Meeting the mental and behavioral health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system
Addressing the Needs of Youth Involved in both the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice systems
This paper from Georgetown Public Policy Institute's Center for Juvenile Justice Reform and the Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps provides a framework for serving youth involved in both the juvenile justice and child welfare systems and looks at preventing youth from crossing over between the systems and ensuring youth served by both systems are served effectively.
TCJC: Youth Survey shows continued need for reforms
The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition recently surveyed youth in a state secure facility recently and found a continued need to push for reforms that keep more youth in their home community. The survey found that youth feel safer and have more family involvement when they are closer to home. Full survey findings can be found
here.
TPPF: Intensive Reentry Programming is Key
In a recent report,
Out for Life: Pathways to More Effective Reentry for Texas Juvenile Offenders, by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the author argues that intensive reentry programming provides for a better transition than traditional parole programming and can reduce recidivism by 25-50 percent. The report also recommends shorter lengths of stay for low-risk youth to save the state millions without impacting public safety.
Youth in the Adult System - increases recidivism, does not deter crime
A new report from the National Institute of Corrections finds that youth transferred to the adult system are 34 percent more likely to commit new crimes than youth retained in the juvenile system. The report finds no evidence that the practice of transferring youth deters other crime. The report makes four policy recommendations for states to consider, including: fill gaps in data collection; revisit policies allowing youth to be held in adult jails pretrial; appropriately manage youth on adult probation or parole; and address needs of youth sentenced to adult prison.
Fact Sheet on the Ineffectiveness of Incarceration
The National Juvenile Justice Network published a fact sheet summarizing research showing that incarcerating young people is ineffective, and processing them formally in the juvenile justice system does not reduce delinquency.
Recognizing and Responding to Trauma
This article published in the Nebraska Supreme Court newsletter addresses the proper identification of trauma and working with juvenile justice involved youth who have experienced trauma.
Juvenile Justice Guidebook for Legislators
The National Conference of State Legislatures and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation published a "juvenile justice guidebook" for legislators. It includes chapters highlighting research, best practices and sample legislation on key issue areas from Disproportionate Minority Contact, delinquency prevention & intervention, cost benefit analysis of juvenile justice programs and more. The full guidebook and individual chapters can be downloaded
here.
Students of the Mass Incarceration Nation
In this Howard Law Journal article,
Students of the Mass Incarceration Nation, the author makes the argument that due to the interconnectedness of education equity disparities and the mass incarceration policies that education equity reforms and criminal and juvenile justice reforms must be made in a coordinated effort. Given budget crises in the states, the author argues, the window of opportunity for reform is now.
Report: PBIS and Social Emotional Learning Avoids Unnecessary Student Arrests
Having school resource officers (SROs) and other police in schools causes more harm than good, according to
Education Under Arrest: The Case Against Police in Schools, a report released recently by the Justice Policy Institute (JPI). When schools have law enforcement on site, students are more likely to get arrested by police instead of having discipline handled by school officials. Additionally, SROs and harsh, zero-tolerance policies are more likely to affect youth of color and youth with disabilities. Education Under Arrest recommends investing in schools and implementing practices like Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and Social and Emotional Learning; these result in better outcomes without negative effects of SROs such as unnecessary arrests and involvement in the juvenile justice system.
Texas Criminal Justice Coalition has made available 4 new informational flyers related to system-involved youth; all are great resources for both family members and attorneys. Please click on the links below to download a PDF version of each:
The Juvenile Justice Court Process
What Can I Expect When My Child is Locked Up?
When Can I Visit My Child?
Sealing Your Child's Juvenile Record
Journal of Juvenile Justice. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention announced their new online, semi-annual, peer-reviewed
Journal of Juvenile Justice last week. The inaugural issue covers topics ranging from the implications of juvenile drug courts to the benefits of comprehensive restorative justice programs.
The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration. This report by the Annie E Casey is the most comprehensive recent analysis of research and new data on the effectiveness and costs of juvenile incarceration. The report concludes that there is overwhelming evidence that the wholesale incarceration of juvenile offenders does not workto combat youth crime.
Poll: Public supports treatment and rehabilitation over incarceration. A national poll, commissioned by the Campaign for Youth Justice, found that a strong majority of the public prefers treatment and rehabilitation over incarceration for youth. Other highlights of the poll include public support of requiring the juvenile justice system to reduce racial and ethnic disparities and public opposition to placement of youth in adult jails and prisons. More findings from the poll can be found here and here.
Report on Federal Response to Bullying. The report Peer-to-Peer Violence and Bullying, Examining the Federal Response examines the role played by the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice in addressing peer-to-peer discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, religion, disability, sex and/or LGBT status. The report finds that despite the harm that peer-to-peer bullying and harassment due to a student‘s membership in certain classes, such as race, religion, or sexual orientation, current federal laws (and the laws of many states) do not fully protect all students from peer-to-peer bullying and harassment.
Juvenile Justice Reform Models A new report out of John Jay College examines three juvenile justice reform models: resolution, reinvestment and realignment, and recommends realignment as the most sustainable reform approach. The full report can be found
here.
The Cost of Under-Resourcing Public Defense. The Justice Policy Institute recently released a report on funding defense that found Only 7 percent of all county based public defender offices have enough investigators to meet national guidelines and 87percent of small county-based public defender offices do not have a single full-time investigator. The full report can be found
here.
Texas School Discipline Report. The Council of State Governments (CSG) released a report, "Breaking Schools' Rules: A Statewide Study of How School Discipline Relates to Students' Success and Juvenile Justice Involvement” on July 19. The study looked at school disciplinary and juvenile justice records of nearly 1 million Texas students and found that 60 percent were suspended or expelled from school at least once over six years. The full report can be found here.
Time to fix broken system of discipline. Deborah Fowler from Texas Appleseed and Lauren Rose from Texans Care for Children responded to the findings in the Council of State Governments report with an op-ed promoting the use of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in schools. You can find the Op-Ed
here.
Texans Care for Children Legislative Recap. A summary of legislation passed by during the 82
nd Legislative Session impacting all Texas Children can be found
here. The document has been updated with a few clarifications since the original release.
Supreme Court Decision in J. D. B. v. North Carolina. In the June decision the United States Supreme Court found that A child's age is a relevant factor to consider in determining whether the child is "in custody" for purposes ofMiranda v. Arizona. The case stemmed from a confession made by a thirteen year old middle school student who was removed from class, was never given his Miranda warnings and was interrogated by law enforcement and school officials and in a closed room at school. The full opinion can be found here.
The Supreme Court of Texas' Juvenile Justice Webpage. This
webpage, published by The Supreme Court of Texas, offers a compilation of news reports and funding opportunities related to juvenile justice in Texas.
Closing the Door on Juvenile Lockups. Published by The American Prospect, this
article examines the ways in which states have been decreasing the number of
juvenile prisons and allowing juvenile offenders to remain in their communities.
Factors that Lead Serious Juvenile Offenders to Reduce Offending. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) recently released its
fact sheet, which highlights methods that have proven effective in reducing the number of serious offenses by juvenile offenders.
Campaign for Youth Justice Report Catalogue. The Campaign for Youth Justice recently released a report catalogue, which is a compilation of reports and legislative initiatives that have successfully removed children from the adult criminal justice system.
States Prosecute Fewer Teenagers in Adult Courts. Published in the New York Times, this article describes the growing trend of removing children from the adult criminal justice system. Initiatives have been implemented in several states, many of which are discussed in the article.
Cost-Saving Strategies for Texas' Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems, Part 4. This portion of the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition's recently published report on cost-saving strategies advocates for the need to implement responsible juvenile justice strategies while facing state-wide budget cuts.
Juveniles in the Adult Criminal Justice System in Texas. LBJ School of Public Affairs professor Michele Deitch recently released this report that provides a comprehensive look at Texas's methods for dealing with the state's most serious juvenile offenders. It compares youth who are transferred to adult criminal court to the population of determinate sentenced juveniles who are retained in the juvenile justice system. The report also compares the significant differences in programming and services for juvenile offenders who are sent to adult jails and prisons and those who receive placements in the Texas Youth Commission.
Juvenile Justice: Lessons for a New Era. The latest
edition of the
Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy offers a summary of the lessons and research resulting from the passage of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The article discusses girls' needs, Blueprints, systems reform, disproportionate minority contact, transfer, and conditions.
Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention: How to Do It Better. This article, published by the Center for Public Policy Priorities, describes the programs in place for child abuse and neglect prevention, and gives policy solutions to current problems faced within the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS).
Community Partnerships: Improving the Response to Child Maltreatment. This report, published by the Office of Child Abuse and Neglect, reflects the widespread recognition that the complex needs of today's children and families require coordinated multidisciplinary responses. It offers guidance on how diverse community agencies, organizations, and individuals can work together to provide a web of support for families and create safe, healthy environments where children can thrive.
Increasing the Involvement of Fathers. Released by the National Quality Improvement Center on Non-Resident Fathers and the Child Welfare System, this article, titled "The Engagement of Fathers and Relatives Through the Fostering Connections to Success Act," provides a fact sheet of provision reviews of the Fostering Connections to Success Act.
Identifying Experiences of Physical and Psychological Violence in Childhood that Jeopardize Mental Health in Adulthood. This article details a study that examined the associations between psychological and physical violence in childhood and the mental health consequences observed in adulthood.
Drug Testing in Child Welfare. Through the examination of current drug testing practices in child welfare, this article offers policy suggestions to policymakers. Among the recommendations are policy and practice proposals to better regulate drug testing for child welfare workers and within the child welfare system.
DFPS New Minimum Standards for Child Placing Agencies. The Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has new minimum standards that affect child placing agencies (CPAs), foster homes, and group homes like residential treatment centers (RTCs). These two documents summarize the changes. The first document summarizes the revisions made to Chapters 748 and 749, and the second document provides additional information about how the rule works and what it entails for Child Placing Agencies.
Meaningful Family Relationships and Reform During Difficult Fiscal Times. Our friends at the National Juvenile Justice Network have recently published two reports of interest. One is titled "The Real Costs and Benefits of Change: Finding Opportunities for Reform During Difficult Fiscal Times" and the other is titled "An Advocate's Guide to Meaningful Family Partnerships: Tips from the Field". The articles discuss recent findings by NJJN and offer examples from case studies.
Healing Invisible Wounds: Why Investing in Trauma-Informed Care for Children Makes Sense. This brief, published by the Justice Policy Institute, describes the relationship to juvenile justice system involvement of children who have experienced trauma. It has been estimated that between 75-93% of adolescents in the juvenile justice system have undergone some sort of trauma. The brief criticizes the current juvenile justice system for its failure to meet the needs of traumatized adolescents, and in response offers policy recommendations.
New Working Group Seeks Best Sentencing Practices. State Representative Jerry Madden (R-Plano) is co-leading a working group that is aiming at making "recommendations related to every aspect of sentencing, with the exception of sentencing itself." The working group met during the last day of the National Conference of State Legislatures, and set an agenda to create broad guiding principles that will reflect sound research and the best practices while avoiding the practice of sentencing. Reported by Quorum Report on August 3, 2010.
Legislative Appropriations Request. TYC recently presented its proposed Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) for 2012 and 2013 to The TYC Board, which approved the budget for the upcoming biennium. The full report on the budget can be found here.
How Out-of -School Time Program Quality is Related to Adolescent Outcomes. This research brief, produced by Child Trends, discusses the discovery of positive outcomes in youth who are involved in high-quality out-of-school time commitments. In contrast, youth who were not involved at all or involved in low-quality programs were not shown to be provided with a significant difference. The full report can be found here.
A Woman's Touch: Women as Sexual Perpetrators in the Juvenile Justice System. This
Texas Observer article describes instances in which female workers in the juvenile justice system were accused of sexually offending adolescent male inmates. The article details the likelihood of sexual abuse in juvenile justice facilities, and details the efforts made to combat such abuse.
"Who Gets a Childhood? Race and Juvenile Justice in Twentieth-Century Texas" This
book, written by William S. Busch, Ph.D., describes the history of Juvenile Justice in Texas. Busch uses Texas as a case study in understanding the change that has occurred in the American juvenile justice system over the past one hundred years. In doing so, he details stories of scandal, reform and retrenchment, and how they aided in extending the privileges of a protected childhood to white middle- and upper-class youth, while at the same time denying the same protection to black, Latino, and poor white youth.
Missouri Judges Take Prison Costs Into Account in Sentencing. This article describes how Missouri judges have recently taken into account the cost of imprisonment when issuing a sentence. The state has been informing judges of the costs of certain crimes, and that those costs have played a role in deciding criminal cases. Specifically, the debate concerns cases involving child welfare, robbery and murder.
Texas Juvenile Probation Commission and Texas Youth Commission Joint Board Subcommittee Meeting. Though this Board meeting is past, the
materials provide some super data from both TJPC and TYC, and is a good reference for those seeking up-to-date juvenile justice statistics.
Older Updates
A New Start: A Re-Entry Guide for Texas - Key Information for Success Reintegration was released by the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. The guide provides valuable information about re-entry related policies, as well as numerous regional resources in various areas of re-entry: housing, health services, employment, benefits and assistance, education, and community involvement. The guide is meant to help re-entering individuals seeking to live successfully in their communities; be a tool for organization and agency leadership; and help policy-makers meet requests for information from their constituents.
Louisiana Legislature Passes Resolution to Move the State Closer to Achieving the "Missouri Model"of Juvenile Justice. Due in part to advocacy by Families and Friends of Louisiana's Incarcerated Children and the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana, as well as the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the Louisiana legislature passed a resolution to further Louisiana's efforts to achieve the "Missouri Model" of juvenile justice. SCR 131 establishes a task force, which includes JJPL and SPLC, to evaluate Louisiana's progress towards achieving the Missouri Model and determine what further steps should be taken.
Polling on Public Attitudes About the Treatment of Young Offenders was a policy paper released by the National Juvenile Justice Network. The paper includes findings from Never too Late: Public Optimism About Juvenile Rehabilitation. Researchers found that most respondents believe that juveniles should be treated more leniently than adults, juveniles are more open to reform than adults, and juvenile offenders are more likely to become adult criminals if they are sent to jail. Notably, the researchers also found that neither race nor political ideology had a significant impact on the views of the respondents.
Texas Youth Commission Releases Key Agency Plans and Reports. TYC recently submitted its
Strategic Plan to the Legislative Budget Board. As stated in the transmittal letter by Executive Director Cheryln Townsend, the strategic plan outlines key functions and new initiatives TYC is pursuing to address the opportunities and challenges of the agency. Recent progress and plans to improve systems and operations are also highlighted in the strategic plan. TYC also released the
Agency Workforce Plan that addresses critical staffing and training needs. The
Reentry Plan report discusses TYC services designed to help youth transition back into their home communities.
