Nine Tenets
1. Reduce Institutionalization
The best systems working toward reform have embraced community-basedalternatives to institutionalization as a way to improve the lifechances of juveniles in the justice system. Using tools such as riskassessments and sentencing guidelines, jurisdictions are able todistinguish between youth who pose risks to public safety and those whowould be better served in less restrictive settings.
2. Reduce Racial Disparity
Jurisdictions that have significantly reduced racial disparity in theirjuvenile justice systems analyzed data by race and ethnicity to detectdisparate treatment; use objective screening instruments to eliminatesubjectivity from decision-making; coordinate with police to bettercontrol who comes in the door of the juvenile justice system; changehiring practices so that justice staff are more representative of youthin the system; hold staff accountable for placement decisions; developculturally competent programming; and employ mechanisms to divert youthof color from secure confinement.
3. Ensure Access to Quality Counsel
Beneficial reforms include early assignment of counsel; along withpolicies that ensure that all youth are represented; specializedtraining for attorneys on topics such as adolescent development, mentalhealth and special education; and cross-system representation whenadolescents are involved in multiple systems (such as special educationand child welfare).
4. Create a Range of Community-Based Programs
Community-based programs can change the trajectories of young people.These programs range form probation to intensive supervision, homeconfinement, alternative education, family preservation, restitution,community service and day and evening reporting centers witheducational, recreational and counseling opportunities. They can standalone or be housed in existing community-based organizations serving abroad range of youth.
5. Recognize and Serve Youth with Special Needs
The juvenile justice system is too often used as a dumping ground foryouth whose primary problems include serious emotional disturbance,developmental disabilities, substance abuse or a combination of thesechallenges. These youth are in desperate need of alternatives becausejuvenile justice systems can be particularly harmful for youth withspecialized needs.
6. Create Smaller Rehabilitative Institutions
Some youth do require close monitoring. For those youth who poseserious risks to public safety, a convincing case is being made forphasing out large, prison-like institutions and creating small,home-like secure facilities in their place. Evidence shows thattreating youth as youth improves their chances for success in life.
7. Improve Aftercare and Reentry
The best reentry programs begin while a youth is still confined. Theyrequire coordination between multiple government agencies and nonprofitproviders, not only to develop new services, but to help youth betteraccess existing services. Upon release, teenagers must enrollimmediately in school or have a job waiting. Workforce developmenthelping teens attain job skills and earn money is oftena key motivator for adolescents, increasing their commitment to andenthusiasm for learning. Youth with special needs must have quickaccess to mental health and substance abuse services. And they mustreceive strong support from family and other caring adults.
8. Maximize Youth, Family and Community Participation
Involved adults are necessary to keep young people active in their ownrehabilitation. Using techniques such as family conferencing,jurisdictions are learning to work with parents not againstthem for the benefit of youth. Counties are soliciting consumerfeedback from youth in their care, thereby improving the quality oftheir programs and also building competencies in young people.Community justice initiatives aim to engage a broad swath of communitymembers in a youth’s rehabilitation. And young people and theirparents around the country are successfully organizing and advocatingfor reform.
9. Keep Youth Out of Adult Prison
Ultimately, to create a successful treatment-oriented environment fordelinquent youth, you must keep them out of the adult correctionssystem. The punitive nature of adult prisons has been shown to actuallyincrease recidivism rates over the juvenile system. Fortunately, thereare several examples of how to successfully keep youth in a system thatcan help.
Source: Youth Transition Funders Group, Blueprint for Juvenile Justice Reform, Spring 2006, Second Edition