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Community-based alternatives

Publication cover Innovation Brief: Partnering with Schools to Reduce Juvenile Justice Referrals
Nov 30, 2012, Jason Szanyi
In Peoria, Illinois, a large number of African-American youth were entering detention for aggravated battery in one public high school. After learning more about the problem, local juvenile justice…
Publication cover Innovation Brief: Learn to Earn: PACTT Helps Delinquent Youths Gain Academic and Job Skills
Nov 30, 2012, Candace Putter
In a time of high unemployment, the lack of attention to education and career training for delinquent youths has aggravated the considerable barriers to employment they face upon release from…
Publication cover A Family Guide to Pennsylvania's Juvenile Justice System
Nov 7, 2012, Doreen Barkowitz
If your child is in the juvenile justice system in Pennsylvania, this guide is for you! This guide was developed by the Family Involvement Committee of the Pa Council of Chief Juvenile Probation…
Publication cover Measurable Progress: A Summary of Illinois Juvenile Justice Reforms
Oct 1, 2012, Various
This report summarizes some of the key changes in juvenile justice law, policy and practice that have taken place in Illinois during the period 2005 – 2012. These changes have accelerated over…
Publication cover Positive Power: Exercising Judicial Leadership to Prevent Court Involvement and Incarceration of Non-Delinquent Youth
Jul 17, 2012, Coalition for Juvenile Justice
Juvenile and family court judges play a critical role in the lives of youth and families who come into contact with the courts. When you spend time with juvenile judges or their client families, you…
Publication cover Pennsylvania's Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy
Apr 2, 2012, Juvenile Court Judges Commission
The goals of Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy (JJSES) align with those of Balanced and Restorative Justice. JJSES seeks to reduce harm by applying the best-known…
Publication cover Addressing the Needs of Multi-System Youth: Strengthening the Connection between Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice
Mar 1, 2012, Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University and Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps
It has been known for quite some time that children involved in the child welfare system are at risk of “crossing over” to the juvenile justice system and, inversely, that many juvenile…
Publication cover Screening and Assessment in Juvenile Justice Systems: Identifying Mental Health Needs and Risk of Reoffending
Jan 18, 2012, Gina M. Vincent
Each year, more than 2 million children, youth, and young adults formally come into contact with the juvenile justice system, while millions more are at risk of involvement with the system for myriad…
Publication cover Adding Up Models for Change: Initial Findings from the Models for Change Database
Dec 9, 2011, Patrick Griffin
Models for Change was deliberately designed to be wide-ranging—to support state and local reformers in a variety of settings, working in variety of issue areas, and taking a variety of…
Publication cover Probation Review Guidebook
Dec 9, 2011, Janet K. Wiig and John A. Tuell
The genesis for this guidebook was the probation review work undertaken in Jefferson Parish, LA as part of the work in the four core states associated with Models for Change: System Reform in…
Publication cover Men in Motion in the Community and the Philadelphia Latino Juvenile Justice Network: Reducing Disproportionate Minority Contact, Strengthening Reentry, and Building Community
Dec 8, 2011, National Council of La Raza
In Philadelphia and across the nation, Latino youth are disproportionately overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. Over the past five years, MIMIC and the Latino Juvenile Justice Network…
Publication cover Juvenile Justice Guide Book for Legislators
Dec 5, 2011, National Conference of State Legislators
Under a partnership with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, NCSL has published a juvenile justice guidebook addressing the most important juvenile justice policy issues of the day. …
Publication cover Innovation Brief: Using Diversion Fairly, Consistently, and Effectively
Dec 1, 2011, Juvenile Law Center
Juvenile justice leaders in Pennsylvania wanted to create a model system to channel youths away from formal processing. The idea was to hold young offenders accountable withless costly and more…
Publication cover Knowledge Brief: Can Risk Assessment Improve Juvenile Justice Practices?
Dec 1, 2011, Models for Change Research Initiative
A growing number of juvenile justice experts are suggesting a new, potentially more effective approach to reducing recidivism: first identify a youth’s risk of re-offending; then match services…
Publication cover Knowledge Brief: How Can We Know If Juvenile Justice Reforms Are Worth the Cost?
Dec 1, 2011, Models for Change Research Initiative
With governments at every level facing grim budget forecasts, policymakers need to knowas much as possible about what juvenile justice activities yield the greatest social good fora given level of…
Publication cover Doorways to Delinquency: Multi-System Involvement of Delinquent Youth in King County (Seattle, WA)
Sep 23, 2011, Gregory Halemba and Gene Siegel
This report highlights findings from a study conducted by NCJJ that examines the prevalence of multi-system involvement among youth referred to the King County Juvenile Court on delinquency matters…
Publication cover Bringing Youth Home: A National Movement to Increase Public Safety, Rehabilitate Youth and Save Money
Jul 1, 2011, National Juvenile Justice Network
At least twenty-four states will save tens of millions of dollars in the coming fiscal year—and significantly increase public safety—through a smart and simple restructuring of their…
Publication cover Juvenile Diversion Guidebook
Mar 1, 2011, Models for Change Juvenile Diversion Workgroup
Programs that divert youth from involvement in the juvenile justice system have become more frequent in response to the growing recognition that such involvement often is not necessary to achieve…
Publication cover Peoria County Juvenile Domestic Violence Work Area Transition Report
Jan 4, 2011, Jeff Gress
Each of the Illinois Demonstration Sites for Community Based Alternatives have developed transition reports for each of their written work-plan supported areas. The Peoria County Juvenile Domestic…
Publication cover Disproportionate Minority Contact Action Network eNews-December
Dec 16, 2010, DMC Action Network
Nine months ago, we described how Jason Witt, Deputy Director of the Rock County, Wisconsin, Human Services Department, was navigating a vigorous debate surrounding reforms that had improved outcomes…
Publication cover Improving the Effectiveness of Juvenile Justice Programs: A New Perspective on Evidence-Based Practice
Dec 3, 2010, Mark W. Lipsey
Interventions for juvenile offenders should alter their behavior in ways that reduce their delinquency and improve their chances to prosper as productive citizens. Juvenile justice systems make use…
Publication cover DMC Action Network eNews-November
Dec 1, 2010, DMC Action Network
Generally, juvenile justice practitioners don't enter the field expecting the glitz and glamor that accompany some other professions -- it's the desire to help youth in trouble that provides the…
Publication cover Models for Change Innovations in Practice
Nov 30, 2010, Patrick Griffin
This report briefly summarizes four promising practice innovations that have emerged from Models for Change funding and technical assistance in four key partner states, Pennsylvania, Illinois,…
Publication cover Turning Knowledge into Practice: A Manual for Human Service Administrators and Practitioners about Understanding and Implementing Evidence-Based Practices, 2nd edition (revised)
Nov 19, 2010, John A. Morris
The mission of the authors and sponsors of this manual is to enhance independence, self sufficiency, and community living for people with disabilities through the implementation and approaches of…
Publication cover 2010 Overview of Models for Change: Systems Reform in Juvenile Justice
Nov 16, 2010, Models for Change
Provides an overview of the Models for Change initiative including: Background/Perspective, Framework, Grantmaking Strategy, Advancing the Models, Frequently Asked Questions, National Resource Bank…
Publication cover Peoria County BARJ Work Area Transition Report
Sep 30, 2010, Jeff Gress
Each of the Illinois Demonstration Sites for Community Based Alternatives have developed transition reports for each of their written work-plan supported areas. The Peoria County Balanced and…
Publication cover Guide to Developing Pre-Adjudication Diversion Policy and Practice in Pennsylvania
Sep 1, 2010, Diversion Subcommittee of the Mental Health/Juvenile Justice state work group of the Models for Change Initiative in Pennsylvania
In 2006, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania issued a Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Joint Policy Statement (the “Joint Policy Statement”)1 as a blueprint for creating a model system that…
Publication cover The Real Costs and Benefits of Change: Finding Opportunities for Reform During Difficult Fiscal Times
Jul 14, 2010, The National Juvenile Justice Network
The financial collapse of 2008 and 2009 means that almost all states are facing alarming budget shortfalls. Because of these fiscal crises, advocates can expect increasingly significant pushback from…
Publication cover Mental Health Issues in California’s Juvenile Justice System
May 26, 2010, Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice
Young delinquents diagnosed with mental illness have been incarcerated at steadily higher rates in California's juvenile justice system for nearly a decade. Yet these young offenders rarely receive…
Publication cover Juvenile Court Training Curriculum, 2nd Ed.
Apr 20, 2010, National Juvenile Defender Center
Intended for juvenile court judges, defense attorneys, prosecutors, and probation staff, the curriculum provides in-depth training materials on the most up-to-date adolescent development research…
Publication cover Positive Youth Justice
Apr 9, 2010, Coalition for Juvenile Justice
Positive Youth Justice: Framing Justice Interventions Using the Concepts of Positive Youth Development The future for youth involved with the justice system could be dramatically improved by…
Publication cover Pathways to Desistance Talking Points
Jan 28, 2010, National Juvenile Justice Network
New Research Shows Community-Based Alternatives as Effective as Institutional Placements for Curbing Re-arrest in Youth with Serious Offenses Findings from a longitudinal study on serious youth…
Publication cover Conducting Benefit-Cost Analyses of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction and Other Juvenile Justice Policies
Dec 21, 2009, Jens Ludwig
Concern about juvenile crime in the 1980s led most states across the country to enact policy changes that made it easier to transfer juvenile arrestees into the adult criminal justice system (Hahn et…
Publication cover Models for Change 2009 Update: Core State Progress
Nov 2, 2009, Patrick Griffin
Central to the Models for Change strategy is its long-termpartnership with four key states: Pennsylvania, Illinois, Louisiana,and Washington. By supporting comprehensive reformsin these core states,…
Publication cover Tribal Juvenile Justice Key Informant Interview Questionnaire
Nov 1, 2009, Ron Whitener
Information provided by key informants will be used to inform a survey instrument and focus group guide, both to be administered at a Gathering to which a team from each of the 29 Tribes located…
Publication cover Benton/Franklin Counties School Truancy Survey Instrument
Nov 1, 2009, Nick Lovrich
For collecting information on how state truancy laws have been implemented at the school building level. Updated as of March 20, 2013
Publication cover Family Involvement in Pennsylvania's Juvenile Justice System
Nov 1, 2009, Wendy Luckenbill & Clay Yeager
When children are involved with juvenile justice, the involvement of families is critical to a successful outcome. Yet, family involvement is frequently associated with negative rather than positive…
Publication cover Juvenile Justice Bill Tracking Database
Sep 1, 2009, Sarah Hammond
Juvenile Justice Database Under the National Conference of State Legislature's partnership with the MacArthur Foundation, a Juvenile Justice Bill Tracking Database was developed to bring you…
Publication cover Benton Franklin Counties Juvenile Justice Personnel Truancy Survey Report
Jun 30, 2009, Nick Lovrich
Report on juvenile court staff perceptions of truancy practices and resources in Benton/Franklin Counties. Updated as of March 20, 2013
Publication cover Benton Franklin Counties Existing Truancy Data Analysis and Case Tracking
Jun 30, 2009, Nick Lovrich
To inform Benton/Franklin Counties Models for Change when developing system reforms targeting truant youth, with an emphasis on Hispanic/Latino youth. Document also contains the coding instrument…
Publication cover Louisiana Children & Youth Planning Board (Act 555): Planning Tools and Resources
Jun 1, 2009, Compiled by: John A. Tuell and Janet K. Wiig
The Louisiana Children and Youth Planning Board Toolkit assembles the documents the Models for Change Project National Resource Bank consultants use to establish, strengthen and advance local CYPBs. …
Publication cover Texas Front End Diversion Initiative Program Policy and Procedure Manual
May 29, 2009, Vicki Spriggs
This manual contains each of Texas' FEDI sites' local policies.
Publication cover Redeploy Illinois Annual Report Impact and Implementation 2008
Apr 14, 2009, Redepoly Illinois Oversight Board (RIOB)
Documents how four Redeploy Illinois pilot programs reduced commitments to Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice by 51 percent, or 400 fewer youth in the first three years, and mobilized…
Publication cover King County Resource Guide for Information Sharing - 2nd Edition
Jan 1, 2009, Marcus Stubblefield
Resource guideline providing direction on information sharing between staff from the following agencies: probation, detention child welfare, juvenile rehabilitation, law enforcement, schools, mental…
Publication cover Models for Change 2008 Update: Gathering Force
Dec 9, 2008, Models for Change
Outlines specific achievements made in each of the four Model States and three Action Networks since December 2007. Over the last year the sense of movement in the field of juvenile justice, of…
Publication cover Making Court the Last Resort: A New Focus for Supporting Families in Crisis
Dec 8, 2008, Vera Institute of Justice
Parents who struggle to control chronically misbehaving youth sometimes turn to “status offender” systems for help. Until recently, status offender systems regularly referred these youth…
Publication cover The Second Century: Juvenile Justice Reform in Illinois
Dec 1, 2008, Center for Children's Law and Policy
Describes a number of promising juvenile justice policies and practices in Illinois that provide a solid base for further reform efforts. The report shares information about these efforts in the hope…
Publication cover Advances in Juvenile Justice Reform: 2007-2008
Dec 1, 2008, National Juvenile Justice Network
Provides an extensive sampling of juvenile justice reforms across the country from 2007-2008. The booklet is organized by topic area and includes a state index of reforms.
Publication cover The Future of Children: Juvenile Justice Issue
Sep 23, 2008, Published by The Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University and The Brookings Institution
Published by The Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University and The Brookings Institution, The Future of Children produces two issues and two policy briefs yearly. Each journal issue examines a…
Publication cover Advances in Juvenile Justice Reform: 2006-2007
Nov 1, 2007, National Juvenile Justice Network
Provides an extensive sampling of juvenile justice reforms across the country from 2006-2007. The booklet is organized by topic area and includes a state index of reforms.
Publication cover Rehabilitation Versus Incarceration of Juvenile Offenders: Public Preferences in Four Models for Change States
Nov 1, 2007, Alex R. Piquero
Presents the results of a poll measuring respondents’ willingness to pay for alternative policy proposals for juvenile offenders. Telephone interviews were conducted with a random sample of…
Publication cover Potential for Change: Louisiana Executive Summary
Nov 1, 2007, Center for Children's Law and Policy
Presents Louisiana-specific results of public opinion poll conducted in 2007 by Center for Children's Law and Policy (with research firm Belden Russonello and Stewart) to survey public attitudes on…
Publication cover Potential for Change: Pennsylvania Executive Summary
Nov 1, 2007, Center for Children's Law and Policy
Presents Pennsylvania-specific results of public opinion poll conducted in 2007 by Center for Children's Law and Policy (with research firm Belden Russonello and Stewart) to survey public attitudes…
Publication cover Potential for Change: Washington Executive Summary
Nov 1, 2007, Center for Children's Law and Policy
Presents Washington-specific results of public opinion poll conducted in 2007 by Center for Children's Law and Policy (with research firm Belden Russonello and Stewart) to survey public attitudes on…
Publication cover Potential for Change: Illinois Executive Summary
Nov 1, 2007, Center for Children's Law and Policy
Presents Illinois-specific results of public opinion poll conducted in 2007 by Center for Children's Law and Policy (with research firm Belden Russonello and Stewart) to survey public attitudes on…
Publication cover Models for Change: Illinois Workplan
Oct 31, 2007, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Outlines reform efforts in the second Model state, Illinois, which focusing on bringing about change in three areas identified as already ripe for improvement: juvenile court jurisdiction;…
Publication cover Models for Change: Louisiana Workplan
Oct 31, 2007, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Outlines reform efforts in the third Model state, Louisiana, which focusing on bringing about change in three areas identified as already ripe for improvement: alternatives to formal processing and…
Publication cover Models for Change: Washington Workplan
Oct 31, 2007, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Outlines reform efforts in the fourth Model state, Washington, which focusing on bringing about change in three areas identified as already ripe for improvement: alternatives to formal processing and…
Publication cover The Accelerating Pace of Juvenile Justice Reform
Oct 31, 2007, National Juvenile Defender Center
Outlines trends identified by a survey of state-level enactments and policy changes in 2006-2007.
Publication cover Vision 2008 and Beyond : The Jefferson Parish Children and Youth Planning Board Comprehensive Plan
Oct 8, 2007, Roy L. Juncker
To put forward a comprehensive plan detailing our Children and Youth Planning Board and our juvenile justice reform efforts. This document is a “living” document and is updated annually.
Publication cover Redeploy Illinois Annual Report Implementation and Impact 2007
May 24, 2007, Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board (RIOB)
Documents how four Redeploy Illinois pilot programs reduced commitments to Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice on average by 44%, or 226 fewer youth in the first two years, thereby saving the…
Publication cover Improving and Coordinating Access to Mental Health Services for Youth in Pennsylvania's Juvenile Justice System
Apr 10, 2007, Models for Change
Outlines approaches and opportunities for the juvenile justice and mental health systems to better respond to the needs of the large number (over 70%) of youth with mental health needs who come into…
Publication cover 16th Judicial District Court - Juvenile Justice System Provider Survey (Self Report Survey 2007)
Jan 1, 2007, Stephen Phillippi
To find alternatives to formal processing and incarceration, to have more Evidence-based community services available for youths in LA and their families, and to use data analyses and other research…
Publication cover Washington State Models for Change Initiative: Selected County Highlights
Dec 31, 2006, National Center for Juvenile Justice
Provides statistics on intake, demographics, mental health diversion/treatment programs for Benton, Franklin, Clark, King, Pierce and Spokane Counties in Washington.
Publication cover Louisiana Models for Change Initiative: Selected Parish/Judicial District Highlights
Oct 1, 2006, National Center for Juvenile Justice
Provides statistics on intake, demographics, mental health diversion/treatment programs for Caddom Calcasieu, Jefferson, Rapides Parish, and 16th Judicial District parishes in Louisiana.
Publication cover Washington Models for Change Initiative Background Summary
Sep 30, 2006, National Center for Juvenile Justice
Contains a broad spectrum of historical and more recent information regarding Washington State's juvenile justice system as well as a wide range of statistics to support the strategic planning…
Publication cover Louisiana Models for Change Initiative Background Summary
Mar 22, 2006, National Center for Juvenile Justice
Contains a broad spectrum of historical and more recent information regarding Louisiana's juvenile justice system as well as a wide range of statistics to support the strategic planning required at…
Publication cover Building Momentum for Juvenile Justice Reform
Nov 30, 2005, Justice Policy Institute
Tells the story of how the four Models for Change states—Pennsylvania, Illinois, Louisiana, and Washington—are already moving to reform and reshape their own state juvenile justice systems. Also…
Publication cover Keystones for Reform: Promising Juvenile Justice Policies and Practices in Pennsylvania
Oct 12, 2005, Juvenile Law Center
The first state report for the Models for Change initiative, this report describes promising juvenile justice policies and practices in Pennsylvania that provide a solid base for further reform…
Publication cover Thinking About Pennsylvania's Vital Signs
May 24, 2005, National Center for Juvenile Justice
The Models For Change initiative supports efforts to assemble, merge and reconfigure data to build a set of standard measures or "vital signs" that could serve as broad indicators of overall system…
Publication cover Changing the Status Quo for Status Offenders: New York State's Efforts to Support Troubled Teens
Dec 1, 2004, Tina Chiu & Sara Mogulescu
In December 2004, the Vera Institute of Justice released an 'Issue in Brief' discussing the work of child welfare and probation leaders in New York State to reform the PINS (Persons in Need of…
Publication cover Models for Change Framework
Sep 30, 2003, Models for Change
Identifies and describes eight core principles essential to a model juvenile justice system: fundamental fairness, recognition of juvenile-adult differences, recognition of individual differences,…
Publication cover Understanding Child Maltreatment and Juvenile Delinquency: From Research to Effective Program, Practice, and Systemic Solutions
Jan 1, 2003, Janet K. Wiig
Describes the best research on the connection between child maltreatment and juvenile delinquency. Also includes a description of a wide array of promising responses for improving outcomes for dual…
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