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Juvenile Justice System - Big Changes to State Funding Proposed

By Benjamin Chambers, February 15 2011

juvenile-justice-system_hand-grabbing-for-money-in-the-airAccording to John Kelly of Youth Today, President Obama has proposed dramatic changes to the way federal funds are passed to state juvenile justice systems. 
The gist of it is this: Title II Formula Grants have historically awarded states money in exchange for compliance with the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). That meant compliance with key provisions, such as not putting status offenders (e.g., runaways and truants) in detention; not putting kids in jails with adults; keeping kids out of "sight and sound" of adult inmates when they are locked up with them; and finally, working to reduce disproportionate minority representation in the juvenile justice system. 
In their place -- and also in place of Juvenile Accountability Block Grants (a mainstay of local juvenile justice funding) -- a new pot of funds would be created, called the "Juvenile Justice System Incentive Grants." The new program would be competitive, and eligible applicants would have to comply with the JJDPA. 
Funds from the new program would have to be used by states to make progress on the following "key indicators:"

  • engagement in community-based juvenile strategic planning;
  • implementation of evidence-based strategies and practices;
  • employment of diversion strategies; and
  • reduction of disproportionate minority contact. 

Topics: No bio box

Juvenile Detention - Mural Project Instills Hope

By Benjamin Chambers, February 15 2011

positive-youth-development_Arvie-Smith-and-youth-painting-mural
Here's a story about the right man being in the right place at the right time: 72-year-old artist Arvie Smith (pictured at right) is bringing hope to youth locked up at the juvenile justice center in Portland, OR, Larry Bingham of The Oregonian reported Feb. 14. 
Smith has worked with 109 teens detained in the Measure 11 unit on charges that could land them in the adult system with mandatory sentences. By all accounts, Smith has brought them a rare combination of care, concern, and the opportunity to do something they enjoy -- drawing and painting inspiring murals.
A selection from the full article:
Smith would like to think he has reminded the young men of a few things they may have forgotten.
"In a lot of cases they've been told you can't do anything, you're no good, you're the underclass," Smith said. "For me, I see them engage in something they probably thought they could never do. My job is to say, 'Yes, you can. Sure, you can.'"
Here's wishing that every youth in the juvenile justice system gets his own Arvie Smith.

Hat tip to Darcy Daniels for bringing the story to my attention. Do you have a similar inspiring story about someone working with youth in the juvenile justice system in your community? Send it my way.

Photo by Randy L. Ramussen/The Oregonian; reprinted with permission. 

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Criminal Justice: Does Family Visiting Help or Harm Kids?

By Benjamin Chambers, February 15 2011

juvenile-justice-system_Zero-Harm-signIn response to a recent guest post here from staff at the Coalition for Juvenile Justice entitled, "Scared Straight: Don't Believe the Hype (Facts from CJJ)," a juvenile justice professional* emailed me the following:
I would be interested in knowing your opinion of children visiting their parents in prison, neo-natal nurseries in prisons, etc. I have very mixed feelings about this.
When speaking to at-risk middle schoolers about juvenile corrections, I am most often asked, "How many visitors can you have?" "What is the food like?" and "Do you know my /sister/brother/uncle/aunt?"  I see a great risk of younger kids becoming desensitized to incarceration. 

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Implicit Bias in the Juvenile Justice System, and More - a Roundup

By Benjamin Chambers, February 11 2011

  • juvenile-justice-system_old-TVAddressing Implicit Bias to Reduce Disproportionate Minority Contact
    How we process information has an impact on our decision-making -- which can have profound consequences for the youth we serve in the juvenile justice system and in adolescent substance abuse treatment. To learn more about "implicit bias," click on the link above for an article from Dr. Marsh that appeared in the Summer 2009 issue of Juvenile and Family Justice Today and was posted with permission on the Oregon Judicial Department's website. 

    Webinar: Dr. Shawn Marsh will present on "implicit bias" -- what it is, how it works, and how to address it  -- in a 2-hour webinar, "Social Cognition: The Pros and Cons of Autopilot," sponsored by the National Countil of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) on March 2, 2011, from 1:30 - 3:30 EST / 10:30 - 12:30 PST.

    To participate in the training will require access to both a telephone and a computer; NCJFCJ warns that although the training is only an hour long, they're piloting a new system and want to be ready in case they run into technical difficulties.  It's free -- but in exchange, they require you to evaluate both the training and their new training platform.  To participate: email Jessica Pearce or phone her at (775) 784-1661. (Hat tip to Christa Myers.)

  • Raised by the Courts - Interview with Judge Irene Sullivan
    In a two-part interview with Youth Today, Judge Irene Sullivan -- recently retired from the bench in Florida -- talks about her new book, Raised by the Courts: One Judge's Insight into Juvenile Justice, offering candid opinions and views that some may find provocative. You can read part two of the interview here. Curious about the book itself? Read this excerpt from Raised by the Courts.
  • Drug Czar Warns Against "Bath Salts" Used for Dangerous Legal Highs
    Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), issued a warning about the health risks of synthetic drugs sold as "bath salts" or plant food under names like "Ivory Wave" at head shops and gas stations. (Full disclosure: I wrote the news summary linked to above.)

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"Social Impact Bonds" - A New Way to Support Juvenile Justice Programs that Work?

By Benjamin Chambers, February 11 2011

juvenile-justice-reform_piggy-banksAs part of his proposed budget, President Obama will be proposing that $100 million be spent on "social impact bonds."  The idea is that private private partners work with the government to invest in programs designed to address specific social problems. If the programs work, the federal government pays them back -- sometimes with a bonus -- but if the programs don't work, the government pays nothing. 
According to an article on this in The New York Times (log-in required), the president's budget is setting aside the $100 million for seven pilot programs in different areas -- and one area is juvenile justice. What will programs in that area target? We don't know yet, but John Kelly, in his weekly Youth Today column, speculates on what "social impact bonds" might look like in juvenile justice.

What do you think?  Is this a good idea? If so, what would you fund this way? 

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Juvenile Justice Funding: Grants for Job Training, Service Learning

By Benjamin Chambers, February 11 2011

juvenile-justice-system_money-smartiesAt least 13 competitive Civic Justice Corps grants will be awarded to help teens 18-24 involved in the juvenile justice system get job skills and "demonstrate accountability for their actions through community service," according to a press release.
The Department of Labor is making $20 million available to cut recidivism and help youth get job skills. The agency said that "[t]hese goals will be accomplished through on-the-job training, job placement, subsidized jobs and service projects that allow young offenders to take a positive role in their communities"

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VIDEO: Prison Reform in One Minute

By Benjamin Chambers, February 10 2011

The video below (from GOOD Magazine) isn't specifically focused on the juvenile justice system, but it's undeniably linked: it raises questions about the United States' addiction to mass incarceration and was made to spark discussion. It makes its one-minute case with statistics, but also with rap music and creative graphics. 
 

 

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Juvenile Justice System: Teen Sexting Criminalized

By Sonya Ziaja J.D., February 09 2011

 
juvenile-justice-system_text-message-on-cell-phoneTeen sexting is being criminalized.
 
Or at least that is one interpretation of new "sexting" laws being considered in state legislatures. The other interpretation? States are simply trying to prevent teens who use cell phones to send "provocative" images of themselves from ending up in prison and on the sex offender registry. 
 
At issue is that in most states, teen sexting is not legally different from producing, distributing, or possessing child pornography. Incredibly, some zealous prosecutors choose to charge teens and tweens with these crimes.
 
If convicted, teens face the possibility of prison and having to add their names to the sex offender registry. These are high prices to pay for "the digital version of 'I'll show you mine if you show me yours.'"

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"Scared Straight" Programs on Hold in Two States

By Benjamin Chambers, February 07 2011

juvenile-justice-reform_thank-you-signPrisons in Maryland and California have put their "Scared Straight" programs on hold in the wake of warnings from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that federal funding could be cut for states using the discredited intervention.
Two DOJ officials, including Jeff Slowikowski, the Acting Director of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), wrote in an editorial published last week that the "Scared Straight" program was "scary -- and inffective," and that it "could run counter to the law."
They cited studies showing that  "Scared Straight" youth are more likely to commit new crimes.

Topics: Evidence-Based Practices, Juvenile Justice Reform, No bio box, Public Policy, Scared Straight

MD Juvenile Justice Bill Guarantees Girls Same Services as Boys, and More - a Roundup

By Benjamin Chambers, February 04 2011

  • juvenile-justice-system_old-TVCan Adolescents in Treatment Use "Recovery Coaches"?
    Yes, says Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC, writing in Counselor magazine. Coaches can help a youth through the period just after treatment -- especially the first 90 days, when the risk of relapse is highest. (Hat tip to Paul Savery.)
  • Bullying Makes Girls Vulnerable to Substance Abuse
    No teen responds well to bullying -- boys and girls both risk depression -- but new research suggests that girls who are bullied are also more likely to turn to alcohol and drugs.

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Keeping Kids out of the "Social Landfill"

By Benjamin Chambers, February 03 2011

Looking for some inspiration on working with youth in the juvenile justice system?  Check out "All Walks of Life," a strengths-based program that works with youth in Savannah Georgia (many referred from the juvenile court):
 

 
All Walks of Life features four programs. The first three are theatre arts, film and photography, sound design and music recording. The third, "The Goon Squad," has teens learn how to recycle and refurbish computers to (a) reduce e-waste, (b) give low-income families free computers, and (c) in the director's words, keep the kids themselves out of "the social landfill." 
But you can learn all that much better from the video above, which tells you everything you need to know in exactly one minute. 

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For Treatment Providers: NIATx Business Practices of the Future

By Kim Johnson, February 02 2011

adolescent-substance-abuse-treatment_forumNIATx -- focused as it is on removing barriers to treatment and recovery -- is offering a new resource for providers of behavioral healthcare, including adolescent substance abuse treatment providers. 
Since last October, we've operated a learning collaborative on "Business Practices of the Future" for behavioral healthcare providers, and our initial focus has been on helping agencies adapt to fee-for-service so they'll be better able to serve more clients under national health reform legislation.
If you were unable to participate in our collaborative, you can particpate in our fee-for-service support forum. (You'll need to log in to post, but it's easy to create a NIATx identity if you don't aleady have one.) We want it to be a lively place where people can post questions and comments, share their stories, or discuss a specific problem they might be having in creating or improving their systems for billing third-party payers.
Existing forum post topics include, among others: 

  • Looking into electronic medical records
  • Billing for services rendered by an employee through the credentials of a direct clinical supervisor  
  • How can you get staff to actively participate in collections?    
  • How many people think they need an electronic medical record solution in order to start billing?   
  • Effective internal communication

We'd really like to have people knowledgeable about behavioral healthcare coverage and billing for children and adolescents participate. Drop by and join in!
 

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U.S. Department of Justice: Scared Straight is "Scary and Ineffective"

By Benjamin Chambers, February 01 2011

juvenile-justice-reform_young-woman-with-scissors-at-her-eye"Traumatizing at-risk kids is not the way to lead them away from crime and drugs,"write Laurie O. Robinson and Jeff Slowikowski of the U.S. Department of Justice in a January 31st editorial published in The Baltimore Sun responding to A&E television network's reality show, "Beyond 'Scared Straight.'" (Hat tip to the Justice Policy Institute on Facebook.)
Robinson is assistant attorney general for the federal Office of Justice Programs (OJP), and Slowikowski is acting administrator of the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).
They point to the research showing that "scared straight" programs actually make youth more likely to commit new crimes, not less. They go on:
"The fact that these types of programs are still being touted as effective, despite stark evidence to the contrary, is troubling. In the decades following the original scared straight program, states across the country developed similar models in the hopes that this get-tough approach would make an impact on their impressionable youth. As it turns out, the impact was not the one they had hoped for.
"Fortunately, in recent years, policymakers and criminal and juvenile justice practitioners have begun to recognize that answers about what works are best found in sound research, not in storytelling. Evidence from science provides the field with the best tool for sound decision-making. This 'smart on crime' approach saves taxpayer money and maximizes limited government resources — especially critical at a time of budget cuts."
We applaud them and the rest of the leadership at the Department of Justice for adding their voices of opposition to scared-straight programming for youth in the justice system. Their voices now join the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, the National Council of Juvenile and Famliy Court Judges (NCJFCJ), the Campaign for Youth Justice, and of course Reclaiming Futures -- we're glad to see so many arrayed publicly against an intervention that wastes money and lives.

Update August 2011: in spite of overwhelming research evidence and opposition from juvenile judges, federal officials, and juvenile justice experts,  A&E Television is airing a new series of episodes of Beyond 'Scared Straight.'
 
 

Topics: Evidence-Based Practices, Juvenile Justice Reform, No bio box, Public Policy, Scared Straight

Scared Straight -- or Just Scared? Judges Speak Out Against "Beyond 'Scared Straight'"

By Benjamin Chambers, January 31 2011

juvenile-justice-reform-line-of-young-menThe National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) is calling on A&E television network to stop misrepresenting the facts about  the effectiveness of "Scared Straight" interventions with young people involved in the justice system. "Scared Straight" exposes youth in the juvenile justice system (from runaways to violent offenders) to adult prisoners, who intimidate, harrass, and humiliate the teens in an effort to scare them into "going straight." The intervention is now the subject of a reality show , "Beyond 'Scared Straight,'" on the A&E network.
In a statement published January 27, 2011, NCJFCJ wrote:
Although advertisements for the show claim Scared Straight! is "an effective juvenile prevention/intervention program," social science research clearly demonstrates the opposite. In fact, research strongly suggests Scared Straight! and similar programs have a harmful impact on youth and are associated with increased risk for continued delinquent/criminal behaviors. Further, it is clear these types of interventions as portrayed are neither developmentally appropriate nor trauma-informed.
 
The judges want "A&E to provide a meaningful opportunity to present the facts around Scared Straight! and similar programs." They have joined Reclaiming Futures, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, the Campaign for Youth Justice, and many other juvenile justice advocates in their opposition to the program.
NCJFCJ's research arm, the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ), has also released a position statement, "Scared Straight or just Scared? The False Promise and Potential Danger of Scared Straight Programs for Youth." NCJJ takes the reality show to task because it "falsely claims that “Scared Straight” will result in better outcomes and less delinquency among youth participants" when research shows the opposite.

Topics: Evidence-Based Practices, Juvenile Justice Reform, No bio box, Public Policy, Scared Straight

Juvenile Justice System & Mentoring Research Funding (2011)

By Benjamin Chambers, January 31 2011

positive-youth-development_money-smartiesThe Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has announced the following funding opportunities:
 

 
Resources:
 
To obtain further information about the above and other current OJJDP solicitations, including eligibility criteria and application deadlines, visit ojjdp.gov/funding/FundingList.asp.
 
 
[Reprinted with minor edits from JUVJUST.]

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Job Training Evaluation "Most Exciting Results in 30 Years", and More -- A Roundup

By Benjamin Chambers, January 28 2011

 
juvenile-justice-system-news_old-TVJuvenile Justice System-Related News and Events

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Tell A&E to Cancel "Scared Straight" TV Program

By Benjamin Chambers, January 25 2011

juvenile-justice-reform_sign-dead-endBy now, you've probably heard about A&E's "Beyond 'Scared Straight,'" the reality show airing on A&E in which teens in the juvenile justice system -- some for status offenses -- are yelled at and verbally humiliated by adult prisoners. The goal is to "scare" kids "straight."
There's only one small problem: it doesn't work. In fact, doing nothing is more effective than this program, because teens who go through the program are more likely to commit crimes than teens who do not. That wastes money and lives. In terms of evidence-based programming, it's a dead end.
If you work with youth in the juvenile justice system or you're a policy maker who cares about effective programming, here's the bad news: according to Change.org, "Beyond 'Scared Straight'" is A&E's highest-rated show ever. Which means we're going to keep hearing about it for a while. Viewers will be pushing states and local communities to adopt similar programs.
What can you do? 
1. Keep advocating for evidence-based programming in your community. Remind policy makers that researchers and national juvenile justice experts say "Scared Straight" is a waste of money, and that the Office of Juvenlie Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) won't fund it.
2. If you'd like to let your voice be heard at A&E, Change.org is circulating an online petition to urge A&E to cancel "Beyond 'Scared Straight.'"

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OJJDP Funds for Tribal Youth Research and National Mentoring Program - 2011

By Benjamin Chambers, January 21 2011

juvenile-justice-system_money-smartiesThe Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has released two solicitations for proposals to fund research and programs for tribal youth.

Deadline: February 28, 2011.
 
>>More information on OJJDP grants. 
 

[Text reproduced with light edits from JUVJUST newsletter.]
 
 

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2011 Gang Prevention Funding from OJJDP

By Benjamin Chambers, January 21 2011

juvenile-justice-system_dollars-smartiesThe Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has announced the following funding opportunities:

As with all federal grants, applicants should register on Grants.gov several weeks in advance of the application deadline. 
>>More information.
[Info taken with some edits from JUVJUST newsletter.]

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State Juvenile Justice Agencies Vanishing, and More: Roundup

By Benjamin Chambers, January 21 2011

  • juvenile-justice-system_old-TV-newsState-Level Juvenile Justice Agencies Disappearing
    The number of states with an agency devoted to juvenile justice not subsumed under other adult corrections or some other department is shrinking fast, as states try to save money and adjust to plummeting juvenile crime.

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