, and based on a good understanding of the individual's needs, history and circumstances, for example Looked After status. Details: London: HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2016. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2016 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/05/Desistance_and_young_people.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/05/Desistance_and_young_people.pdf Shelf Number: 139282 Keywords: DesistanceJuvenile OffendersJuvenile RehabilitationRecidivism |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation Title: Full Joint Inspection of Youth Offending Work in Staffordshire Summary: Reducing reoffending Overall work to reduce reoffending was satisfactory. Good quality reports were produced for the courts and initial assessments were of a high standard. A new planning format had been adopted and further work was required to make sure that plans captured the issues identified in the assessment as well as reflecting the views of children and young people. Strategies for dealing with children and young people with low levels of motivation to change needed further development. Protecting the public Overall work to protect the public and actual or potential victims was good. Reports and initial assessments contained a thorough analysis of the risk of serious harm posed by children and young people. Multi-agency arrangements were good and there was a strong partnership approach to work to protect the public. Victims were well served by the YOS. Protecting children and young people Overall work to protect children and young people and reduce their vulnerability was good. Assessments were thorough and the YOS had appropriate multi-agency arrangements in place to manage vulnerability. Work to manage and reduce vulnerability was generally good, however, the reduction in health secondees to the service may reduce the ability of the service to respond to vulnerable children and young people in the future. Making sure the sentence is served Overall work to make sure the sentence was served was good. The YOS and its partners worked well to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people. Compliance was managed effectively. Barriers to engagement were identified and responded to, and children and young people together with their parents/carers were engaged meaningfully in the order. Governance and partnerships Overall, the effectiveness of governance and partnership arrangements was satisfactory. Operational management of the service was effective, there was a well trained, competent workforce and there were examples of strong partnership working. The YOS Management Board had met regularly but there had been a number of significant gaps in representation, notably health and education. Reoffending rates had risen and the Board's response was unclear. Interventions to reduce reoffending Overall the management and delivery of interventions to reduce reoffending was good. Staff had access to a wide range of resources. Outcomes achieved as a result of interventions had not yet been fully identified and evaluated. Details: London: HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2016. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 7, 2016 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/06/Staffordshire-FJI-report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/06/Staffordshire-FJI-report.pdf Shelf Number: 139299 Keywords: Detention FacilitiesJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersRecidivismReoffendingYouthful Offenders |
Author: Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission Title: Burdened for Life: The Myth of Juvenile Record Confidentiality and Expungement in Illinois. How to Fix a Broken System that Fails Youth and Harms the State Summary: In Illinois, tens of thousands of juveniles are arrested each year, and the largest majority of them by far are for non-violent offenses. Over the last decade, the study determined only 3 of every 1,000 arrests - less than one-third of one percent of juvenile arrests - were expunged in Illinois. The Commission's report is based on a first-of-its-kind study to determine how many juvenile record expungements were granted in each county from 2004 to 2014, interviews and surveys of individuals representing a diverse cross-section of professionals in the justice field, interviews of youth with records, a survey of county clerks, review of police practices in Illinois' 10 largest cities, and a review of statutes, employment practices and other research. The report recommends a series of enhancements to confidentiality of juvenile records and increased access to juvenile expungement consistent with recommendations of the American Bar Association. Details: Chicago: Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, 2016. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 7, 2016 at: http://ijjc.illinois.gov/sites/ijjc.illinois.gov/files/assets/Burdened%20for%20Life.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://ijjc.illinois.gov/sites/ijjc.illinois.gov/files/assets/Burdened%20for%20Life.pdf Shelf Number: 139300 Keywords: ExpungementJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Records |
Author: Westley, Christine Devitt Title: Assessing the quality of Illinois Criminal History Record Information System data on juveniles Summary: The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, in partnership with the Illinois State Police, has access to records in the Illinois Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) System for research purposes. One such purpose is the derivation of statistical information from those records, especially on aspects of the justice system not covered by other statewide sources. The juvenile justice system is particularly in need of detailed statewide statistical data to inform policy decisions, as no comprehensive data collection program currently exists to capture individual-level data on justice-involved youth. The CHRI System offers promise, and has been used with some success, but its full potential for statistical purposes has not been systematically evaluated. This report provides such an assessment, focusing on the completeness of the juvenile arrest and court information collected by the CHRI System in light of state statutes that govern reporting practices. It provides a comprehensive statewide look at arrest and court records submitted for youth ages 10 to 17 during the year 2013, a time period chosen to allow sufficient time for court cases to be resolved and reported to the system. The findings of this assessment are aimed at educating researchers and policymakers on the strengths and limitations of juvenile CHRI System data as a source of useful statistical information. Data derived from the CHRI System offers several benefits for juvenile justice research not found elsewhere. Illinois' Uniform Crime Reporting (I-UCR) System, the state's official source for crime and arrest statistics, does not collect any demographic information on persons arrested. Without the age of the offender, it is not possible to isolate juvenile arrests. Further, no other statewide system is designed to track the outcomes of specific arrests, or to track an individual's contact with the justice system over time. However, the CHRI System has its own limitations that need to be understood. While there are many similarities between juvenile and adult criminal history records, reporting requirements for juvenile records focus on the most serious offenses for the purpose of creating a youth's transcript (or rap sheet). Since 2000, the Illinois Criminal Identification Act [20 ILCS 2630/5-5] and the Illinois Juvenile Court Act [705 ILCS 405/5-301] have mandated reporting of felony arrests and prosecutions to the CHRI System. The acts allow discretion in the reporting of Class A and B misdemeanor arrests and prosecutions. In actuality, the CHRI System will accept any arrest submitted with fingerprints, including petty offenses and local ordinance violations. Discretionary reporting poses a challenge for researchers using CHRI System data to examine Illinois' juvenile justice system. Even with all relevant juvenile records extracted from the system, it is difficult to determine the extent to which they adequately represent the true nature of juvenile justice system activity. In this study, comparative methodologies were used to assess the utility of CHRI data for research purposes and pinpoint areas for system improvement. Findings are presented by county and region to provide an overview of juvenile CHRI reporting practices. Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2016. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 9, 2016 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/articles/Final%20Juvenile%20CHRI%20Assessment%20Report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/articles/Final%20Juvenile%20CHRI%20Assessment%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 139345 Keywords: Criminal History RecordsJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Records |
Author: Wilber, Shannan Title: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth in the Juvenile Justice System Summary: LGBT youth have always been present in the juvenile justice system, although many of them have concealed their identities to escape harassment and mistreatment. Until relatively recently, the juvenile justice profession has largely denied, ignored, or dismissed the significance of this reality and its implications for policy and practice. Historically, neither the law nor professional standards acknowledged or addressed the specific and substantial harm suffered by justice-involved LGBT youth. In this vacuum, misinformation and bias have long subjected LGBT youth to unfair and unlawful treatment, including identity-based criminalization, unwarranted and prolonged incarceration and verbal, physical and sexual abuse. Although these harmful and unjust practices persist in many jurisdictions, this guide builds on a sea change the field is undergoing. Prompted by broader societal changes and recent legal developments, the juvenile justice profession has turned its attention to the LGBT youth in its care and custody and has begun to change policies and practices to address their needs. These changes are taking place in the context of a dramatic shift in public attitudes toward LGBT people in this country. Even 20 years ago, most Americans knew very little about sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression (SOGIE), and the majority would likely say that they knew few, if any, people who openly identified as LGBT. In the last generation, public opinion has moved from widespread condemnation to growing visibility and acceptance. This shift is particularly evident in the last decade and is reflected across many societal spheres. Details: Baltimore, MD: Annie B. Casey Foundation, 2015. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: A Guide to Juvenile Detention Reform, No. 11: Accessed June 13, 2016 at: http://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/AECF-lesbiangaybisexualandtransgenderyouthinjj-2015.pdf#page=5 Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/AECF-lesbiangaybisexualandtransgenderyouthinjj-2015.pdf#page=5 Shelf Number: 139424 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersLesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) |
Author: Howard League for Penal Reform Title: The Carlile Inquiry 10 years on: The use of restraint, solitary confinement and strip-searching of children Summary: The report, The Carlile Inquiry 10 years on, looks at what progress has been made since the Howard League published the findings of the inquiry. In the 10 years since the inquiry concluded, there has been much progress in youth justice, not least the reduction in the number of children in custody in England and Wales. Despite this decrease in the number of children the majority of children are detained in institutions where restraint is routinely used. In relation to the three specific areas that the inquiry looked at - restraint, solitary confinement and strip-searching - there have been some improvement but fundamental concerns remain. The slow and piecemeal progress in implementing the recommendations of the 2006 inquiry means, that 10 years on, children continue to be placed in danger and, because of poor and erratic treatment, they continue to reoffend. Details: London: Howard League for Penal Reform, 2016. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 20, 2016 at: http://howardleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Carlile-Inquiry-10-years-on.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://howardleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Carlile-Inquiry-10-years-on.pdf Shelf Number: 139747 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersRestraintSolitary Confinement |
Author: Skorek, Rebecca Title: Evaluation of Chicago Police Department's Crisis Intervention Team for Youth (CIT-Y) training curriculum: Year 2 Summary: Beginning in 2010, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority awarded several grants to the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Chicago (NAMI-C) to fund Crisis Intervention Training For Youth courses to officers at the Chicago Police Department (CPD). The program was the first 40-hour, five-day law enforcement youth crisis intervention training offered in the country. NAMI-C and CPD developed the course to answer requests for additional training from officers responding to calls for service involving youth with mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders. Key findings Nationally, it is estimated that as many as 70 percent of the 2 million youth and young adults arrested each year suffer from mental health disorders which the justice system is not equipped to handle. 1 These youth could be diverted to community-based treatment services rather than the juvenile justice system. Law enforcement, under the doctrine of parens patriae, have the authority to intervene in mental health-related incidents and determine the juvenile's trajectory - resolution on scene, arrest, or psychiatric hospitalization transport. However, law enforcement officers called to intervene in crisis situations may not have the skills to safely interact with youth in crisis. Too often, officers resort to excess or even deadly force, 2 although many individuals with mental disorders pose little risk of harm to others and are much more likely to harm themselves or be victims of violence. 3 The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model was developed in response to the need for alternative law enforcement response to crisis calls. The team is designed to be a collaboration between police and appropriate community service systems to ensure that individuals with mental health needs are referred for services rather than brought into the criminal justice system. 4 Extending this model to youth crisis calls required additional training to prepare officers to identify youth in crisis, assess their risk of harm, and apply de-escalation techniques to reduce trauma to themselves, youth and their families and avoid criminalization of juvenile behaviors related to unmet needs. 5 This study was part of a multi-year evaluation conducted by Authority researchers on the implementation of 12 Crisis Intervention Training for Youth (CIT-Y) courses for CPD officers funded by the Authority. It focused on the second year of training implementation in 2012. It was designed to assess CIT-Y core training components and measure the curriculum's effect on officer knowledge of and attitudes toward appropriate responses to youth crisis calls. The evaluation also sought to assess progress on recommended diversification of training participation among the various levels of CPD staff, especially those responsible for supervising trained officers. Authority researchers designed evaluation tools to measure training effectiveness, including a pre-/post-curriculum test, 18 training module evaluation surveys, and follow-up focus group questions. Data was collected from 144 officers attending CIT-Y training courses from January 2012 through May 2013 after completing adult CIT training, and a comparison group of 137 officers volunteering for adult CIT training classes but not yet trained in crisis intervention techniques. Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2016. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 22, 2016 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/articles/CIT-Y%20Year%202%20Final%20Report%20to%20post.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/articles/CIT-Y%20Year%202%20Final%20Report%20to%20post.pdf Shelf Number: 139789 Keywords: Crisis InterventionJuvenile OffendersMentally Ill OffendersPolice Education and Training |
Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) Title: A Profile of Youth in the Los Angeles County Delinquency Prevention Pilot Summary: Children involved in the child welfare system are more likely than other children to be arrested or referred for delinquent offenses. Their risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system also increases as exposure to violence increases. Although the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) had a program in place for children who were dually involved with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, they sought to develop a mechanism for identifying youth served by DCFS who were at greatest risk of juvenile justice system involvement. This would allow provision of targeted services to those youth in an effort to prevent such involvement. Since 1999, DCFS has used the Structured Decision Making (SDM) decision-support system, developed by the NCCD Children's Research Center. The SDM system for child welfare includes an actuarial risk assessment to identify families investigated for child maltreatment who were at greatest risk of subsequent maltreatment. In 2010, DCFS staff involved in the Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM) asked NCCD to examine the possibility of creating a similar assessment for assessing the risk of delinquency among children receiving child welfare services in the county. NCCD conducted a study in 2011 and was able to develop an actuarial assessment, the SDM delinquency prevention screening assessment (DPSA),2 to help the county identify children at higher risk of subsequent delinquency than other children. The assessment was initially piloted by four Los Angeles County offices (Compton, Glendora, Palmdale, and South County) in the fall of 2012 as part of the Delinquency Prevention Pilot (DPP). Children identified as high risk of subsequent delinquency in the pilot offices were to receive resources targeted to their needs and risk factors related to delinquency (e.g., substance abuse, education, mental health, and delinquency) during the subsequent six months. In order to assess implementation, NCCD sought and received funding for a process evaluation from the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform (CJJR) at Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy. CJJR received funding for the evaluation of DPP and its work with CYPM from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. In 2013, the evaluation plan was modified to include short-term monitoring of process and outcome measures including service provision and entry into the juvenile justice system. The following literature review provides an empirical and theoretical basis for the project. The evaluation provides background for the development and implementation of DPP, describes successes and challenges related to implementation, serves as a first step in evaluating the effectiveness of the program to reduce delinquency over time, and offers recommendations for improving implementation of a delinquency prevention model in Los Angeles County and other sites. Details: Oakland, CA: NCCD, 2015. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://www.nccdglobal.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdf/la_dpp_evaluation_report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.nccdglobal.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdf/la_dpp_evaluation_report.pdf Shelf Number: 139835 Keywords: Child WelfareDelinquency PreventionJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Florida. Senate. Committee on Criminal Justice Title: A Policy Analysis of Shackling Youth in Florida's Juvenile Courts Summary: During the last several legislative sessions, there has been legislation filed to address the issue of shackling youth in juvenile courts throughout Florida. The practice of "shackling" refers to restricting the movement of youth by handcuffs, leg restraints, and/or belly chains (otherwise known as mechanical restraints). Child advocates express dismay at the practice while proponents of the practice point to the importance of maintaining public safety. This interim project contains a policy analysis of shackling youth in juvenile courts, including a discussion of the ensuing debate surrounding the issue, a review of shackling practices in Florida, and options for addressing it. Details: Tallahassee: Florida Senate, 2009. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Interim Report 2010-110: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://archive.flsenate.gov/data/Publications/2010/Senate/reports/interim_reports/pdf/2010-110cj.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://archive.flsenate.gov/data/Publications/2010/Senate/reports/interim_reports/pdf/2010-110cj.pdf Shelf Number: 139850 Keywords: Juvenile CorutsJuvenile OffendersPrisoner RestraintRestraints and Shackling |
Author: Sweeney, Josh Title: Young people returning to sentenced youth justice supervision 2014-15 Summary: Summary In Australia, young people who have been found guilty of an offence may be given an unsupervised community- based sentence , a supervised community -based sentence or a sentence of detention. The latter two types of sentences are known as ' supervised sentences'. Youth justice departments are responsible for providing young people serving supervised sentences with services designed to reduce the frequency and seriousness of any future offending. The rate of return to sentenced supervision is an indicator of the effectiveness of these services, although factors beyond the control of these departments will also have an impact on levels of returns to sentenced supervision. This report is based on the 2014-15 Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set - a longitudinal data set, containing data from 2000-01 to 2014- 15. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2016. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series no. 20: Accessed August 1, 2016 at: http://aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129555842 Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129555842 Shelf Number: 139919 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile JusticeJuvenile OffendersRecidivismReoffending |
Author: Feierman, Jessica Title: Debtors' Prison for Kids? The High Cost of Fines and Fees in the Juvenile Justice System Summary: Juvenile Law Center analyzed state laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia that provide for the imposition of juvenile court costs, fines, fees, or restitution on youth or their families. Juvenile Law Center also surveyed professionals in each state familiar with how those fees were being imposed. A concurrent research study was also conducted to measure the connection between costs, recidivism and racial disparities in the juvenile justice system. "Every day, we hear elected officials talking about racial injustice, mass incarceration, and the need for criminal justice reform. This report identifies one key strategy to address those problems: eliminating or reducing the financial costs of juvenile court involvement on youth and their families," said Jessica Feierman, Associate Director at Juvenile Law Center and report author. "Racial disparities pervade our juvenile justice system. Our research suggests that we can reduce those disparities through legislative action aimed at costs, fines, fees, and restitution." Approximately one million youth appear in juvenile courts each year. In every state, youth and families can be required to pay juvenile court costs, fees, fines, or restitution. The costs for court related services, including probation, a "free appointed attorney," mental health evaluations, the costs of incarceration, treatment, or restitution payments, can push poor children deeper into the system and families deeper into debt. Youth who can't afford to pay for their freedom often face serious consequences, including incarceration, extended probation, or denial of treatment - they are unfairly penalized for being poor. Many families either go into debt trying to pay these costs or forego basic necessities like groceries to keep up with payments. Research by criminologists Alex Piquero and Wesley Jennings examined the connection between court-ordered financial obligations and recidivism. "Two key findings emerged from our study," said Alex R. Piquero, Ashbel Smith Professor of Criminology at The University of Texas at Dallas. "First, imposing financial penalties on juvenile offenders has the opposite of its intended effect, increasing recidivism instead of deterring it. Second, we found a direct link between court-ordered financial obligations and increased racial disparity, since minority youth were more likely to still owe costs and restitution after their cases were closed. Their inability to pay often leads to additional charges, extended probation, or additional punishments, taking them deeper into the justice system." Through the generous support of the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, Debtors' Prison for Kids? The High Cost of Fines and Fees in the Juvenile Justice System, and the associated study investigating the impact of costs on recidivism, provide a much-needed roadmap for policymakers nationwide who care about fairness in our justice system. Details: Philadelphia: Juvenile Law Center, 2016. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2016 at: http://debtorsprison.jlc.org/documents/JLC-Debtors-Prison.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://debtorsprison.jlc.org/documents/JLC-Debtors-Prison.pdf Shelf Number: 140114 Keywords: Criminal FinesCriminal Justice DebtFinancial SanctionsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Sentencing Children in Victoria: Data Update Report Summary: This report updates select data from the Sentencing Advisory Council's 2012 report Sentencing Children and Young People in Victoria. Specifically, it focuses on offenders aged under 18 at the time of offending (and under 19 at the time of commencement of proceedings) who were sentenced in either the Children's Court or the higher courts for the calendar years from 2010 to 2015 (inclusive). This report does not examine young adult offenders sentenced under the 'dual track' system in the higher courts. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2016. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2016 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Sentencing%20Children%20in%20Victoria%20Data%20Update%20Report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Sentencing%20Children%20in%20Victoria%20Data%20Update%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 140127 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersSentencing |
Author: Carney, Jodeen Title: Review of the Northern Territory Youth Justice System: Report Summary: This Review was undertaken on behalf of the Northern Territory Government to identify emerging issues and trends in youth justice and youth offending outlined in the terms of reference. It was not an inquiry established under the Inquiries Act. A long list of recommendations is not provided in this report. Instead, there are nine. The Review elected to provide key recommendations that would, if adequately resourced and implemented, enhance the ability of government and non government agencies to assist in the delivery of services and responses for young people in the youth justice system. The recommendations will assist to reduce offending and re-offending. Supporting young people is a core function of any government. Services are always in demand and will always need to be increased. The challenge for the Northern Territory Government is to provide targeted and specialist interventions to those young people who are in the youth justice system and those who are at risk of entering it. Apart from assisting these young people for compassionate reasons, there are sound economic reasons for doing so. This underpins the concept of justice reinvestment. It requires a change of direction and purpose of expenditure. It requires realigning expenditure so that, over time, custodial operations are reduced and community interventions are increased. Unless this is attempted in a coordinated and comprehensive way, many young offenders are likely to re-offend, and will continue to present challenges for government, its agencies and the community. Many young offenders require intensive case management and interventions that are not achieved in detention centres. The relatively small number of young people in, or at risk of entering, the youth justice system provides an opportunity for Northern Territory Government agencies and the non government sector. Many of them are well known to providers of support and intervention services, as well as specific agencies. Hence, identifying these young people is not difficult and, with the appropriate systems in place, monitoring them is significantly easier than in other jurisdictions. Many young people in the youth justice system come from homes where poverty, alcohol abuse, violence and dysfunctional relationships are the norm. These are young people in greatest need and the ones who are likely to require a higher level of intervention and case management. These are the same young people who are more likely than others to graduate to further offending and incarceration. These are the ones who represent ongoing costs to the community. These are the ones for whom the underlying causes of their offending and re-offending must be addressed. Policy development and decision making in the area of youth crime must be evidenced based. There must be a bipartisan approach to youth offending and political leaders must The cost of detaining a young person in 2009-10 was $592 a day. Based on that figure, the cost of detailing one young offender for one year is $216 000. The Review does not know the costs of the effects of youth crime. It is, however, considerable. The terms of reference for this Review provide that the youth justice system 'encompasses a continuum of services and responses from preventive, policing, pre court, correctional and post release'. The Review examined each component of the system and found there was, in fact, no continuum. Instead, there is a fragmented and uncoordinated approach to the delivery of services and responses. Government agencies responsible for various parts of the youth justice system tend to focus on their own areas of responsibility. Once a young offender has moved on, that was the end of the agency's responsibility. Hence, young people who move throughout the youth justice system have no coordinated monitoring and are not dealt with again until they next come to the attention of the same or another government agency. Agencies recognise the importance of the continuum, but operate independently in accordance with their key portfolio responsibilities. There was widespread agreement that the fragmented ministerial and administrative arrangements made coordination of the system difficult and it was often unclear which agency was responsible for particular functions. A recommendation is made that is designed to streamline administrative and ministerial responsibilities. The need to establish a new unit or division within an existing department became obvious and is recommended in this report. There is a need to develop a new and comprehensive youth justice strategy with targets and benchmarks. The development of the strategy will guide the operations of the new unit. Government faces enormous challenges delivering services to young people across the Territory who are in, or at risk of entering, the youth justice system. Geographic obstacles, cultural issues, and limited resources are just some of the difficulties. The Federal Government continues to develop partnerships within the three tiers of government, the non government sector and the community in youth service delivery, with a particular focus on building service centres in Indigenous communities. This must continue in order to meet the various challenges that a continuum of services and responses requires. As the Review was required to work within its terms of reference, many useful suggestions do not appear in this report. The submissions will provide a valuable resource for government in its continuing efforts to improve the youth justice system. A coordinated model to target individual youth across the spectrum of issues they face will also bring government's approach to youth justice in line with the strategically coordinated, socially inclusive mandate of both Territory 2030 and Working Future. The key recommendations involve the Northern Territory Government: 1. establish a new unit within an existing department with responsibility for administering all services and responses to the youth justice system 2. develop a new youth justice strategy 3. streamline administrative arrangements and ministerial responsibilities 4. improve data collection, share information between government agencies, and ensure that programs delivered contain built in evaluations 5. increase investment in police diversion, including increased eligibility for diversion, and expand diversion programs 6. increase the number of youth rehabilitation camps 7. expand the Family Support Program and increase capacity of Family Support Centres 8. increase workforce capacity 9. establish an external monitoring and evaluation process. Details: Darwin, NT, AUS: Northern Territory Government, 2011. 242p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: https://www.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/238211/youth-justice-review-report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: https://www.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/238211/youth-justice-review-report.pdf Shelf Number: 140141 Keywords: Juvenile Detention CenterJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Antigone Title: Organized Crime and Juvenile Crime in Greek Society: a depiction of the reality Summary: The present paper has been prepared in autumn 2015 by "ANTIGONE - Information and Documentation Centre on Racism, Ecology, Peace and Non–Violence" ( www.antigone.gr ) in the framework of the project "Waves of Citizenship, Waves of Legality" that is being funded by the Europe for citizens Programme of the European Union. This national research provides a general overview of two major issues in Greece: Organized crime and juvenile crime. In this regard, the presented information in this paper serves as a case study for Greece while containing both quantitative information (in terms of statistics on organized crime and juvenile crime) as well as qualitative information (in terms of interviews with key witnesses), together with some information on the Greek legal framework concerning these two aspects. Our report firstly presents statistical information about the current situation and continues with the countermeasures both taken by the Greek state through its legal system as well as at a grassroots level by NGOs. Furthermore, it examines what should be done from now on, on the part of public authorities and institutions in order to address both organized crime and juvenile crime more effectively. The aim of this survey is to identify detailed information about the current situation of juvenile and organized crime in Greece. Among them one can find data about: 1. the present reality of organized and juvenile crime in Greece including the socio-cultural backgrounds of young offenders, 2. the current legal position on organized and juvenile crime, 3. national and local programs and networks, which foster active citizenship and prevent and fight against organized and juvenile crime Although the initial aim was, through the present report, to try to establish a link between organized and juvenile crime in order to identify whether and how these two influence each other, however, all information gathered have not given crucial data in order to answer to questions such as: is there a higher rate of juvenile crime in geographical regions where organized crime is practiced? Which are the direct and indirect impacts of organized crime on youth? Which types of organized crime involve especially young people? As a result, the link between organized and juvenile crime has remained unclear and may be the subject of future researches. Details: Thessaloniki, Greece: Antigone, 2015. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: http://www.antigone.gr/files/projects/waves/Waves_Research%20paper_ANTIGONE_FINAL_20_11_2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Greece URL: http://www.antigone.gr/files/projects/waves/Waves_Research%20paper_ANTIGONE_FINAL_20_11_2015.pdf Shelf Number: 140153 Keywords: Juvenile CrimeJuvenile OffendersOrganized Crime |
Author: Eren, Ozkan Title: Emotional Judges and Unlucky Juveniles Summary: Employing the universe of juvenile court decisions in a U.S. state between 1996 and 2012, we analyze the effects of emotional shocks associated with unexpected outcomes of football games played by a prominent college team in the state. We investigate the behavior of judges, the conduct of whom should, by law, be free of personal biases and emotions. We find that unexpected losses increase disposition (sentence) lengths assigned by judges during the week following the game. Unexpected wins, or losses that were expected to be close contests ex-ante, have no impact. The effects of these emotional shocks are asymmetrically borne by black defendants. We present evidence that the results are not influenced by defendant or attorney behavior or by defendants' economic background. Importantly, the results are driven by judges who have received their bachelor's degrees from the university with which the football team is affiliated. Different falsification tests and a number of auxiliary analyses demonstrate the robustness of the findings. These results provide evidence for the impact of emotions in one domain on a behavior in a completely unrelated domain among a uniformly highly-educated group of individuals (judges), with decisions involving high stakes (sentence lengths). They also point to the existence of a subtle and previously-unnoticed capricious application of sentencing. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2016. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper 22611: Accessed September 7, 2016 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w22611.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w22611.pdf Shelf Number: 147856 Keywords: JudgesJudicial SentencingJuvenile CourtJuvenile OffendersJuvenile SentencingSports |
Author: Prison Watch Sierra Leone Title: Children and Juveniles in Detention: Study on compliance with international standards in Sierra Leone Summary: Protection and promotion of the rights of the child, as all other human rights, is the primary responsibility of the State. States are generally obligated to ensure the progress of juveniles, including the fostering and ensuring of personal development and education as free from crime and delinquency as possible. The UNCRC and other international standards relating to juveniles in detention are clear on that children should only be detained as a means of last resort. Protecting the best interests of the child entails that the traditional objectives of the criminal justice system, such as repression and retribution must give way to rehabilitation and restorative justice when dealing with juvenile offenders. This means that receiving a sentence as a juvenile offender should not be a punishment; instead the deprivation of liberty should foster an environment that can support the child in reforming themselves, including enabling them to resume education or finding an apprenticeship or work. The substance of what constitutes rehabilitation and restoration will be further explained in the study. Sierra Leone has ratified the UNCRC on 18 June 1990 and has partially incorporated the UNCRC into domestic law through the adoption of the Child Rights Act (2007) (CRA). However adoption of legislation does not necessarily ensure implementation in practice. For example, the Sierra Leonean juvenile justice system is currently far from rehabilitative and restorative despite legislative efforts on alternative approaches included in the CRA. Further, in the concluding observations of the CRC on Sierra Leone in 2008 the Committee among other things emphasised its concerns regarding the fact that juvenile detention facilities were understaffed, ill‐equipped, with little or no security, poor learning facilities, little recreation and limited food supplies. This study builds on the knowledge and experience of Prison Watch Sierra Leone (PWSL) which has been obtained during its monitoring of and regular presence in juvenile detention facilities since 1996, through encounters with suspected child offenders in police detentions as well as through its linking and tracing interventions connecting parents and relatives with children in detention. Through these activities PWSL has gained a unique insight into the dire situation of juveniles in detention in Sierra Leone. Details: Copenhagen, DK: DIGNITY - Danish Institute Against Torture, 2013. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2016 at: https://dignityinstitute.org/media/2065757/pubseries_no4_children-and-juveniles-in-detention.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Sierra Leone URL: https://dignityinstitute.org/media/2065757/pubseries_no4_children-and-juveniles-in-detention.pdf Shelf Number: 147901 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Detention FacilitiesJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Butts, Jeffrey A. Title: Reclaiming Futures and Organizing Justice for Drug-Using Youth Summary: Reclaiming Futures is an organizational change initiative that supports coordinated and individualized responses for justice-involved youth with problematic substance use issues. The initiative is managed by Portland State University's Regional Research Institute and Graduate School of Social Work in Portland, Oregon. It began in 2001 by working with 10 communities across the United States. Fifteen years later, more than 40 jurisdictions have already implemented, or are currently implementing, the Reclaiming Futures approach. First funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the initiative targets six stages of the youth justice system: screening, assessment, service coordination, initiation of services, engagement of families and youth, and transitioning to community support. Reclaiming Futures is not a treatment program, although the quality of substance abuse treatment is relevant. It is a strategy for improving the focus and coordination of interventions for justice-involved youth with substance abuse issues. As such, its effectiveness cannot be evaluated solely by measuring youth outcomes like recidivism and renewed drug use. Recent research, however, suggests that it may have positive effects on those outcomes as well. In the first evaluation of Reclaiming Futures, a research team from the Urban Institute and the University of Chicago estimated the initiative's impact in the first 10 sites by conducting surveys of system actors and their community partners (Butts and Roman 2007). The study's questionnaire measured perceptions of juvenile justice and substance abuse treatment systems on three major dimensions (administration, collaboration, and service quality). In 2015, the Research & Evaluation Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice administered the same questionnaire in 24 communities implementing Reclaiming Futures. The study compares the perceptions of people working in Reclaiming Futures communities today with those of similar colleagues from nearly ten years ago. Nine of 24 sites in this study participated in the 2007 study as well, but the respondents in 2015 were not the same as those surveyed in the earlier evaluation. Thus, the study compares similar but distinct samples of youth services professionals at two different points in time. Nearly half (49%) the invited respondents completed surveys in 2015 (N=128). When researchers isolated findings from the nine sites that participated in both the original 2007 evaluation and the most recent survey, the data suggest that communities with the strongest engagement in Reclaiming Futures tend to have more positive perceptions of their youth justice and substance abuse treatment systems, including key facets of administration, collaboration, and overall system quality. In communities where the original survey scores increased significantly during the early years of Reclaiming Futures, improvements were sustained through 2015. Thus, robust implementation of Reclaiming Futures may be associated with lasting improvements in system operations. Details: New York, NY: Research & Evaluation Center, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, 2016. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2016 at: https://jjrec.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/recfutures2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://jjrec.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/recfutures2016.pdf Shelf Number: 14937 Keywords: Drug OffendersJuvenile OffendersSubstance Abuse Treatment |
Author: Great Britain. HM Inspectorate of Probation Title: Accommodation of Homeless: 16 and 17 Year Old Children Working with Youth Offending Teams Summary: In 2009, the House of Lords gave a landmark judgment clarifying the responsibilities of children's social care services for the provision of accommodation and support to homeless 16 and 17 year olds. With the impetus of the Southwark judgment , local authorities reviewed their procedures and (alongside others) produced new protocols, guidance and pathways. The prospects for homeless 16 and 17 year olds were improved as it paved the way for better access to accommodation and support services because of the judgment and the commitments that flowed from it. Six years on, this inspection revealed a mixed picture on the ground. Most distressingly, one in three 16 and 17 years olds in our inspection were housed in accommodation we considered unsuitable or unsafe. We were particularly concerned about the risks those sharing hostel or bed and breakfast accommodation with adult strangers were exposed to. No one local authority suggested to us that these shortcomings were because of a lack of funding. They appeared to stem more immediately from poor or incomplete assessment, a lack of joined-up working and recognition of children's wider needs, and a tendency to place children as though they were adults. Our inspection found that the range of suitable accommodation provision was limited and this resulted in some children being placed in accommodation that did not meet their needs. The children whose cases were reviewed had all suffered some form of trauma in their lives. Most had been previously known to children's social care services and some were subject to care orders. . They often exhibited difficult behaviour. All of those whom inspectors saw were not yet capable of successful independence and still needed some form of parenting and support. Again, we found a mixed picture on the ground. A minority received excellent support, whereas too many had been given a roof over their heads with little other than a few hours a week support from visiting professionals. An important factor in the successful transition of children to independent adulthood was the continued provision of support when they reached 18 years old. This was not available to all children, the deciding factor being whether they had become Looked After under the Children Act 1989, giving them rights as care leavers to support beyond the age of 18 years. It is not known how many 16 and 17 year olds find themselves alone and relying on their local authority for accommodation to avoid homelessness. The data and information collected locally and collated nationally3 is not sufficiently comprehensive or joined-up. In our inspection of six local authorities we saw no evidence of Local Safeguarding Children Boards exercising any scrutiny of the local situation. What is more, in areas where there were shortfalls, senior managers seemed tolerant and accepting of the state of affairs. Refreshingly, we found examples of excellent practice, and we set out specific examples in this report. In summary, two in three children were in suitable accommodation; one in three was not. The wider support they received was of variable quality - sometimes excellent, in other cases woefully inadequate. These differences are hard to comprehend, given the clear intentions of the Southwark judgment. Details: London: The Inspectorate, 2016. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 14, 2016 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/09/Thematic-Report-Accommodation-of-Homeless-16-and-17-Year-Old-Children.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/09/Thematic-Report-Accommodation-of-Homeless-16-and-17-Year-Old-Children.pdf Shelf Number: 147846 Keywords: Homeless YouthHomelessnessJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationSocial ServicesYouth Accommodation |
Author: Skeem, Jennifer L. Title: How Well Do Juvenile Risk Assessment Measure Factors to Target in Treatment? Examining Construct Validity Summary: There has been a surge of interest in using one type of risk assessment instrument to tailor treatment to juveniles to reduce recidivism. Unlike prediction-oriented instruments, these reduction-oriented instruments explicitly measure variable risk factors as "needs" to be addressed in treatment. There is little evidence, however, that the instruments accurately measure specific risk factors. Based on a sample of 237 serious juvenile offenders (M age=18, SD=1.5), we tested whether California Youth Assessment Inventory (CA-YASI) scores validly assess the risk factors they purport to assess. Youth were assessed by practitioners with good inter-rater reliability on the CA-YASI, and by research staff on a battery of validated, multi-method criterion measures of target constructs. We meta-analytically tested whether each CA-YASI risk domain score (e.g., Attitudes) related more strongly to scores on convergent measures of theoretically similar constructs (e.g., criminal thinking styles) than to scores on discriminant measures of theoretically distinct constructs (e.g., intelligence, somatization, pubertal status). CA-YASI risk domain scores with the strongest validity support were those that assess criminal history. The only variable CA-YASI risk domain score that correlated more strongly with convergent (Zr=.35) than discriminant (Zr=.07) measures was Substance Use. There was little support for the construct validity of the remaining six variable CA-YASI risk domains - including those that ostensibly assess strong risk factors (e.g., "Attitudes," "Social Influence"). Our findings emphasize the need to test the construct validity of reduction-oriented instruments - and refine instruments to precisely measure their targets so they can truly inform risk reduction. Public Significance: This study suggests that scores on a juvenile risk assessment instrument provide little direction for targeting treatment to reduce young people's risk of reoffending. With the exception of "Substance Abuse," we found little evidence that scores on ostensibly treatment-relevant scales measure the risk factors they purport to measure. The instrument must be refined, to support valid interpretations about risk factors to target in treatment. Details: Unpublished paper, 2016. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 16, 2016 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2832954 Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2832954 Shelf Number: 147859 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRecidivismRisk AssessmentRisk Reduction |
Author: Southern Poverty Law Center Title: More Harm than Good: How Children are Unjustly Tried as Adults in New Orleans Summary: The Orleans Parish district attorney is prosecuting children as adults in unprecedented numbers. Although nothing in the law requires Louisiana prosecutors to charge children as adults, District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro chooses to transfer children to adult court in almost every possible instance. He transfers children who have no prior delinquency record or played a minor role in the alleged crime. He transfers children who have a mental illness or developmental disability. He even transfers children accused of nonviolent offenses. Some of the children he transfers are found innocent of any crime - but only after enduring the stress and danger of the adult system. Prosecuting children as adults is, in fact, Cannizzaro's default practice. Between 2011 and 2015, his office has transferred more than 80 percent of cases involving 15- and 16-year-olds charged with certain offenses where there was an option to prosecute in either juvenile or adult court. Under state law, a judge has no say in these decisions. Discretion rests solely with each parish's district attorney. Cannizzaro has sent 200 children to adult court since assuming office in 2009, but it has not made us safer. Arrests for offenses eligible for transfer to adult court are up. Recent data also show that teenagers prosecuted in Louisiana's juvenile justice system are less likely to reoffend than those prosecuted in the adult system. The district attorney's practice is wrong for New Orleans’ children, their families and the community. It does more harm than good. This report by the Southern Poverty Law Center examines the Orleans Parish district attorney's approach to the prosecution of juveniles and the process known as juvenile transfer. It shows that Cannizzaro's use of default transfer is unfair and ineffective - it fails to protect public safety, conserve public dollars, or respond appropriately to juvenile crime. Details: Atlanta, GA: Southern Poverty Law Center, 2016. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 19. 2016 at: https://www.splcenter.org/20160217/more-harm-good-how-children-are-unjustly-tried-adults-new-orleans Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.splcenter.org/20160217/more-harm-good-how-children-are-unjustly-tried-adults-new-orleans Shelf Number: 147953 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransfersJuvenile CourtsJuvenile OffendersRecidivismWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction) |
Author: Murray, Kath Title: Understanding and Preventing Youth Crime Survey (UPYC) Early Findings: Stop and Search in Glasgow and Edinburgh Summary: This report presents data and analysis on children's experiences of stop and search in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The analysis in the report is based on data from the Understanding and Preventing Youth Crime (UPYC) survey, a UK wide project that examines children's experiences of crime, victimisation and policing. The report was commissioned by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) in order to meet Recommendation 11 of the SPA Scrutiny Review on Stop and Search: The SPA should commission research, in conjunction with others, to establish the short and long term impact of stop and search on different groups and communities. In particular, this should cover the short and long term impact of stop and search activity on young people. (SPA, 2014; 26) The UPYC questionnaire was administered to 2,186 secondary school children in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield and Birmingham between September 2014 and December 2015. In Glasgow and Edinburgh, 1,286 pupils aged between twelve and sixteen years old took part in the survey, while in Sheffield and Birmingham, 900 children took part. This report focuses on children's experiences in Glasgow and Edinburgh (some comparisons are drawn with Sheffield and Birmingham). The report examines the overall and varying prevalence of stop and search, police effectiveness, and how children feel about being stopped and searched. The key findings are shown below. The overall and varying prevalence of stop and search - Overall, nearly a quarter of children in Glasgow and Edinburgh (23%) said that they had been stopped and searched at least once in their lifetime. - The overall prevalence of stop and search in Glasgow and Edinburgh (23%) was around three times higher than Sheffield and Birmingham (8%). - Across the four cities, prevalence ranged from 5% in Birmingham, to 26% in Glasgow. - Children in Glasgow were more likely to have been searched on multiple occasions, compared to children in Edinburgh. Amongst those children who were searched in the last 12 months, over a fifth (21%) in Glasgow had been searched on six or more occasions, compared to 2% in Edinburgh. School year/age (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - One of the strongest predictors of being stopped and searched was school year. In Glasgow and Edinburgh, 37% of children in S4 (15 and 16 year olds) had been stopped and searched on at least one occasion, compared to 11% in Birmingham and Sheffield. Gender (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - The prevalence of stop and search was slightly higher among boys than girls, at 26% and 21% respectively. - However, boys were more likely to be searched on multiple occasions. Amongst those who had been searched in the last twelve months, 20% of boys had been stopped and searched six times or more, compared to 11% of girls. - When controlling for other factors, multivariate analysis showed that boys were around 1.6 times more likely to be stopped and searched than girls. Ethnicity (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Asian children were less likely to be stopped and searched, compared to White children. Otherwise, there were no statistically significant differences across the ethnic groups in the survey. Education and social class (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Children who said that they did badly at school were more likely to have been searched, compared to those who said that they performed well at school. Over half (53%) of those who said that their achievement was poor or well below average had been stopped and searched, compared to 13% who said that their achievement was well above average or excellent. - When controlling for other factors, children who attended state schools were 2.6 times more likely to have been searched, compared to children who attended independent schools. However, self-reported offending rates between these two groups did not vary. Family support and involvement (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - The prevalence of stop and search was lower amongst children with higher levels of family support and involvement. Children whose parents rarely knew their whereabouts, what they were doing, or whom they were with were more likely to have been stopped and searched by the police. For example, 73% of children who said that their parents/carers seldom or never knew where they were had been searched, compared to 18% who said that their parents/carers often or almost always knew where they were. Offending behaviour (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Half of the children (50%) in the survey said they had never taken part in a crime, rising to three quarters (75%) when excluding illegally downloading music or films from the internet. Excluding illegal downloads, 9% of children said they had committed an offence on two or more occasions in the last year. - When controlling for other factors, children who had been involved in a group fight in the last twelve months were 4.6 times more likely to have been stopped and searched, compared to children who had not. - However, other types of offending, including weapon carrying and drug misuse, were not significantly associated with being stopped and searched. - The likelihood of being searched was higher amongst children who said that they had committed an offence in the last 12 months, compared to those who had not. - However, in absolute terms, the number of children who were searched and said they had not committed a crime was higher than the number who had been searched and had committed a crime. Alcohol (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Children who had drunk alcohol in the last month were 2.5 times more likely to have been stopped and searched, compared to those who had not. - The demographics of stop and search appeared to be out of kilter with the demographics of stop and search. In general, the prevalence of underage drinking (in the last month) was higher in Edinburgh (compared to Glasgow), amongst girls (compared to boys) and amongst children who attended independent schools (compared to mainstream state schools). Note however, that we do not know whether alcohol was consumed at home, or in public, or how the alcohol was accessed. Victimisation (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Children who said that someone had taken, or tried to take something from them either by force or the threat of force (i.e. robbery) were 2.8 times more likely to have been searched, compared to those who had not. - Children who said that either they or a friend had been physically attacked on the way home from school on more than one occasion were 6 times more likely to have been searched, compared to those who had not. The effectiveness of stop and search (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Overall, 13% of stop and search encounters in the last twelve months resulted in detection. This finding is consistent with Police Scotland data, which shows that between June and December 2015, 14% of stop searches involving 12 to 16 year olds resulted in detection. By contrast, Police Scotland data show that 24% of all stop searches carried out on persons of all ages in the same period were positive. - The prevalence of stop and search was higher in neighbourhoods with higher perceived levels of crime and disorder, suggesting that officers generally targeted the 'right places'. - However, at the individual level, involvement in criminal behaviour was a poor indicator for stop and search. Of those children who had been stopped and searched, 61% said that they had not been involved in offending behaviour in the last 12 months (excluding illegal downloading). How children feel about being stopped and searched (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Children who had been stopped and searched tended to be equivocal or negative about their experiences. A third (34%) said that the officers were 'not at all' fair, compared to 14% who said that the officers were 'very fair.' - A third (35%) said the officers were 'a bit' professional, compared to around a fifth (18%) who said that the officers were 'very' polite and respectful. - Nearly a third of children in Glasgow (32%) said that the police were 'not at all' polite and respectful, compared to 18% in Edinburgh. - Half of those respondents who were searched said that the officers had explained the reason. Of these children, three quarters (75%) said that they understood the reason. - Four in ten (39%) said the officers had asked if they were happy for the search to go ahead. Most of these children (79%) gave their agreement to be searched. - Children mostly felt annoyed at being searched, rather than scared or embarrassed. A third of children (35%) said that they felt 'very' annoyed, and a quarter (25%) said they felt 'quite' annoyed. - Very few children (7%) said that being stopped and searched made them feel 'very' safe on the streets, while 70% said it did not make them feel at all safer. - The views of children who had been stopped and searched at least once tended to be more negative towards the police, compared to those who had not been searched. For example, more than a third (37%) of children who had been searched said they thought the police 'almost never' treated young people with respect, compared to 15% who had not been searched. - A third (34%) of children who had been stopped and searched thought that the police 'almost never' made fair decisions when dealing with young people, compared to 14% who had not been searched. - Over half (53%) of children who had been stopped and searched thought that the police appreciate what young people think, compared to 32% who had not been searched. Details: Glasgow: Scottish Police Authority, 2016. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 20, 2016 at: http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/128635/352708/uypcstopandsearch Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/128635/352708/uypcstopandsearch Shelf Number: 140368 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersPolice Behavior Police Discretion Police Practice Stop and Search |
Author: Tomberg, Kathleen A. Title: Durable Collaborations: The National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention Summary: In 2012, the Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College began to publish the results of an assessment conducted between Summer 2011 and Summer 2012. The project measured the effectiveness of the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention. The findings suggested that the initiative was generating important changes in five communities participating in the National Forum (Boston, MA; Detroit, MI; Memphis, TN; Salinas, CA; and San Jose, CA). Survey respondents reported a number of potentially valuable outcomes, including expanded opportunities for youth, improvements in the extent of inter-agency and cross-sector collaborations, and successful efforts to draw upon the knowledge and expertise of a broad range of community members. According to survey respondents, the National Forum cities were developing stronger capacities to reduce youth violence. In 2016, with the support of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the John Jay research team launched a new iteration of the same survey in all 15 cities then involved in the National Forum. The respondents in the new survey were positive about their growing collaborations and the effectiveness of their strategies for preventing youth violence. As with the previous surveys, the 2016 survey measured the perceptions of community leaders. It was not a direct measure of youth violence. Details: New York: John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Research and Evaluation Center, 2016. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 20, 2016 at: https://jjrec.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/durablecollaborations2.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://jjrec.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/durablecollaborations2.pdf Shelf Number: 145625 Keywords: Community-Based ProgramsJuvenile OffendersPartnershipsViolence PreventionViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Suggit, Daniel Title: Joining Forces: A partnership approach to effective justice - community-driven social controls working side by side with the Magistracy of the Northern Territory Summary: Community Courts began as a formal pilot project in 2005 within the NT Court of Summary Jurisdiction under the direction of the then Chief Magistrate, Hugh Bradley, and with funding and support from the Yilli Rreung ATSIC Regional Council. In 2008, the pilot was 'expanded' to program status through the NT Government's Closing the Gap of Indigenous Disadvantage: A Generational Plan of Action (2007), which provided a funding commitment of $2.1 million over 5 years: 2008-2012. A Requirement of this funding was for the Department to undertake an external evaluation of the 5 year program. It is understood that the evaluation was intended to be undertaken in the third or fourth year of the 5-year program. However, this evaluation was commissioned at the start of 2012 within the program's final 6 months. The methodology employed by the consultant includes: - Stakeholder consultation (refer: Appendix 1: List of Stakeholders consulted) - Observation of one community court (Youth Justice Court) at Alyangula Court House, Groote Eylandt on 10th May 2012 - Desktop research (refer: References) - Analysis of IJIS data in relation to Community Court pilot and program implementation, reoffending and breach of court orders Key limitations to the effectiveness of this review methodology have been: - Suspension of Adult Community Courts (2011): due to the suspension of Community Courts for adult offenders from 2011 (as detailed below), there was limited opportunity within the current project timeframe to observe this specialist court operation and moreover, to discuss the effectiveness of the program with all participating stakeholders. This particular limitation undoubtedly constrained the consultant's ability to interview Indigenous community participants in relation to this model of court delivery. - Data: the Community Court program objectives refer explicitly to two quantitative indicators of program success: a reduction in both rates of reoffending and breach of court orders. While these may have been both stated program objectives, there appears to have been no commitment to establishing a data analysis framework to monitor these objectives against mainstream outcomes over the past 5 years. It has been left to the consultant - with the patient and time-consuming assistance of NTG officers within and outside the Department - to define, collate, test and analyse the various datasets from scratch. While it is admirable to have identified quantitative measures within the list of original program objectives, it would have been helpful in terms of the program's implementation and subsequent improvement to have established at the outset a framework to monitor and analyse this data. Details: Melbourne: Swinburne University of Technology, 2016. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 22, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/d_suggit_apo_joining_forces_report_sept_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/d_suggit_apo_joining_forces_report_sept_2016.pdf Shelf Number: 145604 Keywords: Community CourtsCourtsJuvenile OffendersPartnershipsYouth Justice Courts |
Author: Gewirtz, Marian Title: Post-Disposition Re-Arrests of Juvenile Offenders Summary: In accordance with New York State's Juvenile Offender (JO) Law, youths under age 16 who face serious violent felony charges are brought directly to the adult rather than juvenile court for prosecution. Most of these youths are charged with robbery in the first or second degree, but the list of eligible charges (see Appendix A) also includes murder, manslaughter, burglary, weapons and other offenses. Previous research conducted by the New York City (NYC) Criminal Justice Agency (CJA) documents extremely high rates of recidivism among the youths processed as JOs. CJA's 2015 research on recidivism among JOs attempted to assess the relationship between the outcome of cases involving JOs and the likelihood of re-arrest. However, that research did not consistently differentiate between pre-and post-disposition recidivism. The report discussed here is a follow-up endeavor, again exploring the relationship between case outcome and recidivism for fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds processed as JOs in the adult courts in NYC, but the current research examines only post-disposition re-arrests. Are youths convicted in JO cases at greater risk of re-arrest than are their counterparts whose cases reached other outcomes? The current research focuses on JO cases arraigned since January 1, 2007, that reached a final disposition in the adult court by December 31, 2014. Re-arrest is tracked starting at disposition for youths who were at risk as of that date, or from the youth's date of release after conviction and/or sentencing. In addition to identifying factors predictive of time to the first rearrest and to the first felony-level re-arrest post disposition, this research also looks at the outcome of the re-arrests. That is, this research also examines factors predictive of the first rearrest post disposition that resulted in conviction and the first that resulted in a felony-level conviction. The goal of the research is to determine whether any of these measures of recidivism varies by case outcome. The report begins with a description of the research population, including how time at risk for re-arrest was determined. We then examine post-disposition recidivism in terms of the rates of re-arrests as well as their severity and timing. We also compare the re-arrest rates by selected characteristics of the juveniles (gender, ethnicity and prior arrests) and by selected characteristics of the initial JO case (charge, borough of arrest and release status). Multivariate analyses using Cox proportional hazards regression is used to explore the factors associated with the risk of post-disposition re-arrest. We assess whether the disposition affects the risk of recidivism by building the strongest Cox models and attempting to include the type of disposition as a predictive variable. Details: New York: New York City Criminal Justice Agency, 2016. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 22, 2016 at: http://www.nycja.org/ Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.nycja.org/ Shelf Number: 140411 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransfersJuvenile OffendersRe-arrestsRecidivismViolent Juvenile OffendersWaiver of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction |
Author: Washington State Center for Court Research Title: Aggression Replacement Training in a Probation Setting: Outcomes for Youths Starting Treatment January 2010 - September 2012 Summary: In 2004 the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) and Robert Barnoski published an evaluation of several therapeutic programs for juveniles. This evaluation was conducted in accordance with the Community Juvenile Accountability Act (CJAA) passed by the Washington State Legislature in 1997. The central objective of the CJAA was to promote effective approaches to reducing law violating behavior among Washington youth probation supervision and establish which juvenile justice programs demonstrated reductions in recidivism on a cost-effective basis and could earn the label "research-based" or "evidence-based". This process, established by the CJAA, results in the list of evidence-based programs (EBPs), which is updated as new evidence becomes available. Details: Olympia, WA: The Center, 2016. 13p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 22, 2016 at: https://www.courts.wa.gov/wsccr/docs/ART_Outcomes_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.courts.wa.gov/wsccr/docs/ART_Outcomes_2016.pdf Shelf Number: 146055 Keywords: Aggression Replacement TrainingEvidence-Based PracticesJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationTreatment Programs |
Author: Washington State Center for Court Research Title: Functional Family Therapy in a Probation Setting: Outcomes for Youths Starting Treatment January 2010 - September 2012 Summary: In 2004 the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) and Robert Barnoski published an evaluation of several therapeutic programs for juveniles. This evaluation was conducted in accordance with the Community Juvenile Accountability Act (CJAA) passed by the Washington State Legislature in 1997. The central objective of the CJAA was to promote effective approaches to reducing law violating behavior among Washington youth probation supervision and establish which juvenile justice programs demonstrated reductions in recidivism on a cost-effective basis and could earn the label "research-based" or "evidence-based". This process, established by the CJAA, results in the list of evidence-based programs (EBPs), which is updated as new evidence becomes available. Details: Olympia, WA: The Center, 2016. 13p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 22, 2016 at: https://www.courts.wa.gov/wsccr/docs/FFT_Outcomes_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.courts.wa.gov/wsccr/docs/FFT_Outcomes_2016.pdf Shelf Number: 146054 Keywords: Evidence-Based ProgramsFamily TherapyJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationersRecidivismTreatment Programs |
Author: Cannon, Yael Title: Adverse Childhood Experiences in the New Mexico Juvenile Justice Population Summary: Study Highlights A retrospective study of adults conducted by the CDC & Kaiser Permanente examined the relationship between several forms of childhood trauma (adverse childhood experiences or ACEs) & related health outcomes. Individuals with 4+ ACEs (12% of sample) were more likely to report health conditions & shorter lifespans. The current study includes all 220 juvenile offenders committed for incarceration in New Mexico during 2011 & uses the results of comprehensive multi-disciplinary psychosocial assessments to examine juveniles' ACEs, psychological & family conditions, & exposure to other traumatic events. 86% of incarcerated New Mexico juveniles experienced 4+ ACEs, 7 times higher than the CDC-Kaiser study. New Mexico juveniles experienced ACEs at a higher rate than juvenile offender populations in other studies. Among incarcerated New Mexico juveniles, majorities experienced emotional (76%) or physical (94%) neglect, parental divorce/separation (86%), and substance abuse in the home (80%). Axis I diagnoses (99.5%), substance abuse disorders (96%), & depression (48%) were widespread among incarcerated New Mexico juveniles. Females had a higher incidence of ACEs. 23% of females experienced 9+ ACEs compared to 3% of males. Females had a statistically significant higher incidence of sexual abuse (63% vs. 21%) & physical abuse (70% vs. 49%) when compared to males. Efforts are needed to identify & prevent early childhood trauma in New Mexico. Intervention goals include preventing additional ACEs in young children who have experienced them & trauma screening when children enter the juvenile justice system. Additionally, evidence-based, trauma-informed, family-engaged mental health & substance-abuse treatments should be available throughout the juvenile justice system and to youth subsequent to discharge from detention and incarceration. Details: Albuquerque: New Mexico Sentencing Commission, 2016. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2016 at: http://nmsc.unm.edu/reports/2016/adverse-childhood-experiences-in-the-new-mexico-juvenile-justice-population.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://nmsc.unm.edu/reports/2016/adverse-childhood-experiences-in-the-new-mexico-juvenile-justice-population.pdf Shelf Number: 146131 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChildhood TraumaJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersMental Health |
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 Bramoullé, 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 República, 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: Medina, Carlos Title: The Effect of Adult Criminals' Spillovers On the Likelihood of Youths Becoming Criminals Summary: We use a unique data set at the individual level to estimate an empirical model explaining the probability of young individuals to become criminals as a function of the presence of adult criminals in their neighborhoods, an a complete set of control variables, including census sector fixed effects. We use the census of criminals captured in Medellin between 2000 and 2010 to construct our peer's variables, and find a strong and robust positive effect of the presence of adult criminal neighbors on the probability of becoming criminal. The result is robust across different specifications of the presence of criminals, and with respect to the probability of committing different types of crimes, even controlling for contextual and group effects. Both modeling peer effects as the sum of friends' efforts and modeling them as deviations from the means, affect the likelihood to become criminal, although with differential importance by type of crime. Details: Bogota: Banco de la Republica, 2013. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Num. 755: Accessed October 8, 2016 at: http://www.banrep.gov.co/sites/default/files/publicaciones/archivos/be_755.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Colombia URL: http://www.banrep.gov.co/sites/default/files/publicaciones/archivos/be_755.pdf Shelf Number: 145369 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersPeer EffectsSocial Interactions |
Author: Jones, David G. Title: Supporting a Future Evaluation of the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (SYVPI) Summary: At the request of the Seattle City Council, the Office of City Auditor contracted with the evaluation firm, MEF Associates, to conduct an evaluability assessment of the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (SYVPI) to determine whether it is ready for an evaluation of its effectiveness. The report from MEF identified some strengths of SYVPI but concluded that due to a number of issues with the design and implementation of SYVPI, a rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of SYVPI from 2009 through present is not possible. The report outlines a series of steps that SYVPI could take to get ready for an evaluation at some point in the future. In addition, our office has outlined five specific things that the Executive and City Council could do to support a future evaluation of SYVPI: 1. Ensure that SYVPI has clear goals, 2. Support a youth violence needs assessment, 3. Monitor progress of the SYVPI risk assessment tool, 4. Ensure that SYVPI has an adequate data system, and 5. Require SYVPI management to report regularly to the Executive and City Council on its evaluation readiness. Details: Seattle: Seattle Office of City Auditor, 2014. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/CityAuditor/auditreports/SYVPI-Published-Report-10_24_14.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/CityAuditor/auditreports/SYVPI-Published-Report-10_24_14.pdf Shelf Number: 140644 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile OffendersViolence Prevention Youth Homicides Youth Violence |
Author: Maschi, Tina Title: An Evaluation of a Cultural Arts Program for Youth in a Juvenile Justice Program: Technical Report Summary: Arts programming has been touted as a way for youth to learn new skills that will increase youth resilience in stressful environments; improve social and emotional skills and abilities, as well as possibly increase cognitive functions. While there have been a number of studies conducted to examine these relationships, most had a research design that had a number of confounding factors. This study was one of the few that had a comparison group that provided for a stronger research design. The participants attended a program that served as a diversion program for arrested youth and a prevention program for family, friends, and neighbors, of the arrested youth. Previous analyses indicated a pre-post difference in mental health and social skills and an impact analysis indicated a very low recidivism rate for the participants relative to other programs. The findings of this study, in which trends, but few significant results were seen, indicated that art programming's impact on social skills was modest when participating in this relatively short 8 week program. A few significant results were observed that indicated the program had more impact on females. Other perspectives should be examined in order to develop a model of the impact of art programming on a youth's long-term behavior. Details: Unpublished paper, 2013. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper, Accessed October 11, 2016 at: https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/Research-Art-Works-Fordham1.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/Research-Art-Works-Fordham1.pdf Shelf Number: 145408 Keywords: Art EducationJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation ProgramsSocial Skills |
Author: Dyer, Fiona Title: Young People at Court in Scotland Summary: This paper refers to the young people appearing in adult courts in Scotland, looking at government policies, legislation and practices, before making recommendations for a legislative and policy change. The paper argues that changes need to be made to government policies, legislation and current practice to bring Scotland in line with the United National Convention on the Rights of the Child. Details: Glasgow: Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice, 2016. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2016 at: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/YoungPeopleAtCourtFINAL.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/YoungPeopleAtCourtFINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 145401 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransfersJuvenile OffendersWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction) |
Author: Diaz, Juan Title: The Impact of Grade Retention on Juvenile Crime Summary: Using detailed administrative and individual data on schooling and crime records from Chile, we estimate the effect of grade retention between 4th and 8th grade on juvenile crime. We take advantage of a rule which specifies that students who fail more than one subject must repeat the year. We present two empirical strategies to address the strong evidence that the forcing variable is - locally - manipulated. First, we follow Barreca, Guldi, Lindo, and Waddell (2011) to implement a donuthole fuzzy regression discontinuity design (FRD). Second, we extend the approach developed by Keele, Titiunik, and Zubizarreta (2015) to implement a method that combines matching with FRD. These two methodologies deliver similar results and both show no statistically significant effect in a placebo test. According to our results, grade retention increases the probability of juvenile crime by 1.6 percentage point (pp), an increase of 33% (higher for males and low SES students). We also find that grade retention increases the probability of dropping out by 1.5pp. Regarding mechanisms, our findings suggest that the effect of grade retention on crime does not only operate through its effect on dropping out and that the effect of grade retention on crime is worsened when students switch school right after failing the grade. Details: Santiago: University of Chile, Department of Economics, 2016. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Serie Documentos de Trabajo, No. 429: Accessed October 12, 2016 at: http://repositorio.uchile.cl/bitstream/handle/2250/140504/The-Impact-of-Grade.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Year: 2016 Country: Chile URL: http://repositorio.uchile.cl/bitstream/handle/2250/140504/The-Impact-of-Grade.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Shelf Number: 145440 Keywords: Education and CrimeJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersSchool Drop-Outs |
Author: LeCroy & Milligan Associates, Inc. Title: Assessing Risk of Recidivism Among Juvenile Offenders: The Recidivism Risk Instrument. Technical Report Summary: The past four decades have been witness to an increasing interest in risk assessment in the corrections field. Risk assessment is based on the calculation of statistical relationships between offender characteristics and outcomes such as recidivism. The process of risk assessment involves estimating an individual's likelihood of continued involvement in delinquent behavior, based on the relationship of specific characteristics to delinquency (Gottfredson & Moriarty, 2006; Krysik & LeCroy, 2002). Several trends have contributed to the increased popularity of risk assessment. A steady increase in the number of juveniles that were entering the juvenile justice system has heightened the demand for rehabilitation services. This increased demand for services combined with their high cost has prompted efforts to target services, based on a systematic assessment of need, to those at the high end of the risk continuum, while reducing efforts aimed at those on the low end. The assignment of low risk cases to intensive services may not only be a waste of scarce resources, but may in fact be criminogenic (Andrews et al. 1986). Statistical risk assessment is increasingly being used to replace assessments based on "clinical" judgments which are subjective and less accurate than statistical instruments. Actuarial/statistical risk instruments generally classify youth as low-, medium-, or high-risk for recidivism by estimating an offender's likelihood of reoffending based on their similarity to others who have recidivated in the past. Accordingly, the goal of statistical risk instruments is to identify a group of offenders with different rates of recidivism and focus intensive treatment interventions on those offenders with the greatest risk of returning to custody. Research has shown that a small number of offenders contribute disproportionately to the crime rate. For instance, research on two cohorts of first-time juvenile delinquents in Orange County, California found that approximately 10% of the juveniles accounted for over one-half of all subsequent offenses (Kurz & Moore, 1993). Based on these findings, Orange County developed a risk-based intervention strategy that emphasizes risk rather than crime seriousness. The recognition that a relatively few individuals commit the majority of crimes has prompted a more streamlined approach to the early identification of the most persistent juvenile offenders. The purpose of identifying high-risk juveniles early in their criminal careers is to provide them with cost effective prevention and treatment services. In Orange County, the chronic offender population averages nearly 20 months of incarceration within 6 years of their first offense, making the cost of incarceration alone $44,000 per individual in 1993 dollars (Kurz & Moore, 1993). At the rate of approximately 500 new chronic juvenile offenders per year, the estimated cost for incarceration in Orange County is $22 million per cohort. A reduction in placement would result in significant cost savings. Further, there is reason to suspect that predictors of recidivism for boys differ from predictors of recidivism for girls (Emeka & Sorensen, 2009). For example, Plattner and colleagues (2009) identified sex specific predictors of recidivism among a sample of incarcerated youth. For boys, the strongest predictors for recidivism were age at first incarceration and presence of oppositional defiant disorder. For girls, the strongest predictors for recidivism were dysthymia (protective factor) and generalized anxiety disorder. Consistent with previous work, early aggressive or disruptive behavior was not a good predictor of later delinquency for girls. The most common problem encountered in risk prediction research is data limitations. Data limitations constrain the potential for sophisticated and more appropriate statistical approaches to analysis. There are two basic sampling issues that lead to limitations in the data. First, the size of the sample is critical. In terms of how big the sample should be, Jones (1996) recommends at least 500, half for estimation and half for validation. If a large number of variables are being tested in multivariate statistical analysis, it is common practice to ensure that the sample includes at least 10 subjects for each predictor variable considered (Norman & Streiner, 1986). Second, the sample must be representative of the population to whom the instrument will be applied; therefore, it should be a random sample. Even if a sample is large and appropriately drawn, serious problems may still emerge. The patterns found in one sample can lead to overestimating patterns that might exist in other samples. Representativeness can encompass the variables of age, gender, race and ethnicity, regional area, and time period (Jones, 1996). Criticism of several studies has revolved around the use of only one sample for estimation, and the subsequent failure to test the accuracy of the derived model on an independent validation sample (Krysik & LeCroy, 2002; Schwalbe, 2007). The primary purpose of using a separate sample for validation is to test the extent that empirically derived relationships persist across samples. When the risk assessment instrument is validated on the same sample from which it was estimated, the rate of correct classification is naturally much higher. Thus, the use of at least two samples is recommended, one for estimation and one or more for validation. The lack of differentiation on the criterion variable is always more apparent during validation than the construction of the instrument. The prediction instrument developed on a selective sample is often applied to a population containing a wider range of risk than that of those individuals originally studied. Under such circumstances, the best policy is to identify a random sample that is as closely related as possible to the population of interest. If this is not possible, it may be useful to examine empirically differences between the original sample and the population of interest. Invariably the best laid plans are constrained by the quality of the data available. Often this problem is not recognized, or it may be noticed and not addressed. The main effect of missing data is to reduce the size of the sample at the stage of multivariate analysis. How this problem is dealt with depends in part on how much data is missing, and how important the particular variables afflicted are thought to be as predictors. If there are few missing values and the data are missing completely at random, then the analysis should be based on those cases with a complete set of variable values (Jones, 1996). Other than a reduced sample size, this complete case approach poses no problems. An alternative approach that makes use of available information is to include all cases that have values for a specified group of variables. This available-cases approach has the significant disadvantage that statistics such as means and variances are based on samples of different sizes. A third approach is the imputation of missing values. This involves the estimation of missing values based on those data that are available (Little & Rubin, 1987). In instances where a person's risk-level is assessed at more than one point in time, it is necessary to move away from a reliance on variables that remain constant toward more dynamic indicators. Static indicators can be historical (e.g., parent criminality) or ascribed (e.g., gender or race). As individuals can exercise no control over static factors, they are insensitive to change over time. The repeated use of these same variables can result in individuals being censured over and over for the same attributes. Psychiatric measures, response to supervision or institutionalization, employment, and family situation, are examples of dynamic factors. One risk assessment instrument involving dynamic factors is offered by Baird (1984). He has developed an initial risk assessment instrument and a reassessment instrument. His reassessment instrument retains the most significant initial predictors such as age at first adjudication, prior criminal behavior, and institutional placements of more than 30 days, and adds to this dynamic factors such as response to supervision and the use of community resources. Dynamic factors introduce a stronger element of judgment or discretion into the classification process. Underwood (1979) cautions that the inclusion of subjectively scored items may provide opportunity for personal biases to be passed off as scientific judgment. The goal in risk assessment is to choose the smallest number of variables with the greatest predictive validity. This goal, however, can be modified by the issue of face validity. Burnham (1990) argues that decision makers feel uncomfortable with only a limited set of data items and require a range of information, most of which they do not take into account. He differentiates between information, that which leads to predictive efficacy; and noise, those items necessary for the instrument to be supported by the user. Most commonly, prediction models include both individual and environmental variables as predictors. Ideally, the pool of possible predictors is theoretically derived, with one variable representing each theoretical construct, and each of the selected variables tested for validity and reliability. In practice, prediction in the area of criminality is constrained by poorly defined theory. Given these cautions, we turn our attention toward key predictor variables supported in the literature. Details: Tucson, AZ: LeCroy and Milligan Associates, 2012. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 12, 2016 at: http://www.lecroymilligan.com/data/resources/recidivism-risk-instrument-final-report-10312012-final-revision-b.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.lecroymilligan.com/data/resources/recidivism-risk-instrument-final-report-10312012-final-revision-b.pdf Shelf Number: 140672 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersPredictionRecidivismRisk Assessment |
Author: LeCroy & Milligan Associates, Inc. Title: Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections Risk Assessment Project Findings Summary: The primary purpose of this project was to construct an interim risk tool for the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC). The function of the interim risk tool is to statistically estimate the likelihood that an offender will continue to be involved in delinquent activity, and classify the offender according to their relative risk of continued involvement (Gottfredson, 1987; Krysik & LeCroy, 2002). The goal of statistical risk assessment is to effectively group offenders by risk level in order to allocate resources for higher-risk youth while maintaining validity and consistency in the assessment and decision-making process. The development of an interim risk tool was constructed through an integrated three step approach: (1) a review of the literature related to modeling risk in juvenile correctional populations was conducted; (2) the interim risk tool was developed and subsequently validated on a separate, independent sample; and (3) risk tool administrators and users were surveyed to determine their perceptions and use of the current ADJC risk prediction instrument. Historically, the type of information included in risk instruments includes the offender's criminal history, social history (e.g., substance abuse, education/employment, family background, psychological profile), and demographics (i.e., age, gender, race/ethnicity) (Cottle et al., 2001; Krysik & LeCroy, 2002). In most risk tools, the likelihood of recidivism is most closely related to a few consistent variables - criminal history, substance abuse, family background, and school performance. Details: Tucson, AZ: LeCroy & Milligan Associates, 2006. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 12, 2016 at: http://www.lecroymilligan.com/data/resources/adjcriskassessmentprojectfindingsreportfinal-1.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: http://www.lecroymilligan.com/data/resources/adjcriskassessmentprojectfindingsreportfinal-1.pdf Shelf Number: 140673 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile OffendersPredictionRisk Assessment |
Author: LeCroy & Milligan Associates, Inc. Title: Pima County Juvenile Court Evaluation of Probation Services: Executive Summary Summary: The provision of juvenile probation services is a complex endeavor that involves the various components of the criminal justice system and social service provider community, as well as the general community at large. In Fiscal Year 2001, 13,588 juveniles were on probation in Arizona, and of these 2,271 or 16.7% of this number were in Pima County. In addition, in 2001, a total 22,305 youth were diverted from the juvenile courts in Arizona, with 4,891 or 22% of this total from Pima County (Administrative Office of the Courts, 2002). With this number of youth comes a diverse array of needs and requirements that the juvenile court must respond to in its mission of preventing further crime and making the youth accountable for their actions. This may involve the provision of different levels and types of probation supervision, various modes of treatment services for a juvenile's mental health and substance abuse problems, as well as providing services to victims and the community. Understanding this complexity, the Pima County Juvenile Court contracted with LeCroy & Milligan Associates to evaluate the provision of juvenile probation within the court. Specifically, LeCroy & Milligan Associates were asked to conduct four separate efforts: Complete a literature review of best practices in juvenile probation; Conduct a survey of key stakeholders in the juvenile justice system; Perform a single-system design study; and Complete a recidivism study. Each of these was completed during the period Jun 2002 to May 2003. This report has five sections, including this executive summary. Details: Tucson, AZ: LeCroy & Milligan Associates, 2003. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 12, 2016 at: http://www.lecroymilligan.com/data/resources/pima-co-probation-report-exec-summary-2003.pdf Year: 2003 Country: United States URL: http://www.lecroymilligan.com/data/resources/pima-co-probation-report-exec-summary-2003.pdf Shelf Number: 145407 Keywords: Juvenile CourtJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationRecidivism |
Author: Trajtenberg, Nico Title: Towards a more Effective Violence Prevention Policy in Uruguay Summary: This report presents the results of the Montevideo Project on the Social Development of Children and Youths (m-proso) study, a large representative school-based survey of young people on deviance and violence conducted in Montevideo. The study was funded by the UBS Optimus Foundation and the data was collected by the University of Cambridge and Universidad de la Republica del Uruguay in coordination with the directorial council of the Administracion Nacional de Educacion Publica (ANEP). The main empirical goal of this study was to describe levels of violent victimization and violent behaviour among adolescents in Montevideo. It also aimed to identify major individual, family, school and life-style risk factors associated with victimization and perpetration that can inform the development of a national policy for the prevention of youth violence. To achieve this goal a large representative survey of over 2202 adolescents in grade 9 (i.e. approximately age 15) from public and private high schools was conducted in 2013. The study results can be divided in two main areas: Victimization: - 25% of adolescents have been victims of one of the three types of violence in the past year. Robbery victimizations are most frequent, followed by assault and sexual assault. Most victimizations occur in public space or at school, and are committed by peers of the same age. Only about one out of ten incidents are reported to the police. - The risk of victimization was associated with a number of lifestyle characteristics. Adolescents who go out frequently, consume psychoactive substances, and who engage in delinquent activities are at a greater risk of violent victimization. Also, adolescents with a disability were at a higher risk of victimization, while socio-demographic characteristics were not found to be predictive of victimization. - 28% of adolescents reported experiences of corporal punishment by their parents. Socio-demographic characteristics did not predict the likelihood of corporal punishment. However, the likelihood of corporal punishment was more likely if there was more parental conflict. The experience of corporal punishment was associated with more depressive symptoms. - 20% of adolescents experienced bullying victimization at least once per month. Bullying victims differed from non-victims in several ways: they were more likely to have a poor relationship with classmates and more likely to have academic difficulties. At home they were more likely to experience erratic discipline and parental conflict. Also, adolescents with a disability were found to be more likely to be victimized. - The results of the present study supported findings from international research that different types of victimization tend to be correlated. For example, victims of corporal punishment by their parents were significantly more likely to also experience bullying and violent victimization. Perpetration - 17% of adolescents admitted to having committed at least one act of violence in the past year. 19% of adolescents reported to be involved in a group that threatens, robs or assaults other people. And 13% of adolescents reported that they bullied other adolescents at least once per month. - Different types of violence are strongly correlated in that, for example, adolescents who verbally bully others also tend to be involved in physical fights or robberies committed within a group of other adolescents. Male adolescents are overrepresented for all types of direct aggression, but their predominance is larger for aggression that entails physical force, is more serious, and committed in groups. - Involvement in violence is part of a wider syndrome of adolescent problem behaviours: Violent adolescents are much more likely to also be involvement in non-violent delinquent acts including theft in school, at home or in shops, vandalism and burglary, or drug dealing. They are also more likely to run away from home and to play truant at school. Finally, adolescents involved in violence are much more likely to use alcohol, cannabis, or hard drugs. - Adolescents with a higher involvement in violent acts differed in their personality characteristics from other youth. They were more riskseeking, impulsive, self-centred and short-sighted than non-violent youth; they were more likely to internalize delinquent norms and to reject conventional moral principles; they had lower conflict resolution skills in that they were more likely to react with anger and less likely to understand diferent sides of an argument; and they tend to believe that they are stronger and better fighters than others. - Adolescents involved in physical violence and bullying also differ on school-related characteristics: They were significantly more likely to have been retained at school, to play truant, to have a poor relationship to the teacher and to have a low commitment to do well at school. They were also less likely to accept the authority of teachers and directors. - More violent adolescents tend to live in families where parents were less likely to be involved in joint activities with the young person, that they were less able to efectively supervise the activities of their child, and that they were more likely to use physical punishment as a disciplining strategy. - Finally, aggressive adolescents tend to spend a lot more time playing violent computer games, they are out on the streets more often during night-time and weekends, and they spend this unsupervised time more often in the company of delinquent peers. Finally, based on the aforementioned results and following the WHO public health framework of violence prevention this report provides recommendations on five areas of intervention: enhance parenting support; improve school climate and behaviour management in schools; improve the legitimacy of the police; reduce early access to psychoactive substances and weapons; and reducing street violence and robbery. Details: Cambridge, UK: University of Cambridge, Institute of Criminology, Violence Research Centre, 2015. 162p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2016 at: http://www.vrc.crim.cam.ac.uk/vrcresearch/meuruguay/uruguayeng Year: 2015 Country: Uruguay URL: http://www.vrc.crim.cam.ac.uk/vrcresearch/meuruguay/uruguayeng Shelf Number: 145077 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersRobberyStreet ViolenceVictimizationViolenceViolence PreventionViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: LeCroy & Milligan Associates, Inc. Title: Assessing Risk of Disruptive Behaviors Among Juvenile Offenders: Assessing Risk of Disruptive Behaviors Among Juvenile Offenders Summary: The objective of this study is to develop an instrument to help improve the overall safety of juvenile correctional facilities and provide guidance for professionals to identify high need youth that will require additional support services. Details: Tucson, AZ: LeCroy & Milligan Associates, 2014. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2016 at: http://www.azdjc.gov/OfficesPrograms/Research/institutionalrisktechnicalreport.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.azdjc.gov/OfficesPrograms/Research/institutionalrisktechnicalreport.pdf Shelf Number: 144937 Keywords: Anti-Social BehaviorJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile OffendersRisk Assessment |
Author: Ryon, Stephanie Bontrager Title: Juvenile Probation and Residential Services Evaluation Summary: Connecticut provides delinquency services through both the judicial and executive branches. The Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) is responsible for juvenile corrections and aftercare services, while the Connecticut Judicial Branch‟s Court Support Services Division (CSSD) administers pre- and post-adjudication services, including detention and probation supervision (National Center for Juvenile Justice, 2010; Management 2011). The Connecticut Juvenile Justice System (CJJS) is based on restorative justice principles of accountability and reintegration, public safety and rehabilitation. Individualized treatment, prevention, community-based placements, standardized risk and needs assessments, and coordinated evidence-based services are core features of the CJJS (Management, 2011). Together, DCF and CSSD have developed a collaborative strategic plan to ensure the seamless delivery of delinquency services to at risk youth in Connecticut (Child Welfare League of America, 2006). The joint plan is based on principles of effective intervention, which underscore the importance of reserving residential commitment programs for the most high risk youth, and those most likely to benefit from long-term, out-of-home placements. Two recent studies of juvenile probation and residential services suggest that youthful offenders who complete probation programming are less likely to re-offend once discharged than those completing more restrictive commitment programs (Winokur et al., 2007; Greenfield, 2007). The Connecticut Judicial Branch CSSD retained the Justice Research Center (JRC) to study system services including probation and residential programming. The State of Connecticut has a long history of ensuring accountability, and understands that evaluating effectiveness and efficiency is critical to the provision of quality services and the expansion of programs to reach more at-risk youth and their families. The overarching goal of the current evaluation was to assess the extent to which Connecticut‟s juvenile probation and commitment programs provide effective interventions to the appropriate delinquent youth. The evaluation examined youth characteristics, pathways through the continuum of care, and correlates of recidivism for a historical sample of probation and residential clients. All youth disposed from court to either juvenile probation (N=2,823) or commitment to residential placement (N=269), and released between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2007 were included in the study. Research questions specific to probation, residential, alternatives to residential commitment and predictors of system escalation were addressed through quantitative analyses. The evaluation results are summarized below. Probation Forty-nine percent of the probation releases had a juvenile referral or adult arrest; and 34 percent had a juvenile adjudication or adult conviction within one year of completing probation services. Many factors were significantly associated with recidivism for probation releases (gender, race, age at first offense, measures of prior offending and risk and needs); however, none exhibited more than a modest correlation with post-release juvenile adjudication or adult conviction. The predicted odds of recidivism are higher for male and non-white probation releases; delinquents who are younger when they commit their first offense; and those with elevated criminogenic risk. Those with higher JAG Peer Protective scores had significantly lower the odds of recidivism. Details: Hartfort, CT: Connecticut Support Services Division, Connecticut Judicial Branch, 2011. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 14, 2016 at: https://www.jud.ct.gov/cssd/research/juvprob/JuvProb_ResServ_Eval.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: https://www.jud.ct.gov/cssd/research/juvprob/JuvProb_ResServ_Eval.pdf Shelf Number: 144942 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationRecidivism |
Author: Phillips, Michael R. Title: Intermediate Sanctions for Juvenile Offenders: A Utah Juvenile Court Case Study Summary: In an effort to reduce juvenile recidivism - the return to criminal behavior after leaving the juvenile court - authorities in Utah adopted a new statewide intermediate sanction system in which each district could choose a treatment component. Noting the high rate of substance abuse among juvenile offenders, the Fourth District Juvenile Court chose to implement the Narconon drug rehabilitation program through a Utah licensed not-for-profit called NewLife, integrating it within court-directed probation services. The Narconon program, an outpatient service based on secular materials developed by L. Ron Hubbard, consists of a series of modules to address physical aspects of substance abuse as well as underlying social and life skills that may be deficient in young abusers. Participants complete a detoxification program designed to eliminate drug cravings by improving nutritional status and reducing body stores of drug residues. The detoxification regimen includes exercise, sauna and vitamin-mineral supplementation. The Narconon program also includes self-paced training in study habits and communication (oral and written). Additional training materials address the subjects of moral and ethical standards, how to set and achieve goals, and personal responsibility. This program was implemented in partnership with court officials and probation officers in the Fourth District Juvenile Court, in the context of implementing new juvenile sentencing guidelines for State Supervision. The court hoped to reduce the rate at which these youths penetrated deeper into the justice system, and to achieve a reduction in placement costs. It should be noted that the District had saved "the worst of the worst" for this trial program (knowing in advance it was coming several months prior to its implementation). More than half were candidates for confinement or community placement (removal from their homes) rather than state supervision, the new sentencing guideline's last-chance sanction. This tracking report examines the extent to which the court's goals were achieved. It does not attempt to identify or explore positive or negative factors outside of the Narconon program that might have contributed to the outcome. Participants in the Narconon program, whether they completed the program or not, showed a 77.7 percent reduction in criminal activity. Program completion intensified the desired change of behavior. Seventy-four of the 100 juveniles completed the intervention. Of these, 63.5 percent remained completely misdemeanor and felony free for the remainder of their juvenile history. Based on a combined analysis of juvenile and adult records, 32.4 percent retained this crime-free state for four years post-treatment. A placement analysis revealed that the goal of reducing placement and related costs was also achieved. The success of this partnership suggests new possibilities for treatment and intervention and for reducing costs associated with juvenile crime. Details: Los Angeles: Foundation for Advancement, 2015. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed october 15, 2016 at: http://www.criminon.org/studies/fase.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.criminon.org/studies/fase.pdf Shelf Number: 147288 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationIntermediate SanctionsJuvenile CourtJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationSubstance Abuse Treatment |
Author: Defence for Children International Title: "From legislation to action: Trends in juvenile justice systems across 15 countries" Summary: Since the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1989, the global progress made in terms of juvenile justice has been very uneven. In the General Comment No.10 on Children's Rights in Juvenile Justice (2007), the Committee on the Rights of the Child acknowledges that "many State parties still have a long way to go in achieving full compliance with the CRC, e.g. in the areas of procedural rights, the development and implementation of measures for dealing with children in conflict with the law without resorting to judicial proceedings, and the use of deprivation on liberty only as a measure of last resort."1 With growing concern the global movement of Defence for Children International (DCI) has developed research, monitoring, advocacy, and awareness raising activities at national and international level to respond to these problems. This publication, developed in collaboration with 15 of DCI's national sections across Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North America, provides a preliminary mapping of trends in juvenile justice in 2007. In order to draw attention to the continued shortcomings, and to effectively update and sharpen its advocacy and research objectives, and those of other key stakeholders, DCI saw the necessity of identifying the latest global trends in the implementation and/or neglect of international standards on juvenile justice. The organisation and analysis of information in this study are guided by the Committee on the Rights of the Child's General Comment No.10 on Children's Rights in Juvenile Justice 2 . DCI national sections were asked to gather quantitative and qualitative data on several aspects of the juvenile justice system that were highlighted in the General Comment. Each chapter opens with a short introduction to the topic, followed by an overview of the information collected by DCI's national sections, and a short analysis of the findings. Where possible, individual case studies are highlighted, together with examples of DCI's programme activities and staff experiences in particular countries. Chapter I provides an Introduction to the report, including its background and objectives, and the methodology used to gather information. Chapter II examines the Administration of Juvenile Justice in each participating country. In particular it considers whether the appropriate legal provisions, procedures and institutions are in place for an effective and fair juvenile justice system, and whether these are in compliance with international standards. Chapter III considers the issue of Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility (MACR), particularly the trends in the increase and decrease of MACR in certain countries. Chapter IV explores the policies and programmes in place for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency. In particular, it looks at whether the participating countries have concrete prevention programmes in place, and who the target groups of these programmes are. Chapters V and VI explore the situation once children are sentenced: deprivation of liberty, and alternative measures to the deprivation of liberty. In particular, it explores the conditions of detention for children in conflict with the law, with special attention to their vulnerability to sexual, physical and other forms of abuse. Details: Geneva: Defence for Children International, 2007. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 17, 2016 at: http://www.defenceforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/DCI-JJ-Report-2007-FINAL-VERSION-with-cover.pdf Year: 2007 Country: International URL: http://www.defenceforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/DCI-JJ-Report-2007-FINAL-VERSION-with-cover.pdf Shelf Number: 114585 Keywords: Juvenile Justice AdministrationJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Leoschut, Lezanne Title: Returning to a Reluctant Sender: An Exploration into Community Attitudes Toward Diversion and Reintegration in South Africa Summary: Child and youth crime continues to be one of the primary challenges facing post-apartheid South Africa. The increasingly high numbers of young, first time perpetrators incarcerated for various minor offences is an issue that raises infinite contention worldwide. It is estimated by the Department of Correctional Services that 4% of all awaiting trial prisoners are children younger than 18 years. Moreover, 2.5% of the sentenced prison population are comprised of children under the age of 18 years. The extent of young offenders awaiting trial in the country's correctional facilities is a considerable statistic when considering that many of their offences are suitable for diversion. Advocates for children's rights have for long been engaged in the battle for the establishment of a separate system to deal specifically with first-time child and youth offenders of minor crimes. The birth of democracy in South Africa has aided the sustained action towards a new justice system which incorporates principles of restorative justice. The Child Justice Act 75 of 2008 (CJA) finally came into being in 2010. Prior to this, the implementation of alternative forms of sentencing such as diversion were conducted on a small and relatively un-monitored scale under the Child Justice Bill 49 of 2002. The new act has been welcomed mainly because of the guidelines and legal framework it provides for child justice in South Africa. These guidelines include the regulations for diversion and alternative penalties for young offenders, and also outline suitable penalties based on the age, background and other factors such as the offence and religious beliefs of the young offender. Children and youth who become involved in delinquent activities at a very young age, are generally more inclined to continue along this path later on in their lives; highlighting the need for interventions to target these youths before their delinquent acts become established behavioural patterns. Incarcerating young offenders for their criminal acts fails to curb crime since these youths are only temporarily removed from society, the root causes for their behaviours are not addressed, and they often graduate to more serious offences following their time behind bars due to their exposure to other criminal elements. With the high recidivism rates as a result of youth being exposed to the criminal justice system at an early age and following criminal careers because of the criminal records received from incarceration, the advent of alternative penalties have brought a new wave of hope for reduced recidivism rates. Prior to the CJA, diversion was virtually unavailable in poorer communities and the rural areas. A shortage of diversion service providers and the lack of funding from the Department of Social Development (DSD), as well as the reluctance on the part of the criminal justice system practitioners (i.e. magistrates, prosecutors and probation officers) to refer young, first time minor offenders to diversion programmes, have exacerbated the problem of youth incarceration. An area lacking sufficient research is the extent to which communities are receptive to diversion and alternative penalties. Since the success of diversion rests principally in the community's ability to reintegrate the offender, the current dearth of literature on community experiences and attitudes toward offender reintegration, underscore the need for this small scale exploratory study. In this monograph, a brief description of the history of child justice in South Africa and the steps taken in the process of launching the Child Justice Act (CJA) (75 of 2008) developed from the Child Justice Bill (CJB) (49 of 2002) will be provided. It will, in addition, explore the applicability of the Child Justice Act in South Africa through the lens of restorative justice, which is the pillar of the Act. There will be the analysis of diversion and how this has supported the objectives of restorative justice, to alleviate the criminal justice system and reduce recidivism. Following this, the findings from the study conducted amongst 1802 participants recruited from 14 communities across three provinces in South Africa; namely Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape, elucidating community members' perceptions of diversion and reintegration will be analysed. This analysis will be useful for painting a picture of the community responses to restorative justice since the community is highly contributory to the success or failure of such programmes. Overall, the findings of the study show that across the three provinces there is a noticeable hesitancy to engage with young, first time minor offenders through restorative justice practices such as diversion on a community level. It must however be noted that participants did feel that family cohesion and support was necessary and practiced within their households to a large extent, but community responsibility to maintain peace and order and raise children well was not perceived in the same manner. Although participants were drawn from diverse communities, there is no discernible difference between responses based on community types, however, participants from KwaZulu-Natal were undoubtedly the most unreceptive of diversion and related penalties. While most participants had not experienced or witnessed crime, there were high levels of insecurity within the communities represented in this study. Two thirds (33.6%) of participants said that they felt unsafe while at home and some of these feelings of insecurity were attributed to young people’s involvement in criminal activities in their communities. The findings present very interesting insight into the possible barriers towards reducing the incidences of youths engaging in crime and applying diversion and reintegration with positive outcomes within South Africa. Details: Cape Town, South Africa: Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, 2012. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series, no. 10: Accessed October 19, 2016 at: http://www.cjcp.org.za/uploads/2/7/8/4/27845461/monograph_10_-_return_to_rel.pdf Year: 2012 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.cjcp.org.za/uploads/2/7/8/4/27845461/monograph_10_-_return_to_rel.pdf Shelf Number: 145896 Keywords: Juvenile Diversion ProgramsJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersReintegration |
Author: Bateman, Tim Title: The State of Youth Custody, 2016 Summary: The National Association for Youth Justice (NAYJ) has consistently argued for a minimum use of custody for children who break the law: imprisonment should only be used as a last resort and for the shortest necessary period in those rare situations where a child's offending is such as to pose a demonstrable risk of serious harm to others and where, after thorough consideration, no other alternative is sufficient to mitigate that risk. Where deprivation of liberty is necessary, children should only be detained in child care establishments that promote their well-being and longer term development. This longstanding opposition to the use of custody is informed by a well-established, international evidence base which clearly shows that incarceration is extremely damaging to children in the short term and impedes their healthy development over the longer term. Nor is imprisonment an effective mechanism for preventing youth crime. In spite of some reduction in recent years, re-ofending rates for children following a custodial episode remain extremely high (67.1% within 12 months for those released in 2014). Analysis confrms that, controlling for range of relevant factors, children who receive custodial sentences of between six and 12 months are significantly (4% points) more likely to re-ofend than a comparison group sentenced to a high level community penalty.5 Deprivation of liberty accordingly exacerbates rather than reduces the likelihood of offending, suggesting that far from acting as a deterrent, incarceration has a criminogenic effect. This conclusion is unsurprising given the nature of youth crime. Children who break the law have rarely given careful consideration to the consequences of their actions. Neither the prospect of incarceration, nor the subsequent experience of being locked up, is likely to deter them or others from further criminal activity. International standards acknowledge the counterproductive and damaging nature of custody. Article 37 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, whose tenets the UK is obliged to uphold as a signatory to the Convention, proscribes the use of child imprisonment other than as a measure of last resort. During the 1990s and much of the following decade, England and Wales was in clear breach of such obligations with child imprisonment characterised by a rapid and sustained escalation. More recently, the number of children in custody has declined sharply. In May 2008, the under-18 population of the secure estate for children was 3,006; by May 2016, it had fallen to 870, a reduction of more than 70%.8 While the precise reasons for this contraction are open to debate, it is clear that much of it can be explained as a consequence of a less punitive climate towards children in conflict with the law, permitting the development of a range of informal responses to youth crime that have, in turn, led to a substantial reduction in the number of children entering the formal parameters of the youth justice system. Such advances should, of course, be recognised, but the NAYJ considers that levels of child incarceration remain too high and continue to be out of step with more progressive youth justice practices and international standards. Moreover, as will be argued in due course, effecting further reductions in child imprisonment may be an important consideration in ensuring a humane treatment of those children who continue to be deprived of their liberty. Details: s.l.: National Association for Youth Justice, 2016. 12p. Source: NAYJ Briefing: Accessed October 24, 2016 at: http://thenayj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/NAYJ-Briefing-State-of-Youth-Custody-2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://thenayj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/NAYJ-Briefing-State-of-Youth-Custody-2016.pdf Shelf Number: 134828 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersRe-offendingRecidivismYouth Custody |
Author: Tam, Christina Title: Behind the Model Minority: An Examination of Ethnicity, Place, and Arrests among Asian Youth in Los Angeles Neighborhoods Summary: Background and Aims. Asian ethnic groups are accompanied by diverging migration histories, cultural values, and lived experiences, and these factors play a role in their children's juvenile justice involvement. While immigrant groups initially settled in ethnic enclaves, they will relocate to ethnoburbs as they achieve higher socioeconomic status. Ethnic enclaves may protect ethnic minority youth against delinquency, but it is currently unknown if residing in an ethnoburb is related to offense type. First, this study determined whether these two ethnic neighborhoods can be differentiated for five Asian ethnic groups. Guided by the spatial assimilation model, I then explored the relationship between ethnicity, ethnic neighborhood, and offense type. Methods. This study employed secondary data analysis of administrative data from the Los Angeles Probation Department and the American Community Survey collected by the United States Census Bureau. Primary individual interviews confirmed the locations of ethnic neighborhoods in Los Angeles County. The sample consisted of 980 youth nested within 183 zip codes. Multinomial regression models assessed key relationships; a multilevel approach was used for investigating neighborhood-level effects. Results. Ethnic enclaves and ethnoburbs were classified with a categorical tree using percent ethnicity, percent poverty, and population density, and key informants confirmed these neighborhoods for their respective ethnicities. Koreans have the highest probability of being arrested for a violent crime, Chinese for weapons, Southeast Asian for property, and Japanese for substance and other types of offenses. Compared to living in non-ethnic neighborhoods, living in an ethnoburb was associated with higher risks of being arrested for weapons and substance offenses relative to violence. Finally, youth who live in ethnoburbs that match their ethnicity are at higher risk for being arrested for a weapons offense. Conclusions. That there are ethnic differences in offense type speak to the cultural underpinnings that are associated with each group within the Asian racial category, thus challenging the model minority stereotype that Asians are free of social problems. Because living in an ethnoburb was related to offense type, and especially for youth whose ethnicity matches that of the neighborhood, future research should explore the mechanisms that may explain this association. Details: Los Angeles: University of California, Los Angeles, 2016. 177p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed October 26, 2016 at: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8ss3n7x6 Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8ss3n7x6 Shelf Number: 146017 Keywords: AsiansEthnic GroupsEthnicity and CrimeJuvenile OffendersMinority YouthNeighborhoods and Crime |
Author: Males, Mike Title: Violent Crime Arrests of Youth in California Expected to Decline through 2020 Summary: This report from the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ) predicts ongoing declines in the violent felony arrest rate of California's youth through 2020. The report analyzes past violent felony arrest data for two age groups — children under age 12 and youth ages 12-17 — to identify the relationship between childhood arrest rates today and those of older youth five years in the future. The analysis finds a strong, predictive relationship between the violent felony arrest rates of children under 12 and those of older youth ages 12-17. As such, recent declines in childhood arrest signal continuing and substantial declines in the arrest rate of older youth. The report finds: Arrest data suggest that a decline of 1 arrest per 100,000 children under age 12 would produce a decline of approximately 7.5 arrests per 100,000 12-17-year-old youth five years later. Recent declines in the violent felony arrest rates of children under 12 forecast a decline of 24 percent in the violent felony arrest rate of youth ages 12-17 from 2016 to 2020. This translates into a annual reduction of 1,600 to 1,700 arrests. A decline in the number of youth arrested annually for violent felonies will shrink the pool of youth eligible for commitment to local detention facilities and the state’s Division of Juvenile Justice. Details: San Francisco: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, 2016. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 7, 2016 at: http://www.cjcj.org/uploads/cjcj/documents/youth_crime_arrest_projections_2020.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.cjcj.org/uploads/cjcj/documents/youth_crime_arrest_projections_2020.pdf Shelf Number: 145312 Keywords: Arrest RatesCrime RatesCrime TrendsJuvenile OffendersViolent Crime |
Author: Iowa. Department of Human Rights, Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning Title: Confidentiality of juvenile delinquency records in Iowa Summary: This report seeks to review existing juvenile confidentiality laws in Iowa, those enacted across the nation, as well as provide a framework by which a structure for developing changes to Iowa's current laws, that are in the best interest of juvenile offenders and protect public safety and victims of crimes. Details: Des Moines: CJJP, 2016. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2016 at: http://www.jrsa.org/pubs/sac-digest/vol-24/ia-CJJP_Confidentiality%20of%20Juvenile%20Delinquency%20Records%20in%20Iowa.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.jrsa.org/pubs/sac-digest/vol-24/ia-CJJP_Confidentiality%20of%20Juvenile%20Delinquency%20Records%20in%20Iowa.pdf Shelf Number: 146291 Keywords: ConfidentialityJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Records |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Young people in child protection services and under youth justice supervision 2014-15 Summary: Research shows that children and young people who have been abused or neglected are at greater risk of engaging in criminal activity and entering the youth justice system. A better understanding of the characteristics and pathways of children and young people who are both in the child protection system and under youth justice supervision can assist support staff, case workers and policy makers to get the best outcomes for these children and young people. With the recent introduction of a national unit record child protection data collection, it is now possible to link child protection and youth justice supervision data to explore the relationships between child protection and youth justice supervision. This report presents information on young people aged 10–17 who were involved in the child protection system and subject to youth justice supervision at some time during 2014–15, using data from the linked child protection and youth justice supervision data collection. Results are limited to the 5 jurisdictions with both child protection and youth justice National Minimum Data Set data for 2014–15 (Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory)—a total of 30,402 young people aged 10–17. The results from the linked data collection will be enhanced in future years as data become available for more states and territories and as years of data accumulate. Linking to other health and welfare data collections would also provide additional information on multiple service use among vulnerable children and young people. Young people in the child protection system were 14 times as likely as the general population to be under youth justice supervision in the same year In 2014–15, 5.5% of those aged 10–17 who were in the child protection system were also under youth justice supervision in the same year (although not necessarily at the same time), compared with just 0.4% of the general population aged 10–17. Indigenous young people in the child protection system were more than twice as likely to be under youth justice supervision as non-Indigenous young people (10.4% compared with 4.3%). The level of dual involvement was 8.0% for those under care and protection orders, 6.3% for those in out-of-home care and 4.1% for those who were the subject of an investigated notification. Young people under youth justice supervision were 15 times as likely as the general population to be in the child protection system in the same year In 2014–15, 32.4% of those under youth justice supervision were also in the child protection system. Two (2) in 5 (40.8%) of those in detention were involved in the child protection system in the same year, which is 19 times the rate for the general population. The level of child protection involvement for those under community-based supervision in 2014–15 was also high: with about one-third (32.1%) also in the child protection system. The younger someone was at their first youth justice supervision, the more likely they were to also be in child protection in 2014–15: of those under youth justice supervision in 2014–15, 3 in 5 (60.0%) of those aged 10 at their first youth justice supervision were also in child protection in 2014–15, compared with 9.4% of those aged 17. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2016. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Data Linkage Series NO. 22: Accessed November 10, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/aihw_20323_oct_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/aihw_20323_oct_2016.pdf Shelf Number: 146665 Keywords: Child Protection ServicesJuvenile Detention Juvenile Inmates Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Spier, Philip Title: Reoffending patterns for participants of youth justice Family Group Conferences held in 2011 and 2012 Summary: The Family Group Conference (FGC) process seeks to hold children and young people accountable for their offending, while also encouraging them to change their behaviour and not reoffend. FGCs are the cornerstone of the youth justice system in New Zealand. However, there is a lack of evidence in New Zealand as to whether youth justice FGCs are effective at reducing or stopping reoffending. This report describes the profile and patterns of reoffending observed for nearly 6,800 participants of youth justice FGCs held in the 2011 and 2012 calendar years. Two FGC cohorts were examined: 3,936 intention-to-charge (ITC) FGCs 2,828 court-ordered FGCs. Caution must be taken in interpreting reoffending outcomes as they are not always a measure of the effectiveness of an intervention alone. For example, a person may reoffend less often simply due to the fact that they were caught by the Police and made to account for their actions, regardless of the particular intervention applied. Measuring the relative effectiveness of the FGC cohorts would require a robust statistical approach such as a matched comparison analysis. This was not in scope for this analysis. Key findings Profile of youth justice FGC participants in 2011 and 2012 Around eight out of every 10 attendees of FGCs were male, with the figure being slightly lower for ITC FGCs than court-ordered FGCs. Just over half of FGC participants were identified as MÄori and around one-third were European. Around 70% of all youth justice FGC participants are 15- or 16-years-old when the FGCs were held, with the average age being just under 16 years. While they were aged 16 years or younger when they offended, around one in every 10 of the FGC participants were aged 17 years or older at the time the FGC was held. An escalation in offending prior to the FGCs was curtailed for both cohorts For both cohorts, an escalation in the frequency and seriousness of offending by young people prior to the FGCs was followed by a reduction in both measures after the FGCs. The vast majority of the decrease in the number of offences after both of the FGC cohorts was due to large drops in the three most common offence divisions: theft-related, burglary and property damage. Participants of ITC FGCs generally had more positive reoffending outcomes than those with court-ordered FGCs, though this could be expected Research has shown that prior offending is generally a good predictor of future offending. For example, it could be expected that those with less extensive offending histories would be less likely to reoffend than those with extensive offending histories. This analysis showed that prior to the FGCs, participants of ITC FGCs had committed fewer offences and also less serious offences, on average than participants of court-ordered FGCs. It could therefore be expected that reoffending outcomes for ITC FGCs would be more positive than those seen for court-ordered FGCs. Thirty percent of participants of court-ordered FGCs did not reoffend, whereas the figure was higher at 36% for ITC FGCs. The proportion of young people who reduced the frequency and/or seriousness of their offending was similar for both FGC cohorts at around 70%. In contrast, a little over 20% of participants of both FGC cohorts increased the frequency and/or seriousness of their offending after the FGCs. Participants of court ordered FGCs (12%) were much more likely to receive a custodial sentence in the 12 months after the FGCs compared with ITC FGC participants (4%). Overall outcomes 24 months after the FGCs held in 2011 The 24-month reoffending outcomes for the participants of FGCs held in 2011 were examined in brief. Comparable figures were not yet available for FGCs held in 2012. The proportion of court-ordered FGC participants who did not reoffend within 24 months of the FGCs being held in 2011 was 18%, while the figure for ITC FGCs was higher at 23%. Comparing the 24-month period after the FGCs held in 2011 to the same period prior, at least six out of every 10 young people reduced the frequency and/or seriousness of their offending for both FGC cohorts. A much higher proportion of young people received a custodial sentence in the following 24 months for court-ordered FGCs (19%) than ITC FGCs (8%) Details: Wellington: New Zealand Ministry of Social Development, 2016. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/resource/reoffending-patterns-participants-youth-justice-family-group-conferences-held-2011-and-2012 Year: 2016 Country: New Zealand URL: http://apo.org.au/resource/reoffending-patterns-participants-youth-justice-family-group-conferences-held-2011-and-2012 Shelf Number: 141158 Keywords: Family Group Conferencing Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile OffendersRe-offending Recidivism |
Author: Sutherland, Paul Title: Patterns of recorded offending behaviour amongst young Victorian offenders Summary: Previous research has identified that groups of young offenders follow diverse offending trajectories over their early offending careers. This paper uses a statistical technique, the semi-parametric group-based method, to identify the latent offending trajectories of a cohort of Victorian offenders born over a two year period between April 1996 and March 1998, across the first eight years of their offending as recorded by Victoria Police. The analysis identified four trajectory groups: ‘low’, ‘adolescent limited’, ‘late developing’ and ‘high’, with the vast majority of offenders falling into the low group. Risk factors for inclusion in one of the three higher rate trajectory groups included being male, identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and living in one of the most socio-economically disadvantaged areas at the commencement of their offending record. Additional research is required to identify whether there are particular life events or characteristics that trigger escalation or desistance from offending across the groups identified. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Crime Statistics Agency, 2016. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: In brief No. 6: Accessed November 15, 2016 at: https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/embridge_cache/emshare/original/public/2016/09/a6/b8c111e6e/20160915_in%20brief6FINAL.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/embridge_cache/emshare/original/public/2016/09/a6/b8c111e6e/20160915_in%20brief6FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 141166 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile to Adult Criminal Careers Life Course Criminology Trajectories |
Author: Lambie, Ian Title: Youth Justice Secure Residences: a report on the international evidence to guide best practice and service delivery Summary: This report was commissioned by the Ministry as part of ongoing work to improve the quality of services for young offenders in Child, Youth and Family’s youth justice secure residences. The report reviews the international evidence about best practice in the delivery of secure residential care for young offenders. It summarises the key understandings and conclusions from the literature about what appears to work best for these young people. The report was prepared by Associate Professor Ian Lambie and other researchers from the University of Auckland. This report will be of interest to practitioners and policy makers. In particular the report: provides an overview of New Zealand’s youth justice secure residences and the young people in their custody. looks at secure residential care for young offenders in other selected countries. reviews the evidence about models of care, assessment, rehabilitative programmes, cultural programmes, education services, crisis management, workforce, physical environment, and transitions from care for young offenders in youth justice secure residences. looks at community-based 'step-down' services post residence. rates interventions based on the evidence about their effectiveness. summarises what appears to work best for this client population. This report is one of two such literature reviews. The second report looks at best practice in the delivery of secure residential care for children and young people with care and protection needs. Two separate reviews were prepared because of differences between the client populations, why they enter secure residential care, and the evidence base about what works. However, given the similar backgrounds and needs of both populations, there is cross-over in the content presented. Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Social Development, 2016. 194p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 16, 2016 at: https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/youth-justice/youth-justice-report-secure-residences-11-fa.pdf Year: 2016 Country: New Zealand URL: https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/youth-justice/youth-justice-report-secure-residences-11-fa.pdf Shelf Number: 141181 Keywords: Juvenile Detention Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile OffendersResidential Care |
Author: Spier, Philip Title: Offending by Children in New Zealand Summary: Children who offend are a group who are under-researched in New Zealand. This research report aims to fill some key information gaps around the profile of child offenders in New Zealand and their patterns of offending and reoffending. The findings from this research will inform future work under the cross-agency Youth Crime Action Plan in response to Government commitments made in September 2012 following the Social Services Select Committee's Inquiry into the identification, rehabilitation, and care and protection of child offenders. Offending trajectories were examined for the 1995 to 1999 birth cohorts to the end of 2013, and child offenders aged 10 to 13 years in the period 2009 to 2013 were examined in some depth. Children who offend are a group who are under-researched in New Zealand. This research report aims to fill some key information gaps around the profile of child offenders in New Zealand and their patterns of offending and reoffending. The findings from this research will inform future work under the cross-agency Youth Crime Action Plan in response to Government commitments made in September 2012 following the Social Services Select Committee’s Inquiry into the identification, rehabilitation, and care and protection of child offenders. Offending trajectories were examined for the 1995 to 1999 birth cohorts to the end of 2013, and child offenders aged 10 to 13 years in the period 2009 to 2013 were examined in some depth. Key findings An estimated one in twenty New Zealand children offend before age 14 The number of child offenders has dropped considerably Despite offending less, MÄori children remain significantly over-represented Large drop in shoplifting, and violent offending down Fewer children are becoming offenders Early identification of persistent offenders is critical to reduce crime Police responses reflect changing patterns of offending A little over half of all child offenders reoffend within two years Conclusions Offending by children has dropped in the last five years for both genders, across all ethnic groups and ages, across almost all offence types, and in all regions. A falling youth crime rate is not unique to New Zealand, and the reasons for the fall are unclear and therefore subject to debate. It is likely due to the confluence of a number of factors such as: changes in police practice; better public and private security measures; more effective youth justice interventions; goods often subject to theft or burglary historically continuing to become affordable to more people; and a proliferation of smart phones and video gaming devices among youth which may prevent some opportunistic crimes through boredom. The factors behind the fall in crime may also differ for different types of crime. Much of the drop in offending by children in New Zealand has been because of a drop in first-time child offenders. This is a very positive finding. It is encouraging that there was at least a third fewer child offenders from all ethnic groups apprehended in 2013 than in 2009. However, the decrease for MÄori was smaller than that seen for European and Pacific children, with the consequence that the over-representation in the offender statistics of MÄori children is exacerbated. This over-representation at the front-end of the youth justice system flows through to other parts of the system (i.e. Child, Youth and Family and the Youth Court). It is important to understand and address the complex interplay of risk factors that lead to MÄori children, both boys and girls, being apprehended at a greater rate than children from other ethnic groups. Broadly, attention needs to focus on two areas. Firstly, the rate of MÄori children offending and entering the youth justice system in the first instance needs to be reduced. Secondly, for those children who do come in contact with the system, there needs to be effective interventions to increase the likelihood that they do not reoffend. Although a minority (20%) of child offenders committed the majority (57%) of offences by children over the five-year period 2009 to 2013, this was not a small group (around 3,600 children). Within these figures there were 820 children who committed around 11,000 offences, including 170 children who committed nearly 4,200 offences. These figures support the view that early identification and application of effective interventions with high-risk child offenders presents an opportunity to steer the children onto a more positive path, thereby preventing a large number of future crimes and a large number of people from becoming victims. Children who offend are a group who are under-researched in New Zealand. There would be benefit to further research in the following areas: The dynamics of offending by MÄori children, and what effective interventions for this group would look like. Who are the high-risk child offenders, how can they be identified early, and what would effective interventions for this group look like? Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Social Development, 2016. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 16, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/resource/offending-children-new-zealand Year: 2016 Country: New Zealand URL: http://apo.org.au/resource/offending-children-new-zealand Shelf Number: 144843 Keywords: Juvenile Justice SystemJuvenile OffendersRe-offendingRecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsTrajectories |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons Title: Children in Custody 2015-16: An analysis of 12–18-year-olds’ perceptions of their experiences in secure training centres and young offender institutions Summary: This independent report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP), commissioned by the Youth Justice Board (YJB), presents the findings from 767 questionnaires completed by children detained at every secure training centre (STC) (N=3) and young offender institution (YOI) (N=5; plus a separate specialist unit at one site) between 1 April 2015 and 12 April 2016. All surveys were conducted to support unannounced inspections of each establishment. The surveys enable comparisons to be made with the results from 2014–15 and between children with different characteristics or experiences. Surveys have been conducted in YOIs since 2001–02 and in some cases, where the same question has been asked consistently, we can identify trends over the full length of that period. The number of children in custody fell by 53% between 2010–11 and 2015–16, made up largely by falls observed in the number of children held in YOIs (down 59%). Over the longer term, the secure children's estate population has fallen by 66% since 2005–06. In relation to STCs, our survey findings during 2015–16 show that: • the proportion who identified as being from a black or other minority ethnic background was 41%; • the proportion who identified as Muslim was 15%; • the proportion who said they were from a Gypsy, Romany or Traveller background was 12%; • nearly a quarter of children (23%) reported feeling unsafe at some point since their arrival at the STC and 10% felt unsafe at the time of the inspection – those children who reported having ever felt unsafe also reported poorer experiences than those who had not; • almost a third of children (31%) reported being victimised by being shouted at through windows; • compared with last year, children were significantly less likely to say that it was explained to them why they were being searched on their arrival at the STC (74% compared with 86%); that the search had been carried out respectfully (85% compared with 95%); or that they had spoken to someone about how they were feeling on their first night in the centre (66% compared with 79%). In relation to YOIs, our survey findings during 2015–16 show that: • forty-seven per cent of the boys were from a black or minority ethnic background, the highest rate recorded during our time inspecting the secure estate; • those with experience of the local authority care system (37%), Muslim boys (22%), boys reporting a disability (19%) and those identifying as being from a Gypsy, Romany or Traveller background (7%) continued to be disproportionately over-represented across the YOI estate when compared with the population as a whole; • when asked if they had ever felt unsafe at their establishment, 46% of boys said they had, again the highest figure we have recorded through our surveys; • in the last 12 months there was a significant increase in the proportion of boys who reported being victimised by other detainees (35% compared with 26% in 2014–15) or members of staff (32% compared with 25% in 2014–15);• children who had ever felt unsafe were more likely than other children to report that they: considered shouting through windows to be a problem at their establishment; arrived there with gang problems; did not feel that they were treated with respect by staff; could not talk to someone when they needed to (like a chaplain, peer mentor, member of the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB), or an advocate); and had more problems upon arrival at their YOI, suggesting that strategies to help children feel safer should focus on addressing these issues; • there was a significant fall in the proportion of boys who felt YOI staff treated them with respect (only 63% compared with 70% in 2014–15); • the proportion of boys with a job in their establishment had fallen significantly in the last 12 months (16% compared with 28% in 2014–15); • the proportion of boys engaged in a job (16%), vocational training (11%) and offending behaviour programmes (16%) across the YOI estate was lower in 2015–16 than at any point since 2010–11. Comparing YOI and STC survey responses for 2015–16 showed that children held in STCs were significantly more likely to report that they felt treated with respect by staff, that complaints were sorted fairly and that the food was 'good' or 'very good'. They were also less likely to report that they had been restrained or that they had felt unsafe at the cen Details: London: HM Inspectorate of Prisons; Youth Justice Board, 2016. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 18, 2016 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/11/Children-in-Custody-2015-16_WEB.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/11/Children-in-Custody-2015-16_WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 147949 Keywords: Detention CentersJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Phillips, Idetta Title: Reentry support: Lessons learned from community-based programs Summary: Over 10,000 individuals are released from state and federal prisons each week and arrive back in our nation’s communities, resulting in more than 650,000 formerly incarcerated individuals requiring reintegration into society each year. In Illinois, over 30,000 inmates were released from prison in 2013, with about 39 percent returning to Chicago to serve a period of parole. Community-based reentry programs can play an important role in the successful re-integration of returning individuals, by providing vital services and supports as a supplement to the parole system. In 2014, the Reentry Program, one of three components of Illinois' Community Violence Prevention Program (CVPP) receiving funds through the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, operated as voluntary program for youth and young adults between the ages of 13 and 28 returning to their community after incarceration in a state correctional facility. The program provided services in 21 Chicago area communities in order to assist clients with compliance with their parole board orders and other aspects of successful community reintegration, such as educational enrollment and employment. The program performance period spanned from November 1, 2013 through August 31, 2014. Authority research staff studied the 2014 Reentry Program by collecting case management data on client demographics, service needs, and program results for a sample of 517 youth and young adults with verified incarceration in IDJJ or IDOC prior to program participation and documented program participation during the 2014 program period. Client and case manager surveys augmented this case-level data. Key findings Program clients Seventy percent of the 517 Reentry Program clients included in this study were on parole from IDOC facilities, and 30 percent were on aftercare from IDJJ. Both groups of clients were enrolled at program sites in 18 Chicago community areas and three suburban sites. More than half (59 percent) of clients lived in the community area in which they were enrolled. Most Reentry Program sites (86 percent) focused on serving either youth exiting from IDJJ or young adults exiting from IDOC, rather than serving both clients groups. Most case managers (84 percent) worked exclusively with one type of client. Two thirds of all Reentry Program clients were referred to the program by their parole officer or aftercare specialist, although IDJJ clients reported this referral source most often (82 percent). Nineteen percent of IDOC clients reported family, friends, and community groups as sources of program referrals. Reentry Program clients were overwhelming male (95 percent) and Black (83 percent). The average age of IDJJ clients was 17 years old, while IDOC clients were older (22 years old, on average). However, the most common age for both client groups was 20 years old. IDJJ clients were living most often with parents at the time of program enrollment (68 percent), while IDOC clients more often reported living with other relatives, spouses, or partners (33 percent compared to 18 percent). Most clients did not have children (82 percent). At the time of enrollment, IDJJ clients had lower prior educational attainment than IDOC clients, partially because they were younger. Fewer IDJJ clients reported completing at least one year of high school (63 percent) compared to IDOC clients (93 percent). However, at the common age of 20, thirty-one percent of IDJJ clients reported attaining no more than an eighth grade education, compared to 4 percent of IDOC clients. The most common incarceration offense type for both groups was a violent offense (30 percent). Violent offenses were defined according to the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act, which defines a violent offense as any felony in which force or threat of force was used against the victim [725 ILCS 120/et seq.]. A greater proportion of IDJJ clients were incarcerated for a property offense compared to IDOC clients (31 percent compared to 22 percent), while a greater proportion of IDOC clients were incarcerated for drugs and weapons offenses (46 percent compared to 37 percent). Program services All clients in this study completed a service plan with their case managers based on conditions of parole imposed by the Prisoner Review Board (PRB), with additional recommendations from the parole officer/aftercare specialist, case manager, and client. The Reentry Program offered 28 different services in four categories: mandated parole/aftercare conditions, social/emotional services, educational /vocational services, and other support services. Service plan requirements differed for IDJJ clients and IDOC clients. IDJJ clients were mandated or recommended most often to enroll in for GED/high school classes, substance abuse assessment, support groups to deal with negative peers, curfew monitoring, and random urinalysis. IDOC clients were mandated or recommended most often for substance abuse treatment, full time employment, GED/High school classes, job training, anger management, and other support services. Overall, about half of Reentry Program clients were linked to the services for which they were mandated or recommended during the program performance period, although the linkage rate varied by type of service. Of the 26 services mandated or recommended for both client groups, IDJJ clients were linked at a higher rate than IDOC clients for most service types (19 of the 26), most notably for substance abuse assessment, mental health services, GED/High school classes, and job seeking services. Short-term program results The Reentry Program clients in this study completed 152 (9 percent) of the 1,692 mandated or recommended services during the nine-month program period. The highest rates of completion were for obtaining short-term continuity of care assistance, such as enrolling in the supplemental nutrition assistance program (food stamps) (60 percent), or obtaining a birth certificate (67 percent) as a prerequisite for a state ID. Half of the clients linked to a term of electronic monitoring completed this parole/aftercare condition before the program ended, while the others linked to electronic monitoring were still continuing at the end of the performance period. Of the few clients mandated or recommended to enroll in college, half were able to do so before the program ended. IDOC clients completed more services than IDJJ clients. Despite the challenges of a serious criminal background, one third of those mandated or recommended for employment services were successful in obtaining full-time employment, while another 43 percent obtained part-time employment. One third successfully completed anger management services. No IDJJ or IDOC clients linked to GED/high school classes were indicated as completing their educational requirements before the program ended. Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2016. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2016 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/articles/Final%202014%20CVPP%20Reentry%20Report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/articles/Final%202014%20CVPP%20Reentry%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 146788 Keywords: Community-Based ProgramsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ParoleJuvenile ReentryReentry |
Author: American Civil Liberties Union Title: False Hope: How Parole Systems Fail Youth Serving Extreme Sentences Summary: In our inflated U.S. prison system, parole is supposed to provide an incentive and a path to earn release from prison. Instead, in many states, the parole system is defective and reflexively denies release even to model prisoners who went to prison as teenagers, have already served decades in prison, and no longer pose a safety risk. After growing up in prison, atoning for their crimes, staying out of trouble, and completing all available rehabilitative programming, thousands of people who were sentenced when they were young are finding that the promise of parole is an illusion, no matter what they do to prove their worthiness for release. These young people will needlessly grow old and die behind bars when the parole system fails to do what it is intended to do: identify and release those who have worked for redemption and earned a second chance at freedom. Despite extensive research that youth who commit even serious, violent offenses age out of crime and can be rehabilitated, our nation still incarcerates tens of thousands of people who were teenagers or in their early twenties at the time of their offense and are serving life or de facto life in prison. For most of these individuals, the only real chance for release and to be reunited with their families comes from parole. However, prisoners incarcerated since their youth are routinely denied parole, long after they’ve grown, matured, atoned, and been rehabilitated, and in many cases, solely because of the crime they committed in their youth—not because of who they are now. Parole boards are charged with the ultimate decision of who to release and when, but too often, they operate in obscurity, with little guidance and too much political pressure. In many cases, decisions about release are made in a matter of minutes, without ever meeting the applicant, and with no opportunity to evaluate the individual’s record. These parole boards, composed of a handful of people tasked with tens of thousands of cases each year, have tremendous power but little incentive to grant release, even to people who are fully rehabilitated, have served decades of their sentence, and pose no risk to the community. Even for people sentenced to life in prison as juveniles, the parole grant rates are abysmally low—for example, 0.5 percent of juvenile lifers were granted parole in Florida in 2015, and in Maryland, none have been granted parole in 20 years. But despite this dismal picture, reforms to the parole system are possible and can ensure that deserving individuals, sentenced in their youth, will get a fair, meaningful chance to be released and reunited with their families. Instead of allowing these individuals to grow old and die in prison, the parole process can reward and incentivize rehabilitation and honor our moral obligation to those we send away to grow up in prison. Details: New York: ACLU, 2016. 106p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2016 at: https://www.aclu.org/report/report-false-hope-how-parole-systems-fail-youth-serving-extreme-sentences Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.aclu.org/report/report-false-hope-how-parole-systems-fail-youth-serving-extreme-sentences Shelf Number: 146275 Keywords: Juvenile JusticeJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ParoleJuvenile SentencingLife ImprisonmentLife SentenceLife Without Parole |
Author: Taylor, Charlie Title: Review of the Youth Justice System in England and Wales Summary: Context 1. In 2007, 225,000 children in England and Wales received a caution or conviction for a notifiable offence . Of these children, 106,000 were first-time entrants to the system having never before received a caution or conviction. 126,000 were prosecuted at court, and 5,800 were sentenced to custody. The average monthly under-18 custodial population for 2007 was 2,9092. 2. Since that high watermark the number of children dealt with by the youth justice system has reduced spectacularly, with consistent year-on-year falls. The number of children cautioned or convicted in 2015 was 47,000 – down 79% since 2007. Over the same period the number of children entering the youth justice system for the first time has fallen by 82%, the number prosecuted at court has reduced by 69%, and there are now around only 900 under-18s in custody. 3. In the last decade the demand for youth justice services has changed. The police and youth offending services have, rightly, increasingly sought to deal informally with minor offending by children. The diversion from the youth justice system of children who were never likely to continue offending has meant that those who remain are the most difficult to rehabilitate. 4. Among the children now in the youth justice system are high numbers of black, Muslim and white working class boys; many are in care, and mental and other health problems, and learning difficulties, are common. These groups are particularly over-represented in custody, where over 40% are from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, a large proportion have previously been in care (38% in Young Offender Institutions, 52% in Secure Training Centres) , and more than a third have a diagnosed mental health disorder . Many of the children in the system come from some of the most dysfunctional and chaotic families where drug and alcohol misuse, physical and emotional abuse and offending is common. Often they are victims of crimes themselves. Though children's backgrounds should not be used as an excuse for their behaviour, it is clear that the failure of education, health, social care and other agencies to tackle these problems have contributed to their presence in the youth justice system. 5. Yet these are children for whom a traditional criminal justice response has been shown to be, on its own, inadequate. Sixty-four per cent of children given a Youth Rehabilitation Order by the court, and 69% of those sentenced to custody, go on to reoffend within a year. If the youth justice system is truly to protect the public, it must succeed in changing the lives of these most troubled children. To do this, a system set up almost two decades ago to tackle a different problem must evolve to respond imaginatively and proportionately to the challenges of today. Principles and aims for the review 6. It is right that children who break the law are dealt with differently to adults. Children act impulsively and often do not appreciate the consequences of their actions; they are not emotionally developed and may struggle to communicate effectively. This is particularly true of so many of the children who offend, who often have learning or speech and communication problems. But children also have great strengths on which to build and are capable of rapid and extraordinary change. There needs to be a shift in the way society, including central and local government, thinks about youth justice so that we see the child first and the offender second. Offending should not mean forfeiting the right to childhood. If children who offend are to become successful and law-abiding adults, the focus must be on improving their welfare, health and education "their life prospects" rather than simply imposing punishment. 7. Almost all of the causes of childhood offending lie beyond the reach of the youth justice system. It is vital that health, education, social care and other services form part of an integrated, multi-agency response to a child's offending, but it is more desirable that these same services intervene with at-risk children and families before their problems manifest themselves in offending. I believe this is best achieved by devolving greater freedoms and responsibility for the youth justice system to local authorities who otherwise hold the statutory accountability for educating and protecting children. By aligning these responsibilities stronger incentives can be created for a child's offending and related difficulties to be tackled promptly, proportionately and with the least cost to the taxpayer. To help professionals to exercise these functions effectively, I propose stripping back the prescription and bureaucracy associated with a centrally controlled system and creating a clearer inspection and accountability framework, so that practitioners are judged on the outcomes that they achieve rather than the processes they follow. 8. It is my view that education needs to be central to our response to youth offending. All children in England are required to be in education or training until their 18th birthday, but too often children in the youth justice system have been out of school for long periods of time through truancy or following exclusion. As a result, half of 15-17 year olds in YOIs have the literacy or numeracy levels expected of a 7-11 year old. Schools and colleges are crucial in preventing offending. If children are busy during the day, undertaking activity that is meaningful and that will help them to succeed in life, whether it be studying for exams, learning a trade or playing sport or music, they are much less likely to offend. Education and training are also the building blocks on which a life free from crime can be constructed. By forging closer links between schools, colleges and youth offending services, and by transforming youth custody into Secure Schools, drawing in expertise from the best alternative provision schools, children can be equipped with the skills, qualifications and confidence to move beyond offending and fulfil their potential. The government's new ambition to make schools in England responsible for the educational provision of pupils that are excluded is particularly welcome as it will maintain the connection with mainstream education for some of the most troubled children. 9. In reforming the youth justice system it must be recognised that, for the vast majority of children, offending is a short-lived phase. The most recent data suggest that 62% of children who receive a caution or conviction do not go on to reoffend within 12 months. Growing up involves making and learning from mistakes. It is right that the youth justice system should tackle serious and persistent offending, but it should not be the mechanism by which all childhood mistakes are redressed. The right response to childhood offending should always be to address the causes of the offending behaviour and to repair harm to victims. This does not always require a criminal justice intervention. Evidence shows that contact with the criminal justice system can have a tainting effect on some children and can increase the likelihood of reoffending. Wherever possible minor crimes should be dealt with outside the formal youth justice system, and when a criminal justice response is required children should be dealt with at the lowest possible tier. The long-term implications of formal contact with the system must also be reduced so that these do not act as barriers to rehabilitation. 10. It was concerning to see versions of the "Scared Straight" programme operating in England, in which either prison officers or prisoners themselves attempt to deter children from criminality by showing or explaining the realities of life in prison. This is despite international evidence that such interventions can increase the likelihood offending among children and young people . In general, there is surprisingly little robust evidence from the UK about which interventions are the most effective, but what is undoubtedly important is the quality of the worker who is involved with the child, and the relationship that they strike up . The evidence suggests that having one person directly involved, holding the child in mind, keeping going when things go wrong and caring about what happens to him or her, is vital in helping a child to change. 11. A more proportionate response to offending must also mean that the government and local services are prepared to invest intensive effort in turning around the lives of the most profoundly troubled children. Some children who commit persistent or serious offences have a range of problems that means criminal justice processes need to be able to adapt to individual circumstances. Professionals must have the freedom and the flexibility to make decisions about a child's rehabilitation, and to adjust these plans to recognise progress or respond to setbacks. I believe the role of the court should be enhanced so that youth magistrates can play a much more active role in designing tailored plans for children, co-ordinating the contributions of partner agencies and holding the child, their parents and these agencies to account. Similarly, for those children remanded or sentenced to custody, the head teacher of a Secure School must have the freedom to hire the right staff, commission the required services and establish a programme of activity that will engage, motivate and rehabilitate the children in his or her care. To achieve this, custody must truly be the option of last resort, and those who go there must stay for a meaningful period of time. Professionals must be equipped with sufficient powers, and then trusted to take the right decisions with the most challenging children, if they are to reduce reoffending and thereby create fewer victims. Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2016. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 13, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/576383/youth-justice-review-final-report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/576383/youth-justice-review-final-report.pdf Shelf Number: 144913 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersYouthful Offenders |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth detention population in Australia 2016 Summary: This bulletin examines the numbers and rates of young people aged 10 and over who were in youth detention in Australia due to their involvement, or alleged involvement, in crime. It focuses on trends over the 4-year period from the June quarter 2012 to the June quarter 2016. About 900 young people are in detention on an average night There were 917 young people in youth detention on an average night in the June quarter 2016. Just over half (57%) were unsentenced-that is, they were awaiting the outcome of their court matter or sentencing-and the remainder were serving a sentence. Most young people (83%) in detention on an average night in the June quarter 2016 were aged 10-17. This equates to 3.3 young people aged 10-17 per 10,000. The other detainees were aged 18 or older. Detention rates are stable after long-term falls and despite recent rise in numbers The number of young people in detention on an average night decreased, from a high of 1,069 in the June quarter 2012 to 917 in the June quarter 2016. The rate of young people aged 10-17 in detention on an average night decreased, from 3.8 per 10,000 to 3.3 per 10,000, over the 4-year period. Over the most recent year, despite a slight increase in the number of young people (of all ages) in detention on an average night in each quarter (from 877 to 917), the rate of those aged 10-17 in detention remained relatively stable, between 3.1 and 3.4 per 10,000. Unsentenced and sentenced detention rates have decreased The rate of young people in unsentenced detention fell slightly over the 4-year period, from 2.4 young people aged 10-17 per 10,000 on an average night in the June quarter 2012, to 2.1 per 10,000 in the June quarter 2016. The rate was lowest in the December quarter 2014 (1.7 per 10,000). In sentenced detention, the rate was 1.2 young people aged 10-17 per 10,000 on an average night in the June quarter 2016-a decrease from 1.4 per 10,000 in the June quarter 4 years earlier. The rate was highest in the September quarter 2012 (1.5 per 10,000). Over half of those in detention are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Over half (55%) of all young people in detention on an average night in the June quarter 2016 were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. In the June quarter 2016, Indigenous young people aged 10-17 were 26 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be in detention; however the level of over-representation fluctuated between 23 times and 28 times over the 4-year period. Trends vary across the states and territories There were different trends in the youth detention population across the states and territories. Over the 4-year period, the rate of young people aged 10-17 in detention increased in Victoria and Queensland, showed no clear trend in South Australia and the Northern Territory, and decreased in the remaining states and territories. Details: Sydney: AIHW, 2016. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 138: Accessed December 20, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/aihw_youthdetentionpopulationinaustralia2016_dec_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/aihw_youthdetentionpopulationinaustralia2016_dec_2016.pdf Shelf Number: 147304 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Pope, Kalis Title: Young People's Experiences of Crime: an Investigation into the Victimisation and Offending of Inner-City Dublin Youth Summary: This project is one of the first empirical investigations into youth victimisation and offending in Ireland and is one of three research projects that were established under the Youth Crime Research Project: Young People's Experiences of Crime. Victim surveys are of particular interest to this study, as they help to illuminate the 'dark figure' of crime through ascertaining individual's experiences of victimisation, while simultaneously collecting pertinent information regarding their own level of criminality. A common failure among the majority of victim surveys, however, is that they do not investigate the experiences of young people. This project seeks to address this deficiency. Through the use of a victim survey, structural equation models, and focus groups, this research will also analyse the extent and nature of youth victimisation and offending in inner-city Dublin, possible correlations between victimisation and offending behaviour, the role parental supervision and routine activities/lifestyle choices play in determining the risk of victimisation and offending, and the role gender plays in young people’s experiences of crime. Previous research has shown that victimisation is a strong indicator of likely participation in delinquent behaviour. However, many young people have been victimised, yet do not pursue a delinquent lifestyle as a result, suggesting a strong similarity between victimogenic and criminogenic risk factors, such as age and environment. The control that guardians exert over youth is also paramount in determining what type of lifestyle youth can pursue in the first place. As youth cannot be supervised at all times, the lifestyle choices they make regardless of parental influence, will also be investigated. Finally, this research aims to be instrumental in the future development of a nationwide survey of youth experiences of crime in Ireland. Details: Dublin: Dublin Institute of Technology, 2015. 367p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed January 25, 2017 at: http://arrow.dit.ie/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1065&context=appadoc Year: 2015 Country: Ireland URL: http://arrow.dit.ie/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1065&context=appadoc Shelf Number: 147802 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersJuvenile VictimizationVictimization StudiesVictims of CrimeYouth Victimization |
Author: Simpson, Tiffany Title: Do Objective Measures Reduce the Disproportionate Rates of Minority Youth Placed in Detention: Validation of a Risk Assessment Instrument? Summary: The over-representation of youth of color in the juvenile justice system, often referred to as disproportionate minority contact (DMC) can be found at many stages of the juvenile justice continuum. Further, research has shown that over-representation is not necessarily related to higher rates of criminal activity and suggests that case processing disparities can contribute to DMC. Risk assessment instruments (RAI) are objective techniques used to make decisions about youth in the juvenile justice system. This study examined the effects of implementing an RAI designed to make detention decisions, in a predominantly rural parish in Louisiana. Police officers from three law enforcement agencies investigated 202 cases during the evaluation period. The measures included an objective detention risk screening instrument, a contact form which contained juvenile demographic information, a two-item questionnaire assessing law enforcement's impression of the youth's need for detention placement and risk to public safety, and an arrest coding sheet which assessed subsequent police contacts and arrests among youth over 3 and 6 months of street time (i.e., time outside of secure confinement). Results revealed that overall law enforcement was unwilling to consistently complete the tool and continued to use subjective decision making, with completion rates ranging from 61% to 97% across the participating agencies. Also, subjective decision making by law enforcement actually helped minority youth as law enforcement consistently disregarded formal overrides included in the RAI, resulting in fewer minority youth being detained than were indicated by the RAI. Further, implementation of the tool, as constructed, resulted in small but insignificant reductions in the rates of overall confinement and rates of minority confinement when compared to the rates of confinement during the same time period of the previous year. Additionally, the RAI did not significantly predict future police contact due to items that did not predict recidivism in this sample. Use of a three-item version resulted in a significant increase in the tool's predictive ability. This study demonstrates the importance of additional validity testing following the implementation of detention risk assessment instruments to ensure that these tools reduce unnecessary confinement while protecting public safety. Details: New Orleans: University of New Orleans, 2010. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed January 26, 2017 at: http://scholarworks.uno.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2098&context=td Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://scholarworks.uno.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2098&context=td Shelf Number: 145436 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersMinority YouthRacial DisparitiesRisk Assessment |
Author: Karcher, Michael J. Title: An Evaluation of Advocacy-Based Mentoring as a Treatment Intervention for Chronic Delinquency Summary: The primary goal of the proposed research project was to provide estimates of the effectiveness of youth advocacy in general, and more specifically as delivered through the Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP). YAP is a national nonprofit organization active in twenty states that provides a treatment intervention for reducing serious and chronic delinquency for court-referred youth. This study examined processes and outcomes in the YAP program in four cities to inform juvenile justice policy and practice regarding the possible benefits of advocacy-based interventions for this population. This grant focused on evaluating four Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP) in separate regions of the country in order to increase variability in model delivery and youth participants. The research design was based on information collected about YAP services from prior research and focused both on identifying key mentoring and advocacy processes that may interrupt chronic delinquency and measuring proximal and distal outcomes related to crime and prosocial behavior of participation in youth mentoring with paid mentors who prioritized advocacy as one element of mentoring. Project Goals to achieve these objectives were two-fold: (1) Estimate the degree to which intended program objectives were realized (i.e., program impact and effectiveness) through attempts to quantify the association between participation in the YAP program and changes in youth delinquency and on related outcomes using a rigorous quasi-experimental research; and (2) identify ways in which advocacy and specific types of mentoring interactions contribute to youth outcomes through program participation. The overall goal of this study was, therefore, to better understand the viability of advocacy as an intervention for youth at high risk for future criminal activity, to identify critical practices that may be relevant to YAP and other programs using individualized treatment approaches to reduce delinquency and recidivism through advocacy efforts, and to learn more about which interpersonal interactions and participant characteristics are most influential in successful advocacy efforts. Two adaptations to the originally proposed methods and design of the project were necessitated by factors and events beyond the control of the report authors. A formative evaluation of each program’s fidelity of implementation was omitted from the final report because the data on which initial findings were to be based were not available once unforeseeable changes in project staffing occurred. Second, initially the quasiexperimental method for detecting effects associated with program participation was propensity score analyses. Data collected by a consultant on the project, however, were unsuitable for propensity score analyses. Therefore, this report does not include results related to implementation fidelity or propensity score analyses of causal effects. In short, the data was insufficient to cross check findings or reach reliable conclusions. However, another quasi-experimental design was used to estimate program causal effects, thereby allowing Study 1 to address the question about program impact. Study 2 uses program activities and participant characteristics to try to explain the changes reported in Study 1. Details: Final report to the U.S. Department of Justice, 2016. 139p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 3, 2017 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250454.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250454.pdf Shelf Number: 145890 Keywords: Chronic DelinquencyHabitual OffendersJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersMentoring ProgramsSerious Juvenile OffendersYouth Mentoring |
Author: Victorian Ombudsman Title: Report on youth justice facilities at the Grevillea unit of Barwon Prison, Malmsbury and Parkville Summary: The riots at the Parkville Youth Justice Centre in November 2016 and the Government's subsequent establishment of a youth justice centre within Barwon Prison have prompted reviews, inquiries, and legal proceedings, by numerous agencies. These include the responsible department, the Commission for Children and Young People, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and Parliament. It is not the purpose of this report to add to those inquiries; rather, it is intended to inform Parliament -- and through them the public -- of the response to recent events by oversight agencies, and to put facts into the public domain to help inform the debate. The public debate that has accompanied these events is predictably polarised, from one perspective that youth crime is out of control and a strong response is needed, to the claim that the Government's response is an overreaction that arbitrarily infringed the human rights of the young people concerned. The facts that emerge from independent sources provide succour to both sides of the debate: while youth crime is decreasing overall, more is being committed, more violently, by a small cohort of repeat offenders, who the system is plainly failing to deal with. This was presciently noted by the previous Ombudsman, George Brouwer, in 2013, when he said: It is evident that the youth justice system is limited in its capacity to deal with a small, but increasing, cohort of young people exhibiting violent behaviours. It is important that the youth justice system respond appropriately to these children rather than abrogate its responsibility by transferring them to the adult system. This is illustrated by the startling statistic that some 25 per cent of offences are committed by less than two per cent of offenders -- 182 young people -- so we should not tar all young offenders with the same brush. It is not the purpose of this report to examine the causes of the recent Parkville riots, but the Ombudsman's concerns about the suitability of Parkville are a matter of public record, including the view expressed by my predecessor in 2010 that: the design and location of the Precinct is inappropriate for a custodial facility which houses vulnerable children. ... the only practical way to address the conditions at the Precinct in the long term is to develop a new facility at another site. Among other things, the report noted design features such as a low roof-line allowing detainees to climb onto the roof and ill-placed staircases creating blind spots and posing a safety risk to detainees and staff. It is a matter of record that while the government's response to that report was in many respects substantial -- for example, the establishment of Parkville College that transformed the educational services available to young people -- the precinct itself still exists and young people are still able to climb onto the roof. The record so far is patchy - while improvements have undoubtedly been made, successive governments have failed to make the significant investment needed to address the long-term issues that are increasingly apparent. There is no short-term quick fix to the serious problems affecting youth justice, which have their origins not only in ageing infrastructure but in the complex interplay of health and human services, education and the justice system. Increasing numbers of detainees are also on remand - making for an increasingly volatile and unsettled cohort. I welcome the government's review of youth justice - commissioned last year before the recent troubles and led by an eminent behavioural scientist - with its focus on long-term and joined-up solutions. The chorus of blame will not make us safer as we worry about youth crime. Nor will it make either the staff or the young people safer - an essential prerequisite if youth justice facilities are to provide an environment that promotes rehabilitation. Safety will lie in a system that makes it less likely these young people will be repeat offenders. It is neither in the interests of public safety nor the public purse for young people to become entrenched in a life of crime, cycling through youth justice centres into adult prisons to which all too often they return. Reform must also recognise not only the alarming trend to more 'calculated and callous offending' by young offenders, but also the systemic changes needed to address this deeply disturbing behaviour. My 2015 report into rehabilitation in prisons illustrated how ill-equipped the correctional system is to deal with young adult prisoners; Victoria's dual track system must go on recognising that children – even dangerous children - are different from adults. This report is of a different nature to most reports I present to Parliament. It is the product of enquiries and information shared by other oversight bodies rather than a formal investigation. I hope it will also assist the Parliamentary Inquiry in their work. It is also intended to give Parliament and the public a window into the actual state of affairs within Victoria's youth justice facilities and how oversight agencies hold government to account. The report evidences the close scrutiny of the Grevillea unit in Barwon Prison by the Commission for Children and Young People since the unit was hastily set up last November. It also evidences the pressures on the Parkville and Malmsbury facilities: while staff shortages have long been a problem there, this has plainly been exacerbated by the creation of Grevillea, with the predictable effect that young people are kept in lockdown for longer periods, creating further unrest. This report covers the period to 20 January 2017, and was being finalised when the serious disturbances at Malmsbury occurred on 25 January. While it is sadly inevitable that short-term solutions will continue to be sought to deal with urgent situations that arise, it is vital that the government keep its sights set on long-term reform that addresses the causes of young offender behaviour. Reform should not be derailed by knee-jerk responses to events, which will not make us safer in the long run. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Ombudsman, 2017. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2017 at: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/getattachment/c6880f35-3cf3-4237-b463-9be28db448c8//publications/parliamentary-reports/report-on-youth-justice-facilities-at-the-greville.aspx Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/getattachment/c6880f35-3cf3-4237-b463-9be28db448c8//publications/parliamentary-reports/report-on-youth-justice-facilities-at-the-greville.aspx Shelf Number: 145127 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Andersen, Lars Hojsgaard Title: A Research Note on Declining Youth Crime Summary: Decompose declining youth crime in Denmark into its extensive and intensive margins, and show results from birth cohort analyses. Methods: Apply Das Gupta’s (1993) method for rate decomposition to Danish registry data which hold information on all criminal justice contacts of full birth cohorts. We show results among 15 to 17 year old youth by year as well as follow birth cohorts by age. Results: The main driver of declining youth crime in Denmark is the fewer young people experiencing criminal justice contact (extensive margin) and not lower rates of criminal recidivism among youth with criminal justice contact (intensive margin), a result which is found using both year and birth cohort analyses. Conclusions: Over the recent decades and across most developed democracies, youth crime has been in steady decline and declining youth crime now constitutes an important contemporary social and criminological change. Yet underneath this change lingers the question of how we should best grasp declining youth crime. The knowledge provided in this research note -- that change at the extensive margin is the main driver of declining youth crime in Denmark -- represents a first important step towards understanding this important change. Details: Copenhagen, Denmark: Rockwool Foundation, 2016. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Study Paper 110: Accessed February 13, 2017 at: http://www.rockwoolfonden.dk/app/uploads/2016/06/Study-paper-110_Samlet_WEB-1.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Denmark URL: http://www.rockwoolfonden.dk/app/uploads/2016/06/Study-paper-110_Samlet_WEB-1.pdf Shelf Number: 145118 Keywords: Crime StatisticsJuvenile CrimeJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Beatton, Tony Title: Larrikin Youth: New Evidence on Crime and Schooling Summary: This paper reports new evidence on the causal link between education and male youth crime using individual level state-wide administrative data for Queensland, Australia. Enactment of the Earning or Learning education reform of 2006, with a mandatory increase in minimum school leaving age, is used to identify a causal impact of schooling on male youth crime. The richness of the matched (across agency) individual level panel data enables the analysis to shed significant light on the extent to which the causal impact reflects incapacitation, or whether more schooling acts to reduce crime after youths have left compulsory schooling. The empirical analysis uncovers a significant incapacitation effect, as remaining in school for longer reduces crime whilst in school, but also a sizeable crime reducing impact of education for young men in their late teens and early twenties. We also carry out analysis by major crime type and differentiate between single and multiple offending behaviour. Crime reduction effects are concentrated in property crime and single crime incidence, rather than altering the behaviour of the recalcitrant persistent offender. Details: London: London School of Economics and Political Science, Centre for Economic Performance, 2016. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: CEP Discussion Paper No 1456 : Accessed February 13, 2017 at: http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp1456.pd Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp1456.pd Shelf Number: 145124 Keywords: Education and CrimeJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Harrison, Linda Title: Evaluation of the Youthful Offender System (YOS) in Colorado: A report of findings per C.R.S. 18-1.3-407(10)(b) Summary: In 2016, The Colorado Division of Criminal Justice undertook a semiannual evaluation of the Department of Correction's Youthful Offender System. This report presents recidivism rates and a broad picture of the operations of YOS as observed from the perspective of the residents, staff, and managers. Division researchers surveyed staff (with 68% response rate) and residents (with a 97% response rate), conducted interviews with YOS staff and officials, and analyzed data provided by DOC. From multiple data collection efforts, various themes emerged to answer the research questions that guided the study. Summary Overall, the YOS operations are generally consistent with statute and likely represent the intent of the drafters of the original YOS legislation. However, the data collected for this evaluation occurred at a time of considerable organizational change at YOS. Concerns about the lack of consequences for negative behavior have resulted in a new emphasis on accountability by the administration, of both staff and residents. As with prior evaluation findings, education/vocational training is valued by both staff and residents; over 80% of residents said they would choose YOS again because of these opportunities. YOS administrators continue to expand the programming, and these improvements should continue as space becomes available in the multipurpose building (scheduled for completion in the spring of 2017). The average age at intake increased between 2006 and 2013, which was to be expected due to changes in 2010 statute that removed most juveniles ages 14 and 15 from direct file consideration and the 2009 statutory modification that extended the age of sentencing to include 19 and 20 year olds. Between 2013 and 2015 the age of YOS intakes remained very stable at approximately 18.8 years, but a slight increase has been observed in 2016. This is likely to continue with the advent of Senate Bill 15-182, allowing the transfer of offenders up to age 24 from DOC to YOS. The majority of YOS staff (80.2%) reported that they consistently see themselves as role models, and another 17.5% saw themselves as role models "sometimes." With a strong staff and administration, and the continued expansion of programs and activities, YOS is positioned to positively impact the lives of many offenders. The proportion of offenders successfully completing their sentence at YOS has remained around 90.0% over the past three years. The 2-year felony reconviction rate after program completion is 25.7%, and only 11.7% were reconvicted of a violent felony crime within 2 years. These are very positive outcomes, especially given the very serious nature of the YOS population. Recommendations 1. The average age of incoming YOS participants has been increasing as a result of statutory modifications regarding YOS eligibility. YOS intakes are now, on average, nearly 19 years old. YOS administrators should continue their efforts, currently underway, to examine existing educational programming and staffing to ensure that it is relevant to an older population. In addition, over one-third (38.2%) of YOS intakes in 2016 were functionally illiterate, reflecting the need for a wide range of educational programming necessary to meet the needs of this older population. Additionally, YOS administrators should continue its efforts to expand programming related to parenting since many of the YOS residents are parents of young children. This includes exploring ways to expand parent/family engagement opportunities. 2. The recent turnover of management staff at YOS has resulted in an organization in transition. Administrators should make every effort to communicate their vision and expectations to line and program staff to ensure that staff morale and the YOS program mission are not compromised as YOS evolves. 3. Efforts to fill the vacant mental health position must be prioritized by YOS administrators. This recommendation was made in 2012, 2014 and now again in 2016. This is a critically important position, and survey comments from staff and residents reflect a broad recognition of this gap in services. Administrators should work with human resource officials to identify ways to attract qualified and committed applicants. 4. Concerns about gang activity were voiced by both staff and residents. The current review of YOS programming by DOC administrators as it relates to gang activity should continue, and the historical practice of not recognizing gang-related behavior (described in the 2014 YOS evaluation report) should be reconsidered. Considerable research exists regarding gang intervention programming, and this material should be reviewed and incorporated into new programming at YOS. 5. Programming for the women continues to challenge YOS administrators despite ongoing efforts to improve services for this population. With the upcoming completion of the multipurpose building, efforts should focus on expanding the women's access to programming and recreational activities. 6. The YOS management team should continue its work building and maintaining excellent relationships with community stakeholder employers who assist with job fairs, resume/interview skills, and hiring. 7. YOS administrators should carefully document the outcomes of the new "youth transfers" pursuant to Senate Bill 15-182. This bill allows for the identification and placement of certain individuals who were directly sentenced to prison to be placed in YOS if DOC administrators believe they could benefit from the program. Details: Denver: Colorado Department of Public Safety, 2016. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2017 at: http://cdpsdocs.state.co.us/ors/docs/reports/2016-12_YOSRpt.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://cdpsdocs.state.co.us/ors/docs/reports/2016-12_YOSRpt.pdf Shelf Number: 146288 Keywords: Criminal Justice SystemsJuvenile Justice AdministrationJuvenile OffendersYouthful Offenders |
Author: CNDH Mexico Title: Adolescentes: Vulnerabilidad y Violencia Summary: This report Examines the impact of poverty, social disorganization, and the influence of peers and adults that encourage crime and violence among juveniles in Mexico. It consists of interviews who explain how and why they became involved in organized crime. Details: Mexico: CNDH, 2016. 188p. Source: Internet Resource: Informe Especial: Accessed February 17, 2017 at: http://www.cndh.org.mx/sites/all/doc/Informes/Especiales/Informe_adolescentes_20170118.pdf (In Spanish) Year: 2016 Country: Mexico URL: http://www.cndh.org.mx/sites/all/doc/Informes/Especiales/Informe_adolescentes_20170118.pdf Shelf Number: 147326 Keywords: AdolescentsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ViolenceOrganized CrimePovertySocial DisorganizationSocioeconomic Conditions and Crime |
Author: Resilience Resource Center Title: Pathways to Youth Resilience: Youth Justice in Nova Scotia/Newfoundland and Labrador Summary: The purpose of this report was to collect all relevant information regarding youth justice services within Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. This was done by means of gathering publicly available data and information provided on governmental and non-governmental websites, as well as within academic databases. A major challenge to collecting data by this method is access. It is difficult to provide all of the relevant information needed for a complete report by simply using the internet as a resource. It would have been helpful to have funds to access statistical information from Statistics Canada. As well, having a contact within the justice department may have provided more information regarding the programming process as well as funding and policy initiatives. Beyond the methodological challenges of this report, it was clear that there are several potential barriers to youth receiving adequate justice services within this province. Keeping in mind that each of these challenges is simply speculation, they are still useful for reflection. The youth justice legislation expressly states that extrajudicial measures and sanctions should be utilized by police and judiciary officials in almost every incidence of youth offending. Exceptional circumstances and a previous history of offending contribute to youth potentially being sentenced to custody. It would seem then that most of the youth who are in fact receiving custodial sentences should in theory be continually recidivating. It is clear that the restorative and community justice processes are indeed very important in restraining from the over-reliance on custodial sentences. However, what is not clear is why there is such a large proportion of youth who are eligible for custodial sentences? What is being done within the justice facilities to ensure that youth are not committing more crime once released from jail? Are there programs which specifically address the needs of this vulnerable group of youth? The dilemma of youth recidivists lends to another question of whether or not youth justice services are really in dialogue with other governmental and nongovernmental services that a high risk youth may utilize. Youth custodial sentences are not lengthy in relation to adult sentences. Therefore, a youth is often released into community supervision or the care of another program. This begs the question of whether or not these different services are aware of the youth’s offending and social history. What are these programs doing in order to prevent youth from being funnelled back into the justice system? Another concern arose from capturing different justice services available to youth within Newfoundland and Labrador. Geographically, Newfoundland and Labrador is a much larger province than Nova Scotia making it difficult to reach particular isolated communities. Referring to Appendix One (a map of justice services in Newfoundland and Labrador) it is easy to see that Labrador is lacking in relation to justice services in its smaller communities. The majority of justice service providers as well as the youth custodial facilities are all located within the St. John’s region. Local access to youth justice services for both the young person and their family is critical. If a youth from Labrador does receive a custodial sentence as is relocated to one of the youth facilities in Newfoundland, the isolation from their family and the community is tangible. Lastly, in review of the above justice programs and initiatives and also relevant offending and custodial statistics, there seem to be a large group of individuals that are not accounted for. African American youth contribute to a significant proportion of the general population in Nova Scotia. Rightfully so, the federal government is extremely cognizant of the Aboriginal youth population in their analysis of youth offending. When looking at provincially specific data and programming however, African American youth seem to be missing. Culturally and contextually relevant programming and services is necessary in addressing the unique needs of the young offender population. It is unclear as to whether Nova Scotia adequately provides this for African American youth. Details: Halifax, Nova Scotia: Dalhousie University, 2011. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2017 at: http://resilienceresearch.org/files/PDF/Youth_Justice_in_Nova_Scotia_Newfoundland_and_Labrador.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://resilienceresearch.org/files/PDF/Youth_Justice_in_Nova_Scotia_Newfoundland_and_Labrador.pdf Shelf Number: 141185 Keywords: Juvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersYouthful Offenders |
Author: Traveller Movement Title: Overlooked and Overrepresented: Gypsy, Traveller and Roma children in the youth justice system Summary: This is an analysis of the Children in Custody 2015–16, HM Inspectorate of Prisons data published on the 15 November 20161 . The data for the Children in Custody report derives from surveys conducted at all Secure Training Centres (STCs) and Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) between 1 April 2015 and 12 April 2016; the response rate was 85% and 86% respectively. Separate questionnaires are used at STCs and YOIs as they are tailored to support the different inspection criteria used for each setting. In the 2015 Children in Custody report, the then HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Nick Hardwick said in his foreword: "Both STCs and YOIs continued to hold a hugely disproportionate number of children who described themselves as being from a Traveller or Gypsy background…. a hundred times greater than the 0.1% which is the estimated proportion in the population as a whole. We have repeatedly raised our concerns about this issue – with any other group such huge disproportionality would have led to more formal inquiry and investigation into what part of their backgrounds or interaction with the criminal justice system had led to this situation. Children from a Traveller background reported greater levels of need and worse experiences in custody than other children". Sadly, Nick Hardwick's words are as true today as they were a year ago, with Gypsy, Traveller and Roma (GTR) children remaining "hugely overrepresented in the youth justice system". After Mr Hardwick's intervention, organisations in the GTR sector were hopeful that the overrepresentation in youth justice would finally become a priority to be addressed. However, almost no progress has made in addressing the experiences of GTR children in custody, nor has there been any moves toward a formal investigation as to why the numbers remain so high. In fact, compared to 2015, there was significantly less analysis of the experiences of GTR children in the 2016 Children in Custody report. To counter the lack of profile given to GTR children in STCs and YOIs, the Traveller Movement has analysed the raw data and highlighted the key issues facing these children. Recommendations  The Youth Justice Board should act, with urgency, to ensure the 18+1 ethnic monitoring system based on the 2011 census is implemented across the entire youth criminal justice system.  A formal inquiry should be launched into what has led to Gypsy, Traveller and Roma children being overrepresented in the youth criminal justice system. Details: London: The Traveller Movement, 2016. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2017 at: http://travellermovement.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Overlooked-and-Overrepresented-Gypsy-Traveller-and-Roma-children-in-the-youth-justice-system.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://travellermovement.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Overlooked-and-Overrepresented-Gypsy-Traveller-and-Roma-children-in-the-youth-justice-system.pdf Shelf Number: 141297 Keywords: GypsiesJuvenile Justice systemsJuvenile OffendersMinority GroupsMinority OverrepresentationRoma Children |
Author: Victoria Legal Aid Title: Care Not Custody: A new approach to keep kids in residential care out of the criminal justice system Summary: Children living in out-of-home care are some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our community. Many have been exposed to multiple traumas from a young age resulting from family violence, substance abuse, neglect or abandonment and/or sexual or physical abuse. Unfortunately, as numerous studies have demonstrated, too many of these children are still ending up involved from a young age - often unnecessarily - in our criminal justice system. The over-representation of children from out-of-home care in our criminal justice system is a matter of longstanding concern to Victoria Legal Aid. A recent review of our child protection client data found that: • Almost one in three young people we assist with child protection matters who are placed in out-of-home care later returns to us for assistance with criminal charges; • Young people we assist placed in out-of-home care are almost twice as likely to face criminal charges as those who remain with their families; Young people we assist placed in out-of-home care are more likely than other children to be charged with criminal damage for property-related offending; Our practice experience suggests that this problem is particularly acute with respect to children placed in residential care. This is due at least in part to the continued practice in many residential facilities of relying on police to manage incidents of challenging behaviour by young people. While serious offending by young people may warrant a police response, we also see cases where police have been called to a residential facility to deal with behaviour by a young person that would be unlikely to come to police attention had it occurred in a family home. We have represented children from residential care who have received criminal charges for smashing a cup, throwing a sink plug or spreading food around a unit's kitchen. As the case studies in this report demonstrate, frequently children who may never have had a criminal charge prior to entering care, quickly accrue a lengthy criminal history due to a cycle of "acting out" followed by police responses which develops in a residential unit. The broader reforms to the residential care system being introduced by the Victorian Government provide an important opportunity to address this criminalisation of vulnerable young people. Plans already underway to significantly reduce the number of children placed in long-term residential care and introduce mandatory qualification and training requirements for staff represent big steps forward, but do not do enough to address this specific problem. The present expectation that care providers develop their own guidelines about responding to challenging behaviour and when police should be called leads inevitably to variable and inconsistent responses in the way children are treated. Further guidance, support and training for care providers are clearly needed about more therapeutic ways to manage challenging behaviour so as to minimise the need for police involvement in cases where there is no immediate danger to staff or other young people. In New South Wales and parts of the UK, this has been done through the adoption of protocols that apply across all residential care facilities and explicitly aim to reduce young peoples' contact with the criminal justice system. Such protocols, which have been developed in partnership with care providers and police, provide a clear and consistent structure for decision-making in residential units when a child exhibits challenging behaviour. Together with appropriate training for staff, they have been highly effective in reducing the numbers of offences recorded against children in residential care – in one UK county by as much as 66%. The adoption of a similar Protocol in Victoria would have clear benefits for both staff and young people living in residential care. It would provide staff with a structured process for responding to incidents which distinguishes between behaviour which is merely disruptive or confrontational versus situations that are dangerous for staff and other young people. It would ensure a consistent process across the 240 residential care units in Victoria so that all young people, regardless of geography, are treated equally. Finally, it would provide children and young people with a response that is therapeutic and based on principles of care. Details: Victoria, AUS: Victoria Legal Aid, 2016. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2017 at: https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/sites/www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/files/vla-care-not-custody-report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/sites/www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/files/vla-care-not-custody-report.pdf Shelf Number: 141330 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationAt-Risk YouthChild ProtectionJuvenile OffendersResidential Care |
Author: Iowa Task Force for Young Women Title: Serious, Violent and Chronic Juvenile Female Offenders: Service and System Recommendations for Iowa Summary: Serious, violent, and chronic juvenile female offenders are at the center of a system and service crisis in juvenile justice; this plan is about them and what they need to succeed. Crisis is a strong word to use to describe the absence of appropriate services in Iowa for the small number of girls who have the highest level of risk and need according to the Iowa Delinquency Assessment and are the greatest threat to public safety. Yet, for those girls and their families, as well as for the state, it is a crisis. This document is not simply a set of recommendations; it is about these girls and the systems responsible for them. The number of girls who need specialized and intensive service, and who may provide a risk to those around them, is relatively small, but these girls are no less important. This full report is focused on those girls and how Iowa will provide the appropriate level of service and system supports. First, there is a need to understand the current situation in Iowa and the context in which recommendations are made. No part of this document stands alone. Its focus on high risk, high need girls tells the story of how girls and boys think and respond differently, what services are effective with girls, and how Iowa might – for the first time – establish practices, services, and systems that are most effective for girls. This report is not critical of the services and system for boys; rather, it emphasizes and shows that girls do not fit into or respond well in a male-centric system. The reader is asked to consider the contents of this document as a whole in order to grasp the key elements and the value and impact of the recommendations. Services that are the most effective for girls take gender into account; yet these types of services are not universally recognized or provided in Iowa. This plan focuses in on the small number of girls with the most serious risks and deepest needs. Practically speaking, today there is no placement of last resort for these girls in Iowa where they can receive the highest level of treatment and services and where public safety is ensured. Of the thousands of girls charged with violating Iowa law, most will never reoffend, and the system is designed to limit contact with the low-risk offender. Only a small number ever move from informal to formal involvement with the courts. This report addresses an even smaller subset of that population. Details: Des Moines, IA: The Task Force, 2017. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 7, 2017 at: https://humanrights.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/media/Serious,%20Violent%20and%20Chronic%20Juvenile%20Female%20Offenders%20Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://humanrights.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/media/Serious,%20Violent%20and%20Chronic%20Juvenile%20Female%20Offenders%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 141368 Keywords: Female Juvenile OffendersFemale OffendersJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenile OffendersSerious Offenders |
Author: Coalition for Juvenile Justice Title: Addressing the Intersections of Juvenile Justice Involvement and Youth Homelessness: Principles for Change Summary: This report from the Coalition for Juvenile Justice details ways that key stakeholders such as State Advisory Groups, law enforcement officers, elected officials, service providers, and schools can come together to ensure that young people do not experience homelessness as a result of their involvement with the juvenile justice system, and that they likewise do not become involved with the justice system because of a lack of housing. Developed in partnership with the National Network for Youth and the National League of Cities' Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, the report also features a series of key resources that states and communities can use as they work to achieve these goals. Details: New York: Council of State Governments Juvenile Center, 2017. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 20, 2017 at: http://www.juvjustice.org/sites/default/files/ckfinder/files/FINAL%20Principles%20.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.juvjustice.org/sites/default/files/ckfinder/files/FINAL%20Principles%20.pdf Shelf Number: 144519 Keywords: Homelessness Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile OffendersYouth Homelessness |
Author: Williams, Huw Title: Young People with Traumatic Brain Injury in Custody: An evaluation of a Linkworker Service for Barrow Cadbury Trust and The Disabilities Trust Summary: There is growing evidence that young people (YP) within the youth justice system have high levels of 'needs' with regard to health, education and social and emotional well-being. Studies consistently indicate high levels of mental health needs and neurodevelopmental disorders amongst young offenders including Traumatic Brain Injury - TBI. These needs are often unmet due to a lack of appropriate screening and identification, limited access to evidence based interventions and poor continuity of care. This is particularly apparent amongst YP in custody. The initial aims of this project were to establish whether it was possible to: 1. Identify young adults with a brain injury who enter custody 2. Develop a care pathway and provide dedicated supportto YP with a brain injury 3. Raise awareness of brain injury within a Young Offender Institution From these aims a 'Linkworker' (LW) service for YP was developed by The Disabilities Trust Foundation. This report describes that service and documents a preliminary service evaluation. In summary, it was possible to set the service up, evolve it in a dynamic and changing environment, so that it appears to fit the needs of the young person across a wider spectrum of ages. It also appears that it is, with appropriate staffing, feasible to screen for TBI in the population and this may contribute to increased awareness of such issues in a young person's care and management. In conducting this service evaluation it was not possible to collect data that would show whether there was a change in the trajectory (health, well-being and crime) of YP through LW involvement). However, service level data was available on a sample of YP and in this context it is possible to note the following: - The LW service was designed, delivered and deployed within what would be expected for a neurorehabilitation and forensic rehabilitation and forensic rehabilitation service 'hybrid' - Referrals were made to the service and it was supporting YP who had relevant TBI (in terms of severity and neuropsychological impairments) - Such TBI would be expected to interfere with traditional forensic rehabilitation (FR) - The young person had significant criminal histories and mental health problems - Additional input in a range of areas could well have improved outcomes for the young person in terms of mental health, well-being and criminogenic needs Therefore, the service would appear to be meeting the key aims defined at inception. From the feedback, it appears that the service was acceptable to, and valued, by YP and staff. It is important to emphasise that the YP had complex conditions because TBI is a 'keystone' condition within a constellation of challenges (drug and alcohol, mood disorder, lack of familial coherence (care home etc.), lack of education and work skills and/or experience). This evaluation highlights the need for appropriate key-working for such a vulnerable group. We would therefore recommend further adoption of linkworker type services within custodial settings and the need to be embed them within larger multi-site studies. Such services could provide a vital link across staff teams working with individuals with TBI and effect change. A linkworker may enable the identification of an underlying TBI, which allows for services to be deployed that are responsive to specific needs and learning styles in order to successfully engage with the young person. This is essential in order to develop support plans and to allow resources to be used cost-effectively, rather than attempting to engage YP in generic interventions which may not take into account their specific profile of needs. Details: London: Barrow Cadbury Trust, 2016. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2017 at: https://www.barrowcadbury.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Disability_Trust_linkworker_2016Lores.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.barrowcadbury.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Disability_Trust_linkworker_2016Lores.pdf Shelf Number: 144722 Keywords: Brain InjuryDisabilityJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersNeurological Disorders |
Author: Sauls, Heidi Title: Young Boys Behind Bars: An ethnographic study of violence and care in South Africa Summary: This thesis is the result of an ethnographic study which had as its topic young boys who were awaiting trial for criminal activities behind bars in a secure care facility in South Africa. The chapters introduce some of the boys to the reader through case studies providing information about, who they are where they come from, why they were institutionalised and glimpses of what they endured in their daily lives outside the institution. The core of the thesis describes the social composition of a secure care facility and the daily activities and interactions that take place within its walls. We follow the boys in the trajectories they took inside and outside the criminal justice system, obtaining glimpses of the families, communities and staff with whom they come into contact. Overall, the study was guided by three main research questions. How are sociocultural and legal-political perceptions of violent children reflected in the infrastructural arrangements and regulations of places of safety (secure care facilities)? How are boys' daily lives in places of safety enacted? And how do institutionalised boys perceive themselves inside and outside the institution? The methodology of the study was steered by the structures of confinement of the secure care facility in which it was conducted. This type of institution functions simultaneously as a setting geared towards the safekeeping, caring and betterment of inmates and as a place of incarceration for keeping society at large safe from them. The emphasis of the study was on providing the reader with an in-depth understanding of these boys and the micro-world of the institution in which they find themselves. Central to the project were boys' own accounts of their lives, experiences, perceptions, aspirations and the reasons why they followed various strategies in navigating their social relations with staff and peers. Adopting this ethnographic perspective allowed for a thick description of day-to-day interactions in the institution. We start off with a description of the heavily bounded institution and how the mere process of gaining access to the boys and the institution was governed by strict rules and mediated by gatekeepers. Physically, the institution looked closed, imprisoning insiders and controlling access by outsiders; socially, its anatomy seemed fixed and hierarchical. However, the more data one acquires, the greater the number of cracks appeared in this image of inflexibility. The thesis then describes what happens when a new boy is admitted to the institution, the daily negotiations he is involved in during the early period of his incarceration, and the intricate social dynamics between the new and seasoned boys. Here, I highlighted the emotional turmoil that new boys frequently experience when having to transition from their communities and enter the facility. The process of being admitted and settling into the institution is intricate and volatile. The potential risks these new admissions are exposed to include verbal, physical and sexual abuse by their peers. What is commonly perceived as bullying, unnecessary violence and intimidation by others is a complex negotiation process for currency of power and the forging of hierarchical relationships between the incarcerated boys; of which new and seasoned boys are vulnerable. In the facility, it also became clear how power is fluid and ever-changing. Boys are found to constantly reflect upon their own positions in the hierarchy and institution and actively negotiate their status by acting upon other boys and staff. However, in the end power inequalities between boys and staff restrict their negotiating power. It is then revealed that once a boy is incarcerated, he is not permanently labelled a criminal. Rather, we see how perceiving and labelling (making and unmaking) incarcerated children as criminals or non-criminals is a fluid and negotiable process. It is the daily interactions among boys and staff in the institution that determines a boy's criminal status. These interactions are heavily influenced by subjective, moral appraisals by staff of a boy's behaviour. Daily interactions that determine boys' identities are also heavily dependent on the conditions (such as resources and competences) and contexts in which these interactions take place. Overall, the production and reproduction of labels related to a boy being a criminal or not influences and determines the management and experiences of the child in and outside the institution. It also influences the manner in which the boys respond to others and their environment. Such labelling of boys does not only influence how they are dealt with inside the institution but also the future decisions that either result in longer imprisonment or discharge from the institution. Yet, what appeared to be a distinct difference between the staff members who were assumed to possess power with clearly assigned roles compared to the boys, who were perceived as children, in need of adult care and supervision, in practice, it was evident that staff members use their power and interact with the boys very differently. This was clearly highlighted in the example of two staff members, reared in different ethnic groups, and their interaction with the boys. It was also interesting to witness how the different staff members' interaction developed and affected the boys. Here, I was able to explore the multiple dimensions that are at stake in the institutional interactions between staff and inmates on the ground, allowing for a fluidity of roles not covered by the classical picture of a clear distinction between staff members and inmates. How the staff members have been socialised in their own communities, what they expect of boys' behaviour, and what boys expect of them, do play a role in the interactions I observed. Factors such as the level of education, personal background and personality traits also influenced the interaction between the staff members and boys. I have shown how these differences are acted out in specific contexts within the daily life of the institution and how it leads to widely differing restrictions and opportunities for boys to act and express themselves, sometimes varying over the day, when shifts of caretakers replace one another. In contrast to the image of a total institution where rigid rules determine the relations between staff and inmates, this study displays the fluidity of the roles and positions of the boys and staff and how the various individuals enact and play out a particular image in particular interactions. Likewise, the study illustrates that there is a variety of ways that boys respond to their assigned position, of powerless children, in need of care. Occasionally, as we have seen, there is a relatively strong blurring of presupposed institutional identities. A striking example is the role-reversal in terms of caring. In the pre-institutional lives of the boys, in many ways, they exerted violence from a certain position of power, and many of them do not give up that position entirely within the institution. It is possible that it might also be the caring role the boys performed in their pre-institutional life (for instance, for their mother and other close family members) that influenced their role-playing in terms of care for certain staff members and for their peers. Caring for others, especially women, is related to the boys' perceptions of masculinity and their social roles as men, and taking up caring roles in the institution is what from their perspective, males are supposed to do. In short, staff and boys act and interact in the institution based on social dispositions, cultural backgrounds, educational levels and personality structures that they also displayed in their lives outside the institution. How strict or permeable the boundaries between social life inside and outside the institution, and between the roles and positions officially assigned to staff and boys, prove to be are context specific Details: Amsterdam: Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research , 2015. 135p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 10, 2017 at: https://pure.uva.nl/ws/files/2482251/157427_Sauls_thesis_with_cover.pdf Year: 2015 Country: South Africa URL: https://pure.uva.nl/ws/files/2482251/157427_Sauls_thesis_with_cover.pdf Shelf Number: 144763 Keywords: Detention CentersJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersPrison Violenc |
Author: Canada. Public Safety Canada Title: Tyler's Troubled Life: The story of one young man's path towards a life of crime Summary: The fictional account of Tyler was developed to illustrate the compounding influence of risk factors on the pathway to criminal offending. The account does not depict any real persons or events, but serves as an illustrative example of a prototypical adolescent offender in Canada. Using cost estimates from Canada, the US, and Australia, average costs are affixed to events in Tyler's life and tallied for a grand total cost of his crimes. The direct costs associated with Tyler's life of crime range from a court appearance by police ($239 CAD) to a 5-year federal prison sentence ($550,000 CAD) and total over $1,400,000 CAD by the time Tyler reaches the age of 30. Three evidence-based interventions are also provided to illustrate the potential cost savings by investing in crime prevention at critical junctures of Tyler's youth, and to highlight the importance of intervening early and often in the life of disadvantaged or at-risk youth. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2016. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 10, 2017 at: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2016-r005/2016-r005-en.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Canada URL: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2016-r005/2016-r005-en.pdf Shelf Number: 144764 Keywords: At-Risk YouthCosts of Criminal JusticeJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory Title: Interim Report Summary: There is a strong perception that the system of detention in the Northern Territory is failing. It is failing our young people, it is failing those who work in the system and it is also failing the people of the Northern Territory who are entitled to live in safer communities. This has been made clear to the Royal Commission and Board of Inquiry into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory since it was announced on 26 July 2016. This Interim Report provides a summary of work to date. We are currently holding public hearings and will conduct further hearings over the coming months. Royal Commissions often look to the past in their investigations. We are inquiring not only into the past, but also into systems that are in operation today - we are hearing evidence from people who are currently detained or working in these systems. Despite the significance of much of the evidence received already, we will not be making specific findings or recommendations at this stage. It is too early in our work, while hearings are ongoing, to be able to draw any final conclusions. The Commission is yet to hear evidence on many issues, including evidence from senior management and political leaders in charge of youth detention who provide a perspective that is necessary to inform the work of the Commission. The Commission is also still to hold hearings on the child protection system which is a critical part of our work. The youth justice and child protection systems in the Northern Territory are inextricably linked. Evidence before the Commission reveals that children and young people in out-of-home care are more likely to enter the youth detention system. In the remaining period, the Commission's attention will focus on child protection, including its link to detention. Details: Kingston ACT: The Commission, 2017. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2017 at: https://childdetentionnt.royalcommission.gov.au/about-us/Documents/RCNT-Interim-report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://childdetentionnt.royalcommission.gov.au/about-us/Documents/RCNT-Interim-report.pdf Shelf Number: 144781 Keywords: Child ProtectionJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersYouthful Offenders |
Author: New York (State). Governor's Commission on Youth, Public Safety and Justice Title: Final Report of the Governor's Commission on Youth, Public Safety and Justice. Recommendations for Juvenile Justice Reform in New York State Summary: Governor Cuomo signed Executive Order 131 on April 9, 2014, to establish the Commission on Youth, Public Safety and Justice. He instructed this Commission to develop a concrete plan to raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction in the most effective and prudent manner possible, and to make other specific recommendations as to how New York State's juvenile and criminal justice systems could better serve youth, improve outcomes, and protect communities. The Commission was ordered to complete its work by December 31, 2014. Why "raise the age" now? Numerous developments have converged in recent years to forge a growing consensus for this and related reforms to New York State's juvenile justice system. In brief, at least seven key developments have brought us to this point where reform is both necessary and possible. Each of these developments is explored in greater detail in this report. First, experiences in states like Connecticut and Illinois that have raised the age of criminal responsibility recently have demonstrated that recidivism and juvenile crime rates overall can be lowered through evidence-based interventions that steer nonviolent youthful offenders out of the justice system and into family, mental health, or other needed services. These experiences have helped to reduce opposition to reform in this area by showing that public safety can actually be enhanced by such changes. As discussed more fully in Chapter seven, analysis of the efficacy of certain interventions shows substantial recidivism reductions among high risk offenders in New York State. In fact, analysis completed in support of this Commission found that implementation of a range of evidence-based services used in juvenile justice for New York's population of 16- and 17-year-old offenders would eliminate between 1,500 and 2,400 crime victimizations every five years as a result of these recidivism reductions. Second, extensive research on the significant negative impacts of incarceration on adolescents in adult jails and prisons has brought a sense of urgency for reform. Higher suicide rates, increased recidivism, and many other measures all suggest that both offenders and their communities are harmed by placing adolescents into adult jails and prisons. Third, New York's unique history of juvenile justice has created a pressing reason for reform now. Despite a proud early history in this area, New York State now stands as one of only two states in the country that have set the age of criminal responsibility at age 16. That single fact has become a rallying cry for the current reform movement in this State, led the State's Chief Judge to urge legislative action, and inspired the Governor's initiative to appoint this Commission. Fourth, the impacts of processing all 16- and 17-year-olds in the criminal justice system fall disproportionately on young men of color. Young men of color are substantially over-represented among youth who are arrested at age 16 or 17 and who end up incarcerated as a result of the offense. Those impacts are felt not only by the young men themselves, but also by communities of color around the State. Fifth, scientific research into brain development has revealed only very recently that portions of our brains, including the region governing impulse control, develop far later than expected--after adolescence and as late as one's early to mid-20s. This research has demonstrated that adolescents do not have fully developed faculties of judgment or impulse control. It has also shown that adolescents respond more fruitfully to efforts to rehabilitate them and put them on the right track. Adolescence is a time of substantial development and provides real opportunity to harness the many assets youth possess in support of a positive life trajectory. Sixth, the research cited above has, in turn, undergirded several opinions from the U.S. Supreme Court and lower courts restricting the nature and scope of state and local governments' punishment of adolescent offenders on the ground that such offenders are both less culpable criminally and more susceptible to fruitful rehabilitation because of their still-developing brains. Those decisions have both resulted from and encouraged reform efforts across the country to improve the juvenile justice laws to reduce unnecessary incarceration and improve rehabilitative programming. Finally, this shifting view of adolescent offenders has coincided with, and arguably been facilitated by, a steady and significant decrease in violent crimes committed by youthful offenders since the 1990s. That reduction in crime has replaced outsized fears of young "super predators" with a more thoughtful focus on targeted criminal justice interventions to reduce recidivism without simply expanding costly incarceration. For all of these reasons, the Commission has the wind at its back in drafting this plan for raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction and reforming the juvenile justice system in other respects. The Commission's recommendations reflect a balanced approach that incorporates the wisdom and experiences of law enforcement, probation officers, criminal defense attorneys, policy advocates, service providers, local and State officials, and youth and their parents affected by the current system. Partly as a result of this balanced approach, the Commission's members support these recommendations unanimously and without reservation. Details: Albany: The Commission, 2014. 176p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 12, 2017 at: http://www.njjn.org/uploads/digital-library/ReportofCommissiononYouthPublicSafetyandJustice_0%20(1).pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.njjn.org/uploads/digital-library/ReportofCommissiononYouthPublicSafetyandJustice_0%20(1).pdf Shelf Number: 144817 Keywords: Administration of Juvenile JusticeAge of Criminal ResponsibilityJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersYouthful Offenders |
Author: Gupta-Kagan, Josh Title: Effective Solutions to South Carolina's Juvenile Justice Crisis: Safety, Rehabilitation, and Fiscal Responsibility Summary: More than a decade after emerging from federal court oversight, the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice ("DJJ") once again faces significant difficulties. Recent legislative and media reports have shined a light on some of DJJ's current problems. Some members of the South Carolina General Assembly now consider DJJ to be in the midst of a crisis marked by violence at DJJ facilities, poor staffing models, and inadequate treatment for children in custody. A critical Legislative Audit Council report describes an agency facing serious challenges, and led to the resignation of the DJJ director. This crisis creates an opportunity to address long-standing challenges and set South Carolina on a course to build a model juvenile justice system. This white paper will not rehash the incidents that triggered the General Assembly's attention. Instead, this analysis is a call to action to address the long-standing problems in how we treat juvenile offenders and to set South Carolina on a path towards building a model juvenile justice system - a system that reduces crime by rehabilitating child offenders, keeps children and juvenile justice staff safe, and more efficiently spends taxpayer money. Details: Columbia, SC: Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc., 2017. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 17, 2017 at: http://www.pandasc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Juvenile-Justice-Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.pandasc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Juvenile-Justice-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 145024 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: American University. Washington College of Law. Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Title: Protecting Children against Torture in Detention: Global Solutions for a Global Problem Summary: It is my pleasure to introduce the publication "Protecting Children Deprived of Liberty From Torture: Reflections on the Special Rapporteur on Torture's 2015 Thematic Report," which expands upon a key thematic priority explored by the Special Rapporteurship on Torture in 2015. This volume asks a wide variety of stakeholders and thought-leaders to reflect on the report on children deprived of liberty (A/HRC/28/68, available in Annex I) issued by Professor Juan Mendez during his Rapporteurship on Torture at the United Nations (UN). This publication provides additional data and analyses on the myriad of critical issues raised in the report. The publication is an effort of the Anti-Torture Initiative (ATI), a project of the Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law (the Center) at American University Washington College of Law to support the mandate of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment (SRT), a position that Professor Juan Mendez held from November 2010 to October 2016. The Center created the ATI in 2012 as part of its mission to develop new tools and strategies for the creative advancement of international human rights norms. During the time of Professor Mendez's mandate, the ATI expanded the strategies used by the SRT in furtherance of its mandate by supporting, monitoring, and assessing implementation of his recommendations, and providing a multi-dynamic model for effective and comprehensive country-specific and thematic follow-up, in areas such as the torture and ill-treatment of children deprived of liberty. In the aftermath of Professor Mendez's mandate, the ATI has continued its role as a foremost player in the global movement against torture, by continuing to work closely with partners from international agencies, regional organizations, governments and policy-makers, and actors from civil society and academia, in an effort to have a positive impact on the landscape of efforts to fight and prevent torture worldwide, in particular when it affects the most vulnerable and marginalized persons worldwide, such as children deprived of liberty. The 2015 report that serves as the basis for this publication came at a timely moment of growing attention to the plight of the more than one million children who are estimated to be deprived of liberty around the world. The report makes a critical contribution by framing abuses and violence commonly perpetrated against children in various guises of deprivation of liberty as torture and other ill-treatment under international law, and by analyzing the unique vulnerability of children to, and concomitant heighted obligation of States to protect children from, such acts. The report analyzes practices within juvenile, criminal justice systems, and administrative, notably immigration, detention, as well as practices in health- and social-care institutions, and the situation of children in armed conflict. It addresses existing gaps in law and policy that facilitate torture and ill-treatment against children deprived of their liberty worldwide. Constrained as it is by an UN-imposed word limit, the report is meant to be a starting-point for discussion, which the articles in this volume pick up. Following its presentation to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2015, the report generated a considerable amount of interest and discussion on a range of issues explored therein. This volume seeks to contribute to and continue this discussion by creating space to elaborate on the report and the essential legal, policy, and advocacy issues raised in a variety of contexts of deprivation of liberty of children around the world. The publication chronicles part of the robust response by practitioners, advocates, and policy-makers to the cross-cutting issues explored by the report. Section I of this volume provides a broad overview of the problem of children deprived of liberty worldwide, and delves into several key questions of law and policy at the intersection of the torture and other ill-treatment and children's rights frameworks, including the potential of the report as a tool for advocacy to promote the recognition and protection of the rights of children in the context of deprivation of liberty; the unique vulnerability of children to torture and other ill-treatment; the challenge of translating standards into practice; the question of access to justice for children deprived of liberty; the role of the Council of Europe in addressing the deprivation of liberty of children; and avenues for meaningful participation of children and adolescents in the recommendations of United Nations human rights bodies in the context of deprivation of liberty. Section II addresses the unique challenges posed by the deprivation of liberty of children in conflict with the law in juvenile and criminal justice systems, featuring a call for the end of child detention as a form of punishment. It also includes a commentary on the UN Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice systems. It also analyzes the placement of children in solitary confinement, early diversion, monitoring mechanisms, and models of psychosocial intervention for children deprived of liberty. Section III delves into the situation of migrant, asylum-seeking, and refugee children, and their deprivation of liberty in these contexts. It further refers to the situation of children, including children with disabilities, in institutions and orphanages, as well as the situation of children in armed conflict, child soldiers, and the detention of children on grounds of "national security." Details: Washington, DC: Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law, American University, Washington College of Law, 2017. 442p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2017 at: http://antitorture.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Protecting_Children_From_Torture_in_Detention.pdf Year: 2017 Country: International URL: http://antitorture.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Protecting_Children_From_Torture_in_Detention.pdf Shelf Number: 145060 Keywords: Child ProtectionHuman RightsJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersTortureViolence against Children |
Author: Merfish, Brett Title: RAISE THE AGE: 17-Year-Olds in the Criminal Justice System. Arrests, Jail Bookings, and Case Outcomes Among 17-Year-Olds in Texas, 2012-2015 Summary: Texas is one of only seven states in which 17-year-olds accused of committing crimes are automatically shuffled into the adult criminal justice system rather than the juvenile justice system, regardless of the crime. Treating 17-year-olds as adults in the criminal justice system is out of step with the societal consensus for "maturity" as well as with research on brain development that finds youth are inherently less likely to consider the outcomes of their actions, more prone to risky behavior, and more vulnerable or susceptible to negative influences and outside pressures. Sending youth into the adult system has serious consequences for their mental health and physical well-being; 17-year-olds face physical and psychological risks when placed in adult prisons that lead to higher rates of suicide, depression, and physical and sexual victimization. In addition, having an adult criminal record creates future barriers to education, employment, housing, and military service. Seventeen-year-olds are not able to vote, serve on juries, or serve in the military, yet they are treated as adults by the criminal justice system. Moreover, the crimes 17-year-olds are arrested for and the crimes for which they're booked in jail closely resemble the crimes for which younger juveniles in Texas are arrested and detained. In short, 17-year-olds are very much like their 16-year-old counterparts but they receive different treatment by the criminal justice system - treatment that leads to higher recidivism rates and more negative effects on their well-being. The following data analysis examines the arrests (including arrests by Houston-area school district police officers), jail bookings, and case outcomes for 17-year-olds in Texas over the last four years for which complete data were available (2012-2015). Unless otherwise noted, data were obtained from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), the Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS), and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD). Some top-level findings of the analysis are: - The majority of 17-year-olds are arrested for low-level misdemeanor offenses. - Fewer 17-year-olds are being arrested each year - with a 17% decrease from 2013 to 2015. The number of arrests of 17-year-olds is closer to other juveniles than to adults or 18-year-olds. - The top three offenses leading to arrests of 17-year-olds were theft (20.8% of offenses), drug possession (19.1%), and assault (10.8%). - For drug offenses, 75.5% of arrests were for marijuana possession, representing 14.4% of all arrests of 17-year-olds. - Of arrests of 17-year-olds by Independent School District (ISD) officers in the Houston area over an almost two-year period, 35.9% were for drug possession, mainly small amounts of marijuana. - Data from a sample of counties show an annual downward trend of 17-year-olds being booked into jail; possession of marijuana (19.3%) and theft (18.1%) were the most common offenses. - The offenses most commonly resulting in jail bookings for 17-year-olds varied only slightly between counties. These findings and the following data analysis make a compelling case for treating 17-year-olds as juveniles within the criminal justice system. The rates at which they are arrested along with the offenses for which they are booked resemble the rates and offenses for 16-year-olds; yet their different treatment leads to very different outcomes. Raising the age will ensure that 17-year-olds who are charged with a criminal offense are treated in a developmentally appropriate way. Details: Austin, TX: Texas Appleseed, 2017. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2017 at: https://www.texasappleseed.org/sites/default/files/Raise%20the%20Age%20Report_041117.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.texasappleseed.org/sites/default/files/Raise%20the%20Age%20Report_041117.pdf Shelf Number: 145071 Keywords: Age of Responsibility Juvenile Court JurisdictionJuvenile Justice Reform Juvenile Justice System Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Waiver Waiver to Adult Court |
Author: O'Dwyer, Kieran Title: Reducing Youth Crime in Ireland: An Evaluation of Le Cheile Mentoring Summary: oung people who have fallen into crime reduce re-offending by 28% on average over the period of mentoring, a major evaluation report into the Le Cheile programme 'Reducing Youth Crime in Ireland' has shown. The report is based on a detailed evaluation of the Le Cheile volunteer mentoring programme and its activities over the period 2013-2015. The report has also shown also that for every euro spent on the programme, L4.35 is returned in social and economic benefits. Benefits include avoiding detention, better health and engagement in education. Of the 28% reduction in re-offending during the period of being mentored, 49% of this can be directly attributed to mentoring. It found that mentoring has significant positive impacts for young people over a range of areas, with the biggest gains made in self-confidence, hopefulness, communications, engagement in activities and, crucially, offending behaviour. Le Cheile Mentoring is a one-to-one relationship-based support service in which volunteers from local communities provide a positive role model to a young person by acting as an advisor and a friendly support. It also now delivers parent mentoring to offer parents support and help in managing their child's offending behaviour. In 2015 it mentored 152 young people aged 12 to 21 as well as 49 parent mentees, with volunteers giving 3,678 hours of their personal time to the young people and their parents. One of the key recommendations in the report was that, given the high social return from mentoring, Le Cheile should continue to be resourced and expanded to regions in Ireland where there is unmet or latent demand. Benefits include: Reductions in offending behaviour (an average of 28%, with attribution of nearly half of this to mentoring); Reductions in alcohol use (12%) and drug use (16%); Improved self-confidence (25%), hopefulness (25%), and happiness (23%); Greater involvement in activities outside the home (28%); Greater involvement or re-engagement in education, work and training (25%); Improved communication skills (24%); Moving away from negative peers (9% improvement in relationship with peers), and Improved relationships with parents (11%), other family (8%), & persons in authority (23%). Le Cheile is funded by the Irish Youth Justice Service through the Probation Service, as part of Ireland's European Structural and Investment Funds Programme 2014-2020 - co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Union. Founded in 2005 in Coolock, Le Cheile, which partners with the Probation Services to reduce youth offending behaviour in the community, is the first mentoring programme for young offenders in the country and today operates in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Clare, South Tipperary, Midlands, Waterford, Meath, with the objective now to expand it to other locations. Details: Coolock, Le Cheile, Ireland: Le cheile Mentoring & Youth Justice Support Services, 2017. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2017 at: http://www.lecheile.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Reducing-Youth-Crime-In-Ireland-Executive-Summary.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Ireland URL: http://www.lecheile.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Reducing-Youth-Crime-In-Ireland-Executive-Summary.pdf Shelf Number: 145314 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersMentoring ProgramsVolunteersYouth MentoringYouth Rehabilitation |
Author: Ibanez, Ana Maria Title: Impact of a Judicial System Reform on Police Behavior: Evidence on Juvenile Crime in Colombia Summary: This paper uses a natural experiment to identify the impact of a judicial system reform on police behavior. The study finds that, after a decrease in the severity of judicial punishment imposed on Colombian adolescents, arrest rates for adolescents in most misdemeanor crimes decreased due to a change in police behavior. The magnitude of this effect ranged between 0.08 to 0.321 standard deviations. The uncertainty on how to operate the new system, the lack of training, and the potential disciplinary sanctions led police officials to reduce arrest rates. Nonetheless, police forces learned gradually how to operate within the new system and adjusted their operations, countervailing the initial negative impact on arrest rates. We present suggestive evidence that the reduction in arrest rates and the lower sanctions increased crime incidents in cities with a large proportion of adolescents in their population. Qualitative evidence collected in focus groups with police officials supports the principal quantitative findings and contextualize the obstacles that led to the decrease in arrest rates and the perceived increase of juvenile crime based on the officials' experiences in the streets. Details: Bogota: Universidad de los Andes, Colombia - Department of Economics, 2017. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Documento CEDE No. 2017-17: Accessed May 12, 2017 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2931146 Year: 2017 Country: Colombia URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2931146 Shelf Number: 145457 Keywords: Juvenile CrimeJuvenile OffendersPolice BehaviorPolice ReformPolice-Citizen InteractionsPolice-Community Relations |
Author: John Howard Association of Illinois Title: Moving Beyond Transition: Ten Findings and Recommendations on the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice Summary: Our findings include the following: In a 2012 report, JHA found chronically low mental health staffing levels at IYC-Kewanee, the only IDJJ facility designated to provide intensive mental health treatment. Since JHA's 2012 report was published, IDJJ has increased Kewanee's mental health staffing levels and moved youth with lower security risks and less intensive treatment needs to a newly-created mental health special treatment cottage at IYC-St. Charles. While IDJJ has increased its collection of data on programs and operations, much of this data is still not readily available to stakeholders and public. This kind of transparency is essential to enable stakeholders and the public to independently evaluate IDJJ's performance, advocate for necessary improvements, and build broad support for the agency and its mission. In 2012, IDJJ strengthened oversight of its operations by requiring greater accountability from independent service providers, and also working with outside evaluators to assess program outcomes. Notwithstanding ongoing challenges, IDJJ has made progress in the area of juvenile parole and reentry. IDJJ now has the authority to approve alternative host site placements for youth awaiting release on parole, and the agency continues to expand its Aftercare Program to enhance treatment, services, and reentry outcomes for youth on parole. While JHA continues to receive reports from youth of confinement being misused and overused at some facilities, we were encouraged by evidence of staff using communication and de-escalation techniques in lieu of solitary confinement to punish disruptive youth. Based on a growing body of research and a well established body of law and best practices, JHA advocates that IDJJ allow confinement to be used only for security purposes when youth are physically out of control and/or present an immediate threat to physical safety-and only for the limited duration that youth pose an imminent threat of harm. Consistent with juvenile justice systems nationwide, JHA found evidence that minority youth of color in IDJJ are much less likely to be identified as having mental health needs and provided with services than white youth in the system. Details: Chicago: The Society, 2013. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2017 at: http://www.thejha.org/sites/default/files/Moving%20Beyond%20Transition.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.thejha.org/sites/default/files/Moving%20Beyond%20Transition.pdf Shelf Number: 131364 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersMental Health Services |
Author: Kruh, Ivan Title: Developing Service Delivery Systems for Evaluations of Juveniles' Competence to Stand Trial: A Guide for States and Counties Summary: The purpose of this Guide is to help states or counties develop a "forensic evaluation system" (FES) for providing courts evaluations of juveniles' competence to stand trial (JCST). An FES for JCST evaluations has three components that are described in the three modules in this Guide: Module 1: Developing a JCST Evaluation Service Delivery System (SDS)-An organizational structure and procedures within which JCST evaluations are provided to the courts Module 2: Creating Evaluation Standards-Criteria that JCST examiners should meet when performing JCST evaluations and writing reports Module 3: Quality Control: Developing a Process to Apply the Standards-Ways to ensure that the evaluation standards for examinations are actually implemented properly by examiners Why the Guide Is Needed The requirement that juvenile court defendants must be competent to stand trial is fairly new, not being in evidence much before the 1990s. When attorneys and juvenile advocates began to claim that competence to stand trial (CST) should apply to delinquency proceedings, there was some doubt about the need for it, as the juvenile court had existed for almost 100 years without the requirement. But in the past fifteen years, appellate courts examining the issue decided that CST was a fundamental due process right in juvenile delinquency cases. This created new demands and challenges for juvenile courts. What exactly was required to be a competent juvenile defendant? How would evaluations be done, and who would do them? What should the evaluations look like? Some states simply tried to use their definitions of CST and process for getting CST evaluations that had been in place for adult criminal defendants. But other states recognized that CST in juvenile court required its own definitions and procedures. As a consequence, many states began developing new, specialized statutes for the application of CST in juvenile court, 20 of them by 2010. In 2011, the need for guidance in development of JCST legislation prompted the publication of a guide for lawmakers. Between 2010 and 2015, eleven more states passed specialized JCST statutes, bringing the current total to 31 states with juvenile-specific statutes that guide JCST. The remaining 19 states and the District of Columbia recognize CST in juvenile court, and it is likely that many of them will develop legislation to codify its application before long. Once juvenile-specific statutes are passed and enacted, the job is far from done. States must then tackle the complex task of implementation - that is, putting the new laws into practice. How will the new laws be applied? How will the legal and mental health systems manage the new demands for obtaining JCST evaluations? This Guide, then, aims to assist states in one part of this implementation phase assuring that courts and attorneys can obtain reliable forensic evaluations to assist the juvenile court in reaching decisions about CST in juvenile cases. JCST evaluations require a specialized process that is similar to such evaluations in criminal court in some ways yet dissimilar in others. On average, children and adolescents do not have adult capacities. The complex contours of child development, developmental psychopathology and the juvenile court system call for different rules, examiners with different skills, and different considerations in JCST cases than in adult CST cases. Those differences were outlined in an earlier clinical guide devoted to conducting JCST evaluations. In addition, Kruh and Grisso offered a best-practices manual for conducting JCST evaluations that was published soon after. Those documents offer a background for the present Guide, in that they describe the task of the examiner in JCST evaluations. Details: Delmar, NY: National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, 2017. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 27, 2017 at: https://www.ncmhjj.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Juvenile_Competency_to_Stand_Trial_FINAL_508.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncmhjj.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Juvenile_Competency_to_Stand_Trial_FINAL_508.pdf Shelf Number: 145825 Keywords: Competence to Stand TrialForensic EvaluationJuvenile CourtJuvenile DefendantsJuvenile OffendersMental Health |
Author: McDonald, Kathryn Title: Perspectives on effectiveness: What works in a juvenile fire awareness and intervention program? Summary: Deliberate lighting of fires by juveniles is both a public health concern and a community issue. This collaborative multiagency project aimed to establish best practice guidelines for child and youth firesetter programs in Australia. The study proceeded in two parts. Firstly, the practices and perceived effectiveness of the Victorian Juvenile Fire Awareness and Intervention Program (JFAIP) were investigated and contrasted with other Australian and overseas programs (US, Canada and NZ). Reviewing the literature, extensive interviewing, comparative analysis of approaches and site visits enabled the development of criteria associated with juvenile firesetter programs that were well designed, well implemented, and appeared to provide effective interventions. Secondly, pre and post fire-specific and psychosocial risk factors were investigated with a sample of 29 firesetter boys (7-13 years)referred to the JFAIP using the firesetting risk interview (FRI) and children's firesetting interview (CFI). Children's recidivism was also prospectively followed-up for 12 months. Pre and post findings on the FRI suggested that all JFAIP clients benefited from the intervention. From the parent's perspective, lower fire-specific risk factors were reported after the intervention, but as expected psychosocial risks remained unchanged. From the child's perspective on the CFI, some fire-specific risk variables had improved. Of the 29 children in the sample, nine participants were dentified as recidivists. Thus a third of the sample, although receiving an intervention, continued to light fires. Recidivist and non-recidivist children were also compared on FRI and CFI and significant differences were found in both fire-specific and psychosocial risk factors. The study highlighted that high risk and low risk clients participate in fire safety education programs in Australia. Low risk clients benefited from a fire safety intervention emphasising education. Thus, fire safety education programs may be appropriate as a sole intervention with some firesetters under certain conditions. However, about a third of the JFAIP clients were recidivists and would benefit from additional interventions. It is recommended that juvenile firesetting programs follow best practice guidelines. Details: Melbourne: Victoria University, 2010. 508p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 5, 2017 at: http://vuir.vu.edu.au/16037/2/kate_mcdonald_PHD_Final_Thesis1.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://vuir.vu.edu.au/16037/2/kate_mcdonald_PHD_Final_Thesis1.pdf Shelf Number: 145919 Keywords: Arson Firesetting Interventions Juvenile Arson Juvenile OffendersRecidivism |
Author: Redmond, Sean Title: Lifting the Lid on Greentown. Why we should be concerned about the influence criminal networks have on children's offending behaviour in Ireland Summary: A large body of research exists in relation to youth crime. However, comparatively little is known in relation to the contexts of children who engage in serious offending behaviour and participate in criminal networks. Using a case study design, this study first identified and then examined the behaviour of a criminal network operating in a Garda Sub-District in Ireland in 2010-2011. For the purposes of the study, the Garda Sub-District, which is located outside of Dublin, has been given the pseudonym Greentown. In order to facilitate this examination, Garda analysts constructed a network map for the study using incident data to position 31 individuals aged 11-36 years who had been involved in either burglary or drugs for sale and supply in Greentown in 2010- 2011. Importantly, the map indicated relationships where two or more individuals were involved in the same offence. The map was used as the key reference tool to interview Greentown Garda about the activities and contexts of the individuals identified. The Twinsight method A method called Twinsight was designed to facilitate access to actual case-related data. This involved the use of two near-identical versions of the network map during the interviews with Gardai. In the researcher's version, the name of each individual was replaced with a unique identifying code, e.g. A1, B2, and D1. In the version used by Garda interviewees, the names of the individuals appeared alongside their identifying code. This permitted the researcher and the Garda respondents to talk about the same individuals, with their identities known only to the Garda. Twinsight enabled the production of an authentic narrative around key events, while protecting the identities of the individuals at all times. Key findings It was found that the criminal network which existed in Greentown in 2010-2011 was hierarchical in nature and was governed by a family and kinship-based 'core'. The hierarchical structure was supported by a deeply embedded sympathetic culture in the area, as well as powerful ongoing processes - in particular, patronagebased relationships which shared the rewards of crime among associates, but also generated onerous debt obligations. It was also found that the power and influence of the network is most influenced by the intensity of the relationships between individual members of the network and the network patrons, but geographical proximity between them also plays a role. The overall key finding of the study was that criminal networks play a significant role in encouraging and compelling children to engage in criminal behaviour. The study identified potential applications for the methods used in the project to progress further research on serious youth crime, and outlined some implications for youth crime-related policy. Chapter 1 presents a review of the existing literature, outlining the strengths and limitations of existing mainstream scientific knowledge on youth crime, followed by a more specific review of the literature relating to networks and crime. Chapter 2 outlines the overall methodological strategy and describes how a case study method was operationalised. Chapter 3 presents the research findings. Chapter 4 assesses the study's contribution to the existing body of knowledge, and considers the study's implications for wider policy and practical application. Details: Dublin: Department of Children and Youth Affairs, 2016. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 7, 2017 at: http://ulsites.ul.ie/law/sites/default/files/3910_DCYA_Greentown_%20Full%20report%20final%20version.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Ireland URL: http://ulsites.ul.ie/law/sites/default/files/3910_DCYA_Greentown_%20Full%20report%20final%20version.pdf Shelf Number: 145945 Keywords: Co-offendingCriminal NetworksGangsJuvenile OffendersYouth GangsYouthful Offenders |
Author: Sedlak, Andrea J. Title: Survey of Youth in Residential Placement: Conditions of Confinement Summary: This report, the third in the series, presents findings from the Survey of Youth in Residential Placement (SYRP) about the conditions of confinement for youth in a range of different facilities and progams. Results focus on the structural and operational characteristics of these environments and indicate how youth offenders are distributed across various programs and facilities of different size and complexity. These findings provide answers to a number of questions about the characteristics and experiences of youth in placement, including: - How are youth grouped in living units and programs? - Which youth are placed together? - What activities are available in each facility? - How accessible are social, emotional, and legal supports? - What is the quality of the youth-staff relationships? - How clear are the facility's rules? - How clear is the facility's commitment to justice and due process? - What methods of control and discipline do staff use? The data derive from interviews with a nationally representative sample of 7,073 youth in 2003, using audio-computer-assisted-self-interview (ACASI) methodology. Facility administrators provided additional information about placement contexts, either while planning the data collection or in verifying or updating answers on their latest Juvenile Residential Facility Census (JRFC) survey. The SYRP sample was drawn from the full population of state and local facilities identified by the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement and Juvenile Residential Facility Census surveys. SYRP youth resided in a nationally representative selection of 205 eligible, responsive facilities listed on the census as of 2002. These included detention and corrections facilities; community-based facilities such as shelters, group homes, and independent living programs; and camp programs, such as boot camps and forestry camps. The SYRP survey team interviewed the youth between the beginning of March and mid-June 2003. All SYRP findings use the youth as the unit of measurement. Each participant is weighted to reflect the number of youth he or she represents in the national population of youth in placement. These weights allow the sample youth (n=7,073) to provide estimates about the full placement population (estimated at more than 100,000 youth, on a given day in 2003). All SYRP reports present findings in terms of estimated numbers (rounded to the nearest multiple of 10) and percentages (rounded to the nearest whole percent) in the national population of youth in residential placement. Thus, this report describes how the population of youth in placement is distributed across different placement settings. Details: Rockville, MD: Westat, 2017. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 13, 2017 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250754.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250754.pdf Shelf Number: 146073 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersMental Health ServicesResidential Treatment CentersSubstance Abuse |
Author: Grisso, Thomas Title: Assuring the Future of Developmental Reform in Juvenile Justice. Recommendations of the Fourth Wave Forecasting Project Summary: The mid-1990s saw the beginning of resistance to the punitive reform in juvenile justice that had gripped the nation for about ten years. A new perspective on juvenile justice arose, acknowledging that adolescents needed a different response to their offending than for adults. The reform proposed that a developmental approach, consistent with adolescents' relative immaturity, would offer better prospects for youth and public safety. During the ensuing twenty years, this developmental reform took hold nationwide and began changing the face of juvenile justice. Lessons of history tell us that policy reforms require maintenance. They may be robust initially but meet changing times that challenge their continuance. Sometimes they have inherent vulnerabilities. What are the future challenges to the recent developmental reform in juvenile justice? How can it best be sustained? Details: s.l.: Models for Change, 2017. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief: Accessed June 20, 2017 at: http://www.modelsforchange.net/publications/856 Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.modelsforchange.net/publications/856 Shelf Number: 146307 Keywords: Juvenile JusticeJuvenile Justice policyJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Haapanen, Rudy Title: Understanding Ethnic Disparities in Juvenile Probation: What Affects Decisions? Summary: Ethnic disparities in juvenile justice system (JJS) involvement are well-documented and have been reported as persistent despite decades of effort. It has also been argued that JJS involvement does more harm than good, translating as continual and ongoing disadvantage for ethnic minorities. Although the evidence for ethnic bias in community corrections is equivocal and there are those who hold a more positive view of community corrections, any disparities are still a cause for concern. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) solicited research focused on two of the primary research and evaluation objectives: - Decision-making at disposition decision points impacting Hispanic/Latino youth, including disproportionate entry and deeper involvement in the juvenile justice system and/or transfer to the adult criminal justice system. - Disproportionate use of secure detention, which includes adult jails and lockups, and placement for Hispanic/Latino youth. The proposal for this study, like the solicitation itself, assumed that disparities exist, and argued that understanding the basis for disparities in a county - and therefore the potential for system change to reduce disparities-requires an understanding of the factors that govern decision making other than current offense, such as the dispositional alternatives available in a particular setting and the characteristics of youth in relation to the alternatives. The present study, however, was not limited to issues involving Hispanic/Latino youth. The data provided the ability to assess possible disparities for Blacks as well, and the analysis and results are presented for the three major ethnic groups in California (White, Black and Latino), with other groups combined into a fourth category. Details: Davis, CA: University of California at Davis, 2016. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2017 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250802.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250802.pdf Shelf Number: 146437 Keywords: Decision MakingDisproportionate Minority Confinement Ethnic MinoritiesHispanic YouthJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationLatinosRacial Disparities |
Author: Liberman, Akiva Title: Local Validation of SPEP Ratings of Juvenile Justice Program Effectiveness: A Case Study Summary: At the end of 2012, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention launched the Juvenile Justice Reform and Reinvestment Initiative (JJRRI) at three demonstration sites in Delaware, Iowa, and Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The goal of JJRRI was to bring evidence and best practices to bear on juvenile justice operations using three types of tools: - Dispositional matrices provide evidence-based recommendations concerning dispositional options. - The Standardized Program Evaluation Protocol (SPEP) rating system brings evidence concerning program effectiveness to bear on juvenile justice services and guides improvements to those services. - Validated risk assessments are necessary for both dispositional matrices and SPEP ratings. Together, these tools are intended to increase effectiveness and efficiency in the use of juvenile justice resources. Concurrent with JJRRI implementation, the Urban Institute evaluated the initiative to understand whether it improved the quality and effectiveness of juvenile justice programming. One goal of the evaluation was to understand the implementation of the SPEP rating system, and this was the subject of our first evaluation report (Liberman and Hussemann 2016). The rating system is quite simple in conception, and is described briefly in chapter 2 of this report. Despite its simplicity, however, conducting a first round of SPEP ratings is usually an intensive effort that can take two to three years to complete. Our previous report detailed the implementation requirements of the SPEP: strong data systems and reliable and timely risk assessment. The SPEP often reveals deficiencies in these systems and can then help drive improvements. These improvements, in turn, require support from a range of juvenile justice stakeholders and considerable technical assistance. After reviewing SPEP implementation requirements, that report described the challenges the JJRRI sites encountered and how they were addressed. We concluded that a first round of ratings tends to uncover deficiencies that then motivate reforms with considerable potential to improve the effectiveness of the juvenile justice system. The evaluation also aimed to locally validate the relationship between SPEP ratings and reduced recidivism, which is the subject of this report. A local validation would replicate previous work done in Arizona by Lipsey (2008) and Redpath and Brandner (2010). Of the three JJRRI sites, only Iowa seemed a suitable site for local validation. Iowa's Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning provided the Urban Institute with data for this purpose that are analyzed in the current report. As a prelude to attempting to locally validate the SPEP, chapter 3 reports on Iowa's first round of SPEP ratings, collected between 2012 and 2015. However, although results in Iowa were promising in some respects, they ultimately did not provide an opportunity for local validation. The rest of this chapter briefly introduces JJRRI. Chapter 2 then briefly reviews the SPEP rating system and its data requirements. Chapter 3 examines the data collected in Iowa. Chapter 4 explores the possibility of using that data to locally validate the relationship between SPEP ratings and reduced recidivism. Chapter 5 concludes with a summary and lessons learned. Details: Washington, DC; Urban Institute, 2017. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2017 at: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/90041/local-validation-of-spep-ratings-of-juvenile-justice-program-effectiveness_0.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/90041/local-validation-of-spep-ratings-of-juvenile-justice-program-effectiveness_0.pdf Shelf Number: 146445 Keywords: Evidence-Based ProgramsJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenile OffendersRisk AssessmentTreatment Programs |
Author: Atella, Julie Title: Summary of Findings from DOCCR Programs: 2015 Evaluation Report Summary: Many justice-involved youth have unmet mental health needs. In 2014, staff from Hennepin County's Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCCR) determined a need to collect information from a handful of the programs that serve justice-involved youth with mental health needs. The central question they wanted answered is how can DOCCR programs better capture information about the mental health needs of their clients in a manner that is culturally aware? DOCCR requested an exploratory examination of how some of their community-based programs address and track clients' mental health needs. This analysis does not examine each program in the same manner. The following five funded programs were included in the evaluation: - Brief Intervention: Humble Beginning's Brief Intervention program provides four sessions of one-on-one therapy for youth with mild-to-moderate substance use. This program uses motivational interviewing to raise awareness of the youths' problems, offering a number of strategies for accomplishing the targeted goals, and placing responsibility for change with the youth. Brief Intervention is designed to diminish factors contributing to drug use and promote factors that protect against relapse. - Girls Circle H.E.A.R.T.: The YMCA runs Girls Circle H.E.A.R.T., a gender-responsive curriculum, for Hennepin County-involved adolescent girls. It includes a 16 week curriculum that provides recreational, individual and group learning experiences; community support through individual and family support; crisis intervention, transportation, and trauma-informed resources and referrals; as well as educational support through coordinating support services, monitoring attendance and attending school meetings. - Hold Your Horses: Cairns Psychological Services provides gender-responsive equine-assisted group psychotherapy through their Hold Your Horses program. This equine therapy treatment model focuses on improvement of adaptive functioning skills for youth who have experienced or are at high risk of experiencing sexual exploitation, abuse or trauma. Hold Your Horses assists in the development of these skills by helping youth to focus on mindfulness, self-regulation, self-soothing and self-awareness. Group takes place for two hours, one time per week, for 10 consecutive weeks. - The Family Partnership: The Family Partnership provides Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST) to youth from either juvenile probation and/or human services in Hennepin County. MST is an intensive home-based model designed for youth ages 12 to 17 currently living at home but who are at risk for out-of-home placement. It focuses on collaboration with caregivers, allowing the caregivers to know exactly what is happening and why. - Runaway Intervention Program (RIP): Midwest Children's Resource Center's RIP program is an advanced practice nurse-led initiative to help severely sexually assaulted or exploited girls reconnect to family, school and health care resources. The two components of the program are 1) an initial complex health and abuse assessment at the hospital-based Child Advocacy Center and 2) 12 months of ongoing care, including health assessments, medical care, treatment for post- traumatic stress disorder and depression, and confidential reproductive health care. With the exception of Brief Intervention, all programs serve youth from both DOCCR and the Human Services and Public Health Department (HSPD). Details: St. Paul, MN: Wilder Research, 2016. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2017 at: http://www.hccmhc.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/DOCCR-Programs-2015.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.hccmhc.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/DOCCR-Programs-2015.pdf Shelf Number: 146446 Keywords: Community-Based ProgramsJuvenile OffendersMental Health ServicesMental IllnessTreatment Programs |
Author: National Juvenile Defender Center Title: Delaware: An Assessment of Access to Counsel and Quality of Representation in Juvenile Delinquency Proceedings Summary: Fifty years ago, the United States Supreme Court affirmed children's constitutional right to due process and to the assistance of counsel in delinquency court. The historic decision, known as In re Gault, set forth a new status quo for the country: the pursuit of justice in juvenile court was no longer an abstract ideal but a necessary function of law requiring protections under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. Threaded into the Supreme Court's opinion were simple and yet, at the time, radical notions that children who face charges in juvenile court deserve a legal advocate to safeguard their rights and interests; and that the good intentions of government, when left unchecked, cause injury to children, their families, and their future opportunities. Today, states are still working to fulfill this vision - central to which is an effective system of appointing high-quality defense counsel at all stages of a young person's case. Over the last two decades, the National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC) has evaluated juvenile defense delivery systems in 21 states; Delaware is now the 22nd. The purpose of a state assessment is to provide policymakers, legislators, and defense leadership, among other stakeholders, with a comprehensive understanding of children's access to counsel in the state, to identify structural and systemic barriers to ensuring effective representation for young people, and to offer best-practices recommendations to improve access to and quality of juvenile defense. The First State - as Delaware is proudly known - provides legal representation for youth charged in delinquency court through the Office of Defense Services (ODS). NJDC's expert investigators visited Delaware's three counties, where they conducted interviews with ODS staff and other juvenile court stakeholders, observed delinquency proceedings, and obtained information and reports from the Delaware Family Courts. Investigators also completed a statutory review of the state's court rules, laws, and proposed legislation. It was readily apparent that those responsible for dispensing justice in Delaware's juvenile court system are firmly committed to fairness and helping youth access opportunities. However, there was no shared agreement among stakeholders of what effective juvenile public defense should look like, nor a clear articulation of how strong representation for youth supports the goals of the juvenile justice system. Investigators concluded the quality of representation falls short of fulfilling the constitutional guarantees of due process for children in court. Delaware is one of a few states in the nation that imposes monetary bail on children, and one of the only states that allows for bail and detention hearings to be conducted via videoconference. And Delaware Family Courts persist in applying mandatory minimum sentences to some youth, despite research supporting developmentally informed, individualized justice for children. Serious racial inequities exist at all stages of delinquency proceedings across the state, with Black and brown children receiving harsher treatment at every decision point. Punitive practices like these make the need for zealous defenders essential. The shortcomings identified in the Assessment are not because of negligent lawyering; on the contrary, most juvenile defenders are fiercely dedicated to their clients and to ensuring the best possible case outcomes. However, the juvenile court system overall lacks an awareness of the direct and collateral harms youth experience when adjudicated delinquent - especially when children are unnecessarily processed through court as a means to access court-based interventions. Rather than serve as advocates for children's expressed interests, lawyers are encouraged to move clients quickly through adjudication with the goal of obtaining services, whether they are necessary or not. The net this perspective casts over children, and particularly children of color, results in young people being tangled deeper in court and for longer periods of time when less-restrictive alternatives are appropriate. Moreover, systemic deficiencies limit children's access to counsel and inhibit juvenile defenders' ability to advocate for dispositions that are better-suited for a child's interests and success. While there is cause for concern in Delaware's juvenile court system, the investigators also found notable strengths and promising practices that have been implemented with broad support. Building on the success of these reforms will keep the state on track to address and overcome the system's shortfalls. The Assessment's core recommendations call for collaborative action to remedy gaps in juvenile defense delivery at the state, county, and local levels. The report concludes with a set of strategies to guide stakeholders through the implementation process and at last ensure that Delaware's youth receive the constitutional protections guaranteed to them over five decades ago. Details: National Juvenile Defender Center, 2017. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 4, 2017 at: http://njdc.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Delaware-Assessment_NJDC.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://njdc.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Delaware-Assessment_NJDC.pdf Shelf Number: 146717 Keywords: Defense CounselJuvenile CourtJuvenile OffendersLegal Defense |
Author: Coen, Rena Title: Electronic Monitoring of Youth in the California Juvenile Justice System Summary: One of the most significant changes in the juvenile justice system in recent decades has been the proliferation of electronic monitoring of youth. Every state except New Hampshire has some form of juvenile electronic monitoring. Electronic monitoring is used in a variety of contexts, including as a condition of pretrial release or probation. Yet despite the rapid proliferation of electronic monitoring of youth, there is little research about how this technology is used, whether it is effective, and how it affects the youth who are tracked. While electronic monitoring may be preferable to incarceration, juvenile electronic monitoring programs are still burdensome and should be utilized fairly and responsibly. In an effort to better understand how juvenile electronic monitoring programs operate in California, the Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic, in partnership with the East Bay Community Law Center, sought information from all 58 California counties about the terms and conditions youth must comply with while being monitored electronically. We are releasing the documents we obtained to the public, together with this analysis. This collection of documents and this report are a product of our collaboration with the East Bay Community Law Center, East Bay Children's Law Offices, and the Alameda County Public Defender's Office. These offices defend youth in Alameda County juvenile court. Attorneys and advocates at these organizations expressed concern that juvenile electronic monitoring requirements are unrealistically onerous, disproportionally impact youth of color, and undermine the rehabilitative purpose of the juvenile justice system.6 In response, the Clinic investigated electronic monitoring conditions throughout California. This report offers a high-level overview of the terms and conditions commonly used in California. It also highlights written rules and policies that seem particularly burdensome on their face. Our inquiry is currently limited to the information available in the records we obtained, and does not explore how these programs operate in practice. We hope to move beyond the paper record to explore questions of implementation and practice in future work. We also hope that other scholars, practitioners, and advocates will do so as well. We are releasing all of the documents we obtained to the public to facilitate a better understanding of how juvenile electronic monitoring programs are formally structured. This is the first time anyone has comprehensively canvassed juvenile electronic monitoring program rules across an entire state. These documents will allow those working in the field of juvenile justice in California to see how their county's written program rules line up against those in effect elsewhere. All of these programs impose burdens upon youth and their families-no one county has created a model approach. Yet some rules in some counties impose program requirements that are substantially less restrictive and allow youth comparatively greater freedom and flexibility. There is a pressing need for research to evaluate whether electronic monitoring is effective in reducing recidivism rates or improving other outcomes for youth - and, if so, under what circumstances. There is a growing consensus that courts should rely on evidence-based practices when making decisions and formulating policy, and yet there is little evidence thus far demonstrating the effectiveness of juvenile electronic monitoring programs. California's juvenile justice system is expressly intended to promote the correction and rehabilitation of youths. But without access to evidence-based program data, judges and policy-makers are unable to evaluate whether there are rehabilitative effects to these programs or whether these programs are excessively punitive. Moreover, these rules disproportionately affect families of color. Youth of color are overrepresented at every stage of the juvenile justice system.10 And once involved in the system, they are punished more harshly, and for longer, than other comparable youth. As a result, research about the specific ways that electronic monitoring programs disproportionately affect youth of color is urgently needed. Details: Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Law, Samuel Law, Technology and Public Policy Clinic, 2017. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2017 at: https://www.law.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Report_Final_Electronic_Monitoring.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.law.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Report_Final_Electronic_Monitoring.pdf Shelf Number: 146729 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationElectronic MonitoringJuvenile OffendersRacial DiscriminationYouthful Offenders |
Author: University of California School of Law - Berkeley. Policy Advocacy Clinic Title: Making Families Pay: The Harmful, Unlawful, and Costly Practice of Charging Juvenile Administration Fees in California Summary: n the wake of tragedies in cities like Ferguson, Missouri, national attention is focused on the regressive and racially discriminatory practice of charging fines and fees to people in the criminal justice system.People of color are overrepresented at every stage in the criminal justice system, even when controlling for alleged criminal behavior. Racially disproportionate treatment in the system leaves people of color with significantly more criminal justice debt, including burdensome administrative fees. While regressive and discriminatory criminal justice fees have been described and critiqued in the adult system, the issue has received very little attention in the juvenile system. Nevertheless, families with youth in the juvenile system are charged similar fees, which significantly undermine the system's rehabilitative goals. The harmful practice of charging poor people for their interaction with the criminal justice system is not limited to places like Ferguson, Missouri. California, too, makes families pay for their children's involvement in the juvenile system. This report presents findings about the practice of assessing and collecting administrative fees from families with youth in the California juvenile system. We use the term "administrative fees" to describe the charges imposed by local jurisdictions on families for their child's involvement in the juvenile system. State law permits counties to charge administrative fees for legal representation, detention, and probation, but only to families with the ability to pay. Most counties in California charge these administrative fees, imposing millions of dollars of debt on families with youth in the juvenile system. Our research over the last three years reveals that juvenile administrative fees undermine the rehabilitative purpose of the juvenile system. Counties charge these fees to families already struggling to maintain economic and social stability. Fee debt becomes a civil judgment upon assessment. If families do not pay the fees, counties refer the debt to the state Franchise Tax Board, which garnishes parents' wages and intercepts their tax refunds. Under state law, these fees are meant to help protect the fiscal integrity of counties. They are not supposed to be retributive (to punish the family), rehabilitative (to help the youth) or restorative (to repay victims). This report details our findings on juvenile fees in California, but we summarize them here: HARMFUL: Juvenile administrative fees cause financial hardship to families, weaken family ties, and undermine family reunification. Because Black and Latino youth are overrepresented and overpunished relative to White youth in the juvenile system, families of color bear a disproportionate burden of the fees. Criminologists recently found that juvenile debt correlates with a greater likelihood of recidivism, even after controlling for case characteristics and youth demographics. These negative outcomes from fees undermine the rehabilitative purpose of the juvenile system. UNLAWFUL: Some counties charge juvenile administrative fees to families in violation of state law, including fees that are not authorized in the juvenile setting, fees that exceed statutory maximums, and fees for youth who are found not guilty. Some counties violate federal law by charging families to feed their children while seeking reimbursement for the same meals from national breakfast and lunch programs. Further, counties engage in fee practices that may violate the state Constitution by depriving families of due process of law through inadequate ability to pay determinations and by denying families equal protection of the law in charging certain fees. COSTLY: Counties are authorized to charge families for juvenile administrative fees to pay for the care and supervision of their children. Yet counties net little revenue from the fees. Because of the high costs and low returns associated with trying to collect fees from low-income families, most of the fee revenue pays for collection activities, not for the care and supervision of youth. Further, the fee debt can cause families to spend less on positive social goods, such as education and preventative healthcare, which imposes long term costs on families, communities, and society by prolonging and exacerbating poverty. Based on our findings, fixing the system is not an option. Charging administrative fees to families with youth in the juvenile system does not serve rehabilitative purposes. Other mechanisms in the system punish youth for their mistakes and address the needs of victims. Further, we did not find a single county in which fee practices were both fair and cost-effective. Counties either improperly charge low-income families and net little revenue, or they fairly assess families' inability to pay and net even less. Counties that have recently considered the overall harm, lawfulness, and costs of juvenile administrative fees have all ended the practice. Details: Berkeley: The Clinic, 2017. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: UC Berkeley Public Law Research Paper: Accessed September 2, 2017 at: http://wclp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/State-Juvenile-Fees-Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://wclp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/State-Juvenile-Fees-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 147032 Keywords: Administrative FeesCriminal Justice DebtFines and FeesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Center for American Progress Title: Unjust: LGBTQ Youth Incarcerated in the Juvenile Justice System Summary: A growing body of research lays bare the overrepresentation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth in the juvenile justice system in the United States. As shown in the infographic on the next page, LGBTQ and gender non-conforming youth are overrepresented in juvenile detention and correctional facilities in the juvenile system: the percentage of incarcerated LGBT youth is double that of LGBTQ youth in the general population. LGBTQ youth, particularly LGBTQ youth of color, face discrimination and stigma that lead to criminalization and increased interactions with law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Family rejection, family instability, and poverty may result in homelessness or time spent in the child welfare system, where LGBTQ youth frequently face stigma and discrimination. Additionally, LGBTQ students often lack support or are over-policed at school, pushing them out of school and onto the streets. Once on the streets, status offenses, drug laws, and laws criminalizing sex work - as well as policing strategies and discrimination by law enforcement-often target LGBTQ youth. A longitudinal study published in Pediatrics found that youth who reported identifying as LGB or having same-sex attractions were more likely to be stopped by police, to be expelled from school, or to be arrested and convicted as juveniles and adults. For some LGBTQ youth, especially LGBTQ youth of color and transgender and non-conforming youth, these factors play a large role in increasing their interactions with law enforcement and ultimately their overrepresentation in the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Despite these forces and disproportionate contact with the juvenile and criminal justice systems, LGBTQ youth demonstrate remarkable resiliency, creating families of choice, networks for support, and often not only surviving, but thriving. In the juvenile and criminal justice systems, LGBTQ youth face bias in adjudication and mistreatment and abuse in confinement facilities. LGBTQ youth also lack supportive services when leaving the criminal and juvenile justice systems, often forcing them back into negative interactions with law enforcement. Given that nearly 40% of incarcerated girls in identify as LGB and 85-90% of incarcerated LGBTQ youth are youth of color, it is crucial that any effort to change the way youth in the United States engage with the juvenile justice system must consider the unique experiences of LGBTQ youth. This spotlight report highlights the experiences of LGBTQ youth incarcerated in the juvenile justice system. Details: Washington, DC: The Center, 2017. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2017 at: https://lgbtmap.org/file/lgbtq-incarcerated-youth.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://lgbtmap.org/file/lgbtq-incarcerated-youth.pdf Shelf Number: 147228 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersLGBTQ Youth |
Author: Fonagy, Peter Title: Evaluation of Multisystemic Therapy for adolescent problematic sexual behaviour: Research report Summary: The Services for Teens Engaging in Problem Sexual Behaviour (STEPS-B) trial aimed to assess the feasibility of implementation of MST-PSB, a family-based intervention for problematic sexual behaviour. We sought to determine whether Multisystemic Therapy - Problem Sexual Behaviour (MST-PSB) could be implemented fully and at a scale that would warrant a full trial. Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is an intensive clinical treatment programme which aims to involve all environmental factors which affect juvenile offending, including family, school, and the community. MST-PSB is an adaptation of MST aimed at adolescents who have engaged in problematic sexual behaviours and often demonstrated other problem behaviours. It is an intensive family- and home-based intervention uniquely developed to address the multiple determinants of problematic sexual behaviour in adolescents. MSTPSB is designed to reduce problematic sexual behaviours; antisocial behaviours, and out-of-home placements. Supplementary to MST, MST-PSB has a greater focus on safety planning, individual factors (for example, impulsivity, social anxiety) related to problematic sexual behaviours (PSBs), and interventions specific to problem sexual behaviour, such as offence clarification sessions aimed at increasing accountability and safety, and the promotion of normative sexual behaviour. Furthermore, family therapy techniques, such as structural and strategic family therapy interventions, are utilized to a greater extent than in standard MST. In addition, the impact of the young person's own victimization and experience of abuse is assessed. For the purpose of the present trial, PSB is defined as any sexual behaviour which is harmful, either to the victims of the young person's behaviour, or the young person themselves. The primary aim of the STEPS-B trial was determining whether MST-PSB reduces the incidence of out-of-home placement compared to management as usual (MAU). A range of secondary outcomes assessed as part of the trial included sexual and non-sexual offending rates and antisocial behaviours; participant well-being; family functioning, and total service and criminal justice sector costs. The quantitative data, collected at baseline (beginning of treatment), and at 8, 14, and 20 month follow-up points, measured problematic sexual behaviour; associated mental health problems and disorders; emotional and behavioural functioning, as well as domains central to the mechanisms by which MST-PSB is supposed to work: quality of parent-adolescent relationship; parenting skills and parental mental health. Unfortunately, the trial recruited a very low number of families overall; 40 young people and 40 carers were recruited in total (compared with the target of 56 families), with 21 families in the MST-PSB arm, and 19 in the MAU arm. The young people recruited into the study were aged 10-18 (mean 13.4); 36 (90%) of the participants were male. The low sample size resulted in limited statistical analyses comparing MST-PSB to management as usual. There were numerous factors that are likely to have contributed to the low uptake of participants, such as a relatively low pool of adolescents showing problematic sexual behaviour to start with, poor and unintegrated systems for identifying and helping young people showing PSBs, court delays and ongoing police involvement that complicated and prohibited involvement, and the stigma and shame associated with disclosure by young people and their carers. The primary outcome of out-of-home placement was seen in only 4 cases, 2 in each group and therefore was not meaningful as a potential between-group difference. The general trend from analyses of secondary outcomes was that both groups improved over time, which may reflect spontaneous recovery over time in moving from a crisis or intensely difficult period associated with detection and disclosure. Examining the effect sizes of the pre-post analyses of the secondary outcomes suggests that MST would likely have shown significant improvements in parental involvement and the degree to which family members felt connected to each other and supported when compared to MAU. The results of qualitative interviews revealed that young people had strong negative feelings about themselves, were embarrassed or ashamed of the behaviour which led to their engagement with MST-PSB, and had fears about being stigmatised by their family, friends, peers, and society at large. Most parents did not report ongoing problematic behaviour from their child, but experienced the allegations of PSB as unexpected and shocking, and as something which caused them to lose confidence in themselves as parents, and to lose confidence in their child. Parents had similar concerns about stigmatisation, but also felt they needed to protect their child. Overall, both young people and parents felt that they had benefited from MST-PSB. Young people felt that they had an improved attitude towards themselves and improved behavioural regulation, while parents did not report any recurrence of PSB and felt that their relationship with their adolescent had improved, as had their adolescent's behaviour at home and/or at school. Finally, parents felt confident that they would be able to continue using the skills they learned during the programme but also identified residual feelings of guilt and residual behaviour problems. There are strong, positive statements from MST staff that MST-PSB was an exciting and workable framework for working with young people presenting with complex needs: in this case those young people showing PSB. It was clear that MST-PSB was an intervention delivered with strong commitments from MST personnel dedicated to achieving positive outcomes, with families supported by very strong oversight and quality assurance in the form of highly valued supervision and consultation. The extraordinary efforts made to engage and keep families working on problems, the collaborative nature of treatment, including the use of goal-setting processes and outcome tools with families, the quality and frequency of supervision and consultation in keeping the team on target, and working with fidelity to the model were all very positively rated. At the same time, there were some shortcomings or potential limitations identified by staff, such as the degree to which the model and working practices were applicable to the heterogeneity seen in young people (and families) showing PSB, and the degree to which any 1 professional can deal with the complex treatment needs of such a population. Specifically, there was some question as to the degree to which families where trauma was part of the clinical picture with young people and/or their carers would be adequately served within the general 5-7month time frame, and, in this respect, the degree to which all therapists possessed the skills for working with trauma, even with the support provided. In terms of the larger mental health and social network that set the referral context for the trial, unfortunately we confirmed what has been identified as issues for service delivery for this population, such as poor communication between relevant agencies, with inadequate assessment and joint planning, and cases that were slow to go to court, adversely affecting the delivery of appropriate intervention (Hackett, Masson & Phillips, 2005). However, at the same time we saw examples of good practice, such as in the Borough of Southwark, where integrated, inter-agency panels are supported by strong commitment to these young people, recognising the need for on-going training and the implementation of evidence-based models of working Details: Darlington, UK: Department of Education, 2017. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2017 at: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/29567/1/Evaluation_of_Multisystemic_Therapy_for_adolescent_problematic_sexual_behaviour.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/29567/1/Evaluation_of_Multisystemic_Therapy_for_adolescent_problematic_sexual_behaviour.pdf Shelf Number: 147337 Keywords: Adolescent Sex OffendersAntisocial BehaviorJuvenile OffendersMultisystemic TherapySex Offender Treatment |
Author: Gleicher, Lily Title: Juvenile Justice In Illinois 2015 Summary: Rates for arrest, station adjustment and probation caseloads, detention admissions, and new sentence admissions to the Department of Juvenile Justice have generally declined over the past five years in each region of Illinois. The Central and Southern regions of Illinois are exceptions, where detention rates have slightly increased. Although black youth comprised only 18% of the youth population aged 10 to 17 years old in 2015, they accounted for 59% of juvenile arrests, 59% of juvenile detention admissions, and 65% of corrections admissions for new sentences. While male youth comprised 51% of the youth population aged 10 to 17 years old in 2015, they accounted for more than 75% of juvenile arrests, detention admissions, and corrections admissions for new sentences. The majority of youth arrested, admitted to detention, and admitted to corrections were 16- or 17-years old. There was a greater proportion of youth arrested for a property crime or other crime. For detention admissions, there was a greater proportion of youth detained for a warrant. For a new sentence admission to corrections, a greater proportion of youth were admitted for a property crime or a crime to a person. 21,244 juveniles accounted for 32,022 total juvenile arrests. There were 11,122 admissions to local secure detention facilities. 807 youth accounted for 828 new sentence admissions to Department of Juvenile Justice correctional facilities. Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2017. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 16, 2017 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/articles/Juvenile_Justice_in_Illinois_2015_Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/articles/Juvenile_Justice_in_Illinois_2015_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 147353 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Fair Punishment Project Title: Juvenile Life without Parole in Wayne County: Time to Join the Growing National Consensus? Summary: A new report released today highlights Wayne County's frequent use of juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) sentences, calling the county an "extreme outlier" in its use of the punishment. The report also criticizes D.A. Worthy's decision, which was announced Friday, to again seek life sentences for at least one out of three individuals currently serving this sentence. The report urges District Attorney Kym Worthy to adopt a new approach to dealing with juveniles in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Montgomery v. Louisiana, which determined that the court's prior decision barring mandatory life without parole sentences for youth must be applied retroactively, and that the punishment is only appropriate in the rarest of cases where a juvenile is determined to be "irreparably corrupt." The report, Juvenile Life Without Parole in Wayne County: Time to Join the Growing National Consensus?, notes that Wayne County is responsible for the highest number of juvenile life without parole sentences in the country now that Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams has recently announced that he will not be seeking LWOP sentences for any of the individuals previously sentenced to JLWOP there. Currently there are more than 150 individuals serving JLWOP in Wayne County. While Wayne County has just 18% of the statewide population, it has at least 40% of the JLWOP sentences in the state of Michigan. Most incredibly, African-Americans are 39% of Wayne County's population, but more than 90% of the individuals serving juvenile life with parole sentences from the county are Black. D.A. Worthy's office obtained 27 JLWOP sentences during her tenure. "There is growing national consensus that life without parole is an inappropriate sentence for kids," said Rob Smith of the Fair Punishment Project. "D.A. Worthy's decision to again seek life without parole for one out of three individuals who were convicted as juveniles is completely out of line with the Supreme Court's ruling, mounting scientific research, the practices of prosecutors across the country, and years of experience that have shown us that youth are capable of change and deserve an opportunity to earn their release." The report notes that the Supreme Court has set a high bar to justify a life without parole sentence for juveniles. Given that adolescent brains are not fully developed and the capacity that children have to change, the Court rightfully assumes that it will be rare for an individual to meet the standard required for a JLWOP sentence. The report notes that D.A. Worthy's decision doesn't go nearly far enough in limiting the use of JLWOP, as it ignores mounting scientific evidence and a growing national consensus against the punishment. Details: Cambridge, MA: Fair Punishment Project, 2016. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 18, 2017 at: http://fairpunishment.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/FPP-WayneCountyReport-Final.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://fairpunishment.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/FPP-WayneCountyReport-Final.pdf Shelf Number: 147383 Keywords: Juvenile Offenders Life Imprisonment Life Sentence Life Without Parole Sentencing |
Author: Kessels, Eelco Title: Correcting the Course: Advancing Juvenile Justice Principles for Children Convicted of Violent Extremist Offenses Summary: Children have always been among the most vulnerable victims of violence and, at times, some of its brutal purveyors. They have played various roles in furthering violent extremism and participating in acts of violence, ranging from inciting propaganda online to carrying out deadly attacks. Rather than exceptionalizing these children, their treatment under the criminal justice system should be grounded in juvenile justice standards. To advance the work of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), the government of Australia commissioned the Global Center and the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism - The Hague (ICCT) to prepare a report and accompanying policy brief putting forward guiding principles, recommendations, and considerations for the detention, rehabilitation, and reintegration of juveniles convicted of terrorism and violent extremism offenses. Together, they advance a juvenile justice approach for authorities responsible for their care and support the notion that national security interests and juvenile justice imperatives are compatible and mutually reinforcing in preventing and countering violent extremism. Responding to a call from the GCTF Neuchatel Memorandum on Good Practices for Juvenile Justice in a Counterterrorism Context to collect and collate information on children engaged in terrorism-related activity, the report takes stock of theory, policies, and practice globally. The recommendations draw from international juvenile justice standards, the emerging body of principles and practices in the detention of adult violent extremist offenders, and the national experiences in demobilizing and reintegrating child combatants and members of organized criminal groups. Details: Washington, DC: Global Center on Cooperative Security; The Hague: International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, 2017. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2017 at: http://www.globalcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Correcting-the-Course_Global-Center_ICCT.pdf Year: 2017 Country: International URL: http://www.globalcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Correcting-the-Course_Global-Center_ICCT.pdf Shelf Number: 147499 Keywords: Child CombatantsCounter-terrorismJuvenile JusticeJuvenile OffendersTerrorismViolent Extremists |
Author: Nochajski, Thomas H. Title: Hillside Children's Center: Livingston County Youth Court and Community Services Evaluation Summary: From 2008 to 2010, State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Social Work conducted an evaluation of the Hillside Children's Center - Community Service Livingston County Youth Court (LCYC) program. Analyses focused on the recidivism (readmission) rates of children ages 12-17 who participated in their program. A particular strength of this evaluation is the use of a mixed method design, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative data elements. Additionally, the ability to integrate research and clinical practice with client outcomes provides an added strength to this evaluation, ultimately building the knowledge base in an effort to more appropriately meet the needs of the children and adolescents that Hillside Children's Center serves. Based on the initial goals and the interest in having enough allotted time to track follow-up recidivism rates, prospective data was not collected for this evaluation. Beginning in the year 2006, participants entered the LCYC and continued receiving services until 2008. Following discharge, the year of 2009 serves as the follow-up period for this evaluation. With a vast amount of rich data, pretest information utilized for this evaluation was collected by Hillside Children's Center which included program participant information. Additionally, information was collected from Livingston County Probation (Youth Assessment and Screening Instrument [YASI] Recidivism information) and Livingston County Department of Social Services (LC-DSS) (Placement information). The qualitative data collection component of this evaluation consisted of either a face-to-face or a telephone interview, and included multiple sources: LCYC participants and their parents, LCYC volunteers and their parents, LC Probation, and Hillside Children's Center staff. Due to constraints based on the relatively low rates of recidivism and placement, the available size of the sample was quite small, which perhaps reduces the power to detect significant differences between the groups, essentially elevating the risk for Type I errors. As a result, information on marginal trends (p<.25) is also presented. Because of limited power and the increased chance of causality related to a random occurrence, evaluators considered nearly all other potential elements or variables that may help improve existing Hillside Children's Center programs, with the understanding that these factors will need to be evaluated further. This information could perhaps point to areas of future investigation, in addition to potentially saving time, effort, and monetary costs associated with future data collection. The current evaluation utilized data from 120 participants, of which 55 were LCYC participants and 65 were Community Service Only (CSO) participants. To increase the accuracy of comparisons and results, the two groups were matched on age and gender. Although evaluators were unable to locate a true control group of juvenile offenders who did not experience LCYC or community services in Livingston County, which is the reason for use of the CSO as the comparison, information was found for comparison groups from various other states that were included in an evaluation of teen courts from 2002. While not ideal, the addition of these comparison groups in this evaluation does provide some useful information concerning recidivism among youth. Lastly, evaluators also considered cost-effectiveness of the LCYC program using recidivism and placement rates as the results or outcomes of interest. For purposes of this executive summary, the Livingston County Youth Court group will be referred to as LCYC, and the Community Services Program Only group will be referred to as CSO. Details: Buffalo, NY: State University of New York at Buffalo, 2010. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 4, 2017 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54231470e4b00cb5c6464dc7/t/547d4e82e4b0756a4a5d2c35/1417498242299/Youth+court+evaluation+_1110.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54231470e4b00cb5c6464dc7/t/547d4e82e4b0756a4a5d2c35/1417498242299/Youth+court+evaluation+_1110.pdf Shelf Number: 147547 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity ServicesJuvenile CourtJuvenile DiversionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationRecidivismYouth Court |
Author: Southern Coalition for Social Justice Title: Putting Justice in North Carolina's Juvenile System Summary: In North Carolina, during 2016, 27,522 juvenile complaints were filed against 12,303 children under the age of 16. Over 60% (5,655) of those young people ended up going to juvenile court to face potentially life-altering prosecution. A large percentage of those who went to court became further entangled in the juvenile system – detained prior to and after their hearings; adjudicated delinquent and placed on supervised probation; or committed to a so-called "Youth Development Center" for a term that may last for years. Such widespread impact on so many precious young lives necessitates careful scrutiny of the juvenile system. This scrutiny is even more critical now. With the recent passage and signing into law of the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, North Carolina, beginning in December 2019, will no longer automatically charge all 16- and 17-year-olds as adults in the criminal system. It is estimated that, once implemented, this reform will save over 5,500 young people each year from entering the criminal system and facing the short- and long-term negative consequences of an adult criminal record. Raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to include 16- and 17-year-olds is undoubtedly a positive development for youth. However, to ensure that children and adolescents are treated fairly, additional changes need to occur. This issue brief highlights some of the challenges and offers recommendations for improving outcomes for youth without compromising public safety. The five major barriers examined in this issue brief are that North Carolina's current juvenile system: 1. Continues to have developmentally inappropriate limits on jurisdiction; 2. Is too often used as a dumping grounds for students that schools consider difficult to serve; 3. Lacks adequate defense representation for all youths; 4. Ties harmful, potentially lifelong collateral consequences to youths; and 5. Is characterized by persistent, large racial, gender and geographic disparities. This issue brief comes with four caveats. First, the list of obstacles described herein is not exhaustive. Other significant challenges that affect the system and its ability to effectively treat youths include: - The impacts of poverty on youths involved in the system;5 • Inadequate funding for preventative and rehabilitative services; - Budget cuts for the juvenile system; - Overzealous prosecutors who prioritize adjudications (i.e., convictions) over justice; - Judges who lack expertise in juvenile law, adolescent development, and best practices in juvenile delinquency; and - Widespread violations of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) and its requirement to keep youth safe from sexual assault while incarcerated. Second, reducing the number of youth referred to juvenile court for low-level offenses is essential; however, it is not addressed in detail in this issue brief. In 2016, approximately 10% of juvenile complaints were for infractions and status offenses (e.g., truancy); and 63% were for "minor" delinquency offenses under state law – Class 1, 2, and 3 misdemeanors. These low-level, non-violent offenses should be handled with community-based alternatives to arrest and court, such as restorative justice, restitution, counseling, community service, and substance abuse treatment. Such diversion programs are more rehabilitative, and thus, better for public safety than traditional processing of youths in the juvenile system. They are also less expensive, allowing funding to be redirected toward serving higher risk youths who enter the system. Finally, community-based alternatives are more conducive to youths building long-term relationships with supportive adults and other positive connections in their communities. Decreasing reliance on juvenile court to handle infractions, status offenses, and other low-level misdemeanors is critical. Third, many caring, smart, dedicated people work in North Carolina's juvenile system. This issue brief is in no way meant a critique of them. Fourth, despite the concerns with North Carolina's juvenile system described in this issue brief, prosecuting youths in the adult criminal system is not an appropriate alternative. In fact, the problems with the adult system are significantly worse than those in the juvenile system. Raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction was the right decision for North Carolina and must be expanded to include all young people and all crimes. Details: Durham, NC: Southern Coalition for Social Justice, 2017. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 8, 2017 at: http://youthjusticenc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/FINAL-Putting-Justice-in-Juvenile-System-10.5.17.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://youthjusticenc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/FINAL-Putting-Justice-in-Juvenile-System-10.5.17.pdf Shelf Number: 148086 Keywords: Juvenile Justice Reform Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Great Britain. Ministry of Justice Title: Exploratory analysis of 10-17 year olds in the youth secure estate by black and other minority ethnic groups Summary: In January 2016, the Prime Minister asked the Rt Hon David Lammy MP to lead an independent review, sponsored by Ministry of Justice (MoJ), to investigate the treatment and outcomes of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals within the Criminal Justice System (CJS) in England and Wales. The Review focuses on issues arising from the involvement of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) onwards, including the court system, prisons and rehabilitation in the community; policing was not in scope of this review. In November 2016, emerging findings from the Review were published highlighting the high proportion of young black people in youth custody. Following this publication, the Lammy Review team commissioned MoJ to conduct specific analysis of outcomes for young black people in youth custody. The aim of this report is to explore further the possible factors that may explain why there is a high proportion of young black people in youth custody. It concentrates on the throughput of cases in the youth justice system, the offences committed by and sentences given to young people, and their key characteristics; including identified risk factors and information on their educational background. The analysis focuses on young black people but comparisons are made throughout the report to other BAME groups and to those from white ethnic backgrounds. The youth justice system in England and Wales is a distinct justice system that prosecutes and convicts persons 10-17 years of age who commit criminal offences. The principal aim is to prevent offending by children and young people and there is a separate sentencing framework, recognising that young people are different to adults, with an emphasis on restoration and rehabilitation. The youth justice system includes a separate Youth Court (a type of magistrates' court) with specially trained magistrates and different sentencing powers and a higher threshold for the use of custody. Whilst a magistrates' court can issue an immediate custodial sentence for adults of up to six months or up to 12 months in total for more than one offence, a youth court can issue an immediate custodial sentence for a maximum of 24 months. The youth secure estate or youth custody is distinct from the adult prison estate and is for young people aged 10-17 although some 18 year olds remain in youth custody if they are close to being released. There are three youth secure sectors: under-18 Young Offender Institutions, Secure Training Centres and Secure Children's Homes. The vast majority of young people accommodated in the youth secure estate are male and aged between 15-17 years (96% were male and 96% were aged 15-17 in 2015/16). Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2017. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2017 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/641481/Exploratory-analysis-of-10-17-year-olds-in-the-youth-secure-estate-by-bame-groups.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/641481/Exploratory-analysis-of-10-17-year-olds-in-the-youth-secure-estate-by-bame-groups.pdf Shelf Number: 148089 Keywords: AdolescentsEthnic GroupsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersMinority GroupsYouthful Offenders |
Author: Gough, Alison Title: Secure Care in Scotland: Young People's Voices Summary: Secure care in Scotland is the most containing and intense form of alternative care available, because young people lose their liberty and have many other freedoms restricted when they are detained in secure care. The law, rules and regulations around secure care are clear that because of this, young people can only be secured in certain situations and for as short a time as necessary to keep them, or others, safe. Secure care is a type of care for a very small number of children and young people, whose difficulties and situations are so extreme that the adults responsible for making decisions about them believe that at a point in time their behaviours and situations pose a very high risk of serious harm to themselves and/or others. Children and young people can be placed in secure care through the Children's Hearings System (the CHS) or the Courts. At present more than 85% of young people who are in secure care in Scotland are there through the CHS, rather than because they have been remanded or sentenced by the Courts. Less than 1% of all children who are looked after in formal care settings are secured each year and the number of children secured by Scottish local authorities has been on an overall downward trend for several years (Scottish Government, 2017). Children and young people who are secured are almost always children who have experienced many adverse and difficult experiences which may include physical, emotional and sexual abuse; neglect, bullying, exploitation and loss and bereavement. Many have had difficulties at school and may have additional support needs, for example with speech and language. They are also almost always young people who are already in care or are involved with the CHS (Gough, 2016; Moodie and Gough 2017). There are five secure care centres in Scotland. The centres consist of between one and five locked children's houses; each having five or six individual ensuite bedrooms and each with its own communal living, dining and relaxation spaces. These individual secure children's houses are connected to a school or education base, and recreational spaces, which are in the same building or complex linked by secure corridors. These spaces, for example the classrooms and sports facilities, are also secured. There are very high levels of staff supervision of, and support to, children and young people. Usually there are a maximum of four or five young people in each class or learning group. The secure care centres also employ a range of people including psychologists and therapists, to offer individual and group support and help to young people whilst they are in secure care. The average stay in a secure care centre is around four months but some young people will stay in secure care much longer, for example if they have been sentenced. Although some children in secure care may have committed serious offences, secure care centres are not young offender institutions (YOI). They are registered and inspected by the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland as residential children's homes and residential school care settings. The 76 young people who took part described the advice and information they would want to give to other young people and a range of things that they felt needed to change. Their core messages were that loving, stable relationships were the key to helping young people move forward. They said that young people needed support to overcome trauma, instead of being labelled 'the bad kid'. They told the researchers that after they left secure care, it was important that young people had an appropriate care placement and good 'moving on' support provided by people who cared and who they trusted. They also emphasised the importance of continuing care and having the option of being able to return to care. The report made 17 recommendations. There are striking echoes of many of these in the messages from the young people who spoke to the secure care national project, many of whom will have been pre-school age at the time of that research. Details: Glasgow: Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice, 2017. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 13, 2017 at: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Secure-Care-Young-Peoples-Voices.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Secure-Care-Young-Peoples-Voices.pdf Shelf Number: 148145 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersResidential CareSecure CareYouthful Offenders |
Author: Delay, Dennis Title: Disproportionate Minority Contact in New Hampshire: Juvenile Justice DMC Assessment Summary: National data suggests that minorities are overrepresented in juvenile justice systems across the country, and that DMC increases as youth move through the system. For example, the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division recently completed an investigation into the operations of the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee, and found extensive racial disparities in the treatment of African American children: African American youth are twice as likely as white youth to be recommended for transfer to adult court. Our analysis indicates that DMC does exist in the New Hampshire juvenile justice system. However, there are significant hurdles, both in terms of data reliability and statistical precision, in calculating trustworthy DMC measurements in New Hampshire, particularly outside of the state's larger municipalities. The Division for Juvenile Justice Services (DJJS) currently calculates DMC measurements along the nine points of contact for the cities of Manchester, Nashua and Rochester annually. We recommend that DJJS extend the detailed DMC calculation to the municipalities of Concord and Salem, and that consideration be given to establishing regional DMC committees in those municipalities. We also recommend that DMC data collection be improved in New Hampshire. Some of these efforts to gather better DMC data are already underway, including improvements in the design of the juvenile petition. The importance of more reliable DMC data cannot be overstressed, as identifying the reasons for DMC are critical as New Hampshire moves from identification of DMC, to assessment and finally to methods and approaches for reducing DMC in New Hampshire. Details: Concord, NH: New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies, 2013. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 18, 2017 at: http://www.nhpolicy.org/UploadedFiles/Reports/DMCAssessment2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.nhpolicy.org/UploadedFiles/Reports/DMCAssessment2013.pdf Shelf Number: 148223 Keywords: Disproportionate Minority ContactEthnic DisparitiesJuvenile Justice systemsJuvenile OffendersRacial BiasRacial Disparities |
Author: Delay, Dennis Title: Juvenile Justice in New Hampshire; Disproportionate Minority Contact Identification 2013 Summary: National data suggests that minorities are overrepresented in juvenile justice systems across the country, and that DMC increases as youth move through the system. For example, the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division recently completed an investigation into the operations of the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee, and found extensive racial disparities in the treatment of African American children: African American youth are twice as likely as white youth to be recommended for transfer to adult court. Our analysis indicates that DMC does exist in the New Hampshire juvenile justice system. However, there are significant hurdles, both in terms of data reliability and statistical precision, in calculating trustworthy DMC measurements in New Hampshire, particularly outside of the state's larger municipalities. The Division for Juvenile Justice Services (DJJS) currently calculates DMC measurements along the nine points of contact for the cities of Manchester, Nashua and Rochester annually. We recommend that DJJS extend the detailed DMC calculation to the municipalities of Concord and Salem, and that consideration be given to establishing regional DMC committees in those municipalities. We also recommend that DMC data collection be improved in New Hampshire. Some of these efforts to gather better DMC data are already underway, including improvements in the design of the juvenile petition. The importance of more reliable DMC data cannot be overstressed, as identifying the reasons for DMC are critical as New Hampshire moves from identification of DMC, to assessment and finally to methods and approaches for reducing DMC in New Hampshire. Details: Concord, NH: New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies, 2013. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 18, 2017 at: http://www.nhpolicy.org/UploadedFiles/Reports/DMCIdentification2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.nhpolicy.org/UploadedFiles/Reports/DMCIdentification2013.pdf Shelf Number: 148224 Keywords: Disproportionate Minority Contact Ethnic Disparities Juvenile Justice systems Juvenile Offenders Racial BiasRacial Disparities |
Author: Great Britain. HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Title: Report on an unannounced inspection of Juvenile unit at HMYOI Parc Summary: This report concerns the small juvenile institution for up to 64 boys aged under 18 located in the much larger Parc prison in South Wales. The unit and wider prison are operated by the private company G4S. Owing to the risks and accountabilities associated with such facilities, and in consultation with the Youth Justice Board, we inspect all young offender institutions (YOIs) annually. We last inspected the institution in January 2016. At the time - and in keeping with previous inspections - we reported positively, although on that occasion we did record some deterioration in our assessments for our healthy prison tests of safety and respect, and cautioned the prison against complacency. Unfortunately that warning was not heeded sufficiently and at this inspection we recorded yet further deterioration in outcomes related to safety and respect. It was a particular concern that procedures and practice to support child safeguarding and child protection had worsened significantly. The administration of arrangements as well as the consistency and rigour with which referrals and investigations were managed was lacking. We address this concern and seek immediate improvements in the first of our main recommendations. Safety in general was not good enough. Some 42% of boys told us they felt victimised by others and 60% felt victimised by staff - a significant increase and worse than at comparable prisons. In our survey nearly a third of boys indicated they felt unsafe. In the six previous months, although most were minor, there had been in excess of 100 violent incidents. As an example, the number of assaults on staff had increased from two to 22 when compared to the six months prior to our previous visit. At this inspection we found four boys self-isolating in cell for their own protection. Strategies, policies and initiatives existed with the intention of reducing violence and intimidation as well as promoting positive behaviour, but they were not applied consistently or effectively and were not working. Of particular concern was the insufficient visible leadership on the unit, and staff, whilst generally caring, lacked authority or confidence. All too often we saw staff failing in their duty to confront poor behaviour or set acceptable boundaries. The needs for much better management initiative, more effective strategies to confront poor behaviour, and more effective staff supervision are the subjects of our two other main recommendations. Security procedures on the unit were proportionate and evidence suggested the influence of illegal drugs was not strong. Use of force, in contrast, was much higher than we would expect and the quality of supervision and oversight needed to be better. Formal segregation was used infrequently. It was the case, however, that too many boys at risk of self-harm and subject to case management support were left isolated and alone in cell. The number of self-harm incidents on the unit remained relatively high. The YOI at Parc is a relatively small, arguably claustrophobic facility. During our inspection some refurbishment was taking place but, environmentally, standards and cleanliness were not good enough. The unit was shabby and too often the atmosphere on the wings was described by inspectors as unruly. The absence of visible leadership to set consistent standards and model expected behaviour was very obvious to us. The promotion of equality and diversity remained very limited and rudimentary, but health care services were mostly good. The quality of food was reasonable overall. The amount of time boys spent out of cell had worsened but the delivery of learning and skills was beginning to improve. Our colleagues in Estyn judged provision to be 'good' overall, with good quality teaching and good achievements by boys. Boys behaved well in class and there were enough places on offer, but punctuality was poor. Resettlement services were similarly improving, supported by an up-to-date needs analysis. All boys had a sentence plan but needed to be better engaged with the process and its requirements. Release planning was generally satisfactory, although there was a need to consider how offending behaviour work might be improved. Work with families was excellent. The YOI at Parc has over recent years been one about which we have been very positive. It was arguably one of the best such institutions and had a number of advantages, not least its small size. There remained much still to commend, notably the provision of learning and skills and resettlement services. We also acknowledged that the small number of boys held on the units presented significant individual and behavioural challenges. That said, the deterioration in safety and general standards on the unit needed to be arrested. Systems and procedures were in place but they were not working. A firmer grip and visible leadership were needed urgently. Staff needed guidance and support and they needed greater confidence in establishing their authority and exercising better control over what was happening in the institution. Details: London: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons, 2016. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2017 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/04/Parc-Web-2017-1.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: .https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/04/Parc-Web-2017-1.pdf Shelf Number: 148514 Keywords: Juvenile Corrections Juvenile Detention Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Koper, Christopher S. Title: The Impact of Policing and Other Criminal and Juvenile Justice Trends on Juvenile Violence in Large Cities, 1994-2000 Summary: This paper reports research that was conducted as part of the University of Pennsylvania's project on "Understanding the 'Whys' Behind Juvenile Crime Trends." The "Whys" project, which was funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the U.S. Department of Justice, was conducted to develop a better understanding of the downturn in juvenile crime that occurred in the 1990s and to use this knowledge to help practitioners and policymakers understand potential leading indicators of turning points in local juvenile crime trends. The main volume of the Whys report (which is available online at https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/248954.pdf and at www.whysproject.org) discusses juvenile violence trends from the 1980s through the early 2000s and assesses evidence on a wide variety of community, developmental, cultural, and policy factors that have been hypothesized as possible causes of juvenile crime trends during this period. (Primary contributors to the main Whys report include Jeffrey Roth (project director), Reagan Daly, Christopher Koper, James Lynch, Howard Snyder, Monica Robbers, and other staff of CSR Incorporated.) The study reported in this paper was conducted as a complement to Chapter 5 of the Whys report, which examines national trends and research on public policies and practices, including those in the criminal and juvenile justice systems, that may have affected juvenile violence during the 1990s. (Readers interested in this background material, which is not reviewed here, should consult Chapter 5 of the Whys report.) As an extension of that work, this paper presents original research examining whether and how changes in criminal and juvenile justice practices and policies affected juvenile violence in urban areas during the 1990s. As discussed in the Whys report, there has been relatively little research directly testing the effects of changes in criminal and juvenile justice practices on the crime drop of the 1990s. Much of the evidence on these matters is indirect. This is particularly true with respect to the drop in juvenile violence. To address this gap in our understanding of the juvenile crime drop, we directly examine whether selected changes in policing, adult incarceration, juvenile detention, and juvenile waivers to adult court reduced juvenile violence in a sample of large U.S. cities from 1994 to 2000, controlling for changes in a variety of community characteristics. In sum, we find indications that police resources and strategies helped to reduce juvenile violence during the 1990s, but we find little or no evidence of beneficial effects from adult incarceration, juvenile detention, or waivers of juveniles to adult court. Details: Report to the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention , 2011. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 6, 2018 at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f68c/54d6c45a27c2358f2a27e35c92894ce3f848.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f68c/54d6c45a27c2358f2a27e35c92894ce3f848.pdf Shelf Number: 149007 Keywords: Crime TrendsJuvenile CrimeJuvenile OffendersUrban Areas and CrimeViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth detention population in Australia: 2017 Summary: This bulletin presents information on the youth detention population in Australia, focusing on quarterly trends from June 2013 to June 2017. Among the 964 young people in detention on an average night in the June quarter 2017, high proportions were male (91%), aged 10-17 (84%), unsentenced (64% excluding Victoria) and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (53%). Over the 4-year period to the June quarter 2017, the numbers and rates of young people in detention remained stable, with minor fluctuations across quarters Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2017. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 143: Accessed February 14, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/0a735742-42c0-49af-a910-4a56a8211007/aihw-aus-220.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/0a735742-42c0-49af-a910-4a56a8211007/aihw-aus-220.pdf.aspx?inline=true Shelf Number: 149136 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersYouthful 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: Sawyer, Wendy Title: Youth Confinement: The Whole Pie Summary: A map of juvenile justice in America would be daunting, covering 1,852 youth facilities of varying restrictiveness, not to mention thousands of youth held in adult prisons and jails. Youth Confinement: The Whole Pie offers a comprehensive view of this system, breaking down where and why justice-involved youth are locked up. On any given day, nearly 53,000 youth are held in facilities away from home as a result of juvenile or criminal justice involvement. Nearly one in ten is held in an adult jail or prison. Even for the youth held in juvenile "residential placement," the situation is grim; most of them are in similarly restrictive, correctional-style facilities. Thousands of youths are held before they've been found delinquent, many for non-violent, low-level offenses - even for behaviors that aren't criminal violations. This report provides an introductory snapshot of what happens when justice-involved youth are held by the state: where they are held, under what conditions, and for what offenses. It offers a starting point for people new to the issue to consider the ways that the problems of the criminal justice system are mirrored in the juvenile system: racial disparities, punitive conditions, pretrial detention, and over-criminalization. While acknowledging the philosophical, cultural, and procedural differences between the adult and juvenile justice systems, the report highlights these issues as areas ripe for reform for youth as well as adults Details: Northampton, MA: Prison Policy Initiative, 2018. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2018 at: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/youth2018.html Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/youth2018.html Shelf Number: 149422 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenile 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: Kneen, Hannah Title: An exploratory estimate of the economic cost of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic net overrepresentation in the Criminal Justice System in 2015 Summary: In January 2016, the former Prime Minister David Cameron invited David Lammy MP to lead a review of the CJS in England and Wales to investigate evidence of possible bias against defendants who are Black, Asian or another ethnic minority1. The Lammy Review considers the treatment and outcomes of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals in the CJS, addressing issues arising from CPS charge onwards, including the court system, prisons, youth custody and rehabilitation in the community. To explore the estimated economic cost associated with the net overrepresentation of BAME individuals in the Criminal Justice System (CJS) post-charge in 2015. This short summary of economic analysis is intended to inform discussions around the wider Lammy Review and highlight particular areas of the CJS in 2015, where there was observed net overrepresentation of BAME defendants/offenders, relative to the general population. This analysis does not make recommendations regarding how the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) could change behaviour or make policy changes to realise estimated savings. Key findings - The estimated economic cost to the CJS of net overrepresentation of BAME youths and adults in 2015 is approximately L309m. This estimate covers representation at the courts, prisons and probation stages. - Estimated cost associated with the courts stage is $50m ($3m attributable to youths and L47m attributable to adults). For triable either way offences this includes youths and adults tried in the youth/magistrates' courts, and Crown Court, and committed for sentence to the Crown Court. For indictable only offences, this includes youths and adults tried and/or sentenced in the Crown Court. Relevant legal aid representation is included in this estimate for the aforementioned court activities. - Estimated cost associated with the prisons stage is L234m (L26m attributable to youths and $208m attributable to adults). This includes the youth secure custodial estate population (aged 10-17) in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs), Secure Training Centres (STCs) and Secure Children's Homes (SCHs). The cost also includes BAME overrepresentation of adults aged 18+ in the prison population. - Estimated cost associated with the probation stage is L25m (all attributable to adults). This includes the pre-sentence assessments conducted by the National Probation Service (NPS) and the probation services provided to high risk offenders by the NPS. Probation costs have not been calculated for youths or for adult offenders managed by Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs). Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2017. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Analytical Summary: Accessed March 19, 2018 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/642551/david-lammy-economic-paper-short-summary.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/642551/david-lammy-economic-paper-short-summary.pdf Shelf Number: 149518 Keywords: Costs of Criminal JusticeEconomic Analysis Ethnic GroupsJuvenile OffendersMinority GroupsRacial Disparities |
Author: Southern Poverty Law Center Title: Destined to Fail: How Florida Jails Deprive Children of Schooling Summary: Florida prosecutes more children in the adult criminal justice system than any other state, and as a consequence, hundreds of children are held in adult county jails every year. In the majority of cases, the decision to prosecute a child as an adult is made by the prosecutor, without judicial review or an individual assessment of the child's potential for rehabilitation. As a result, children as young as 12 have been incarcerated with adults. Many have not been found guilty, but are merely waiting for their cases to be adjudicated. While imprisoned, children still have rights under state and federal law to access education - a critical factor in their future. And with good reason: The further they fall behind, the less likely they are to become productive members of society. Unfortunately, children in adult jails are being denied these rights as Florida's jails and school districts are not living up to their legal obligations. The educational services they provide to children held in adult jails are, in most cases, seriously deficient. For some children, the services are virtually nonexistent. Adult jails are simply not intended or equipped to house children. For this review, which began in 2016, the Southern Poverty Law Center submitted public records requests to school districts across the state, spoke with public defenders and advocates, examined data from the U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, and interviewed children who are or have been held in county jails in Florida. The findings are troubling: Many small jails (facilities holding fewer than 20 children in 2015-16) offer only GED courses to children, eliminating the opportunity for a child to pursue a high school diploma while awaiting trial. Some children receive only two to three hours per week of instruction in these small county jails. When they return to their neighborhood schools, they often do not receive credit for their studies, including the GED work. In large jails (facilities holding 20 to 130 children in 2015-16), children often receive educational services geared toward a high school diploma - though they don't all receive the legally required 300 minutes of instruction per day that is necessary for a total of 180 instruction days per year. At many small jails, students with disabilities receive limited - if any - educational services that are required by law because of their disabilities. At large jails, students' existing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), which outline the services that a student with disabilities should receive, are sometimes altered - and even effectively closed out - leaving them without the services they deserve under the law. At many large and small jails, students with IEPs between the ages of 18 and 22 must be proactive and ask for the education services to which they are entitled. Consequently, they often do not receive them. Because county jails are not designed to accommodate children, there are multiple barriers that limit access to education. Small jails, in particular, do not have housing units for children, much less a space for classes. In such instances, children may be held in solitary confinement, which has been likened to torture. Lacking access to materials and teachers, children in solitary may simply receive worksheets that don't count toward school credit and without any writing instruments to complete them. Large jails, on the other hand, may have cell blocks for youth and space for classes, but these arrangements pose problems as well. Youth units, for example, are often for boys. As a result, girls under 18 are routinely held in solitary confinement or in medical or mental health segregation wings, which are not equipped for providing education. And as in small jails, children held in solitary confinement at large jails - whether for housing or discipline - are often left out of educational programming or provided with worksheets. In some counties, students are marked absent from the jail's classes for each day they are held in confinement. The solution to these problems is simple: Children don't belong in adult jails. Details: Montgomery, AL: SPLC, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 26, 2018 at: https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/cr_ctaa_report_2018_web_final.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/cr_ctaa_report_2018_web_final.pdf Shelf Number: 149572 Keywords: Correctional EducationJailsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons Title: Incentivising and promoting good behaviour: A thematic review Summary: Institutions holding children and young adults have undergone notable change over recent years as the population of both groups has reduced. While this reduction is welcome, there is evidence from inspection that outcomes for those that remain have been significantly impacted by deteriorating behaviour. Current behaviour management schemes have been ineffective in reducing violence, which is at historically high levels in all types of institution we reviewed. When children and young adults are held in custody, their behaviour can be influenced by a wide range of factors, including their relationships with staff, the physical environment, the regime under which they are held and the incentives on offer to them. In turn, the impact of poor behaviour by others on those who wish to make progress in education, training and rehabilitation can be severe. This review, commissioned by the Youth Justice Board, is focused on children held in secure training centres (STCs) and young offender institutions (YOIs), and young adults aged 18-20 held in YOIs. The review looks at the fundamentally important issue of the relationships between those detained and the staff charged with their care. Those relationships are crucially influenced by staff turnover, which can lead to a lack of consistency in approach, staff shortages and, all too frequently, a lack of sufficient time out of cell. The issue of inconsistency in behaviour management is important as it damages the all-important element of trust in the relationship. When trust diminishes, a consequence is often a decline in respect for staff and, in the worst cases, a complete withdrawal from behaviour management systems. The review found that far too often the rewards and sanctions associated with behaviour management schemes were focused on punishment rather than incentive, and were prone to generate perceptions of favouritism. Too often, during inspections, we have seen rewards and sanctions schemes that are overwhelmingly punitive, and the response to poor behaviour is to become locked in a negative cycle of ever greater restriction. There is a real need to break out of these cycles, and some establishments have shown that it is possible. There was also little evidence of schemes being linked to sentence planning, with clear plans set out for making progress. It is widely accepted that the amount of time a child or young person spends unlocked and out of their cell has an important impact on their behaviour. There is also a need to confront bullying and violence, and not to fall into the trap of believing that it is inevitable, given the smaller and sometimes more concentratedly challenging nature of the children's and young people's population in custody. Details: London: The Inspectorate, 2018. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2018 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/03/Incentivising-and-promoting-good-behaviour-Web-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/03/Incentivising-and-promoting-good-behaviour-Web-2018.pdf Shelf Number: 149680 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersTraining Centers |
Author: Franken, A. Title: Specialization in National Specialist Facilities: a literature review. Summary: The Netherlands Youth Institute carried out this research commissioned by the Research and Documentation Centre, WODC, Ministry of Justice and Security. The topic of this research arises from the report "Custody of Young Offenders (Implementation) Survey" (Verkenning Invulling Vrijheidsbeneming Justitiele Jeugd, VIV JJ), which was presented to the House of Representatives in November 2015 (Van Alphen, Drost & Jongebreur, 2015, Parliamentary Papers, Meeting Year 2015-2016, no. 24587-626). Central to this report is the young person, with his or her support needs and needs for care and security. The report focuses on the continuation of care, involvement of the young person's own network and local cooperation between the Custodial Institutions Agency (DJI), local care partners and municipalities. One of the building blocks of the report is a National Specialist Facility (LSV), in which young people with a specific profile receive specialist care and security. The question remains, however, which specializations are needed within the National Specialist Facilities and how these specializations could be clustered. Details: Utrecht: Nederlands Jeugdinstituut (NJi) , Universiteit van Amsterdam - Afdeling Forensische Orthopedagogiek, WODC, 2018. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2018 at: https://www.wodc.nl/binaries/2895_summary_tcm28-310965.pdf (Full text only available in Dutch) Year: 2018 Country: Netherlands URL: https://www.wodc.nl/binaries/2895_summary_tcm28-310965.pdf Shelf Number: 149693 Keywords: Detention FacilitiesJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Robinson, Gill Title: Children and Young People in Custody in Scotland: Looking Behind the Data Summary: Children and young people who are involved in offending come into contact with the youth or criminal justice system in a variety of ways depending on their age, their needs and circumstances, and the nature of their deeds. Information about the different stages in the system is available through Youth and Criminal Justice in Scotland: the Young Person's Journey. Both the lives of these children and young people and the 'system' that engages with them are complex. This means that it can be extremely difficult to understand what is actually happening for these children and young people, and also that there are rarely easy answers to guide how best to respond to their offending behaviour. This paper has an emphasis on children aged 16 and 17 who are detained in custody but also includes references to young people aged 18 to 21, whose circumstances are often very similar to those of the younger age group. We use the term 'children' to refer to those under 18 years old and 'young people' when referring to 18-21, in keeping with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The paper focuses on three themes: 1. Backgrounds of children and young people involved in offending 2. Children and young people's contact with the justice system, especially those who are sentenced to custody 3. What happens after custody? The paper has been produced in partnership between the Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice (CYCJ), the Scottish Government and the Scottish Prison Service (SPS). The information is drawn from a number of sources including research papers and data from the Scottish Government's Criminal Proceedings Database and the Scottish Prison Service. It incorporates the story of 'Danny', whose experiences represent very many of the young people now in custody. The paper can be added to and strengthened as we learn more. The data, particularly that relating to custodies, is complex and includes a number of illustrative snapshots which may not be fully representative. We would therefore encourage caution in drawing any further conclusions than those which are drawn in this paper. Instead we highlight areas for further reflection and exploration in each section of the paper. Details: Glasgow: Youth Justice Improvement Board, 2017. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2018 at: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Young-People-in-Custody-October-2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Young-People-in-Custody-October-2017.pdf Shelf Number: 149722 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Bateman, Tim Title: The state of youth justice, 2017. An overview of trends and developments Summary: At the time of publication (September 2017), the last two years appear as having been something of an uncertain period for youth justice. In September 2015, Michael Gove, then Justice Secretary, announced that Charlie Taylor, former Chief Executive of the National College of Teaching and Leadership, would lead a 'Departmental review' of the youth justice system. The terms of reference were wide-ranging requiring consideration of: - 'The nature and characteristics of offending by young people aged 10-17 and the arrangements in place to prevent it; - 'How effectively the youth justice system and its partners operate in responding to offending by children and young people, preventing further offending, protecting the public and repairing harm to victims and communities, and rehabilitating young offenders; and - 'Whether the leadership, governance, delivery structures and performance management of the youth justice system is effective in preventing offending and re-offending, and in achieving value for money'. Disappointingly, and without any rationale being provided, the age of criminal responsibility, the treatment of children in courts and the sentencing framework were explicitly excluded from the review, but it was nonetheless clear that the exercise had the potential to herald significant change in arrangements for dealing with children in conflict with the law. Moreover, following the publication by Charlie Taylor of an interim report in February 2016, which dealt largely with the state of custodial provision for children, the Justice Secretary confirmed that he had amended the terms of reference to include examination of 'the way young offenders are dealt with in court, and the sentences available to tackle their offending'. (Predictably perhaps, the age at which children are held to be criminally responsible remained outside the remit of the review, despite repeated criticisms from within the jurisdiction and without. ) It was anticipated that the review would report in the summer of 2016 and, as a consequence, developments in youth justice both nationally and at a local level were effectively put on hold. This was particularly so because it was widely anticipated that any recommendations made by Taylor would have government endorsement. In the event, publication was delayed following ministerial changes in the aftermath of the referendum on membership of the European Union. The report eventually appeared in December 2016, but it no longer had the status of a Departmental review; government endorsement was no longer assured and the report was published alongside a government response. While the Taylor review was wide-ranging and, in some respects, quite radical, a number of key recommendations were rejected or ignored by the government and commitments to reform were for the most part couched in vague terms or put of for future consideration. For example, Taylor details a range of principles and assumptions which he considers should inform arrangements for dealing with children in conflict with the law. These include: - A focus on the child first and the offender second; - Children who break the law should be treated differently from adults; - Because many of the causes of youth offending lie beyond the reach of the youth justice system; a broad range of agencies should provide an integrated response to preventing and addressing offending behaviour; - Education should be at the heart of that response; - Contact with the criminal justice system tends to increase the likelihood of offending and children should be diverted from it wherever possible; - More persistent and serious offending often implies that the children concerned are deeply troubled, and responses to such offending should recognize that fact. By contrast, the government, in the first line of its response, makes reference to the youth justice system's central role in 'punishing crime' and later reiterates that the statutory aim of the system is to prevent offending and re-offending by children and young people. Taylor calls for a clear division between the role of the court in establishing guilt where an offense is denied and deciding what action 'should be taken to repair harm and rehabilitate the child' once responsibility for the offending has been determined. Details: s.l.: National Association for Youth Justice, 2017. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: http://thenayj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/State-of-Youth-Justice-report-for-web-Sep17.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://thenayj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/State-of-Youth-Justice-report-for-web-Sep17.pdf Shelf Number: 149805 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersYouthful Offenders |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: When I Die, They'll Send Me Home: Youth Sentenced to Life without Parole in California Summary: Approximately 227 youth have been sentenced to die in California's prisons. They have not been sentenced to death: the death penalty was found unconstitutional for juveniles by the United States Supreme Court in 2005. Instead, these young people have been sentenced to prison for the rest of their lives, with no opportunity for parole and no chance for release. Their crimes were committed when they were teenagers, yet they will die in prison. Remarkably, many of the adults who were codefendants and took part in their crimes received lower sentences and will one day be released from prison. In the United States at least 2,380 people are serving life without parole for crimes they committed when they were under the age of 18. In the rest of the world, just seven people are known to be serving this sentence for crimes committed when they were juveniles. Although ten other countries have laws permitting life without parole, in practice most do not use the sentence for those under age 18. International law prohibits the use of life without parole for those who are not yet 18 years old. The United States is in violation of those laws and out of step with the rest of the world. Human Rights Watch conducted research in California on the sentencing of youth offenders to life without parole. Our data includes records obtained from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and independent research using court and media sources. We conducted a survey that garnered 130 responses, more than half of all youth offenders serving life without parole in California. Finally, we conducted in-person interviews of about 10 percent of those serving life without parole for crimes committed as youth. We have basic information on every person serving the sentence in the state, and we have a range of additional information in over 170 of all known cases. This research paints a detailed picture of Californians serving life without parole for crimes committed as youth. Details: New York: HRW, 2008. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 25, 2018 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/us0108_0.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/us0108_0.pdf Shelf Number: 109150 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersLife Imprisonment, Juveniles (U.S.)Life Without Parole |
Author: Schweitzer Smith,, Myrinda Title: Reinventing Juvenile Justice: Examining the Effectiveness of the Targeted RECLAIM Initiative Summary: The juvenile justice system has had a place in America since the late 19th century. While the goal has always been to reform wayward youth, the system has implemented various strategies over the years. During a growing movement in the 80s to "get tough" on crime, the country relied heavily on state run institutions and experienced a steady rise in the number of incarcerated youth. Ohio was no exception to this "get tough" movement, with thousands of youth in the custody of the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) by the mid-90s. Ohio's response to the mass incarceration of youth ultimately led to a unique large-scale reform movement. This movement included initiatives that ranged from providing incentives to local courts to serve youth locally, creating and implementing a standardized risk assessment tool, and providing evidence-based services for youth. Among these reform initiatives, was Targeted RECLAIM; the focus of this study. The goal of Targeted RECLAIM was to further reduce admissions to DYS by providing juveniles with evidence-based services in their local community as alternatives to incarceration. Targeted RECLAIM initially targeted the six largest counties in Ohio, but since expanded to now include 15 counties across the state of Ohio. This study examined whether Targeted RECLAIM has been successful in reducing commitments to DYS and ultimately diverting youth from state institutions. The data revealed that Targeted RECLAIM appeared to have an effect on the number of youth committed to DYS and moreover, that youth could be effectively diverted without compromising public safety. The study also determined that the diverted youth were not simply being placed in a CCF or waived to the adult system as a way to undermine the goal of Targeted RECLAIM. Finally, conclusions were drawn so that the results might inform juvenile justice systems on how to work towards ending the problem of mass incarceration. Details: Cincinnati: University of Cincinnati, 2016. 126p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 25, 2018 at: http://cech.uc.edu/content/dam/cech/programs/criminaljustice/Docs/Dissertations/schweiml.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://cech.uc.edu/content/dam/cech/programs/criminaljustice/Docs/Dissertations/schweiml.pdf Shelf Number: 149888 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile DiversionJuvenile JusticeJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile OffendersMass Incarceration |
Author: Durnan, Julia Title: State-Led Juvenile Justice Systems Improvement: Implementation Progress and Early Outcomes Summary: Since 2013, seven states have engaged in the evidence-based Comprehensive Strategy for Juvenile Justice Systems Improvement Initiative to make comprehensive changes to their juvenile justice system through legislation. Through this initiative, states also receive implementation assistance to maximize the impact and sustainability of enacted changes. As a result, over half the states have closed secure facilities, choosing instead to fund community alternatives to out-of-home placement. Other state results include decreased court referrals, reductions in youth on probation, and thousands of cases diverted from placement. While legislation and implementation priorities have differed across states, each state identified its own path to improving outcomes for youth and their communities through enhanced training and stakeholder engagement to effectively implement change. This brief summarizes improvement strategies across states, highlighting common themes and reporting early outcomes of the initiative. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2018. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2018 at: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/98321/state-led_juvenile_justice_systems_improvement_0.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/98321/state-led_juvenile_justice_systems_improvement_0.pdf Shelf Number: 150035 Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Community-Based Corrections Evidence-Based Practices Justice Reinvestment Juvenile Justice Reform Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Illinois Mental Health Opportunities for Youth Division Task Force Title: Stemming the Tide: Diverting Youth With Mental Health Conditions from the Illinois Juvenile Justice System Summary: All young people deserve the resources and support needed to secure both physical and mental health. But unfortunately, in Illinois youth are being thrust into our criminal justice system without regard to their mental health needs. While the overall number of youth who are jailed or incarcerated in Illinois has declined over the last few years, those living with mental health conditions are still entering the criminal justice system at higher rates. Of the thousands of youth arrests and admissions to local jails in Illinois each year, approximately 70 percent meet diagnostic criteria for having a mental health condition, and at least 20 percent live with a serious mental health condition. In 2017, the General Assembly created the Illinois Mental Health Opportunities for Youth Diversion Task Force-including experts from the Shriver Center-to develop an action plan for implementing new or expanded diversion programs aimed at youth living with mental health conditions. The Task Force's new report, Stemming the Tide, lays out a roadmap to build a better system in Illinois and help kids get the support they need. This requires a shift toward community-based mental health services, not only to improve outcomes for our youth but so Illinois can focus greater attention on violent offenders and improve public safety. With these improvements, youth with mental health conditions can get on the road to recovery that helps prevent further contact with the justice system and return to school, work, and family. Details: Chicago: NAMI, 2018. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2018 at: http://povertylaw.org/files/docs/stemming-the-tide-final.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: http://povertylaw.org/files/docs/stemming-the-tide-final.pdf Shelf Number: 150054 Keywords: Juvenile DiversionJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersMental IllnessMentally Ill OffendersMentally Ill Persons |
Author: Juvenile Justice Initiative Title: Detention of Juveniles in Illinois: Recommendations to Right-Size Detention through Reforms and Fiscal Incentives to Develop Community-Based Alternatives. Summary: Juvenile Detention is jail for kids. Research consistently reveals that even short stays in a juvenile detention facility has negative outcomes, including behavioral heath impacts and education disruptions. The studies also consistently reveal that detention actually increases repeat offending. Yet, state dollars support and encourage the use of detention, by subsidizing detention staff. There is no state plan or fiscal investment to encourage the use of alternatives to detention, despite better outcomes for fewer dollars. Despite the lack of state encouragement, several of the larger counties incorporated policies and practices to reduce reliance on costly out-of-home detention. The results are highly encouraging - lower costs with better outcome and more public safety. It is time for Illinois to encourage all counties with a detention center to make similar shifts by encouraging the development of fiscal incentives for alternatives to detention, thereby reducing the reliance on juvenile detention and making it a last resort. This report examines the current use of juvenile detention across Illinois, reviews research on the impact from detention of juveniles, and reports on the current state fiscal, oversight and administrative involvement in juvenile detention. The report examines best practices in Illinois and across the nation. Finally, this report includes a series of recommendations to "right-size" juvenile detention in Illinois. Details: Evanston, ILL: The Initiative, 2018. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 7, 2018 at: http://jjustice.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/JJI-Detention-Report-April-25-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: http://jjustice.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/JJI-Detention-Report-April-25-2018.pdf Shelf Number: 140077 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity-Based CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Laan, A.M. van der Title: Juvenile Crime Monitor 2017. Developments in registered juvenile crime from 2000 to 2017 Summary: The Juvenile Crime Monitor 2017 describes developments in juvenile crime registered by the police, the Public Prosecution Service and the courts from 2000 to 2017. The aim of the Juvenile Crime Monitor program is to provide a broad overview of developments in juvenile crime from various sources, and to discuss and compare these developments. The different sources in the latest Monitor include: police records of juvenile suspects, sentencing records of juvenile criminal offenders, and judicial statistics from other countries as well. The 2015 edition of the Juvenile Crime Monitor also included self-report measures of offending behavior by Dutch juveniles, which are obtained from a representative sample every five years. Juveniles are individuals between the ages of 12 and 23 years old. Besides describing developments in registered juvenile crime on the national level, the current edition also examines youth crime in so-called hots spots and (selected) municipalities and also the developments of juvenile crime in neighbouring countries. Significant trends from 2012 to 2017 Trends in registered juvenile crime are predominantly decreasing To examine whether the more long term decrease in juvenile crime (see figure S1) is also prevalent at the regional level, among specific subgroups, and for all types of criminal behaviour, more in-depth examinations are performed for the years 2012 to 2017. For specific regions, subgroups and types of offenses, the developments in juvenile crime, too, exhibit a downwards trend. The level of juvenile crime in 2016 is predominantly below the level of crime in 2012, regardless of region or subgroup. That said, the magnitude of the observed crime drop does differ per region or subgroup. Moreover, for some of these regions or subgroups juvenile crime does not decrease year after year, as there are isolated cases of juvenile crime levels remaining stable or even increasing. Juvenile crime drop is prevalent among all age groups, most delinquent group becomes slightly older Registered crime decreased for all age groups from 2007 to 2017. While 18- to 21- year-olds were mostly overrepresented in the juvenile criminal offender population up to and through 2012, the upper age range of the most delinquent group expands to 25 years after 2012. Juvenile crime drops annually at the national level, intermittently at the municipal level, but with variation at the level of neighbourhoods The decrease in juvenile crime is observed regardless of where juvenile suspects live or in which cities juvenile offenders commit crimes. However, the decrease in juvenile crime is not annually for each of the observed municipalities, but can be characterized as a intermittent drop. Also, at the more local level of neighbourhoods there is significant variation in the magnitude of the juvenile crime drop. For instance, in hot spots (i.e., neighbourhoods with relatively high levels of juvenile crime) the level of juvenile crime decreases more strongly than the national average, but less so or not at all in other neighbourhoods. The number of juveniles sentenced for digitalized and cybercrime is small, and is (still) not clearly identifiable in registration sources on the national level. The number of juveniles sentenced for digitalized or cybercrime consist of less than 1% of all juvenile criminal offenders. This figure significantly underestimates the number of juveniles who are actually involved in digitalized and cybercrime, because these types of offenders are not yet clearly identifiable in police and court records on the national level. Greatest decrease in sanctions against juvenile offenders was from 2007 to 2013, afterwards the decrease weakens The number of juveniles sanctioned with alternative community sentences issued by the organisation Halt, as well as the number of sanctions issued by the Publication Prosecution Service and the courts, decreases from 2007 to 2017. Up to 2013 this decrease was relatively strong, though it weakens afterwards. Particularly, the number of juveniles with a Halt referral stabilizes in recent years. This recent stability could be in part due to the introduction of the so-called Halt+ variant, which was introduced in 2013 and stimulates the referral of juvenile suspects and offenders to Halt by the Public Prosecution Service. Also, the general decrease of the number of imposed sanctions is not observed for all types of sanctions. For example, the number of transactions (which are out-ofcourt settlements, usually involving a fine or community service) drops more sharply than penalty orders, which suggests that the latter is replacing the former (as intended by lawmakers). Number of juvenile reoffenders decreases The percentage of 12- to 18-year-olds and 18- to 25-year-olds that reoffend after at least one prior conviction decreases, though to a lesser extent than the general juvenile crime drop. In other words, while there is a general decrease in the number of juvenile offenders, the recidivism among those that remain remains more or less stable over time (whereas the latest cohort seems to show a slight increase in recidivism). Prosecution of young adults as minors increases Although there has been a decrease in the number of young adult criminal offenders, the percentage of criminal cases (with preliminary judgments) against young adults where they are sanctioned according to juvenile law increases. Juvenile crime drop internationally observed The Dutch drop in registered juvenile crime is not on its own. There is a similar decrease in the number of juvenile suspects and convicts in other countries as well, for 2007 to 2015. But, the number of registered juvenile suspects and convicts does fall more rapidly in the Netherlands, when compared with neighbouring nations. Possible explanations for the juvenile crime drop A monitor, such as the Juvenile Crime Monitor, is primarily a descriptive entity, and not necessarily means to clarify or explain observed developments. Still, some explanations for the juvenile crime drop are discussed, such as: - Changes in registration practises, priority shifts regarding investigating juvenile crime as well as changes in police protocols have led to a shortage in enforcement practises, which may have contributed to the registered juvenile crime drop. - The crime debut hypothesis suggests that an increase in security measures has made it more difficult for criminals to successfully commit crimes, particularly among less experienced offenders of property crimes, thus preventing criminal careers from 'taking off'. - The social media hypothesis suggests that the registered drop in juvenile crime could be due to the increased digitalization of society, which includes, but is not limited to, the increased use of social media and mobile devices. - The changing sociocultural attitude hypothesis suggests that the downward development in juvenile crime is due to a changing sociocultural attitude among juveniles and parents towards risky behaviour, such as alcohol consumption, dropping out of school or delinquency. Conclusion Since 2007, juvenile crime has decreased in the Netherlands. This crime drop is observable in the registrations of the police and the judicial authorities as well as in self-report measures of juveniles themselves (see the Juvenile Crime Monitor 2015 for the results regarding self-report). The observed juvenile crime drop that started in 2007 continues up to 2017. Although the magnitude of the juvenile crime drop differs per region, subgroup or type of crime, and is not always annually, the overall trend shows a decrease in registered juvenile crime. That said, the monitor concerns registered juvenile crime. Hence, the monitor only concerns a part of all juvenile crime. It is likely that the juvenile crime registered by police is dropping more sharply than actual juvenile crime, for instance, due to changes in registration practices. A juvenile crime drop is also observed internationally, in countries surrounding the Netherlands, though the decrease in crime appears to be largest in the Netherlands. Details: The Hague: WODC, 2018. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Cahiers 2018-01: Accessed May 11, 2018 at: https://www.wodc.nl/binaries/Cahier%202018-1_2849a_Summary_tcm28-306192.pdf - English Summary Only Year: 2018 Country: Netherlands URL: https://www.wodc.nl/binaries/Cahier%202018-1_2849a_Summary_tcm28-306192.pdf Shelf Number: 150168 Keywords: Crime RatesCrime StatisticsJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile 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: New Jersey Parents' Caucus Title: The Solitary Confinement of Youth with Mental Health Disabilities in New Jersey's Adult Prison System Summary: Being housed in solitary confinement has become conducive to the deterioration of my mental health. The things I have witnessed would shock and disgust many people. I have witnessed things like guards depriving inmates of their meals, mentally ill inmates throwing feces and other bodily fluids on each other, and officers spraying mace on inmates and letting them soak in the chemicals. All of these events and many more have in some way traumatized me and has led to me having many panic attacks and mental health issues. Indeed, there is a need for some kind of segregation for those who break the rules of the prison; however, when solitary confinement becomes so harsh and focuses solely on punishing individuals, any possibility of correction and rehabilitation to an inmate's behavior becomes impossible; consequently, the conditions become counterproductive. -DM, 20, NJSP. It is shocking and unacceptable that youth like DM, a New Jersey Youth Caucus Member, have spent over 1,000 days in solitary confinement while in an adult prison in New Jersey. As DM described, solitary confinement is harmful and traumatic. It is defined by isolation in a cell for up to 24 hours a day, as well as deprivation of social interaction, property, and often educational materials. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice under the Obama Administration began looking into the use of solitary confinement and the harmful psychological effects on inmates in prisons across the country. In an op-ed for the Washington Post, former President Obama wrote: Research suggests that solitary confinement has the potential to lead to devastating, lasting psychological consequences. It has been linked to depression, alienation, withdrawal, a reduced ability to interact with others and the potential for violent behavior. Some studies indicate that it can worsen existing mental illnesses and even trigger new ones. Those who do make it out often have trouble holding down jobs, reuniting with family, and becoming productive members of society. Imagine having served your time and then being unable to hand change over to a customer or look your wife in the eye or hug your children. As a result of the Department of Justice's review of solitary confinement, President Obama announced a ban on its use for youth in the federal prison system. In August 2015, the New Jersey Legislature passed and Governor Christie signed the Comprehensive Juvenile Justice Reform Bill S. 2003/A. 4299. This legislation eliminated the use of solitary confinement as a disciplinary measure in juvenile facilities and detention centers, as well as limited the time that solitary confinement could be imposed for reasons other than punishment, such as safety concerns. Unfortunately, these limitations on solitary confinement do not apply to youth in the adult prison system. As a result, the needs, stories, and trauma associated with youth placed in solitary confinement in adult prisons remain untold, unaddressed, and, ultimately, forgotten. In 2016, Governor Christie vetoed S. 51, legislation that would have dramatically reformed solitary confinement in New Jersey dictating that isolated confinement should only be used when necessary, and should not be used against vulnerable populations or under conditions or for time periods that foster psychological trauma, psychiatric disorders, or serious, long-term damage to an isolated person's brain. Christie's statement accompanying his veto of S. 51, which would have allowed solitary confinement only as a last resort, repeated his administration's claim that solitary confinement does not exist in our state, despite overwhelming evidence that it is used routinely, including as a form of discipline. In January 2018, Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin and 19 other co-sponsors reintroduced the solitary reform bill, A. 314. As part of the New Jersey Youth Justice Initiative (NJYJI), we at the New Jersey Parents' Caucus have gathered comprehensive state data from the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJ DOC) on 556 children tried, sentenced, and incarcerated in the adult prison system. The data largely covers the period of 2007-2016, though some information gathered dates back to 2003. In addition to the data retrieved from the NJ DOC, we have received qualitative data from a subset of the same population (163 youth) by means of a survey assessment provided to incarcerated youth and their parents, caregivers, and family members. Ninety-five youth answered questions about their experience in solitary confinement. Dr. Colby Valentine, Ph.D. analyzed NJYJI data, which includes self-reported questionnaires from ninety-two youth waived to the adult prison system, to understand the relationship between mental health and solitary confinement for youth in New Jersey prisons. Her analysis confirms that solitary confinement negatively affects the mental health of youth in New Jersey’s adult prisons, adding to prior research that states that prolonged isolation may cause or exacerbate mental health problems in adult inmate populations. It is the position of the New Jersey Parents' Caucus, Inc. (NJPC) and its membership that the State must ban the imposition and use of solitary confinement or restricted housing units - another term for solitary confinement - which were found in either administrative segregation or the Management Control Unit, a form of solitary confinement used at administrators' discretion on youth in adult jails and prisons. Solitary confinement imposes further violence, harm, and psychological damage on youth before they return to their communities. If these youth return home without adequate mental health and rehabilitative care, it negates their ability to become productive members of our society. Their stories and their needs must be addressed through legislation to end this cruel, but unfortunately, common, practice on youth in the adult criminal justice system. Details: Elizabeth, NJ: The Caucus, 2018. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 31, 2018 at: http://newjerseyparentscaucus.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/NJPCSolitaryConfinementBriefFINAL.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: http://newjerseyparentscaucus.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/NJPCSolitaryConfinementBriefFINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 150421 Keywords: IsolationJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersMentally Ill InmatesRestrictive HousingSolitary ConfinementYouth in Adult Prisons |
Author: McAra, Lesley Title: Child-friendly youth justice? A Compendium of papers given at a conference at the University of Cambridge in September 2017 Summary: The National Association for Youth Justice (NAYJ) has published a compendium of papers relating to youth justice. The papers disseminate some of the themes realised at a conference on child-friendly youth justice in September 2017 organised by the NAYJ, the Standing Committee for Youth Justice (SCYJ) and the Institute of Criminology, Cambridge University. The papers included are: Child-friendly youth justice? - Professor Jo Phoenix Enhancing problem-solving practice in the youth court - Ben Estep and Carmen D'Cruz A social ecological approach to 'child-friendly' youth justice - Diana Johns How can England and Wales achieve a child-friendly criminal record disclosure system? - Claire Sands, Jen Twite and Christopher Stacey Why a participatory, rights-based approach is the best way to protect children in trouble with the law - Dr Laura Janes Child-friendly resettlement; difficult by definition? - Pippa Goodfellow Family characteristics and experiences of children entering secure settings - Dr Caroline Andow and Ben Byrne 'Transforming' youth custody? - Dr Di Hart. Details: London: National Association for Youth Justice, 2018. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 31, 2018 at: http://thenayj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/NAYJ-Child-friendly-youth-justice-May-18.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://thenayj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/NAYJ-Child-friendly-youth-justice-May-18.pdf Shelf Number: 150422 Keywords: Juvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Davis, Marissa Title: Reforming Youth Diversion in the District of Columbia Summary: The District of Columbia has demonstrated progress in reducing the number of arrests, prosecutions, and commitments of youth in recent years. However, recent reports suggest that the District still has a comparatively high youth arrest rate. The personal and financial costs of arrest are potentially great. It is estimated that the initial processing costs for youth system involvement in Washington, DC approximate $1,700 per young person. Furthermore, due to recent budget cutbacks, the two sole community-based programs currently receiving diverted youth (Access Youth and Time Dollar Youth Court) risk potentially fatal cuts within the next year. These closures may increase the likelihood that more youth will be charged and prosecuted for low-level offenses rather than diverted in the early stages of processing. Seventy-five percent of arrests and 52% of prosecutions are for non-violent, non-weapon offenses, suggesting there may be opportunity to serve these youth in community-based services while holding them accountable. While the DC juvenile justice system has built a network of community-based service providers for youth committed to DYRS, what is referred to as the "deep end" of the juvenile justice system, there is potential to use a similar approach much earlier in the process to divert youth from further court involvement and detention, as well as improve youth outcomes. This project's main research questions are: For Fiscal Year 2015, how can DC increase diversion services to prevent unnecessary youth system involvement? How can DC unite different stakeholders to reduce formal youth system involvement? Findings Finding #1: Compared with diversion, extensive justice system penetration increases the likelihood of youth to commit future crimes. Empirical studies indicate a negative effect from justice system processing compared with early diversion. For low-risk youth, diversion options are effective at reducing recidivism and aligned with a developmental approach to youth justice. Finding #2: For low-risk youth, financial benefits of diversion significantly exceed program costs. Compared with the costs of protracted system involvement, diversion programs have been proven to generate savings DC has promoted positive youth outcomes while generating cost savings with diversion programs like Access Youth. Finding #3: There is no DC-wide strategy for addressing the broad flow of youth touching the justice system. A lack of centralized coordination and strategy can lead to communication impasses with significant consequences. Finding #4: The complexity of the justice system presents challenges to government agency coordination. There is a lack of common goals to reverse trends of justice system penetration for low-risk youth. The process for youth court-involvement is complicated and multi-jurisdictional. It is difficult to access the necessary data to initiate evaluations of overall system performance and youth outcomes. Finding #5: Focused mayoral initiatives can improve multi-agency performance around common issues affecting young people. Cities across the United States have experienced structuring mayoral initiatives that include concrete goals, defined outputs, and designated individuals responsible for implementation. Management consultants often roll out organizational reforms through "performance pilots." Details: Cambridge, MA: Harvard Kennedy School, 2014. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed June 7, 2018 at: http://www.njjn.org/uploads/digital-library/Reforming-Youth-Diversion-in-DC-5.2.14.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.njjn.org/uploads/digital-library/Reforming-Youth-Diversion-in-DC-5.2.14.pdf Shelf Number: 150518 Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Cost-Benefit Analysis Diversion Juvenile Diversion Programs Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Payne, Jason Title: Where have all the young offenders gone? Examining changes in offending between two NSW birth cohorts Summary: New South Wales (NSW), like Australia overall, has experienced a large decline in crime since 2000, yet little is known about its causes. This study explored this decline through a developmental criminology lens by examining two birth cohorts involving all those born in New South Wales in 1984 and 1994. Comparisons between cohorts showed that, by age 21, the proportion of the population that had come into contact with the criminal justice system had halved (-49%), with the largest declines in vehicle theft (-59%), other property theft (-59%) and drink-driving (-49%). However, there remained a group of 'chronic' offenders (those committing 5+ offences) who committed crime at a higher rate and accounted for a larger proportion of offences (77%) than the 1984 cohort of 'chronic' offenders (68%). The crime decline in New South Wales would therefore appear to have resulted from a large reduction in the number of young people committing crime for the first time, although there remains a diminishing 'hard core' of prolific offenders. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 553: Accessed June 14, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi553 Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi553 Shelf Number: 150537 Keywords: Crime StatisticsCrime TrendsJuvenile CrimeJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersYouthful 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: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth Justice in Australia: 2016-17 Summary: This report looks at young people who were under youth justice supervision in Australia during 2016-17 because of their involvement or alleged involvement in crime. It explores the key aspects of supervision, both in the community and in detention, as well as recent trends. About 1 in 500 young people aged 10-17 were under supervision on an average day A total of 5,359 young people aged 10 and over were under youth justice supervision on an average day in 2016-17. Among those aged 10-17, this equates to a rate of 20 per 10,000, or 1 in every 492 young people. Most young people were supervised in the community More than 4 in 5 (83% or 4,473) young people under supervision on an average day were supervised in the community, and close to 1 in 5 (17% or 913) were in detention (some were supervised in both the community and detention on the same day). The majority of young people in detention were unsentenced - About 3 in 5 (61%) young people in detention on an average day were unsentenced-that is, awaiting the outcome of their legal matter or sentencing. Young people spent an average of 6 months under supervision - Individual periods of supervision that were completed during 2016-17 lasted for a median of 122 days or about 4 months. When all the time spent under supervision during 2016-17 is considered (including multiple periods and periods that were not yet completed), young people who were supervised during the year spent an average of 185 days or about 6 months under supervision. Supervision rates varied among the states and territories - Rates of youth justice supervision varied among the states and territories, reflecting, in part, the fact that each state and territory has its own legislation, policies, and practices. In 2016-17, the rate of young people aged 10-17 under supervision on an average day ranged from 13 per 10,000 in Victoria to 67 per 10,000 in the Northern Territory. Rates of supervision have fallen over the past 5 years - Over the 5 years from 2012-13 to 2016-17, the number of young people aged 10-17 under supervision on an average day fell by 16%, while the rate dropped from 25 to 20 per 10,000. These falls occurred in both community-based supervision (from 21 to 17 per 10,000) and detention (from 4 to 3 per 10,000). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander over-representation has increased - Although only about 5% of young people aged 10-17 in Australia are Indigenous, half (50%) of those under supervision on an average day in 2016-17 were Indigenous. The level of Indigenous over-representation (as measured by the rate ratio) rose over the 5 years from 2012-13 to 2016-17. On an average day in 2012-13, Indigenous young people aged 10-17 were 15 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be under supervision, rising to 18 times as likely in 2016-17. This was due to a proportionally greater fall in the non-Indigenous rate compared with the Indigenous rate over the period. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2018. 54p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/19707990-1719-4600-8fce-f0af9d61331c/aihw-juv-116.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/19707990-1719-4600-8fce-f0af9d61331c/aihw-juv-116.pdf.aspx?inline=true Shelf Number: 150935 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Detention Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile Offenders Juvenile Supervision |
Author: Hobbs, Anne Title: The Lancaster County Juvenile Reentry Project: Follow-up Report Summary: In 2011, Lancaster County received a planning grant under the Second Chance Act administered by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Using these funds, a team of stakeholders examined the limited reentry services available to juveniles who return to Lancaster County after a stay in a Nebraska Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center (YRTC). The following year, Lancaster County officials brought together multiple agencies to develop a systematic juvenile reentry approach, which subsequently became known as the Lancaster County Juvenile Reentry Project. From January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2015, a total of 126 youth were served under the Reentry Project. Of these, 45 (35.7%) were young women who were returning from YRTC-Geneva and 81 (64.3%) were young men returning from YRTC-Kearney. The majority were youth of color (62.7%), which is consistent with research that demonstrates minority overrepresentation in detention facilities in Nebraska. On average, youth were a little older than 16 when they entered the Reentry Program. The University of Nebraska Omaha's Juvenile Justice Institute (JJI) was hired to evaluate the success of the program. To examine the overall effectiveness of the Reentry Project, the stakeholders agreed to measure revocations (youth sent back to the facility after having been released and served under the program) and recidivism (new law violations filed after participating in the program). In order to determine whether the Reentry Project had an impact on the youth served, JJI used a comparison group of 150 youth who returned to Lancaster County between 2007 and 2012. Because the Reentry Project had not yet been established, those youth did not receive any of the reentry services. (A description of the control group can be found in the Appendix). We first examined all reentry services compared to the control group. Overall, the Reentry Project was very effective for youth when all of the various program elements were taken into account. This supports Antchuler and Bilchek's (2014) theory that reentry programs are most effective when they contain six functions, or components, operating in concert with one another. We then tested Antchuler and Bilchek's (2014) theory and compared the separate components of the Reentry Project (education specialist, mentoring, public defender, family support, aggression replacement therapy) to see if a specific program had a significant impact on reducing recidivism after reentry. Age was the most consistently significant characteristic that influenced whether additional charges would be filed. That is, the older the youth, the more likely he or she was to have subsequent charges filed. Awareness of this should allow programs in Lancaster County to devote extra attention to older youth returning to the community, and to examine particular factors that may be influencing this outcome. Details: Omaha, NE: Juvenile Justice Institute, University of Nebraska, Omaha, 2015. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 6, 2018 at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=jjireports Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=jjireports Shelf Number: 151027 Keywords: Juvenile Offenders Juvenile Reentry Revocations |
Author: Moore, Sara Title: Analysis of the Nebraska Intake Risk Assessment Instrument Summary: Under current Nebraska law, a youth in Nebraska should be placed in a secure detention facility for only two reasons: (1) "immediate and urgent necessity for the protection of such juvenile or the person or property of another or (2) if it appears that such juvenile is likely to flee the jurisdiction of the court" (Rev. Stat. § 43-251.01(5)). In the State of Nebraska, the Office of Juvenile Probation Administration screens youth using the Nebraska Juvenile Intake Screening Risk Assessment prior to making a determination whether to detain the youth. The assessment is referred to in this report as the Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI) (Office of Probation Administration, 2013). The Office of Probation contracted with the University of Nebraska Omaha"s Juvenile Justice Institute to assess whether the RAI effectively predicts which youth pose a threat to the community (will commit a new law violation) or fail to attend their scheduled court date (flee the court"s jurisdiction). Data was provided by the Office of Probation Administration and included juvenile intakes for whom a Risk Assessment Instrument was completed between September 1, 2013 and August 31, 2014. Prior to assessing how well the score predicted whether a juvenile would break the law or fail to appear in court, we examined the consistency with which intake officers relied on the tool. That is, we studied whether intake officers rely on the scores or cut points when making their recommendations and ultimate decisions on whether or not to detain a youth. Between September 1, 2013 and August 31, 2014, the Probation Administration completed the RAI on 1,845 juveniles. Of these, 1,191 were subsequently detained (66%) while 621 youth were released (34%). Intake officers appear to have a higher level of confidence in the tool, and rely on it more consistently, when youth score in the highest point range. Of the total 384 that scored for secure detention, the intake officer was confident in the RAI recommendation 93.5% of the time. For youth that score below a 12, overall, intake officers rely on the RAI score only 55% of the time. Generally, youth were scheduled to appear in court within 40 days of the intake. We were not able to determine court dates in a handful of cases, but of the 569 juveniles with a scheduled court hearing, only 38 youth (6.7%) failed to appear at the next court hearing associated with the intake. This analysis indicates that when a youth is released, the youth is very likely to appear in court. The majority of youth who are released are also not incurring new legal violations: 91.1% (N=566) had no new law violation prior to the next scheduled court hearing. Of the 8.4% (N=52) that had a new law violation, new charges included fairly minor adolescent behaviors, such as running away. In a handful of cases, the youth was charged with a more serious offense, like assault or multiple new law violations. The report that follows includes an in-depth analysis of youth who completed the RAI in 2013- 2014. While it appears that the tool is accurately predicting which youth pose an immediate or urgent risk for new law violations or not appearing for court; the 45% override rate impacts our overall findings, as it impacts which youth would have been released. Details: Omaha, NE: University of Nebraska, Juvenile Justice Institute, 2015. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 6, 2018 at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=jjireports Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=jjireports Shelf Number: 151031 Keywords: Juvenile Intake Screening Juvenile OffendersRisk Assessment |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Young people returning to sentenced youth justice supervision: 2016-17 Summary: Of young people aged 10-17 who were under sentenced youth justice supervision at some time from 2000-01 to 2016-17, 39% returned to supervised sentence before turning 18. Of young people aged 10-16 in 2015-16 and released from sentenced community-based supervision, 26% returned to sentenced supervision in 6 months, and 50% within 12 months. Of those released from sentenced detention, 59% returned within 6 months, and 82% within 12 months. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2018. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 29, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/48ae3545-83c5-46f1-96d4-9fac034fc71b/aihw-juv-127.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/48ae3545-83c5-46f1-96d4-9fac034fc71b/aihw-juv-127.pdf.aspx?inline=true Shelf Number: 151281 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Detention Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile Offenders Juvenile Supervision |
Author: National Juvenile Defender Center Title: Access Denied: A National Snapshot of States' Failure to Protect Children's Right to Counsel Summary: Based on statutory analysis and interviews with juvenile defenders in every state , the Snapshot exposes gaps in procedural protections for children - gaps that perpetuate the over-criminalization of youth, racial and economic disparities, and the fracturing of families and communities. The Snapshot explores five fundamental barriers to access to counsel for children: Eligibility procedures that prevent appointment of a publicly funded attorney; fees charged to children for what should be a free public defender; appointment that happens too late in the process for children to receive strong representation; permissive waiver of counsel; and the stripping of young people's right to an attorney after sentencing. Released on the 50th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision In re Gault, the Snapshot proposes achievable solutions to ensure access to justice for young people. Access Denied Key Findings: Children in the United States Are Not Guaranteed Lawyers: Only 11 states provide every child accused of an offense with a lawyer, regardless of financial status. Children Do Not Get Attorneys Until It Is Too Late: No state guarantees lawyers for every child during interrogation, and only one state requires it under limited circumstances. Children Must Pay for Their Constitutional Right to Counsel: Thirty-six states allow children to be charged fees for a "free" lawyer. Children's Rights Are Not Safeguarded by the States: Forty-three states allow children to waive their right to a lawyer without first consulting with a lawyer. Children's Access to Counsel Ends Too Early: Only 11 states provide for meaningful access to a lawyer after sentencing, while every state keeps children under its authority during this time. Details: Washington, DC: NJDC, 2017. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 30, 2018 at: http://njdc.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Snapshot-Final_single-4.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://njdc.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Snapshot-Final_single-4.pdf Shelf Number: 151306 Keywords: Juvenile CourtJuvenile DefenseJuvenile OffendersRight to Counsel |
Author: Herz, Denise Title: Los Angeles County Probation Workgroup: Report Summary: Pursuant to a September 15, 2015 motion by Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Hilda L. Solis, the Board instructed the Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Probation Department to review The Los Angeles County Juvenile Probation Outcomes Study and establish an interagency workgroup comprised of various entities in order to build on the report's findings, create a mechanism to implement the report recommendations and ensure continued systems improvement and monitoring of youth outcomes. The goals of this interagency workgroup (hereafter referred to as the "Probation Workgroup") are to support the Los Angeles County and the Probation Department in its ongoing development and implementation of best practices in juvenile justice. Specifically, this group is expected to produce key documents to help: maximize service integration; strengthen coordination between County Departments and community-based service providers; ensure a data-driven, transparent and accountable juvenile justice system; and improve information sharing within Probation and across County Departments. The Board motion directed Dr. Denise C. Herz, Ph.D. and Kristine Chan, MSW, from California State University Los Angeles School of Criminal Justice & Criminalistics to lead this effort. Following the passage of the motion, the Probation Workgroup was established in November 2015 and met monthly either as a full group or as an Ad Hoc Working Committee through January 2017 to address the six tasks. The Workgroup was comprised of 71 participants with a range of expertise and experiences necessary to generate direct guidance on how Los Angeles County Probation can become more efficient and effective in delivering services to youth. Specifically, the membership included seven young people and three parents with different backgrounds and diversity in their Probation experiences. They were engaged through monthly contacts and transportation was coordinated to these meetings when they are able and willing to attend. Over the past year, the Probation Workgroup approached each task with the intent to produce "building blocks" for Probation and other entities involved in juvenile justice. In particular, these documents offer a substantive starting point for building a better infrastructure and delivery system for juvenile justice practice in Los Angeles County. It holds as a primary assumption that preventing and effectively responding to delinquency when it occurs is a shared responsibility across a variety of stakeholders. Thus, better delinquency prevention and intervention requires the commitment of time and resources by the Board of Supervisors, the Probation Department, other County agencies, community-based organizations, schools, advocacy groups and many others. The Probation Department alone will not be able to effectively reduce delinquency and improve the overall well-being of youth and their families without partnerships with all entities who play a role in the wellness in communities. It is our hope the documents contained within this report facilitate and support that relationship. Details: Los Angeles: California State University, Los Angeles, 2017. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2018 at: http://www.juvenilejusticeresearch.com/sites/default/files/2017-05/Probation%20Workgroup%20Report%203-3-17.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.juvenilejusticeresearch.com/sites/default/files/2017-05/Probation%20Workgroup%20Report%203-3-17.pdf Shelf Number: 151322 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity-Based ProgramsDelinquency preventionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationProbation |
Author: Herz, Denise Title: Los Angeles County Juvenile Probation Outcomes Study Part II Summary: In 2008, juvenile halls and camps fell under federal oversight by the U.S. Department of Justice due to inadequate protection from harm and failed to provide adequate suicide prevention and mental health care. In the last Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Los Angeles County Probation Department and the U.S. Department of Justice, Probation was obligated to "support a longitudinal study and develop baseline data tracking systems to assist in the evaluation of systemic outcomes for youth" (see Paragraph 73, #6 External Partnership of this MOA document). This study fulfills this requirement by collecting data for youth cohorts exiting suitable placement and camp in 2015 and comparing results to those reported for the 2011 cohorts in The Los Angeles County Probation Outcomes Study Part I. The purpose of the comparison is to evaluate outcomes for youth within the context of the systems change Probation has been and continues to implement. Moving in this direction improves the ability to assess Probation efforts to improve services and outcomes. In addition to replicating the 2015 study, the current study includes interviews with a sample of youth, their families, and supervising Deputy Probation Officers. The report and executive summary provides an overview of the results and offers recommendations to improve the effectiveness of juvenile justice in Los Angeles County Details: Los Angeles: California State University, Los Angeles, 2017. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2018 at: http://www.juvenilejusticeresearch.com/sites/default/files/2017-08/POS%20Part%20ll%20Report%205-10-2017%20FINAL.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.juvenilejusticeresearch.com/sites/default/files/2017-08/POS%20Part%20ll%20Report%205-10-2017%20FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 151324 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationProbation Camps |
Author: Herz, Denise Title: Camp Kilpatrick AWARE Program Evaluation Study Summary: This study represents an important development in the evolution of the Los Angeles Probation Department. Over the past 10 years, the Department has faced several issues and problems in the camps (Newell & Leap, 2013). While the Department has previously focused on compliance to mandates directed at these problems, this study marks an important advancement in Probation's approach to reform. Rather than taking a reactionary approach to a problem, Probation is driving practice with discussions of "what works" in order to benefit the long-term success of Probation youth, their families, and their communities. The primary hypothesis tested in this study was whether AWARE youth would have better outcomes than Non-AWARE youth. Data were retrieved from the Probation Case Management System (PCMS) for 112 youth who arrived at Camp Kilpatrick and participated in the AWARE Program between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2011. A matched group of 112 youth (based on age, race, and risk score at arrival to camp) entering other camps during this time were identified as a Non-AWARE comparison group. In addition to PCMS data, data were extracted from case files for 35 youth (31% of 112) drawn from each of these groups for a total of 70 youth. Both the PCMS data and the case file data provided substantial insight into the experiences of AWARE and Non-AWARE youth 1 year prior to the arrest/petition that led to their placements in Camp Kilpatrick or a different camp (Time 1), at the time of the arrest/petition leading to their placements (Time 2); during their camp placements (Time 3); upon exit from their camp placements (Time 4); and 1 year after exit from camp or when the case terminated-whichever came first (Time 5). Details: Los Angeles, CA: California State University, Los Angeles, 2016. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2018 at: http://www.juvenilejusticeresearch.com/sites/default/files/2016-12/AWARE%20Evaluation%20Report%20FINAL%20Revise%201-9-15.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.juvenilejusticeresearch.com/sites/default/files/2016-12/AWARE%20Evaluation%20Report%20FINAL%20Revise%201-9-15.pdf Shelf Number: 151326 Keywords: Juvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationProbation Camps |
Author: Warner, Louise Title: Secure settings for young people: a national scoping exercise Summary: This report summarises the findings of the first (scoping) stage of a service evaluation, evaluating the provision of secure services for detained young people, under 18 years of age, from England, between February and September 2016. This involved identifying every secure unit in Great Britain (the United Kingdom excluding Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, none of which had secure units in which young people from England could be placed) that could detain young people from England and establishing the basic characteristics of each unit, in order to identify similarities and differences between them, prior to further exploration in the later stages of the study. This report addresses two questions: to what extent and in what ways are the types of secure service for children similar or different? Table 1 below presents a summary of these findings. There will be two later stages of this service evaluation including a census of all young people from England detained on 14 September 2016 considering their needs and qualitative interviews of professionals and carers about the strengths and weaknesses of the secure system for young people in England. Details: London: National Health Services, 2018. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2018 at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/secure-settings-for-young-people-a-national-scoping-exercise-paper-1-scoping-analysis.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/secure-settings-for-young-people-a-national-scoping-exercise-paper-1-scoping-analysis.pdf Shelf Number: 152851 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Bartlett, Annie Title: Young people's secure care: Professionals' and parents' views of its purpose, placements and practice Summary: This is the third report on secure care for young people in England. It should be read in conjunction with the scoping report which established the location and nature of secure care facilities for young people and the census report which describes the detained population in terms of their health and social care characteristics and pathways into care. This report is based on the analysis of 53 semi-structured interviews with secure care staff (N=36) and parents of detained young people (N=17). These explored their views of: - the characteristics of the multi-agency system of secure care - why a young person might be detained in the system - who these detained young people might be Key findings included: - Despite the notional clarity of the three components of secure care, respondents thought detained young people in all types of setting often shared similar, disadvantaged backgrounds and characteristics, including mental health difficulties - Vulnerable young people might be placed with those who posed a significant risk to others and those who only posed a risk to themselves might be detained in medium secure hospital services - Staff involved in the care of young people in secure care and parents' had different views on care quality - Staff involved in the care of young people in secure care and parents were critical of the process determining a young person's secure placement, seeing it as a consequence of failures in prophylactic health and social care (particularly child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS)) and based on the availability of a placement rather than its suitability, to the point where the system's decision could appear arbitrary - Respondents were united in their concern that young people were often placed far from their support systems and that this was detrimental, even when specialist care was required - Many respondents thought young people had had multiple placements and moves leading to difficulty trusting staff or emotionally investing in care and to feelings of rejection - Parents considered the attitudes of staff towards their child, specifically with regards to their interest in and knowledge of their child's history, to be unhelpful - The widespread use of agency/temporary staff was uniformly considered to exacerbate difficulties in trust and communication and care delivery - Insufficient recruitment and poor retention of staff allied to the absence of bespoke training contributed to the widespread use of agency staff - A range of practical ideas about units and the system of care were put forward These findings led to themes, explored in the Discussion and Conclusions, for further consideration by key stakeholders: - Parents and professionals: language and its significance - Consistent Approaches to Care Delivery - Looking Out not just Looking In - Risk and Vulnerability - Geography and Parity of Esteem Details: London: National Health Service, 2018. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2018 at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/secure-settings-for-young-people-a-national-scoping-exercise-paper-3-interview-report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/secure-settings-for-young-people-a-national-scoping-exercise-paper-3-interview-report.pdf Shelf Number: 152853 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersPublic Opinion |
Author: Novak, Adam Title: Multi-country evaluation of the impact of juvenile justice system reforms on children in conflict with the law (2006-2012) Summary: 2.1 Background The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) requires States to promote the establishment of laws, policies, procedures institutions and services specifically applicable to children who are alleged as, accused of or recognised as having infringed the criminal law. More specifically, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child requires that States parties establish a juvenile justice system, whose principal aim is to reintegrate children into their communities and society. The juvenile justice systems in countries and territories of CEE/CIS, which shared a common legal background until independence at the beginning of the 90s, focused on punishment rather than reintegration, and on prosecution and detention rather than on diversion from judicial proceedings and the various community-based alternative to custody that can best support the reintegration of young people in conflict with the law. None of the countries or territories in the CEE/CIS region have a juvenile justice system that fully meets the standard set by the CRC and other UN international standards and norms. UNICEF country offices have gradually started working on juvenile justice in the CEE/CIS region in 2000, with most of them active in this area by 2006. In addition to specific country-based support to reforms, there have been two initiatives led by the UNICEF Regional Office. The first, the 'critical mass' exercise started in 2008, and aimed at encouraging a group of CEE/CIS states that had developed experience in juvenile justice to work with a common set of objectives and priorities, strengthen their approaches, and to document and share experience and lessons learnt for the benefit of other countries in the region. The second was a programme co-funded by the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights' (EIDHR) on Consolidation of Juvenile Justice System Reforms against Torture and Other Forms of Ill-treatment of Children in Former Soviet Countries," covering 8 countries. 2.2 Objective, scope and methodology In 2012, UNICEF decided to commission an independent evaluation of its work on juvenile justice in the region as part of a series of thematic multi-country evaluations aimed at assessing and reinforcing the impact of UNICEF's work on the most vulnerable children. The present evaluation was carried out in partnership with the European Commission (EC) and constitute the final evaluation of the above-mentioned regional programme co-funded by EIDHR and UNICEF. This joint EC and UNICEF multi-country evaluation (MCE) assesses the extent to which juvenile justice system reforms in eleven countries and territories of the CEE/CIS region during the period 2006-2012 have contributed to (a) reducing deprivation of liberty for children in conflict with the law, (b) increasing the use of diversion from the judicial process and (c) reducing the average duration of pre-sentence detention. These three results are necessary in ensuring the child's reintegration into the community - i.e. the ultimate objective of juvenile justice reforms as stated above. They also correspond to interventions where UNICEF has been particularly active in the region. The evaluation reviews UNICEF's and the EIDHR support to system level changes and assesses the extent to which this support contributed to the three above-mentioned results. The MCE was conducted in 11 selected countries and territories which had reported significant results in terms of reductions of children in detention (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo (UNSCR 1244), Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Montenegro, Tajikistan and Ukraine), with two overarching goals: - Demonstrate how reduction of equity gaps and impact results were made possible through changes in the national/regional/local systems and document UNICEF's contribution to such changes; - Identify key lessons in order to improve current and future action. The evaluation was carried out by a team of twelve independent consultants and took place between September 2013 and January 2015. The methodology was based on a reconstructed Theory of Change (TOC); this generated a series of hypotheses regarding the sequencing and causal links of changes in juvenile justice and UNICEF's engagement. Using 16 evaluation questions, findings from the region were used to assess the validity of the logic underpinning the TOC; the extent to which the sequencing of inputs, outputs, outcomes and Impacts corresponded to the TOC, and whether the assumptions that link one level of the TOC to the next hold true. This was followed by a combined desk and field phase, based on documentary review, interviews and focus groups, and questionnaires for UNICEF staff and for practitioners and NGOs. Fieldwork was carried out in six of the 11 countries and territories included within the scope of the evaluation, with local experts assisting in the data collection in the remaining countries and territories. The evaluation team’s analysis was shared with UNICEF stakeholders and an expert panel at various stages and the final draft report was discussed during a validation workshop and passed an external quality assurance review. Details: New York: UNICEF, 2015. 106p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 12, 2018 at: https://www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/files/MCE2_Final_CEECIS_2015-005.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: https://www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/files/MCE2_Final_CEECIS_2015-005.pdf Shelf Number: 152915 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionInterventionsJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice ReformsJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Cramer, Lindsey Title: Evaluation Report on New York City's Advocate, Intervene, Mentor Program Summary: This report presents the findings of an implementation and outcome evaluation of the Advocate, Intervene, Mentor (AIM) program, a court-mandated juvenile alternative-to-placement program serving probation clients ages 13 to 18 years with high criminogenic risk. The evaluation finds that AIM successfully helps participants avoid out-of-home placement and reduce recidivism, as well as pursue and achieve individualized goals to help reduce their risk of reoffending. Launched in July 2012 by the New York City Department of Probation (DOP) as a component of the New York City Young Men's Initiative (YMI) and with oversight from the Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity), AIM seeks to reduce the use of costly out-of-home placement and to enhance community safety by increasing resiliency and reducing criminogenic risk factors for adolescents on probation. The program uses a one-on-one mentoring model with a paid advocate-mentor available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Advocate-mentors are credible messengers, defined as individuals who are respected in the communities served, typically coming from the same neighborhood and backgrounds as the participants. Advocate-mentors work to improve participants' criminal justice and personal outcomes through the co-creation of individualized service plans designed to transform attitudes and behaviors that have led to delinquent activity. The Urban Institute conducted the implementation and outcome evaluation, and collected data from September 2016 through March 2017. The evaluation documented AIM program operations, described participant outcomes and stakeholders' experiences with the program, identified best practices, and developed recommendations to address program challenges. The evaluation drew upon qualitative and quantitative data, including focus groups and interviews with participants and alumni, participants' caregivers, program staff, DOP staff, and Family Court actors and other stakeholders; review of program materials and participant case files; and analysis of program administrative data and criminal justice data, conducted in partnership with DOP. The Urban Institute found the following: - Over 90 percent of participants avoided felony rearrest within 12 months of enrollment-far exceeding the program target of 60 percent. - Over two-thirds of AIM participants completed the program without an out-of-home placement. When excluding out-of-home placements due to technical violations of probation conditions (for reasons other than rearrests or risk to public safety), this figure rises to over 80 percent. - Fewer than 10 percent of participants received a felony adjudication in Family Court (equivalent to being convicted in the adult context) and only 3 percent received a felony conviction in Criminal Court. While based on only a small number of youth participating in the program, these results indicate that AIM is a promising strategy to improve outcomes of justice-involved youth. Implementation findings indicate that participants, alumni, caregivers, program staff, and other stakeholders all had positive feelings about their experience with the AIM program. Participants value their one-on-one interactions with mentors, and caregivers value the program's family team meetings and mentors' responsiveness to participant needs. The report also identified challenges related to the program's enrollment criteria and process, the absence of formal aftercare services, and stakeholder communication and coordination at various stages throughout the program cycle. Based on these findings, the report presents recommendations to address identified challenges, including enabling provider input on enrollment decisions, expanding in-program services and establishing formalized alumni services following the completion of mandated enrollment, enhancing communication across stakeholders, and improving programmatic performance reporting. These findings and recommendations highlight valuable opportunities for enhancements to the AIM program model. NYC Opportunity and YMI will partner with DOP, AIM providers, and other stakeholders to carefully consider the programmatic recommendations presented in this report, with the goal of strengthening the AIM model and juvenile justice services more broadly. At the time of publication, the City is embarking upon multiple cross-cutting justice system reform efforts. Raise the Age legislation will significantly expand the number of youth eligible for juvenile justice services such as AIM, as 16 and 17 year olds transition to Family Court in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Given the demonstrated promise of AIM in serving the needs of youth with high criminogenic risk, the program is well positioned to support the success of Raise the Age reforms. Simultaneously, the City is moving forward with plans to replace the Rikers Island complex with borough-based facilities, a strategy that includes ongoing and significant reductions to the population of detained and sentenced individuals held in City custody. This evaluation builds evidence about what works in alternatives-to-placement programming for juveniles, and these findings can inform the development and implementation of alternative-to-incarceration programming necessary to fulfill the City's commitment to close Rikers. Finally, this evaluation follows after the Urban Institute's and NYC Opportunity's evaluation of the DOP Arches Transformative Mentoring program, which established credible messenger mentoring as an evidence-based approach with positive impact on young adult justice system outcomes. These findings contribute to that body of knowledge and can support the growing national momentum toward credible messenger approaches to human service provision for justice-involved populations and beyond Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2018. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed Nov. 2, 2018 at: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/opportunity/pdf/evidence/AIM_Final_2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/opportunity/pdf/evidence/AIM_Final_2018.pdf Shelf Number: 153144 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationAt-Risk YouthJuvenile Mentoring ProgramsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationMentoring |
Author: Harvell, Samantha Title: Bridging Research and Practice in Juvenile Probation: Rethinking Strategies to Promote Long-term Change Summary: Over the past several decades, the knowledge base on how to improve public safety and outcomes for youth has expanded substantially, yet probation officers that work with these young people lack guidance on how this research can inform their work. This report offers practical tips for frontline juvenile probation officers to align their practice with research on successful strategies for reducing recidivism and improving outcomes for youth, their families, and the communities in which they live. The report describes five core practice areas-screening, assessment, and structured decision-making; case planning; matching services and promoting positive youth development; structuring supervision to promote long-term behavior change; and incentivizing success and implementing graduated responses. For each area, the report highlights relevant research findings, identifies core focus areas for bridging research and practice, and offers concrete strategies for probation officers and agencies to hold youth accountable, prevent future delinquency, and promote healthy development. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2018. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2018 at: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/99223/bridging_research_and_practice_in_juvenile_probation_2.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/99223/bridging_research_and_practice_in_juvenile_probation_2.pdf Shelf Number: 153145 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationProbation Officers |
Author: Skemer, Melanie Title: Striving for independence: Two-year impact findings from the Youth Villages transitional living evaluation Summary: Young adults with histories of foster care or juvenile justice custody often experience poor outcomes across a number of domains, on average, relative to their peers. While government funding for services targeting these groups of young people has increased in recent years, research on the effectiveness of such services is limited, and few of the programs that have been rigorously tested have been found to improve outcomes. The Youth Villages Transitional Living Evaluation is testing whether the Transitional Living program, operated by the social service organization Youth Villages, makes a difference in the lives of young men and women with histories of foster care or juvenile justice custody. The program, which was renamed "YVLifeSet" in April 2015, is intended to help these young people make a successful transition to adulthood by providing intensive, individualized, and clinically focused case management, support, and counseling. The evaluation uses a rigorous random assignment design and is set in Tennessee, where Youth Villages operates its largest Transitional Living program. From October 2010 to October 2012, more than 1,300 young people were assigned, at random, to either a program group, which was offered the Transitional Living program's services, or to a control group, which was not offered those services. Using survey and administrative data, the evaluation team measured outcomes for both groups over time to assess whether Transitional Living services led to better outcomes for the program group compared with the control group's outcomes. This is the third major report in the evaluation. The first report provides a detailed description of the Transitional Living program model and assesses its implementation. The second report assesses whether the program improved key outcomes during the first year after young people were enrolled in the study. That report relies largely on survey data to analyze the program's impacts in the six domains that it was designed to affect: education; employment and earnings; housing stability and economic well-being; social support; health and safety; and criminal involvement. This third report uses administrative data to assess the program's impacts in three of the original six domains - education; employment and earnings; and criminal involvement - during the second year after study enrollment. Taken together, the one- and two-year results show that participation in the Transitional Living program had modest, positive impacts on a broad range of outcomes. The program boosted earnings, increased housing stability and economic well-being, and improved some outcomes related to health and safety. However, it did not improve outcomes in the areas of education, social support, or criminal involvement. These results indicate that the Transitional Living program can improve multiple outcomes for young adults with histories of foster care or juvenile justice custody, a notable finding given how few other programs that serve these populations have been shown to have an effect. As a next step, Youth Villages aims to build on the areas where the program has already been successful by testing modifications to the YVLifeSet model; the hope is that such modifications will further improve young people's outcomes, particularly in domains where the program has not yet produced positive impacts. Details: New York: MDRC, 2016. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 13, 2018 at: https://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/YV_2016_FR.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/YV_2016_FR.pdf Shelf Number: 153415 Keywords: At-Risk YouthFoster CareJuvenile AftercareJuvenile Justice ProgramsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Reentry |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Young people in child protection and under youth justice supervision: 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2017 Summary: This report presents information on people aged 10-17 who were in the child protection system and under youth justice supervision from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2017. Young people under youth justice supervision were 9 times as likely as the general population to be in the child protection system. Indigenous Australians were 17 times as likely as their non-Indigenous counterpart to be both in the child protection system and under youth justice supervision. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2018. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 19, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/bdcab5ea-2009-4c44-95ff-8225f5171c4a/aihw-csi-26.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/bdcab5ea-2009-4c44-95ff-8225f5171c4a/aihw-csi-26.pdf.aspx?inline=true Shelf Number: 153508 Keywords: Child Protection Services Juvenile Detention Juvenile Inmates Juvenile 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: Weissman, Marsha Title: Does Keeping Youth Close to Home Really Matter? A Case Study Summary: Background In 2012, with authorization from the Governor and New York State legislature, New York City took jurisdiction over children adjudicated delinquent (JDs) and ordered into placement by the court. Known as the Close to Home initiative (C2H), when youth from New York City are placed, it is now in small facilities near their home communities. C2H also expanded community-based, non-residential alternative to placement resources and required that the city's Probation Department utilize a risk-based system for making recommendations to the court. By keeping youth "close to home," it was theorized, they would remain connected to their families, their schools, and positive community activities, rather than being disconnected by placement in youth prisons distant from their homes. By 2016, New York City no longer had any JD-adjudicated youth in state Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) facilities. The 182 youth who were placed out-of-home were placed into small (6 to 18 bed) C2H facilities in or near the city. In addition, the overall placements of youth dramatically declined following the implementation of C2H. Between 2012 and 2016, overall placements of JDs decreased by 68 percent. Through interviews with stakeholders involved in the planning, implementation and advocacy for C2H, and analysis of C2H and other juvenile justice outcome data from city and state sources, this case study documents the impact of the Close to Home initiative. It examines what Close to Home and other city juvenile justice reforms that preceded it represent within the larger context of juvenile justice reforms - at the national, state and city level. Details: Syracuse, NY: Columbia University Justice Lab, 2018. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 17, 2019 at: http://justicelab.iserp.columbia.edu/img/forum_handout_final_3.12.18.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: http://justicelab.iserp.columbia.edu/closetohome.html Shelf Number: 154204 Keywords: At-Risk YouthClose to Home InitiativeCommunity-Based CorrectionsJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile OffendersRisk-Based System |
Author: Child Rights International Network Title: Caught in the Crossfire?: An International Survey of Anti-Terrorism Legislation and its Impact on Children Summary: As terrorism has proliferated in the last 20 years, so have States' counterterrorism strategies and the legislation that underpins them, which has introduced new surveillance measures, restrictions on behaviour, powers of detention, and hundreds of new offences carrying heavy sentences. In developing their counter-terrorism strategies, States are obliged to ensure that human rights are promoted and protected in full. Approaches that undermine human rights are not only unlawful; they are now widely understood to be counter-productive, insofar as they consolidate the social conditions in which terrorism can flourish. Nonetheless, States commonly regard human rights as an operational impediment and are allowing them to erode. No group has been more vulnerable to this than children and young people, particularly from marginalised minority groups. This report presents the findings from CRIN's research of anti-terrorism legislation in 33 countries across five continents. It shows that counterterrorism measures are leading to extensive violations of children's rights: - Children's behaviour and interests are monitored in schools and online, without their consent and sometimes without their knowledge; - Children are criminalised for association with terrorist groups, even for marginal involvement, rather than treated as victims of grooming and calculated indoctrination by recruiters; - Children can be routinely detained without charge for long periods under counter-terrorism powers in many countries; - Children convicted of offences, such as association with a terrorist group, are punished with harsh and sometimes extreme penalties; life imprisonment is not unusual, and in some countries children have been executed; - Some State military and intelligence agencies use children as spies and informants, exposing them to undue and potentially serious harm. These effects of counter-terrorism measures are unambiguously incompatible with States' human rights obligations to children. In particular, the strategies violate several specific rights of the child, including: - The right to privacy and to freedom of expression; - The right to be protected from violence and exploitation; - The right not to be used by State military and intelligence agencies; - The right not to be deprived of liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily and the right to be treated with dignity; - The right to a criminal justice system designed for the particular needs of children, and which recognises their lesser culpability by virtue of their cognitive and emotional immaturity relative to adults; - The right of a child to have their best interests treated as a primary consideration in all actions concerning them. Where apprehended children can be subject to extended detention without charge or harsh penalties after conviction, their treatment defies cardinal principles of juvenile justice established by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international rules and standards. In the worst cases, such punishments amount to torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. Where counter-terrorism measures target one social group disproportionately, they are also likely to amount to a violation of the right to be free from discrimination. States have favoured a 'firefighting approach' to counter-terrorism, by targeting suspected terrorists but not the social conditions in which terrorism can flourish. Structural risk factors that radically increase children's vulnerability to recruitment, such as poverty, marginalisation and the stigmatisation of certain social groups - all of which are human rights violation in themselves - have been largely overlooked. A 'human rights first' approach to counter-terrorism would begin to reverse these social conditions. A human rights approach would not criminalise children for association with terrorist groups, nor incarcerate them for terrorism offences. Instead, it would recognise children's vulnerability to recruitment, supporting them to develop their own awareness of the risks. If children had been groomed and manipulated, the State would recognise their victimisation and provide rehabilitative care. Counter-terrorism authorities committed to human rights would not snoop on children, but would allow professionals charged with their care to make informed and measured decisions about any threats to their welfare. Nor should States ever imperil children by using them in the fight against suspected terrorists. No State needs to violate the human rights of its public to tackle terrorism effectively, nor is there any advantage to be gained from doing so. A State willing to sacrifice children's rights puts them in harm's way, while handing an easy victory to terrorism. Details: London, UK: The Child Rights International Network, 2018. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2019 at: https://archive.crin.org/sites/default/files/caughtinthecrossfire.pdf Year: 2018 Country: International URL: https://archive.crin.org/en/library/publications/caught-crossfire-international-survey-anti-terrorism-legislation-and-its-impact Shelf Number: 154254 Keywords: Anti-TerrorismConvention on the Rights of the ChildCounter-terorrismHuman RightsJuvenile JusticeJuvenile OffendersSurveillanceTerrorismTerrorism Recruitment |
Author: Esthappan, Sino Title: Juvenile Probation Transformation: Applying the Approach in Lucas County, OH, and Pierce County, WA Summary: Probation is the most commonly used disposition in juvenile court: nearly 63 percent of cases adjudicated delinquent in 2014 resulted in probation. Juvenile probation dispositions are rising; between 1984 and 2014, the use of probation for youth adjudicated delinquent increased by over 5 percent. Yet, the literature on what works in juvenile probation practice remains relatively scant. The limited existing literature suggests that the standard approach to juvenile probation is ill-equipped to meet the growing needs of justice-involved youth. Studies find high rates of recidivism among justice-involved youth (Bonta et al. 2008; Latessa, Listwan, and Koetzle 2014; Robinson et al. 2012). Researchers and practitioners have found various components of juvenile probation ineffective, including the overuse of probation violation orders, which often result in out-of-home placements. Youth on probation receive from 5 to more than 30 conditions with which they must comply during the supervision period (National Juvenile Defender Center 2016). Studies have identified gaps in how youth interpret and understand probation conditions. One study in Washington State found that youth recalled approximately one-third of conditions imposed on them (Peralta et al. 2012). Research on adolescent brain development enhances what we know about how these conditions are followed; neural networks in the brain responsible for self-regulation and reward motivation do not fully develop until after age 24, which makes youth more likely to engage in risky behaviors and defy rules (Cauffman, Steinberg, and Piquero 2005; Spear 2010; Steinberg 2010). Thus, many youths are not inclined to follow the rules and requirements imposed on them while on probation. Further, studies show that probation violations, and specifically technical violations, have grown substantially in recent decades (Gies, Cohen, and Villarruel 2009; Moeller 2011), with 17 percent of admissions to youth residential placement facilities in 2013 for technical violations (Hockenberry 2016). This pattern is pronounced for youth of color, who represented 70 percent of those committed to a residential facility for a probation violation in 2015 (Sickmund et al. 2018), and who already are disproportionately represented at each decision point in the juvenile justice system (Hockenberry and Puzzanchera 2017). While modest, the literature on effective probation practice provides some useful lessons. Studies show that therapeutic and skills-building programs such as cognitive behavioral therapy and strengths-based mentoring, especially when coming from credible messengers (Lynch et al. 2018), show promise for improving juvenile justice outcomes (DuBois et al. 2002 Landenberger and Lipsey 2006). As one example, a study of the alternative to incarceration Youth Advocate Programs (YAP) found that among 3,523 youth ages 11 to 18 across multiple YAP sites, 86 percent were not arrested during their participation in the program, and 93 percent remained in the community at the time of program completion (Evans and Delgado 2014). Additionally, interventions that target risk factors may help ensure that probation only reaches the youth who need it most and strengthen case management services for those youth (Bonta and Andrews 2007; Lowenkamp and Latessa 2004). Still, a gap remains between the evidence on what works in delinquency prevention and juvenile probation and what is happening on the ground. Implementation science studies focusing on juvenile justice indicate that-because of deficits in such areas as organizational capacity, system stakeholder buy-in, and funding-juvenile justice professionals may lack the tools to translate research into practice (Love and Harvell 2016). Recognizing the gap between research and practice, the Annie E. Casey Foundation (the Foundation) started the Probation Transformation Initiative in 2014, which aims to develop an effective, developmentally appropriate, and unified theory of change in probation practice. Additionally, the approach is intended to help probation departments reduce and sharpen the focus of their target population, address racial and ethnic equity and inclusion (REEI), and forge partnerships with families and their communities. The initiative builds on the Foundation's prior juvenile justice reform efforts with the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI), which aims to reduce the number of youth in pretrial detention, and the Foundation's expansion of JDAI into the "deep end" of the juvenile justice system to reduce the number of youth in out-of-home placements. The Foundation has contracted with the Urban Institute (Urban) and Mathematica Policy Research (Mathematica) since 2014 to conduct a formative evaluation of the deep end work. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute; Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., 2019. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 28, 2019 at: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/99608/juvenile_probation_transformation.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/99608/juvenile_probation_transformation.pdf Shelf Number: 154453 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile Offender SupervisionJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Probation |
Author: Hockenberry, Sarah Title: Juvenile Residential Facility Census, 2016: Selected Findings Summary: OJJDP's biennial Juvenile Residential Facility Census collects data on how juvenile facilities operate and the services they provide. Data from the 2016 census indicate that the number of youth in residential placement continues to decline, a trend that has lasted nearly two decades. In 2016, more youth were held in county, city, or municipally operated facilities on the census date than were held in state-operated facilities. Facility crowding affected a relatively small proportion of youth in custody. Most responding facilities routinely evaluated all youth for suicide risk, education needs, substance abuse, and mental health needs. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2018. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2019 at: https://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/251785.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/251785.pdf Shelf Number: 154017 Keywords: Juvenile Corrections Juvenile Inmates Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Cruickshank, Cheryl-Ann Title: "Nothing has convinced me to stop": Young people's perceptions and experiences of persistant offending Summary: Nothing Has Convinced Me To Stop results from the former Scottish Executive tasking the project with consulting young people about persistent offending. The report explores the views and experiences of those living in residential care about how and why they persistently offend, what contributes to their offending behaviour escalating and what helps them to reduce it or indeed stop offending. The consultation focused on areas with high concentrations of 'persistent offenders' in residential care, consulting young people living in various settings - residential units, residential schools, secure units and young offender institutions. Details: Glasgow: University of Strathclyde, 2008. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 27, 2019 at: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/20235/1/strathprints020235.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/20235/1/strathprints020235.pdf Shelf Number: 154782 Keywords: Chronic OffendersDesistanceJuvenile OffendersPersistant OffendersYouth CrimeYouthful Offenders |
Author: Weissman, Marsha Title: Moving Beyond Youth Prisons: Lessons from New York City's Implementation of Close to Home Summary: In the mid-1990s, New York's youth prison system reflected the dominant paradigm across the country - a heavy reliance on incarceration for young people caught up in the juvenile justice system. During this time, roughly 3,800 youth convicted of crimes annually were sent to large facilities, operated either by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) or by private providers contracted by OCFS. These facilities were largely located in upstate New York, far from youths' homes and communities, particularly for youth from New York City (Sickmund et al. 2017; New York State (NYS) Office of the State Comptroller 2001). Upon returning home from these placements, youth often felt disconnected, resulting in poor outcomes. A 2009 study indicated that by age 28, 71 percent of boys released from New York State's juvenile placement system spent some time in an adult jail or prison (Coleman, Do Han Kim & Therese 2009). Fast forward twenty years, and things in New York looked dramatically different. By 2016, New York City no longer sent any youth from its Family Court to state-operated youth prisons. Today, only around 100 New York City youth are placed from Family Court into any kind of residential facility, about a dozen of whom are in a locked facility.3 Not only are there dramatically fewer youth in residential placements, but those who do get placed now go to smaller, more home-like settings that attend to public safety without mirroring the punitive, correctional approaches embodied by previous youth prisons. This case study outlines what happened in the intervening years to achieve these remarkable results. By sharing New York City's story, we offer a roadmap for other jurisdictions looking to realign their juvenile justice systems, adapting the lessons learned about what worked and what did not to meet their specific circumstances. Close to Home (C2H), the initiative that transferred the care and custody of all New York City youth adjudicated as juvenile delinquents from the State to the City, was embedded in a set of reforms that involved policing, detention, and developments in science and evidence-based interventions. While the astronomical costs of the system played an important role, the commitment by key stakeholders to create a developmentally appropriate system without sacrificing public safety and adhering to a shared set of principles and values were key to the system's transformation. This case study describes the development of the Close to Home (C2H) initiative, beginning with a review of what the system looked like before its creation, through the planning and implementation phases of this transformation. It reviews the challenges faced, particularly during C2H's initial implementation, how these were addressed, and the ongoing efforts to adapt the initiative to new and evolving circumstances. Finally, it shares data showing outcomes to date and highlights the role of key stakeholders, including elected officials, policymakers, advocates, and directly-impacted communities that combined to make the C2H reform successful. Details: New York: Columbia University, Justice Lab, 2019. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 6, 2019 at: https://justicelab.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/Moving%20Beyond%20Youth%20Prisons%20-%20C2H_0.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://justicelab.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/Moving%20Beyond%20Youth%20Prisons%20-%20C2H_0.pdf Shelf Number: 154832 Keywords: Close to Home InitiativeCommunity-Based CorrectionsJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile JusticeJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Wolf, Dennie Title: Our Voices Count: The Potential Impact of Strength-Based Music Programs in Juvenile Justice Settings Summary: Wolfbrown took on an evaluation of the impact of ensemble choral music-making on young people living in one of the most uncertain and stressful environments: the juvenile justice system. The project evaluated a choral residency program from Carnegie Hall's Musical Connections program and was funded through the ArtWorks program at the National Endowment for the Arts. Details: Detroit: WolfBrown, 2014. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2019 at: http://wolfbrown.com/images/books_reports/documents/ourvoicescount.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://wolfbrown.com/images/books_reports/documents/ourvoicescount.pdf Shelf Number: 154935 Keywords: Arts in PrisonsArts ProgramsDelinquency Prevention (New York)Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile OffendersMusic TherapyMusical ProgramsRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Vaswani, Nina Title: Adverse Childhood Experiences in children at high risk of harm to others. A gendered perspective Summary: The body of evidence linking a range of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) to health-harming behaviours and poorer health outcomes is becoming increasingly better understood. Although these experiences are surprisingly common in the general population, certain vulnerable groups, such as people involved in offending, are known to have experienced higher levels of adversity than others. This paper documents the prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences in a sample of 130 young people aged under 18 who present high levels of risk in relation to serious violent, sexual or extremist behaviours. The paper also considers the impact of childhood bereavement which, although known to be a common feature in the lives of young people involved in offending, is rarely documented in Adverse Childhood Experience studies. The paper confirms elevated levels of adversity in the backgrounds of these vulnerable young people who pose a high risk of harm, but also presents potential evidence of gender effects and begins to reflect on how gender might interact with how young people, and the systems and professionals around them, respond to adversity in childhood. The paper suggests that this gendered response to Adverse Childhood Experiences may underlie the excess criminality seen among males, and that future studies should test this hypothesis directly Details: Glasgow: Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice, University of Strathclyde, 2018. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 27, 2019 at: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/63124/1/Vaswani_CYCJ_2018_Adverse_childhood_experiences_in_children_at_high_risk_of_harm_to_others.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/63124/1/Vaswani_CYCJ_2018_Adverse_childhood_experiences_in_children_at_high_risk_of_harm_to_others.pdf Shelf Number: 155173 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Child Abuse and neglect Child Protection Juvenile OffendersVulnerable Youth |
Author: De Nike, Moira Title: Collaborating for Successful Reentry: A Practice Guide to Support Justice-Involved Young People Returning to the Community Summary: This guide teaches juvenile justice and social service professionals about supporting youth who are reentering their community after confinement or a court-ordered out-of-home placement. Readers will learn about model programs, anticipated outcomes, and how to address the needs of young people in areas such as housing, health, education and employment. The end goal? A restart that enables youth to realize their potential and - buoyed by the right community-based support - succeed. Details: San Francisco: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, 2019. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2019 at: https://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/cjc-collaboratingforsuccessfulreentry-2019j.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/cjc-collaboratingforsuccessfulreentry-2019j.pdf Shelf Number: 155196 Keywords: Community-Based Corrections Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Justice Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Reentry |
Author: Guckenberg, Sarah Title: Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Scale-Up: Study of Four States Summary: The Annie E. Casey Foundation (Casey) partnered with the WestEd Justice & Prevention Research Center to develop a study of the implementation of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) in four states: Indiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, and New Mexico. JDAI is a complex, multi-part reform initiative developed by Casey to reduce reliance on the use of detention for low-risk young people in the juvenile justice system prior to disposition. The initiative is defined by eight core strategies - a combination of principles and priorities for reform - that drive its implementation (Casey, 2018): 1) Collaboration 2) Data use 3) Objective admissions decisions 4) Alternatives to detention 5) Expedited case processing 6) Special detention cases 7) Conditions of confinement 8) Reduction of racial and ethnic disparities Casey has worked closely with local jurisdictions and states across the country since the 1990s to implement the initiative and bring it to scale. The study that is the focus of this report aimed to document how states have scaled JDAI with quality, to summarize the lessons learned from JDAI implementation both in and across states, and to generate findings that can inform practice and future scale-up of JDAI and other complex juvenile justice reform initiatives. The report is organized into the following sections: 1. An overall introduction, including lessons learned from other juvenile justice reform efforts and a summary of study findings and recommendations 2. The context of JDAI implementation, including the history of JDAI in each of the study states and findings from previous studies of JDAI 3. The study design, including study questions, site selection, samples, data collection, and analysis, and limitations 4. Study findings on how the structure of JDAI has influenced scale-up, the implementation of the eight core strategies, and the successes, challenges, and lessons learned from scaling JDAI 5. A concluding section that ends with reflections on the findings and application of JDAI principles as scale-up efforts take place in these states Details: San Francisco, CA: WestEd, 2019. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2019 at: https://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/wested-jdaiscaleup-2019.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/wested-jdaiscaleup-2019.pdf Shelf Number: 155356 Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Juvenile Detention Juvenile Justice Reform Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Great Britain. House of Commons. House of Lords. Joint Committee on Human Rights Title: Youth detention: solitary confinement and restraint. Nineteenth Report of Session 2017–19 Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report Summary: Around 2,500 children are detained by the state in England and Wales at any one time. Some are detained in hospitals for therapeutic care, and some are detained in custody due to criminal convictions. Although these institutions have different functions, they face many common issues. These children are detained for different reasons, but most are highly vulnerable and many have multiple challenges. They are under the care of the state, and yet they can be subject to practices of restraint and separation from normal human contact that can cause harm and undermine the therapeutic and rehabilitation aims of their detention. These situations engage rights under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR): Article 2, the right to life; Article 3, the prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment; Article 5, the right to liberty and security; Article 8, respect for private and family life. We heard evidence from young people who had been restrained and separated from normal human contact whilst detained in hospital and custody, and from parents of children who have been detained. Their testimony powerfully illustrated to us the damaging impacts upon children when they are restrained or separated, including long-term impacts. We received unanimous evidence from medics, inspectors, lawyers, and staff who work in detention, that restraint and separation are harmful to children and should be avoided if at all possible. Some practices are particularly extreme or controversial. We urge greater monitoring of the use of the controversial 'prone restraint', which is currently being reviewed, and urge its use only in exceptional circumstances when absolutely necessary. The deliberate infliction of pain in Young Offenders' Institutions (YOIs) is unacceptable under any circumstances under rights legislation. The use of restraint for maintaining 'good order and discipline' must be prohibited in all but the most exceptional of circumstances. Separation from normal human contact can take different forms, and several different terms are in use; all of these practices can have negative impacts. They range from segregation into small groups, to isolation from other children but with constant observation by staff, to being totally alone in a child's own cell or in a designated unit. We use the term 'separation from normal human contact' or 'separation' to refer to all of these practices. Where isolation from normal human contact exceeds 22 hours per day, we use the term 'solitary confinement', as defined in international law; where this lasts for over 15 days, it is defined as "prolonged solitary confinement". This is contrary to human rights law in all circumstances. The Government must immediately take steps to ensure that separation of children from human contact never becomes solitary confinement. Decisions, and reviews of decisions, by YOIs and hospitals to extend periods of separation should be reported to the responsible Ministers on a monthly basis. The information must be certified by the Ministers and laid before each House for publication. For all forms of restraint and separation (whether acceptable or not), data collection is incomplete in hospitals and custody, and there is good reason to believe that these practices are under-reported. Data is presented in ways that make it harder to interpret, and the use of different definitions makes it harder to compare between different types of institutions. Data collection must be improved, and we recommend that institutions collect and publish data about all types of restraint and separation. Data from hospitals and custody shows that children are restrained too often, with potentially thousands of unjustified restraints each year, and that separation is also used too often. Rates of restraint and separation are even higher for BAME children. We believe that the high rates of restraint and separation are incompatible with the threshold of 'last resort', and are therefore in breach of the rights of children. The issue is that staff sometimes do not attempt de-escalation methods, and too quickly move to restraint or separation. We recognise that staff face difficult situations, and they must be supported to use better alternatives whenever possible. The excessive use of restraint and separation are partly due to insufficient staffing levels, insufficient staff training and experience, and inappropriate facilities. We recommend increased staffing levels, improved training, and a better mix of staffing and skills, all of which will increase the range of options that can be used instead of restraint and separation. We also conclude that some children are fundamentally in the wrong institutions (although some should not be in institutions at all), due to lack of spaces in more appropriate units. We recommend that the secure estate is reconfigured to ensure that there are sufficient spaces in the correct types of units (for example to provide mental health care to child offenders) and to ensure that all children can be placed close enough to home to allow regular family visits. The rights of children in detention are often not enforced. The systems in hospitals and custody do not do enough to ensure that children are sufficiently aware of their rights and of how to appeal if their rights have been breached. Children and families (and other representatives) often do not have full access to evidence that would help in appeals. Children lack confidence in the appeals systems: they feel that any recompense is not comparable with the impact of restraint or separation; and they are often not made aware of the outcomes of successful appeals by other children. We recommend more more involvement for families in decisions about the children; more proactive roles for independent advocates; more effective debriefs after incidents, and clear communication of disciplinary action against staff. We also recommend the annual publication for each institution of data about appeals and their outcomes. Details: London: Authors, 2019. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: HC 994; HL Paper 343: Accessed June 13, 2019 at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt201719/jtselect/jtrights/994/994.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt201719/jtselect/jtrights/994/994.pdf Shelf Number: 156416 Keywords: Detention Centers Isolation Juvenile Detention Juvenile Inmates Juvenile OffendersPhysical Restraints Restrictive Housing Solitary Confinement |
Author: Oregon. Department of Corrections Title: Family Sentencing Alternative Pilot Program: Report to the Senate and House Committees on Judiciary Summary: House Bill 3503 (2015) established the Family Sentencing Alternative Pilot Program (FSAPP) as a community program for eligible non-violent primary parents facing prison sentences. These individuals are able to continue their parenting role by being diverted from prison and participating in intensive supervision, treatment, and programs geared toward parenting and families. The program promotes the unification of families, prevents children from entering the foster care system, and reduces the chances individuals and their children will become involved in the criminal justice system in the future. Five counties are participating in the pilot: Deschutes, Jackson, Marion, Multnomah, and Washington. Since the inception of the pilot in January 2016, 168 individuals have participated in the program. Together, these participants are the primary caregivers to 311 minor children who would otherwise likely be involved in the foster system. Now that the program has been in existence for three years, and participation has increased, the focus is now on further outcome measures. Additionally, this year's report includes Department of Human Services (DHS) research on the length of stay for children in the foster care system when the custodial parent is involved with FSAPP. To date, the relationship between the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) and DHS in the development and oversight of the program has been effective. The two agencies closely partner in the sharing of pertinent information about enrolled individuals and data tracking. Collaboration is taking place at the local level as well - participating counties are meeting regularly with their local DHS offices, district attorneys, and treatment providers. This report will provide you with the program's history and participation numbers to date, as well as preliminary DHS findings. Details: Salem: Author, 2019. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 24, 2019 at: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/citizen_engagement/Reports/2019-FSAPP-Family%20Sentencing%20Alternative%20Pilot%20Program.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/citizen_engagement/Reports/2019-FSAPP-Family%20Sentencing%20Alternative%20Pilot%20Program.pdf Shelf Number: 156598 Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Community-Based Corrections Juvenile OffendersSentencing Sentencing Reform |