Models for Change Reform Progress

Louisiana Models for Change Lead Entity Holds Juvenile Drug Court Conference and Training to Celebrate 4th JDC Juvenile Drug Court Model

04/30/2012 02:20 PM

Apr 30, 2012 | Louisiana Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Louisiana Models for Change lead entity—the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Institute for Public Health and Justice—held a conference in New Orleans on April 10, 2012, to mark the culmination of it’s grant with the University of Louisiana at Monroe, which sought, among many things, development of a 4^th Judicial District Court model juvenile drug court program. The conference was also hosted by University of Louisiana at Monroe and the Louisiana Supreme Court Drug Court Office.

“The Supreme Court Drug Court Office was delighted to participate in this collaboration between MacArthur, ULM and the 4^th JDC as they worked toward development of a model juvenile drug court. With the help of MacArthur experts, the hard work of Judge Sharon Marchman and her team at the 4^th JDC and the dedication of Dr. Jana Sutton and her staff at ULM, we look forward to better serving the juveniles of Louisiana who end up in our juvenile drug courts as they struggle with drug addiction and dependency issues,” Louisiana Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Kitty Kimball said.

All Louisiana juvenile drug courts were invited to the daylong conference, which was kicked off with an address by Chief Justice Kimball. Esteemed state participants included 4^th Judicial District Court Judge Sharon Marchman, Dr. Jana Sutton with University of Louisiana at Monroe, Orlando Davis with Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice, as well as national experts from the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, the National Center for Juvenile Justice and the Justice Management Institute, via support from MacArthur Foundation. The event was chaired by Dr. Debra DePrato, project director for the Louisiana Models for Change Initiative and director of the LSUHSC Institute for Public Health and Justice.

“Our partnership with the MacArthur Foundation and ULM enabled the 4^th JDC to work with a team of national experts and, as a result, improve our juvenile drug court program through development of a proven, research and evidence-based treatment program for youth and their families in Ouachita Parish who experience alcohol and drug-related problems,” Judge Marchman said. “We look forward to working with other juvenile drug court professionals across the state, many of whom expressed interest in replicating the model in their jurisdictions,” she said.

In addition to the creation of a model court, the Models for Change grant to the 4^th JDC also focused on creation of a strategic plan through data driven decision making for the development of continuum of care for evidence-based practices for the juvenile justice system, development and implementation of a model juvenile district attorney best practice triage screening process and identification of a best practice juvenile justice parenting model.

“The greatest achievement noted by each of the 4^th JDC stakeholders was the collaboration among all parties involved in the court system to accomplish a best practice assessment and treatment model for the district’s juvenile drug court system, “ Dr. DePrato said. “From the district attorneys and defenders, to the juvenile judge, case managers, treatment providers and probation officers, the model is only successful through a team effort of all those involved in the system.”

The conference also included a training module for Louisiana juvenile drug court professionals to learn about the Louisiana model, role definitions and successes and challenges of the 4^th JDC initiative.

Institute for Public Health and Justice Participates in 2012 Louisiana Families in Need of Services Association Conference

04/30/2012 02:17 PM

Apr 30, 2012 | Louisiana Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Institute for Public Health and Justice participated in the 2012 Louisiana Families in Need of Services Association Conference on April 26-27, 2012, in Baton Rouge. Attendants included representatives from the Louisiana Department of Education, Office of Juvenile Justice, the Louisiana Supreme Court and many parish-level Families in Need of Services employees and stakeholders. Dr. Debra DePrato, project director for the John T. and Catherine D. MacArthur Foundation Louisiana Models for Change Initiative and director of the LSUHSC Institute for Public Health and Justice, led a discussion regarding efforts of reform to the status offender systems both at the national and local level.

“We are seeing a national movement to address core problems of status offender systems, including the overuse of detention or out-of-home placement, lack of immediate crisis response and service resources, overcrowding of courts with status offense cases and the high costs associated,” Dr. DePrato said. “Making the court the last resort and providing services that are tailored and community and evidence-based are a few of the best practice national models we sought to implement in Rapides Parish, through a MacArthur Foundation--Louisiana Models for Change grant.”

Presenter Dee Richter, an associate with the Vera Institute for Justice, is the former executive director of the Florida network—a nationally recognized model system for status offenders. Richter presented on the similarities between the Louisiana and Florida systems and highlighted opportunities where Louisiana could implement and improve on existing national models.

“An effective response system is key for status offenders. We implemented a few key initiatives in Florida that led to a very successful system, including establishment of a mission, vision, values and goals for the system, a work plan, rules of attendance, assignments, target dates for reform and an outcome database to show impact, cost savings and satisfaction ratings,” Richter said.

The Louisiana Models for Change grant to Rapides Parish sought to build upon Florida’s successful initiatives addressing three targeted areas of improvement, disproportionate minority contact, improvement of access to evidence-based practices and providing alternatives to formal processing through relying upon effective community-based programs and services.

“In Rapides Parish, we targeted the Informal FINS population through the use of the school exhaustion form along with training, awareness and adherence to eligibility criteria. This resulted in schools and law enforcement taking a closer look at how they assess and refer youth,” 9^th Judicial District Court Judge Patricia Koch said. “These efforts led to a more than 50 percent decrease in Informal FINS referrals from schools from 2006 to 2009. We also experienced a 63 percent drop in formal processing of status offenders and a 23 percent decrease in admissions to local detention for the same time period. While at the same time youth remained in school, succeeding in that setting within their community.”

Judge Koch attributed the collaborative efforts of the courts, schools, service providers and law enforcement personnel to the parish’s recent successes. She said those youth now placed in secure detention and/or appear in formal court are identified as high-needs youth who require access to services that will appropriately address presenting challenges. Rapides Parish plans to continue on this path of success through continued partnerships with community providers, educators and law enforcement, encouraging the use of quality data in decision making, continuing Informal FINS triage efforts and continuing to create a firm evidence base upon which practitioners can rely in seeking to replicate reforms.

Mary Ann Scali, deputy director of the National Juvenile Defender Center and MacArthur Foundation National Resource Bank member, presented alongside Judith Rozier, educational strategist with the Special Education Department Rapides Parish School District, about referral and eligibility of youth by the local school systems. Scali and Rozier touted the decrease in Informal FINS referrals to a few key policy changes adopted by Rapides Parish schools, including no out-of-school suspensions for status offenses, misconduct being handled within the school setting and clarification of school attendance policies.

Using Social Media to Advance Reform

04/20/2012 10:22 AM

Apr 20, 2012 | Zerline Hughes, Justice Policy Institute | REFORM PROGRESS

The traditional ways to communicate about our work– word of mouth, newsletter mailings, and ask letters— still do, in fact, get the job done. But with advancements in social media – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and listservs – we can get our messages out even better and more quickly, to more and new people.

The W. Haywood Burns Institute in Northern California is a prime example of the success that can be achieved with a comprehensive social media strategy to stay in touch with the media, subscribers and practitioners. Utilizing several social media outlets including Facebook and Twitter accounts, a YouTube channel and a blog, the Institute has been able to sustain their impact and build new interest in their organizing efforts and research.

“I think that social media has become the great equalizer,” said Lauren Jones, communications associate for the Haywood Burns Institute. “Financial resources are usually very tight, so these new low-cost platforms make for an amazing opportunity to spread the word. In the past, the model was different: you had to become really chummy with a reporter, or spend a lot of money on an ad campaign. Social media isn’t like that. It’s free, it’s accessible, and if you know how to use it really effectively, it can be just as powerful as a traditional PR campaign. But it does take work.”

During the Sixth Annual Models for Change National Working Conference which took place in December in Washington, DC, members were challenged to post photos, videos and status updates on Facebook and chronicle workshops and experiences on Twitter with the hashtag #modelsforchange. It was a test to document the social media savvy of Models for Change members and build capacity for carrying the momentum within states to promote our message of reform. Only a handful of attendees posted updates on both platforms, while most others asked how and what the few social networkers were doing on their smartphones and iPads.

There was, however, a spike in use during the more rousing portions of the conference when producer of “The Wire,” David Simon gave a controversial keynote address on juvenile justice, the war on drugs and jury nullification, and when Rev. Jesse Jackson made a cameo appearance at the event held at the Mayflower Hotel.

Juliana Wiggins Stratton, Director of Cook County's Judicial Advisory Council, tweeted: “Keynote speaker David Simon (creator of The Wire)..."War in Drugs is a war on the poor...an assault on the under-class." #ModelsForChange”

The Campaign for Youth Justice tweeted: “I'd rather you stop seeing a drug defendant and start seeing the kid that he is. -David Simon at #modelsforchange”

What was clear throughout the conference was that there is still a learning curve that needs to be addressed. “Social media has come on us so fast that it’s not surprising that there’s always going to be some late adopters,” said Ben Chambers, Communications Specialist for the National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN).

Once that learning curve is navigated, however, organizations can incorporate the various platforms in their communication plans for sustainability, extending reach and making new contacts which could result in garnering supporters and donors.

The Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) uses social media in its overall communications efforts to highlight news about the organization including its monthly e-newsletter, publications, media mentions and to send time-sensitive action alerts.

"Another goal is to create a sense of community for juvenile justice,” said Idit Knaan, CJJ director of communications and operations. “By highlighting the good work of members and other organizations in the field, we recognize and reinforce their efforts. By posting photos of our members from various CJJ events and meetings, we hope to create a sense of connection among our members as well as to CJJ's mission. It's a simple, cost-effective way to connect with our members and colleagues.”

“I can say I think it’s a good thing for us; even as little as we do it because I can see the stats,” added Chambers. “Facebook is one of the leaders in direct referrals to our website. People are finding us that way.”

The Models for Change initiative launched its own Facebook page not long ago. Jason Fenster at the Justice Policy Institute, who currently administers the page, says, “It’s one more way to spread information, and one that’s less formal and can feel friendlier and more accessible. We know not everyone’s on Facebook, but for those who are, it can be a quick way to share a link or a picture.”

NJJN joined Facebook last summer and currently has 400 “likes.” It plans to add a Twitter account soon. Chambers conducted a media training in 2010 for NJJN members that included a Facebook how-to session. He said attendees saw the benefit but also struggled with the ‘it’s-just-me-in-the-office’ syndrome and the fact that with all the work put in to writing posts and maintaining various pages and accounts, returns may be “soft” and hard to measure.

“Like anything, communications itself included, it takes a personality match for actually doing the work,” Chambers continued. “In terms of whether it makes sense for researchers or other folks, I don’t think there’s whole lot of question about it. We have a lot more opportunities to get our information out. It happens more efficiently.”

Some communications experts, however, think that social media is not for everyone – time management and outcome tracking being the main concerns.

Marie Yeager, who leads the Models for Change communications efforts in Pennsylvania, says she has spent a lot of resources media monitoring and measurement when it comes to social media.

“There’s nothing out there right now that really tracks reach in social media or accurate reach for online numbers,” said Yeager. “We’ve spent a lot more time with traditional ways of outreach like newspapers, methods that you can take to the bank, quantifying results. We try to be very targeted with what we do.”

There are some ways organizations measure their success, however, according to Jones, including Facebook’s free analysis of daily and weekly users, Google Analytics which produces free spreadsheets and graphics on visitors and Klout which tracks the impact of a Twitter member’s influence.

“We also use engagement as a metric of success,” said Jones, who tracks how many people comment and share posts that she creates for the Burns Institute. "“The combination of traditional outreach with social media can be really powerful. We can tell our own stories and don't have to rely on other people doing so.”

Yeager realizes this and does not totally discount social media as a way to garner a different audience – she simply makes a point that operating one or more social media platforms is a time investment and may not be as easy as some think.

“It’s really a matter of whether or not you have the extra time to invest,” she said. “It’s free; it’s just an investment of time. If you have the time, it’s a bonus. I wouldn’t say that there is no return, it’s just not measureable, so go for it. You have to carefully determine who it is you’re trying to reach and what’s the best way.”

Yeager added that she does realize that social media builds motivation and awareness, particularly amongst young people and brings visibility to various causes.

“These platforms are free to use, and a really easy way to share our own stories and hard statistics,” said Jones. “If you combine the personal storytelling and anecdotes with hard facts, the public will listen to what you're saying. Social media is based on people seeking out things; it’s not something that you passively consume like television. They engage and they dig deeper.”

To learn more about social media and access tools and strategies for using Facebook and Twitter, click here. For list of organizations to follow via social media platforms, click here.

Washington Native Communities Engaged for Juvenile Justice Reform – Cultural Enhancement Model Guides Work

04/19/2012 04:47 PM

Apr 19, 2012 | Washington Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

A new, collaborative effort out of the University of Washington (UW) is bringing evidence-based juvenile justice reform practices to Native American communities. The University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UW Native American Law Center (NALC) and Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA) are heading the charge. “Two years ago, we started thinking about a project in tribal communities,” said Dr. Sarah Walker of the UW Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. “We knew we needed to collaborate with multiple tribes to really capture what works.” One of their primary aims is to find out how proven practices can be culturally adapted to reach some of the state’s most underserved populations.

This collaborative effort is using what’s referred to as the cultural enhancement model, which was developed by Dr. Sarah Walker and Eric Trupin, Ph.D, to engage community members to tailor proven practices to their cultural needs. A group of community members guides the rollout of a practice or program and, six months into implementation, adapts it as necessary. In Seattle, a course that guides parents through the juvenile justice system was rolled out into several non-English speaking communities. Feedback from Somali community members detailed that a DVD to accompany the course would be more impactful than a handout. The Somali-language DVD is now available to parents as soon as their child comes in contact with the juvenile justice system. Using this model empowers community members, embeds the practice in the community and addresses erroneous theorizing about what will work. Sites that employed the cultural enhancement model are reporting that practitioners feel more confident about how to successfully engage clients in treatment, and families have access to resources and materials that are culturally appropriate.

The UW and JRA collaboration will be launching a pilot project to test the effectiveness of different proven practices in tribal communities and will be using the cultural enhancement model in their implementation. As a preliminary step in the research process, representatives from 16 tribes in Washington state met in March for Tribal Gathering: Evidence-Based Programs in Tribal Communities, organized by Ron Whitener and his staff at NALC. Staff members from the UW, JRA and Evidence-Based Programs Quality Assurance Teams presented several best practices, and tribal representatives gave feedback on how effective the practices might be in their communities. Participants were encouraged to consider issues of sustainability and funding in their feedback, and to suggest ways the practices could be adapted for their needs.

The next step in the process will be working with the Indian Policy Advisory Committee—a group of Native and non-Native representatives that guide the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services on the needs and delivery of programs to Native populations—to look for four to six tribes to participate in the pilot project. While implementing proven juvenile justice reform practices, the UW and JRA team will follow the cultural enhancement model by continuing to engage tribal representatives and by reassessing the rolled-out practices to assure both cultural alignment and effectiveness.

“There is very little information on how the main juvenile justice-related, evidence-based practices work in tribal communities,” said Dr. Walker. She and her colleagues hope to inspire more work in tribal communities in Washington.

Sustaining Models for Change Initiatives Through Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy

04/19/2012 04:22 PM

Apr 19, 2012 | Pennsylvania Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

Pennsylvania has a long history of working to improve its juvenile justice system through sustained leadership, strong partnerships at both the state and local levels, and cooperation with both public and private sector service providers. In 2004, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation selected Pennsylvania as the first state in the country to participate in its Models for Change initiative, engaging nearly all components of Pennsylvania’s juvenile justice system.

Pennsylvania’s Models for Change reform efforts focused on three “targeted areas of improvement” that included coordinating the mental health and juvenile justice systems, improving aftercare services and supports for youth and their families, and addressing disproportionate minority contact within the juvenile justice system. Models for Change enhanced and accelerated Pennsylvania’s reform efforts at both the state and local levels, and supported various evidence-based practices such as use of screening and assessment instruments. A number of juvenile probation departments began working toward implementing a valid and reliable risk/needs instrument, developing a case plan to address the identified risk and needs, and providing targeted evidence-based interventions.

In 2010, with the five-year commitment of the MacArthur Foundation drawing to a close, it was agreed that a new “Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy” (JJSES) was needed, both to consolidate the innovations of the previous five years “under one roof”, and to develop strategies to sustain, disseminate and enhance those efforts. Pennsylvania’s JJSES rests on two interlinked foundations: the best empirical research available in the field of juvenile justice and a set of core beliefs about how to put this research into practice.

The following statement of purpose was developed for the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy:

We dedicate ourselves to working in partnership to enhance the capacity of Pennsylvania ’s juvenile justice system to achieve its balanced and restorative justice mission by:

employing evidence-based practices, with fidelity, at every stage of the juvenile justice process;
collecting and analyzing the data necessary to measure the results of these efforts; and, with this knowledge,
striving to continuously improve the quality of our decisions, services and programs

Six regional Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy (JJSES) planning sessions have been scheduled throughout the Commonwealth this Spring. Juvenile court judges, chief juvenile probation officers, juvenile probation supervisors, district attorneys, defenders, detention center administrators, juvenile justice service providers, victim service providers, and law enforcement officials are all being encouraged to attend. A component of these one-day planning sessions will include information regarding evidence-based practices that pertains to both the criminal and juvenile justice systems.

Pennsylvania’s JJSES will help to ensure that the lessons, strategies and best practices developed through Models for Change will be sustained and adopted as part of their comprehensive statewide reform plan, greatly enhancing juvenile justice outcomes in the years to come.

White House Honors Illinois Models for Change Participant

04/17/2012 04:13 PM

Apr 17, 2012 | Illinois Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

"I have attended too many funerals where mothers bury their children because of gang violence. The painful, piercing cry of each mother is seared into my memory; each cry is similar and signifies the unforgiving torture that no mother should have to go through."

Those are the words of Michael D. Rodriguez, a leader of violence prevention efforts in Chicago and participant in Models for Change reform efforts in Illinois.

Rodriguez, 33, was named a recipient of a White House Youth Violence Prevention Champion of Change award and received the award at the April 4th summit meeting of the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention, which was commenced at President Obama’s direction in 2010. Rodríguez was one of 12 to receive the award.

“I’m proud leaders like these have found new and innovative ways to prevent youth violence,” said Director of the Office of Public Engagement Jon Carson. “If we’re going to combat violence and keep our kids safe, then we need to ensure we dedicate time and manpower to the issue. These leaders have done just that, and this is what makes them true champions for their communities and our country.”

Rodriguez lives with his wife and infant daughter in the same Little Village community of Chicago where he was raised and where today he is executive director of the not-for-profit community-based organization Enlace Chicago. He also serves as a member of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, the federal mandated State Advisory Group appointed by the Governor.

Enlace means “to bring together or connect,” and that's what Rodriguez and his staff do on a daily basis. Known to many as "the Mexican-American Capital of the Midwest United States," the Little Village community is home to some 100,000 Chicagoans. While many enjoy the benefits of living in a vibrant city, they also must deal with some of the same poverty and safety issues faced by other communities in Chicago.

Enlace has helped reduce violence through strategies that include community watch programs that help children get to and from school safely and mentoring opportunities to help students stay in school and reduce behavior problems.

Through Models for Change, Rodriguez and Enlance Chicago have helped young people expunge past arrests from their records; have shined a spotlight on the need for reforms to streamline the expungement process; and have worked to reduce the numbers of Latinos coming into contact with the juvenile justice system.

“I am honored to be recognized as a White House Youth Violence Prevention Champion of Change, but this award should be given to the community of Little Village," Rodriguez said of the award. "As a representative of the community, I pray that I can uphold our true spirit and the values -- both keep this community from giving up on resolving its major issues and keeps us moving forward."

To learn more about Rodriguez and the White House Youth Violence Prevention Champion of Change award, visit the blog item written by Rodriguez and posted on the White House website here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/04/04/changing-lives-inspiring-future

To learn more about Enlance Chicago, visit http://www.enlacechicago.org

Commission Releases Recommendations to Improve Systems that Support Youth

04/02/2012 11:18 AM

Apr 2, 2012 | Louisiana Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

The Louisiana Legislature in the 2011 Regular Legislative Session passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 44 requesting the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court create a Families in Need of Services Commission to study and issue recommendations regarding the governance, structure, target population and necessary legislation for improving the current Families in Need of Services (FINS) system through the submission of a report of its findings and recommendations to the Louisiana Legislature. The FINS Commission submitted its report of findings and recommendations in January of 2012.

One area studied by the FINS Commission was that of alternative graduated sanctions and the possible elimination of the use of detention for status offending youth. The commission found, through its look at national best practices, that in the last half century, policy makers, advocates and stakeholders have debated the merit and utility of using detention for young people accused of status offenses and the prevailing trend nationwide has been to minimize or eliminate the use of detention for youth through alternatives to detention and court processes and graduated responses.

The commission also looked at local Louisiana models for detention standards regarding detention of FINS youth and found there were no statewide standards for detention monitoring through the Louisiana Juvenile Detention Association or the Department of Children and Family Service, the state agency who oversees licensing of other forms of out of home placements.

The commission did find, however, that a number of jurisdictions around Louisiana have voluntarily adopted the model approach of keeping status offenders and low risk delinquents out of detention. In Rapides Parish, local stakeholders involved with Models for Change have worked to implement new practices and policies within the informal FINS system that keep youth out of court, and thereby out of detention. In 2008, Rapides Parish also implemented a Detention Screening Instrument in collaboration with local law enforcement. Since involvement with Models for Change, overall detention admissions and admissions for FINS offenses have declined more than eight percent in 2006 in Rapides Parish.

Additionally, Calcasieu Parish has long strived to keep FINS youth out of court, as well as detention. They have instituted an admission risk-screening tool, prohibit the admission of low risk youth to detention and promote alternatives that are more appropriate, less costly, and more effective. Louisiana Models for Change data indicates in 2010, two percent of admissions to detention in Calcasieu Parish (i.e., Calcasieu Juvenile Detention Center) were for FINS offenses. That was down from six percent in 2009. Further, in 2010, the average length of stay in Calcasieu Parish Detention Centers for FINS offenses was nine days.

Based on these findings of national and local models, the FINS Commission made the following recommendations. First, to uphold newly drafted Juvenile Detention Standards which state that status offenders shall only be detained at a facility as provided by state law, upon violation of a valid court order or if they have violated a valid court order, and after provision of due process protections and consideration of less restrictive alternatives as required by the Federal Juvenile Justice and Prevention Act.

The commission also recommended that alternatives to detention and appropriate graduated sanctions must be developed in collaboration with state agencies and local governments to increase the options for youth involved with the FINS system. Additionally, the commission recommended that the Louisiana Juvenile Detention Association and the Department of Children and Family Service ensure that statistics related to FINS admissions are tracked as part of the newly drafted standards.

Career Development Program Influences Positive Change in Adjudicated Youth

02/06/2012 10:33 AM

Feb 6, 2012 | Louisiana Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

Northshore Technical Community College in Greensburg, La., started a career development program in the fall of 2011 for adjudicated youth, youth found by a judge to have committed a violation of criminal law and currently under the supervision of the Office of Juvenile Justice within their community, that has set eight children on a path to success through guidance, education and encouragement.

“Our program has given these youth a chance to focus and excel in areas they’re interested in,” said Sharon Hornsby, dean of the Florida Parishes campus. “Their excellent grades and strengthened confidence are rewarding for everyone involved, and you can see the difference it makes in these kids.”

Through the program and a grant from Models for Change, these youth had the opportunity to enroll in educational programs at Northshore Technical Community College and gain valuable skills in areas including veterinary medicine, mechanical engineering, certified nursing assistant and automotive technology. Students gained skills and certifications for promising careers and some have received job offers from major companies like Toyota and Volvo.

“Most of the time, the situation these kids find themselves in is not due to personality or ability, but instead to external factors like family dynamics or their surrounding environment,” said Karolyn Pinsel Harrell, program director. “When we’re able to provide mentorship to these kids, encourage them and show them that people want to see them succeed, they respond to that and strive to achieve their full potential. It’s incredible to see what they can do when given the opportunity.”

In some cases, judges overseeing progress of the individuals have said that because they showed such a great deal of success and commitment, they would not be required to enter into Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice secure care, which is reserved for youth deemed by a judge or by OJJ to be a risk to public safety and/or not amenable to treatment in a less restrictive setting. Youth housed in OJJ secure care facilities attend school and are constantly under direct supervision.

Youth participating in the career development program are 16-22 years old and are considered “low-risk.” The program aims to steer them in the right direction and prevent them from penetrating deeper into the juvenile justice system.

New Report Examines School-to-Prison Pipeline in Chicago and Recommends Alternatives

01/31/2012 02:31 PM

Jan 31, 2012 | Illinois Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

CHICAGO – Because public schools in Chicago too often rely on police arrests to resolve discipline problems, the schools have become the gateway for thousands of youth to enter the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems, according to a new report by advocates of restorative justice.

Project NIA’s research found there were 5,574 school-based arrests of juveniles on Chicago Public School (CPS) properties, accounting for about one of every five juvenile arrests in the city for all of 2010. “Policing Chicago Public Schools: A Gateway to the School-to-Prison Pipeline” examines arrest data obtained from the Chicago Police Department; notes the increased presence of cameras and police inside schools; and is critical of the lack of accountability and public information about arrests and discipline in each school building.

“Our purpose in writing this report is to ensure that the public is informed about the scope and extent of policing in Chicago Public Schools,” the report states. “We hope that this will galvanize educators, parents, students, policymakers and community members to advocate for a dramatic decrease of CPS’s reliance on law enforcement to address school discipline issues.

“Instead, we would like to see an increase in the use of restorative justice, which is an effective approach, to respond to student misbehavior in our schools,” according to the report authored by Mariam Kaba, founding director of Project NIA, and Frank Edwards, a researcher and volunteer with Project NIA.

Other findings and from the report:

Mirroring the general trend of disproportionate minority contact within the juvenile justice system, Black youth accounted for 74 percent of school-based arrests, and 22.5 percent of youth arrested were Latino. The enrollment of Chicago schools in was 45 percent Black and 41 percent Latino.

About 27 percent of the school-based arrests of those under age 20 were for simple battery was the leading category for arrests, suggesting a significant number of students were arrested for fighting.

New York City’s “Student Safety Act,” which requires increased accountability and transparency about police activity in schools should be replicated in Chicago and CPS should be required to report more information to the public about arrests and how discipline is enforced in each school.

Student privacy should be protected, and law enforcement agencies and schools should not be required to exchange more information about individual students with discipline issues or who come in contact with police.

Project NIA is a non-profit with a long-term goal of ending youth incarceration and promotes the use of restorative and transformative practices with an emphasis on community-based alternatives to incarceration.

For more information about Project NIA, go to: http://www.project-nia.org/home.php

Download “Policing Chicago Public Schools: A Gateway to the School-to-Prison Pipeline” here: http://policeinschools.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/policing-chicago-public-schools-final2.pdf

Landmark Study Offers Glimpse at Previously Ignored Youth Population

01/27/2012 10:20 AM

Jan 27, 2012 | Washington State Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

Landmark Study Offers Glimpse at Previously Ignored Youth Population

Youth with Both Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice History Studied

A study out of King County is the first of its kind in Washington state to bring together data sets from different agencies to address challenges facing youth in the juvenile justice system today.

Uniting for Youth, a King County-based multi-system collaboration, funded in part by Models for Change, worked with the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) and the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts to produce “Doorways to Delinquency: Multi-System Involvement of Delinquent Youth in King County, ” authored by Gregory Halemba and Gene Siegel of NCJJ. The study looks at cross-over youth, those who have had previous experience in the child-welfare system before their contact with the juvenile justice system. Researchers looked at data sets from 2006 to 2008 from both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

“We wanted to get an idea of the kinds of challenges we were facing with cross-over youth,” said Marcus Stubblefield, King County’s Systems Integration Coordinator. “The numbers were shocking.”

While researchers expected that cross-over youth would experience worse outcomes, no one predicted the striking differences in rates of contact with the juvenile justice system. Some key findings include:

Youth with multi-system involvement begin their delinquent activity earlier, around 13 years of age, and are detained more frequently for longer periods of time.
There is a strong correlation between recidivism and a history of child welfare involvement.
Cross-over youth experience frequent placement changes, which is expensive: over the study period, the preliminary estimate of placement costs for one cross over youth is $38,000.
Female and minority youth who have contact with the juvenile justice system tend to have more extensive history with the child welfare system than white males.

This examination of data concerning cross-over youth is the first of its kind in Washington state. “Systems don’t talk to each other,” said Stubblefield. “The challenge was getting someone who could look at both child welfare and juvenile justice data sets and compare the two. NCJJ was there to support that.”

Uniting for Youth will be continuing conversations between the two systems and working to create prevention and early engagement programs to reduce recidivism, disproportionate minority contact and the costs of youth placement. Stubblefield hopes that regular and routine studies will help King County deliver the best interventions possible to the youth they serve.

The results of the study inspire reflection for Stubblefield and his colleagues. “This study allows us to take a look back and ask ourselves what we could have done differently,” Stubblefield said. “The information from the study is helping us to improve interventions for a better coordinated service delivery system.”

Profile for Change: Dr. Mick Moore

01/27/2012 09:57 AM

Jan 27, 2012 | Washington Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

Dr. Mick Moore is a powerful voice for reform. He bridges the education and juvenile justice systems, leading interagency changes from the education side. As Assistant to the Superintendent for Interagency Relations with the Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD), he seeks out partners from different agencies to tackle problems, like rising drop-out rates and inadequate alternatives to suspension, whether that means creating a new program, reallocating funding or garnering attention at the legislative level. He’s a bridge builder with more than 40 years of public education to his name, one of the few in a position who can step back and look at the entire nature of the educational community, how it intersects with juvenile justice, and work on systems change and integration.

PSESD created the position for Dr. Moore after he demonstrated success in creating interagency connections as the Executive Director for Special Services, developing relationships with mental health and social service agencies. The benefits of collaboration he saw were invaluable—greater accountability, cost savings and reduction in duplication of services. While these were advantageous to the systems involved, the outcomes for youth were even greater.

Dr. Moore becomes aware of the “school to jail pipeline”

In his work, Dr. Moore became more involved with juvenile justice services. As he observed how the system worked and intersected with education, he realized there can be no juvenile justice reform without education reform. “It’s a thought I’ve always had,” he said. “Maybe a motto.”

Dr. Moore learned about the virtual pipeline of dropouts going from schools to the juvenile justice system. “Too many kids are dropping out of school and getting involved in the juvenile justice system. This leads to a reduction in our workforce and is draining our human and financial resources. It was a shock to learn that 70 percent of youth in detention and on probation in King County had either dropped out of school or had so few credits that graduation was unattainable … and 75 percent of adult inmates never finished high school. There’s this term, the ‘school to jail pipeline.’ That pipeline needs to be shut down.”

With the connection between lack of education and criminal tendencies made clear to him, Dr. Moore and his colleagues started a committee devoted to building reengagement opportunities and robust onramps for drop-out youth.

A dedicated committee puts youth from the juvenile justice system in touch with an education

The committee worked for 10 years without funding, leveraging relationships in both the education and juvenile justice systems in order to push for policy reform at the state level. But at the time, legislators were more concerned with state testing scores than drop-out rates, and policy reform went nowhere.

Dr. Moore and his colleagues kept pushing, bringing up the issue whenever possible. The committee’s numbers waxed and waned, but the committee’s core remained strong. Five years ago, as part of the King County Systems Integration Initiative, Uniting for Youth was institutionalized as the PathNet Steering Committee. It began pushing for legislation to create statewide reengagement programs, while simultaneously creating a model called PathNet: A Networked Reengagement System—a reengagement pilot project in King County funded by Models for Change. Things finally began to take off.

The PathNet model creates connections between school districts and community colleges, technical schools and other organizations for youth who have no reasonable chance of completing a high school diploma and need an alternative pathway toward a living wage job and career. Youth take part in opportunities for basic skills remediation, work and college readiness classes, GED completion, high school credit recovery options and pre-apprenticeship skill development. When youth participate in the pilot, they are guided by a connection coordinator, who helps navigate the multiple systems and pathways to educational and vocational success.

Dr. Moore attributes the success of PathNet to the dedication and hard work of his colleagues and partners. They recently saw the passage of House Bill 1418, which will establish a statewide dropout reengagement program. Dr. Moore has a few words for those working in his field with similar dreams of legislative action: “Focus on the people who will help you [achieve your goals]. You’re not alone in this issue. Find genuine partners that can carry that message beyond your voice.”

He also says PathNet owes a great deal to the MacArthur Foundation and Models for Change. “The Foundation really stepped up to the plate and believed in the potential of the PathNet initiative, and gave me a stepping stone and platform through the pilot to have greater impact locally and nationally. PathNet is going to accelerate because of MacArthur Foundation.”

Dr. Moore is taking PathNet to the national stage

Dr. Moore will be moving to a consultant role in June, 2012, a “hop off the eight to five merry-go-round,” as he puts it. His career has seen many successes, one of them being bringing education to the table with juvenile justice reform. The question is what to do now that education is part of the conversation.

“I feel the calling to make education an equal partner,” he said. Dr. Moore will begin with replicating the PathNet model, first in other jurisdictions in Washington state, and then to other states. He has been working with a state legislator in Nebraska who introduced a bill similar to HB 1418. “I realized [drop-out reengagement programs] need to go national. Certainly I’m hoping that other foundations and funders who have seen this kind of work will agree that there is a need to do this.”

A career of helping others continues to motivate

As a child, Dr. Moore was a stutterer. He eventually overcame this barrier through speech therapy, and later in life found he had tremendous empathy for those with speech disorders and related struggles. He entered the field of speech therapy and audiology and found extreme satisfaction in helping others.

This thread of helping others has followed him throughout his career, and continues to motivate his work. “That internal reward of helping others has inspired me to reach out to youth with disabilities and others who are disenfranchised and at-risk to fail,” he says. “It just feels good. The effort is not always easy, but the end product is always satisfying.”

2011 Champions for Change

01/18/2012 10:21 AM

Dec 6, 2011 | Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

Champions for Change are individuals working with Models for Change in their states who have positively affected the lives of justice-involved youth, their families, and communities in ways that provide pathways away from delinquencyand re-offending, and that increase their potential to lead successful lives and build positive relationships.

Each of the 2011 Champions for Change has distinguished themself not only by alongtime commitment to creating change on behalf of youth, but because of theirinnovative and creative use of resources provided by Models for Change. These resources were adapted to local conditions and used to extend available capabilities to achieve deeper insights, more evidence-based practices and policies better suited to the needs of justice-involved youth.

Champions are nominated by their peers from each of the Models for Change Core States and from each of the three Models for Change Action Networks.

You can download the full program from the Awards Reception here.

Read about each of our Champions and see a short tribute video by clicking on the links below:

Joshua Dohan, Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network Champion for Change
Director, Youth Advocacy Department– Committee for Public Counsel Services
Roxbury, Massachusetts

Catherine Foley Geib, Mental Health and Juvenile Justice Action Network Champion for Change
Manager of Clinical & Educational Services Court Support Services Division, Connecticut Judicial Branch
Wethersfield, Connecticut

Mark Masterson, Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Action Network Champion for Change
Director, Sedgwick County Department of Corrections
Wichita, Kansas

Carl McCurley, Washington Champion for Change
Director, Administrative Office of the Courts/Washington State Center for Court Research
Olympia, Washington

Dane R. Bolin, Louisiana Champion for Change
Director, Calcasieu Parish Office of Juvenile Justice Services
Lake Charles, Louisiana

Toni Irving, Illinois Champion for Change
Deputy Chief of Staff, State of Illinois, Office of the Governor
Chicago, Illinois

Robert L. Listenbee, Pennsylvania Champion for Change
Chief of the Juvenile Unit, Defender Association of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Robert L. Listenbee: Juvenile Defenders Must Become the Change

01/18/2012 09:59 AM

Dec 6, 2011 | REFORM PROGRESS

Robert L. Listenbee, Pennsylvania Champion for Change

Chief of the Juvenile Unit, Defender Association of Philadelphia

One of Robert Listenbee’s favorite quotations is from Mahatma Gandhi, “You must become the change you wish to see in the world.” He uses this phrase when training attorneys to represent young people in court. It is also an apt summation of his own career as a public defender and advocate for changing the lives of kids in the juvenile justice system.

Listenbee is Chief of the Juvenile Unit at the Defender Association of Philadelphia and has been a major contributor to Models for Change initiatives in Pennsylvania, participating in both the Juvenile Indigent Defense and DMC Action Networks. In addition to his work with Defenders in his unit, Listenbee is dedicated to improving the system and works closely with non-traditional partners to accomplish these goals including the Deputy District Attorney for Family Court in Philadelphia and top police officials in five branches of Philadelphia law enforcement.

“As Chief of the Juvenile Unit, Bob has never wavered from his commitment to improving the quality of defender representation in Philadelphia,” said Rhonda McKitten, Defender Association of Philadelphia. “He has incorporated team leaders and mentoring into attorney assignments, created a specialized unit to deal with juvenile sexual assault cases and been instrumental in developing three specialty court programs that divert youth out of the juvenile justice system and reduce their risk of residential placement.”

Even with those accomplishments, Listenbee works with his staff to continue to improve ways to represent juveniles in court. He believes that juvenile defenders have a responsibility to be agents of change in the juvenile justice system and that defenders in large, well-resourced offices should assist defenders in smaller offices that do not have access to the same resources.

“Throughout all of his work as part of the MfC team, Bob has brought tremendous energy, enthusiasm, humor and a willingness to collaborate,” said Robert Schwartz, Executive Director, Juvenile Law Center. “These aspects of his leadership style are a major reason that he has been able to secure cooperation from so many different stakeholders. His commitment to youth, personal integrity and seemingly limitless energy have been invaluable in inspiring others to contribute to our reform initiatives.”

Listenbee worked with juvenile defenders across Pennsylvania to create the Juvenile Defender Association of Pennsylvania (JDAP), the first organization in the Commonwealth to create a community of juvenile defenders to focus on the interests of juvenile practitioners. He was also the only juvenile defense attorney selected to be part of the Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice, to respond to the Luzerne County scandal by recommending changes to ensure that a similar injustice did not occur again. Listenbee advocates for the rights of juveniles and improvements to juvenile indigent defense as a member of the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee and as a new member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice.

Robert Listenbee consistently encourages young defenders in his office and throughout the state to pursue juvenile justice as a specialty—both through direct service and policy reform efforts. More important than encouragement, he serves as an incredible role model of what it means to be an advocate for youth, both in and out of the courtroom.

Toni Irving: A Fierce Impatience for Change

01/18/2012 09:51 AM

Dec 6, 2011 | REFORM PROGRESS

Toni Irving, Illinois Champion for Change

Deputy Chief of Staff, State of Illinois, Office of the Governor

Toni Irving combines a strong intellectual grasp of juvenile justice issues with a fierce impatience to change things for the better for youth. With keen insight and acute tactical sense, she has made juvenile justice reform not only her personal priority, but as Deputy Chief of Staff to Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, a hallmark of his administration.

Initially serving as a member of the Illinois Models for Change DMC Committee as a private citizen, Irving immediately launched a series of comprehensive juvenile justice reform efforts when she was named Deputy Chief of Staff in 2009. Since that time, she has reached out to Models for Change partners and grantees for their expertise and perspectives and tapped Models for Change leaders and partners to inform state-level policy and practice development.

“Juvenile justice matters too often received little attention from Illinois’ state-level leaders,” said Paula Wolff, Senior Executive, Metropolis Strategies. “Because of Toni’s dogged determination and leadership, juvenile justice matters now have a prominent place in the state’s policy, resource and programming discussions, and changes long envisioned are now occurring. Her leadership has significantly advanced juvenile justice reform efforts in Illinois.”

Irving’s leadership is applied with equal passion to big policy issues as well as lower-profile but important operational issues. She has increased resources for community-based services, created cross-agency collaboration and forged long-term policy and practice change. At the same time, she has pushed for the installation of safety beds that will reduce the risk of harm to every youth who must be in a Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facility. With her leadership and support, the state has made it a high priority to close one or more juvenile prisons, expand aftercare support to youth leaving DJJ care and improve outcomes for youth, families and communities.

Irving has also recast the policy infrastructure, through the recreation of a potent Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, which serves as the Illinois State Advisory Group (SAG). She personally oversaw appointments of new Commissioners—many of whom are Models for Change leaders, grantees and partners. As a result, the Commission has been reformed, revitalized and refocused and is expected to play an important role in juvenile justice improvements for years to come.

In addition to her state-level work, Irving has been an effective liaison to local stakeholders, including “marching across the street to the courthouse” to encourage and assist Cook County to become an adult and juvenile “Redeploy Illinois” site. Cook County’s participation is expected to further reduce the flow of youth into the state’s expensive and largely ineffective juvenile institutions.

“Toni is a passionate and effective voice for the Models for Change values and principles,” said Diane Geraghty, of Loyola University Chicago School of Law. “At every opportunity, she exhorts policy makers and practitioners to remember our shared goals: positive outcomes for youth and for communities. Her work will sustain Models for Change principles beyond the life of the initiative itself.”

Dane R. Bolin: Committed to Reform and Innovation

01/18/2012 09:45 AM

Dec 6, 2011 | REFORM PROGRESS

Passionate, committed, humble, progressive, visionary: That’s how his colleagues describe Dane Bolin.

Dane R. Bolin,
Louisiana Champion for Change

Director, Calcasieu Parish Office of Juvenile Justice Services

Dane Bolin’s passion for juvenile justice reform in his home state of Louisiana is too strong to be contained by state lines. His training skills are in great demand up and down the gulf coast. Ironically, it is his zeal for providing services to adolescents in their own home community that has won him notice far outside his own home of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana.

Bolin, who started his juvenile justice career eighteen years ago as a home detention officer has risen through the ranks to become Director of the Office of Juvenile Justice Services in Calcasieu Parish, a post he has held since 2007. His entire career has been marked by his deep commitment to fairness for all at-risk adolescents, a trait critical to his role as project director of the Models for Change initiative in Calcasieu Parish.

“Dane Bolin is a local leader who has gained prominence in Louisiana and nation-wide,” said Debra K. DePrato, MD, Project Director, Louisiana Models for Change. “Dane has a vision and the ability to carry it out to make the lives of children better in his parish. He coordinates with area leaders to ensure a true partnership of agencies and people. Dane believes in accountability, and sees himself as the one who is most accountable.”

Under his leadership, Calcasieu Parish has received support from Models for Change Louisiana. Grant funds were used to strengthen Calcasieu Parish’s Children and Youth Planning Board (CYPB) and encourage the use of evidence-based practices. Bolin uses his role as Chairman of the CYPB to educate community stakeholders and child serving agencies throughout Calcasieu Parish on the importance of using evidence-based practices, reducing racial disparity, and community engagement. Bolin does more than talk, he works tirelessly to put his vision into practice.

Bolin’s “dream” had been to establish a Community Assessment and Resource Center for youth and their families. His dream has now been realized. Calcasieu Parish has now opened a center for at-risk youth and families in Calcasieu Parish. The Center links youth and families with appropriate and meaningful services that will lead to better outcomes. It provides a “diversionary” option for law enforcement to use instead of placing youth under arrest.

Bolin has also focused his leadership on the development of detention standards for the entire state of LA. He was a key player in the passing of House Bill 1477 that outlines the development of “best practice standards” for juvenile detention facilities and licensing. He has worked with members of the Louisiana Juvenile Detention Association (LJDA) to understand their concerns and gain their support. The standards have been submitted to the Louisiana Department of Children and Families and are awaiting approval.

Bolin represents a new wave of juvenile justice leaders who have emerged from and begun shaping system reform efforts. According to Anthony W. Celestine, President of the LJDA and a colleague of Bolin, “Dane is a true leader, who leads by example. I have watched him put in countless hours at work to develop new reforms for the agency, as well as act as a consultant with other jurisdictions, both within our state and nationally. He is always striving to be better, to be an actual Champion of Change."

Carl McCurley: A Passion for Analyzing and Improving Outcomes

01/18/2012 09:33 AM

Dec 6, 2011 | REFORM PROGRESS

Carl McCurley, Washington Champion for Change

Director, Administrative Office of the Courts/Washington State Center for Court Research

Outcome measures, data sources and data gaps aren’t thought of as the currency of champions and advocates. For Carl McCurley and his team at the Washington State Center for Court Research (WSCCR), data and the stories it tells are powerful tools for improving outcomes for children and families involved in the juvenile justice system.

McCurley joined the Administrative Office of the Courts in 2007, coming from the National Center for Juvenile Justice where he had participated in the Models for Change initiative. As the newly hired WSCCR director, he sought to broaden the Center’s work, expanding beyond the customary focus of court operations, to analyzing the courts’ impact on the lives of those they served. Models for Change offered the chance to bring together an outstanding team of researchers who shared a passion for analyzing and improving outcomes for court-involved children, youth and families.

“Dr. McCurley is a skilled researcher with a deep commitment to using data to make real changes in people’s lives,” said Honorable Barbara A Madsen, Chief Justice, Washington State Supreme Court

Of the four core Models for Change states, Washington has been identified as the state with the most extensive data. However, the usefulness of that data had not been fully realized. McCurley and WSCCR worked closely with NCJJ and Washington’s four local demonstration sites as well as three of the state partners in identifying outcome measures, data sources and data gaps.

Under McCurley’s leadership, WSCCR has enhanced juvenile justice-related data collection and reporting to better inform state and local level decision making/policy reform efforts. Four researchable databases have been created allowing for closer examination of the impact of EBPs and other interventions on risk reduction and juvenile offender recidivism. Because these databases allow users to crosswalk data, local officials can now determine 1) who is system involved, 2) their characteristics (needs, history), 3) what occurs with them (in terms of intervention and probation action) and 4) their outcomes.

Dr. Carl McCurley and his team have enabled local leaders in Washington to better understand their own data and to assemble all the small pieces in a way that finally allows them to see the big picture.

WSCCR’s DMC-related activities, improving race/ethnicity data collection, providing direction on using data for informing DMC discussions and creating county-based DMC reports, provide direction to the local courts for identifying and targeting court policy and practice which may be contributing to DMC. Better awareness of institutional practices contributing to DMC is key to maintaining a system that is fundamentally fair.

WSCCR’s expanded, researchable and linked databases provide a comprehensive picture of system-involved youth and helps target interventions/resources that specifically address individual differences.

“For many, the complexity and time-consuming nature of working with data is like looking for a needle in a haystack,” said Justice Bobbe J. Bridge (ret.) Founding President/CEO, Center for Children & Youth Justice. “Carl and his team understand that what they are looking at is people’s lives and the potential for their future success. Data becomes a critical tool to helping us provide every child in our care with the best we have to offer them.”

Mark Masterson: Team Justice is On the Job

01/18/2012 09:25 AM

Dec 6, 2011 | REFORM PROGRESS

Mark Masterson, Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Action Network Champion for Change

Director, Sedgwick County Department of Corrections

Mark Masterson knows that disproportionate minority contact (DMC) isn’t a just a buzzword or topic for another study. As Director of the Sedgwick County Department of Corrections he has made racial and ethnic fairness a goal of all aspects of his county’s juvenile justice system and taken decisive action to improve outcomes for children of color. Sedgwick County stands out because Mark has created a culture, both within his agency and the community, that leads individuals to question the reasons behind racial and ethnic disparities and develop concrete strategies to address it.

Shay Bilchik, Director of the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform and former OJJDP administrator, has described Sedgwick County as doing “remarkable work with a very impressive team.” That team, known at “Team Justice”, is a diverse collaborative of sixteen juvenile justice professionals and community representatives chaired by Masterson. They meet monthly to plan, coordinate, oversee, and advocate for local juvenile justice services and needs.

Under Mark’s leadership, this collaborative has tackled a number of difficult issues. Although Sedgwick County made progress in many areas before it joined the Models for Change DMC Action Network, it continued to struggle with one particular area: disproportionality at the point of arrest, particularly arrests in public schools. Through its partnership with the local African American Coalition, Team Justice conducted significant community work with police, court, schools and communities to examine arrests at school and identify alternatives. Sedgwick County eventually hired a juvenile justice education liaison to assist with individual school-based cases. As a result of these efforts, school-based arrests for disorderly conduct fell by 37 percent from 2009 to 2010, and arrests at Wichita public schools dropped by more than 50 percent over the same period.

Team Justice also focused on reducing shoplifting arrests, which represented the most common reason for arrests of African American youth, particularly girls, by a significant margin. Wichita State University conducted an in-depth data-based analysis of the problem, which led to the development of multiple strategies including shoplifting prevention programming in the county’s middle schools and enlisting the help of youth to pass out materials at the shopping malls, where most arrests occurred. Thanks to these efforts, the arrest rate for property offenses dropped almost 20 percent for African American youth and 26 percent for Latino youth from 2009 to 2010.

After data analysis indicated a need for a weekend alternative to detention for low-risk youth, Team Justice found a model in Tacoma, Washington, identified freed-up state prevention funds, county funding, and federal block grant funding to pay for it, and within six month had it up and running in Sedgwick. The program served 123 youth in its first six months, 33 percent of whom were African American and 25 percent of whom were Latino.

“Mark has also been a catalyst for replication of DMC Action Network strategies in other counties in Kansas. Those counties have seen the successes in Sedgwick, and have sent representatives to DMC Action Network conferences and meetings,” said Mark Soler, Executive Director, Center for Children’s Law and Policy. “Sedgwick has been a team effort, but Mark’s leadership has guided the creation of a more equitable juvenile justice system for children of color. His dedication to racial and ethnic fairness has made Sedgwick County a model for smart and sustainable DMC reduction.”

Catherine Foley Geib: No Drama, Big Results

01/18/2012 09:12 AM

Dec 6, 2011 | REFORM PROGRESS

Catherine Foley Geib, Mental Health and Juvenile Justice Action Network Champion for Change

Manager of Clinical & Educational Services Court Support Services Division, Connecticut Judicial Branch

Catherine Foley Geib isn’t a publicity hound. She shuns the spotlight, takes very little personal credit for the work of her team and is recognized by colleagues for her welcomed “no drama” approach. What is dramatic is how much she and her teammates have accomplished. From advocacy to implementation, services to screening, raise the age to reentry, Cathy has been a vital contributor to improving the lives of children and families throughout the State of Connecticut.

Cathy started her career working in youth shelters and later became a juvenile probation officer. Her experience “in the trenches” helped shape a vision for what the child caring systems in Connecticut could be doing for youth and families. After receiving her Masters Degree in Public Administration from NYU, Cathy shifted from direct practice to public policy development and joined the Connecticut Judicial Branch, where she served as the Manager of Detention Services and managed the successful exit from the Emily J lawsuit and helped introduce a community-based system of evidence-based treatment services for detained youth.

Cathy currently serves as the Manager of Clinical and Educational Services for the Court Support Services Division. She and her team have successfully advocated for more effective mental health treatment services for court-involved youth, resulting in new and better organized juvenile court clinics throughout the state. She has also worked to ensure that youth are screened for learning problems and secured legislative changes that allow for better coordination between youth and their school systems to facilitate re-entry upon release from placement. Her office has also created clinical care coordinator positions to act as consultants to detention staff to help identify mental health treatment needs among youth.

As the Team Leader for the Connecticut Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network, Cathy’s accomplishments are equally impressive. She and her team .took advantage of every opportunity that involvement in the Network afforded. Her team developed a comprehensive school-responder program model, the School-Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI) that aims to reduce the number of students with behavioral health needs referred to law enforcement. They created broad-based support for this initiative. As a result, they doubled the number of participating school districts and spurred the launch of a new statewide initiative to examine and respond to the frequency of arrests of children in schools.

Connecticut, under Cathy’s guidance, helped shape the content and direction of the Mental Health Training Curriculum for Juvenile Justice. Connecticut was one of the first states to pilot the MHTC-JJ and has committed to incorporating it into training offered at Connecticut’s Juvenile Training Academy.

“From the beginning, Cathy made sustaining the Action Network innovations a top priority”, said Joseph Cocozza, director of the Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network. ”Even in this difficult economic climate, she has managed to find ways to keep all of these important initiatives going. That, in and of itself, is pretty remarkable.”

Without much fanfare, but with deep dedication, Catherine Foley Geib is a Champion for youth each and every day.

Joshua Dohan: A Constant and Driving Force for Indigent Youth

01/18/2012 09:01 AM

Dec 6, 2011 | REFORM PROGRESS

Joshua Dohan, Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network Champion for Change

Director, Youth Advocacy Department– Committee for Public Counsel Services

Colleagues describe Joshua Dohan as one of the most inspirational figures in Massachusetts juvenile justice. He leads by example. He loves his work and his clients. He conveys his vision with such enthusiasm and conviction that even his most ardent opponents are forced to consider his perspective.

“Throughout his career, Josh Dohan has been an insistent and visionary leader in the emerging field of juvenile delinquency defense,” said William J. Leahy, Director, State of New York Office of Indigent Legal Services and former JIDAN team member. “He has transformed the practice in Massachusetts, and he has established a model for change for other states to emulate through his work with the Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network (JIDAN).”

To understand the transformation required, you must go back twenty years when there were no staff public defenders doing juvenile work in the State of Massachusetts. Suffice it to say, that the majority of children were not getting high-quality representation.

In 1992, Josh applied his four years of public defender experience with the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) to become the first staff attorney for the newly created Youth Advocacy Project (YAP). While YAP was amassing a caseload of serious juvenile offenses, it was also advocating for changes in the systems serving indigent youth. By 1999, when Dohan became Director, YAP had embraced and championed the Youth Development Model, leading to creation of the Youth Development Approach to Zealous Advocacy.

In 2009, YAP officially became part of the Youth Advocacy Department (YAD), the newly formed juvenile division of the CPCS. YAD took on responsibility for leading, training, and supporting the entire Massachusetts juvenile defense bar. Now, more than 35 juvenile defenders in nine staff offices and more than five hundred trained and qualified assigned private lawyers all follow the YAD principles which Josh has worked so creatively and so tirelessly to establish.

“The very fact that YAD exists today as a state-wide agency, one that works on behalf of all indigent court-involved youth across Massachusetts, is a testament to Josh’s vision and commitment to justice,” said Jeremy Cohn, defense attorney and board member of the Youth Advocacy Foundation. “Long-neglected populations of court-involved youths have access not only to attorneys to defend them, but services in the areas of education, mental health, and social work to provide help where needed, with the goal of getting youths permanently out of the court system and on the road to success.”

In 2008, the National Juvenile Defender Center issued an RFP for states to join the Models for Change Action Networks. The Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network (JIDAN) was created to identify issues and strategies that will strengthen and enhance juvenile indigent defense systems.

“The application from Massachusetts, led by the CPCS, stood out because of its impressive track record, said Patricia Puritz, NJDC executive director. “The team, rich with key stakeholders in juvenile indigent defense and statewide policy had already demonstrated success in creating a model for a statewide juvenile defender department and putting in place a strong infrastructure for juvenile defense,” she continued. “There was no question the Massachusetts team lead by Josh Dohan, was well-positioned to take the reins on a number of compelling juvenile indigent defense issues.”

In short, twenty years ago the state of juvenile defense in Massachusetts was a fragmented mess, resulting in hundreds and thousands of children passing through the juvenile court into the adult system to become chronic offenders. Today, YAD has 8 offices with multi-disciplinary teams using the Youth Development Approach to Zealous Advocacy represent juveniles and increase the likelihood that high-risk youth are treated fairly and gain access to critical Positive Youth Development opportunities.

Illinois Report Recommends Extensive Changes to Reverse Juvenile Recidivism Trend

12/16/2011 11:09 AM

Dec 16, 2011 | Illinois Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

CHICAGO – While noting progress has been made on several reforms within the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), an Illinois state commission has issued a road map of additional changes needed throughout the juvenile justice system

“An essential measurement of any juvenile “reentry” system is whether youth returning from incarceration remain safely and successfully within their communities,” according to the Youth Reentry Improvement Report. “By this fundamental measure, Illinois is failing.”

The Youth Reentry Improvement Report includes a series of findings and recommendations to improve public safety, reduce government spending on youth prisons, protect the constitutional rights of juveniles and increase the likelihood that young offenders will become responsible adults.

In preparing the report, the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, analyzed the files of more than 380 youth with recent parole revocations, and Commission members observed more than 230 Illinois Prisoner Review Board (PRB) hearings – the first independent observation of its kind for hearings closed to the general public.

The Youth Reentry Improvement Report found that the system does little to prepare youth and families for the youths’ return home; paroled youth rarely receive needed services or school linkages and too often are returned to expensive youth prisons due to technical parole violations; and PRB parole revocation proceedings are largely perfunctory hearings where the youth’s due process rights are not protected.

Recommendations include improved screening assessments and development of case plans for youth entering DJJ; advanced, on-going training for PRB members; making legal advocates available to protect the constitutional rights of youth; placing aftercare specialists with a juvenile-only caseload to ensure youth receive necessary services upon release and work with youth and families from the day the youth enters DJJ through parole; and setting a time limit for parole rather than the current common practice of keeping youth on parole until their 21^st birthday.

"These recommendations, if implemented, could save money, save lives, and reduce the expensive cycle of reincarceration, which feeds our now overcrowded adult prisons as these youth go deeper and deeper into crime,” said George W. Timberlake, who is Chair of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission and retired chief judge of Illinois’ Second Judicial Circuit.

“Studies show what we already know – that youth rehabilitation is most often successful when the counseling and mentoring are delivered in the youth’s home community,” said Arthur D. Bishop, Director of DJJ and a member of the Juvenile Justice Commission. “But we have not, and will not, give up on those youth who must be sent to our secured facilities. We are working hard to make sure that, while in our facilities, youth’s strengths and needs are properly addressed and discharge planning is initiated at the time of admission, ensuring they return to their communities with a solid, practical plan for support and supervision.

“We support these recommendations for improvements both inside DJJ and in the communities,” Bishop continued. “DJJ has implemented a number of the report’s recommendations and hope to be able to do much more in the near future.”

Read complete report here: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=58025

The links below will take you to more information and commentary on the report and juvenile reentry in Illinois:

Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission news release about the Youth Reentry Improvement Report: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=58161&newssidebar=58025
Fact sheet summarizing key points: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=58162
Audio of a one-hour news briefing by Commission members on Dec. 13, 2011: https://backup.filesanywhere.com/FS/v.aspx?v=8b72698b606672bba9a2
Audio of a 10-minute WBEZ (Chicago Public Radio) interview of George W. Timberlake, Chair of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission: http://www.wbez.org/story/state-commission-slams-juvenile-justice-system-94845
“Illinois Probe Finds Rushed, Unmeasured Process for Juvenile Release, Reentry and Parole,” Youth Today, Dec. 13, 2011: http://www.youthtoday.org/view_article.cfm?article_id=5167
“Report: Illinois failing to help young offenders,” Associated Press, Dec. 13, 2011: http://beaconnews.suntimes.com/news/9416891-418/report-illinois-failing-to-help-young-offenders.html
“Report: State’s juvenile prison system broken,” Lee News Service, Dec. 13, 2011: http://www.pantagraph.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois/report-state-s-juvenile-prison-system-broken/article_2f3c6b08-255a-11e1-aceb-0019bb2963f4.html
“Illinois’ juvenile justice system is failing, state report says,” Chicago Tribune, Dec. 13, 2011: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-12-13/news/ct-met-juvenile-recidivism-1213-20111213_1_juvenile-justice-system-youth-offenders-community-based-rehabilitation-programs
“Report says better case management key to juvenile justice reform,” Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), Dec. 13, 2011: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111213/news/712139657/
Report finds Illinois juvenile justice system is "failing," Illinois Issues blog, Dec. 13, 2011: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/report-finds-illinois-juvenile-justice.html
Editorial: “Time for an intelligent approach to juvenile justice,” Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), Dec. 14, 2011: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111214/discuss/712149959/

Latino Youth “Virtually Invisible” in the Illinois Juvenile Justice System Report Calls for Collecting Accurate Information

12/16/2011 11:03 AM

Dec 16, 2011 | Illinois Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

CHICAGO -- Latino youth comprise one of the fastest growing segments of Illinois’ population, but accurate statistical information about Latino youth in the state’s juvenile justice system is lacking.

The absence of good data makes it difficult to implement policy changes that could reduce the numbers of Latinos coming in contact with the juvenile justice system and improve fairness of the system, according to a study by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR).

“Counting Latino Youth in the Illinois Juvenile Justice System” recommends steps that state and local governments should take to improve data collection and then use that improved statistical information to enhance and services to the Hispanic community.

Although Illinois experienced a 21.5 percent increase in the number of Hispanics younger than age 18 between 2000 and 2009, there is no reliable count of Hispanic youth involved in the juvenile justice system, and much of the available statistics are inaccurate because Hispanics often are counted as White, Black or “Other.”

“Clearly, Latinos in the Illinois juvenile justice system face real challenges that must be addressed by policymakers and practitioners,” the report states. “NCLR’s analysis of the system in Illinois demonstrates that available data—which render Hispanics virtually invisible—cannot adequately guide the creation, implementation, and evaluation of targeted policies and practices that can more effectively reduce Latino contact with the system and increase system fairness.”

“The information problems often begin at the first point a Latino youth comes in contact with a police officer,” said Maricela Garcia, NCLR’s Director of Capacity-Building. “Police forms frequently list the ethnicities of ‘Latino’ or ‘Hispanic’ as a race option, but neither is a race category.

The report advocates that law enforcement authorities should ask a two-part question. The first part should ask whether the person is Hispanic/Latino. After receiving a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response, the second part should ask the person’s race but without allowing Hispanic/Latino as a possible answer.

In addition to mandating the two-part ethnicity question be asked at every stage of the juvenile justice system, the report recommends that collected information be made available to the public on a computerized database. It also advocates funding five local pilot projects to improve data collection and to implement reforms based on needs identified in the data.

“Accurate data is the first step in understanding who the juvenile justice system serves and ensuring the most effective policies and programs are implemented,” said Lisa Jacobs, Program Manager, Illinois Models for Change. “Illinois has always been a leader in juvenile justice, but we can do more to guarantee that our system functions. Good data is an important component of good decision-making.”

Michael Rodriguez, Executive Director, Enlace Chicago, said the lack of accurate date on Latino youth is harmful to the entire state.

“We need reliable data to evaluate every point in the system and to see where it is best to commit limited, but much valued, resources,” Rodriguez said. “That way, we can intensify our efforts so that we can better intervene and work with Latino youth.”

“Counting Latino Youth in the Illinois Juvenile Justice System” was created with the assistance of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change Juvenile Justice System Reform Initiative and can be downloaded here: http://modelsforchange.net/publications/322

West Valley Truancy Board a Model Program

12/12/2011 11:31 AM

Dec 8, 2011 | Jody Lawrence-Turner | REFORM PROGRESS

Bored with his West Valley High School classes, Harrison Calligan thought skipping school with friends might be more challenging.

The teen figured out how to block the school’s numbers from his home phone so his mother couldn’t be alerted to his absence, and after lunch he’d leave school.

“We’d set little goals for skipping … like see how far we can get on our bikes in one afternoon,” said Calligan, now 17. “It’s almost embarrassing now.”

The teen escaped detection until the law caught up with him. If a student in Washington has more than five to seven unexcused days in one month or 10 days in a school year, they are considered a truant. For the offense, a student can face time in juvenile detention.

So Calligan and his mom, Tanya Spaulding, were relieved when they learned about an alternative to juvenile court – the West Valley Community Truancy Board.

The program is a collaborative effort among school district officials, Spokane County Juvenile Court Services and volunteers from local social service agencies – Job Corps, the NATIVE Project, Lutheran Community Services, Daybreak and SNAP.

The board helps students and their family members with solutions to put the child back on track in school.

In response, the share of West Valley School District truancy cases that ended up in juvenile court has declined from more than 65 percent in 1996 to 6.5 percent in 2010, according to Spokane County Juvenile Court Services.

With West Valley’s success, the community truancy board model is being replicated in school districts throughout the region, including East Valley, Mead and Spokane Public Schools, and in Western Washington.

And it could spread even farther. A team presented the model in Washington, D.C., earlier this week at the national Models for Change conference, which focuses on juvenile justice reform, for possible use in schools nationwide.

The program can be replicated for little or no cost by reallocating current resources, officials said.

“We don’t think court is always the best option for kids,” said Martin Kolodrub, a Spokane County Juvenile Court Services truancy specialist who has offices in the West Valley high schools. “The whole goal is to keep kids out of secured detention.”

Students appearing before the board have been helped with problems such as drug use, mental health issues, illness, counseling, transportation, food or school supplies.

“You get to listen to these kids,” Kolodrub said. “Are they being teased? Do they need glasses? Maybe they can’t read.”

Every case is different, program coordinators said.

“What’s unique about this is it’s a community truancy board. We use the experts in the community,” Kolodrub said. “They have truancy boards in California, but they don’t use community members.”

He added, “I hate to use this phrase, but it’s a one-stop shop. The kids leave there with a game plan.”

How it works

West Valley’s truancy board has been a work in progress since 1996. Superintendent Polly Crowley came up with the idea in response to the passage of the Becca Bill in 1995, which addressed runaways and truancy. It was named after a 13-year-old runaway who was murdered in Spokane in 1993.

State law requires schools to report student absences to the county’s juvenile court when the child misses five days, which is equal to 30 classes in a month, or 10 days in a school year.

The law also allows schools to ask the court for a “stay,” or a chance for intervention with the student before the violation goes to court.

“When a kid gets to the truancy board stage, they are teetering on the edge; it’s kind of their last opportunity to make some changes,” said Sue Holly, an advocate and volunteer coordinator at Lutheran Community Services who sits on Mead’s truancy board.

Since the West Valley board’s inception, community social service agencies and experts have been added. Spokane County became part of the program in 2007 through a grant from Models for Change supported by the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

“The focus is how to be an advocate for the kids, and the parents, and keep them in schools,” said Bonnie Bush, Spokane County Juvenile Court Administrator.

The benefit of the community truancy board is having all the potential needs for a student and his or her family in one place at one time, officials said.

“We don’t see many repeat offenders because the board was able to help,” said Cheryl Keating, a West Valley Community Truancy Board member and representative of Job Corps. “It’s matching up what would be the best program or education for them. Most of the time students don’t even know what resources are out there.”

Back at school with straight A’s

Harrison Calligan was a sophomore when he was caught skipping two years ago.

The truancy board determined he should go to West Valley’s Contract-Based Education to catch up on credits. He was provided with a bus pass to get there. The Next Generation Zone, which is also represented on the board, helped him find work because he wanted job experience.

Now the teen is back at West Valley High School where he’s getting straight A’s and is expected to graduate on time, his mother said.

Said Kolodrub, “Harrison is a perfect example of a student coming full circle.”

In the 2010-’11 school year, 59 students from West Valley High School went before the district’s Community Truancy Board, according to Spokane County Juvenile Court services:

• All eight seniors who had truancy petitions graduated, even though one had to make up considerable credit deficiencies.

• Ten of 14 juniors were on target for graduation; the other four students were within two credits of being on target.

• Of the 29 ninth- and 10th-graders, 11 were on target by the end of the year; most were enrolled in summer school and set to begin the next year on target.

“I’m so proud of the changes I’ve seen through this for kids,” Kolodrub said. “It’s unbelievable.”

Sixth Annual National Working Conference

12/05/2011 03:56 PM

Dec 5, 2011 | REFORM PROGRESS

The 6th Annual Models for Change National Working Conference is in full swing! Visit www.modelsforchange.net/2011Conference for resources, articles, and useful information.

If you are active on social media, you can follow the conference on Twitter by keeping up to date with #ModelsForChange or by "Liking" Models for Change on Facebook.

Collaboration for Reform

12/01/2011 02:44 PM

Dec 1, 2011 | Tracy Velázquez, Justice Policy Institute | REFORM PROGRESS

As the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative began to get underway in four core states, participants in the Initiative and Foundation leadership recognized a significant need: to create concentrated efforts to address some of the shared key challenges to reform. So in 2007, an additional investment of resources was made to create what came to be known as “Action Networks” – multi state groups of juvenile justice and other child serving system leaders that sought to make clear and significant progress addressing issues around mental health; disproportionate minority contact; and juvenile indigent defense.

This first-of-its-kind national effort worked quickly and collaboratively on these intransigent issues and generated impressive results. As the Action Networks began to wrap up their efforts, Network members and the coordinating entities – the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, the Center for Children’s Law and Policy, and the National Juvenile Defenders Center – realized that a great deal could be learned from each other’s experiences. And so with Foundation support, a Cross Network meeting was held in May 2011, with about 100 attendees, including representatives from 16 state delegations. The twin goals of the meeting were first, for each Action Network to hear about the specific changes and reforms that were developed in each subject area; and second, to share both with each other and with the Foundation their observations about the Action Network process itself.

“We had ambitious goals, but modest resources,” said Laurie Garduque, Program Director, Justice Reform at the Foundation in the opening session of the Spring convening. “We built a leadership cadre and critical mass of activity to draw attention to justice reform. In my mind, the Action Networks represent some of the best Models for Change work to date. We were doing something different that has really made a difference for kids.”

Accommodating diversity in goals and methods.

One of the key strategies that led to the success of the Action Networks was allowing each Network to determine both what issues they would tackle and how they would do their work using a framework called “strategic innovation groups” – nicknamed SIGs – that would break down the broader issue area into a few manageable topics that could become the focus for efforts. While SIGs had been used in other disciplines, they had never been tried in juvenile justice, or on such a large scale. The following represent each network’s SIG issues:

Mental Health: Front End Diversion; Workforce Development; Family Involvement
Disproportionate Minority Contact: Data Practices; Language, Programs, Culture and Community; Pre- and Post-Adjudication Strategies
Juvenile Indigent Defense: Providing Meaningful Access to Counsel; Creation of State-Based Resources

Joe Cocozza, Director of the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice which coordinated the cross-network meeting, said, “the opportunity given the Networks by the Foundation was both brave and innovative. Using the SIGs, we were able to identify targets that were both meaningful and achievable across the states in each Network. Because of the buy-in this created, we were able to develop new models and tools that can be adapted and used by juvenile justice practitioners across the country in the years ahead.”

Building Momentum for Reform.

In addition to highlighting the achievements of the Action Networks and the model itself, the Cross-Action Network Meeting also allowed participants the opportunity to debate some of the most pressing concerns in the field. These included the application of evidence-based practices for youth in communities of color (covered in an earlier edition of this newsletter); the intersection of mental health screening and protection of rights in juvenile defense; and successful ways to partner with community providers to build and enhance partnerships and develop effective programs.

The importance of succeeding at this work was highlighted by the keynote luncheon address by Gladys Carrion, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. She spoke of the unacceptable conditions and practices of secure juvenile facilities and her efforts to close correctional facilities across the state. Reducing the use of incarceration depends on the availability of programs, policies and procedures such as those developed in the Action Networks and highlighted during the meeting. As Garduque added in closing, “the legacy of these Networks will continue, and I urge you to keep this momentum going in your states, and keep pushing the field forward.”

Watchdog Reports Some Progress in Reform of Illinois Juvenile Prison System and Identifies Additional Steps Needed

11/28/2011 09:08 AM

Nov 28, 2011 | Illinois Models for Change | REFORM PROGRESS

In a year-end assessment of Illinois’ juvenile prison system, the state’s top independent prison watchdog reported the state has made some progress in making reforms inside the prisons but also pointed out several deficiencies, including many staff vacancies and youth distrust in the grievance procedures.

The report by the John Howard Association (JHA) warned that unless the governor, legislators and other key leaders make a unified effort to answer budget constraints and lower juvenile population levels that hinder reform, “Illinois will continue to spend large amounts of money on an incomplete system, undermine public safety, and most importantly negatively impact outcomes for youth in conflict with law.”

The John Howard Association is a 110-year-old non-profit monitoring Illinois adult and juvenile prisons, and preparation of the report was supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative.

According to JHA’s report, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), which was created in 2006, has made progress in implementing programs that it believes will reduce recidivism, but JHA observed that DJJ has no control over the number of youth committed to DJJ by the courts or returned to DJJ due to parole violations. About 7 of 10 youth in DJJ in FY 2011 were non-violent offenders or technical parole violators.

“Constrained by limited resources and funding, DJJ is steadily improving operations, programming, education, and reentry services,” the report states. “Even with the progress that has been made, there are still areas in need of significant improvement or complete transformation, such as use of confinement for non-violent offenses and data tracking in all areas of operation.”

To read the full report, go to http://thejha.org/2011_DJJ_assessment

Rob Wildeboer, a reporter with Chicago’s public radio station WBEZ, recently talked about the report with Chris Bernard, Director of the John Howard Association’s Juvenile Justice Project. To listen to a 7-minute outtake of their conversation, go to http://www.wbez.org/story/progress-and-failure-illinois-youth-prisons-94117

To read a Models for Change Reform Progress article about the work of Bernard and the JHA, go to: http://www.modelsforchange.net/reform-progress/130

Models for Change Reform Progress

Louisiana Models for Change Lead Entity Holds Juvenile Drug Court Conference and Training to Celebrate 4th JDC Juvenile Drug Court Model

Institute for Public Health and Justice Participates in 2012 Louisiana Families in Need of Services Association Conference

Using Social Media to Advance Reform

Washington Native Communities Engaged for Juvenile Justice Reform – Cultural Enhancement Model Guides Work

Sustaining Models for Change Initiatives Through Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy

White House Honors Illinois Models for Change Participant

Commission Releases Recommendations to Improve Systems that Support Youth

Career Development Program Influences Positive Change in Adjudicated Youth

New Report Examines School-to-Prison Pipeline in Chicago and Recommends Alternatives

Landmark Study Offers Glimpse at Previously Ignored Youth Population

Landmark Study Offers Glimpse at Previously Ignored Youth Population

Youth with Both Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice History Studied

Profile for Change: Dr. Mick Moore

2011 Champions for Change

Robert L. Listenbee: Juvenile Defenders Must Become the Change

Robert L. Listenbee, Pennsylvania Champion for Change

Toni Irving: A Fierce Impatience for Change

Toni Irving, Illinois Champion for Change

Dane R. Bolin: Committed to Reform and Innovation

Dane R. Bolin, Louisiana Champion for Change

Carl McCurley: A Passion for Analyzing and Improving Outcomes

Carl McCurley, Washington Champion for Change

Mark Masterson: Team Justice is On the Job

Mark Masterson, Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Action Network Champion for Change

Catherine Foley Geib: No Drama, Big Results

Catherine Foley Geib, Mental Health and Juvenile Justice Action Network Champion for Change

Joshua Dohan: A Constant and Driving Force for Indigent Youth

Joshua Dohan, Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network Champion for Change

Colleagues describe Joshua Dohan as one of the most inspirational figures in Massachusetts juvenile justice. He leads by example. He loves his work and his clients. He conveys his vision with such enthusiasm and conviction that even his most ardent opponents are forced to consider his perspective.

Illinois Report Recommends Extensive Changes to Reverse Juvenile Recidivism Trend

Latino Youth “Virtually Invisible” in the Illinois Juvenile Justice System Report Calls for Collecting Accurate Information

West Valley Truancy Board a Model Program

How it works

Back at school with straight A’s

Sixth Annual National Working Conference

Collaboration for Reform

Watchdog Reports Some Progress in Reform of Illinois Juvenile Prison System and Identifies Additional Steps Needed

Dane R. Bolin,
Louisiana Champion for Change