Juvenile Justice - Chapter 12

Key Features of the Lighthouse Youth Center at Paint Creek

1. The Problem Oriented Record System (PORS) - a systematic procedure for identifying each youth's most serious problems and specific activities for working on the problems. 2. The peer (youth) booking system - "booking slip" 3. Personality based classification system - "expressive" or "instrumental" 4. Pattern of program phases 5. Team based management system 6. Family program 7. Intensive aftercare supervision - "permissive status"

Common characteristics of programs for serious youth

1. the programs have well defined treatment programs with a strong intuitive appeal 2. the treatment plans have demonstrated positive effects on the youth. The recidivism rates in these programs are typically lower than simple incarceration in a secure facility. 3. a strong following among judges and correctional administrators that work with the program These programs are typically very intensive and service a small number of juveniles.

Juvenile Boot Camp

A secure correctional facility that emphasizes military-style discipline, physical training, and an extremely regimented schedule. The first correctional boot camps began in GA and OK in 1983, and by the end of the 90's there were about 75 boot camps in over 30 states. The concept started with adult prisoners but was soon implemented at the juvenile level Like other correctional panaceas, boot camps were popular during an era when the public and politicians saw them as a way of getting tough on juvenile crime. 14 year old Martin Anderson died while in a Florida boot camp. The guards and a nurse were found not guilty for his death; FL boot camps were closed later in the year by order of the legislature Evaluations and studies have found problems with the boot camp system. The guiding principles of boot camps is strict discipline, structure, and tough love.

Transfer or Transitional Facilities

A temporary facility where juveniles are awaiting either transfer to another facility or release into the community If juveniles are being transferred from a community placement to a secure unit or vice versa, it is often necessary to house them in a transfer unit until beds open up. Juveniles in these facilities can expect to stay for a short time with very little in the way of programs, education or other training. A transitional facility is typically designed to house juveniles who are making the transition back to the community or into a specialized program of some type. These facilities help equip juveniles with the skills they need to make it in the community; they also lessen the shock of moving from a high security placement to a low security and low supervision community facility Transitional facilities typically operate programs designed to reintroduce the juvenile to the community and to lessened supervision. Halfway houses serve in a similar capacity

Programming in Institutional Corrections

All juvenile institutions follow some form of treatment or rehabilitation plan. The fundamental purpose of correctional treatment is to change the behavior of the youth so that they do not commit future delinquent acts Incarceration in secure facilities is relatively rare and is reserved for the most serious repeat juvenile offenders. While it is true that recidivism is high for these juveniles, the overwhelming majority of juveniles who come into contact with the juvenile justice system do not return.

Suicide in Juvenile Corrections

Although the number is low statistically, representing only a fraction of the overall juvenile offender population, the fact that these youths were in custody has a number of implications that affect public perception and overall evaluation of the way they are treated during incarceration. Most juvenile suicides during incarceration happened after 75 days of incarceration, suggesting that those locked away for longer periods of time were more at risk than those detained for shorter stays. Vast majority of suicide victims were white males; average age was 15.7; and the majority of the victims were confined for nonviolent offenses; nearly all deaths were by hanging

Commitment

An order by a juvenile court judge putting the juvenile in the custody of a state juvenile correctional authority or another specific juvenile correctional facility.

Juvenile Justice Administrative Body

An organization responsible for the administration and management of juvenile justice placements within a state.

Deterrence

Arranging conditions in the law and corrections so that juveniles are aware of the risks and consequences involved in committing crimes. If the risks and consequences are greater than the rewards, juveniles will choose not to commit crime.

Private Facilities

Correctional institutions run by private corporations or private individuals

Correctional Education Info

Education levels of the juveniles in secure facilities varies dramatically; most are well below where they should be. Educational programs in juvenile facilities often serve as the core program, consuming the largest portion of time. Research indicates that educators are seldom prepared for the juvenile confinement setting, where students are rarely uniform in age, grade level, academic competency, or behavior. Teachers are expected to work with other counselors and security staff to integrate aspects of treatment plans and institutional discipline into the classroom. Research on correctional education has revealed that education is regarded by facility administrators as the most important component of the rehabilitation process.

Youth Ranches and Camps

Facilities that operate similarly to state institutions with one exception: the atmosphere is more like a year round summer camp than a maximum security facility. There are typically dorms or cottages, a school, vocational programs, and industry. The one component that sets them apart from other secure facilities is a program centered on a type of farming, ranching, or adventure. These facilities are secured and the youths remain there until paroled. Idaho Youth Ranch, founded in 1952; provides troubled children and their families a bridge to a valued, responsible, and productive future. These facilities receive youths who are committed to state level correctional authorities. The process of rehabilitating youths at these facilities is keyed on their active participation in the work that goes on at the facility If youths choose not to participate or disobey the rules of the camp, they are often dismissed from the program and sent to a more secure facility.

Institutional Facilities for Juvenile

Institutional facilities for juveniles generally serve two classifications of youths: 1. detained juveniles awaiting a detention or adjudication hearing 2. committed juveniles placed by a juvenile court or other juvenile justice administrative body The youths referred by another juvenile justice administrative body are generally referred to as voluntary placements because either their parents turned them over to a social service agency or the social service agency placed them because they had committed delinquent acts but were not formally adjudicated Secure facilities include detention centers, orientation and diagnostic assessment centers, transfer facilities, boot camps, youth ranches and amps, institutions and state schools, and transitional facilities. The substantial variety in placement facilities reflects diversity in both function and correctional style of the local jurisdiction. Juveniles in the various types of secure facilities can expect to stay varying lengths of time prior to adjudication, transfer, or release. Juveniles remain in detention until a judge at a detention hearing decides whether to release or keep them. Once adjudicated, the juvenile can be released based on acquittal, sentenced to community sanction, or committed by the judge to the state-level department of corrections. In some instances, the judge may directly sentence a juvenile to a specific juvenile facility, but it is more common for the judge to transfer the juvenile to the custody of the state juvenile justice agency. Depending on statutory provisions, the state department of juvenile corrections may make placement and release decisions once a juvenile is committed. In other instances, the judge retains jurisdiction and may make determinations about placement and duration of confinement

Detention Info

Juvenile detention facilities are short term secure units that house juveniles awaiting court hearings or adjudications. They are similar to adult jails in operation; however, while adult jails also house criminals under sentence, juvenile detention centers are rarely used for this purpose. When a police officer detains a juvenile and decides to file formal charges, the youth is taken to a detention center and processed through intake Once a detention hearing is held, a judge determines whether to continue the detention or release the juvenile The original detention may continue beyond the adjudicatory and dispositional hearings while a juvenile is awaiting placement. The number of juveniles held in detention facilities increased 29% between 1985-2009 The profile of the national detention population shifted during this period with a greater proportion of juveniles charged with person offenses, a greater proportion of females, and a greater proportions of black youth in the detention population. During this time frame, the percent increase in the number of cases involving detention was nearly nine times greater for black youth(72%) than white (8%) The detention facility is similar to other juvenile correctional facilities with a few exceptions: 1. Most of the juveniles stay for short periods of time 2. Most are released following a detention hearing in juvenile court to the custody of their parents, to foster care, or to a non secure short term placement facility 3. those held for adjudication do not typically stay much longer 4. assessments and tests are typically done by the probation department in the course of preparing a presentence investigation 5. juveniles held for adjudication can and do receive treatment and other services, but not nearly as much as they would in a long tern secure facility Detention facilities typically have minimal programming and instead focus on secure custody, assessment and evaluation, and assuring that the juvenile do not harm themselves or others

Juvenile Placement Info

Juveniles end up in secure facilities through various circumstances, including detention prior to adjudication, commitment by a juvenile court, or placement by a juvenile justice administrative body or other social service agency. The drop in the number of juveniles in secure correctional institutions is much steeper than the trends in juvenile arrest rates There are a greater proportion of juveniles incarcerated for less serious offenses but even those numbers have dripped in the past decade. This decrease fits into what we know about the current political and social climate as it relates to drug use, even among juveniles. States are now legalizing marijuana; the Obama administration views drug abuse as a public health problem as opposed to a criminal justice issue - making a continuum of intervention at various stages in the justice process more likely than incarceration The decline in the number of juveniles committed to correctional institutions still speaks to the unwillingness of many to send young people into a system rife with sexual abuse, suicide risks, and high rates of recidivism There is a growing trend toward individualized services aimed at smaller groups of offenders, and a movement away from the large-scale incarceration of youth and "get tough" stances of a few decades ago

Facility Life Info

Juveniles in a facility have difficulty adjusting to the structured life and programs in the facility that dictate how juveniles will spend their time. Another area of friction and problems concerns the emotional, social, and psychological problems the youths bring with them into the facility Individual counseling sessions and group counseling sessions may be difficult for a juvenile upon arrival at the facility; these sessions are key to a juvenile's progress, and juveniles generally take varying amounts of time before they open up to staff or peers The other programming that occurs in facilities revolves around educational, recreational, and vocational treatment. All of these areas are the most difficult adjustments a juvenile faces in conforming to institutional life in the facility The release of a juvenile from institutional life opens new problems and issues for the juvenile; the institutional programming typically leads to juveniles' manifesting "institutionalized" behavior upon release. They are so used to strict structure and programming that the transition to the community is difficult. Once juveniles complete their stay at an institution, they are typically returned right back into the situation that contributed to their problems in the first place

Institutional Life for Juveniles Info

Juveniles who are placed in out of home placement respond differently to their new surroundings. In contrast to adult prisons, juvenile facilities tend to have far fewer inmates, and the transition into the facility can be eased by close interaction with a small number of fellow juveniles. The population is frequently divided into cottages or dorms in such a way as to limit the interaction of the juvenile with other inmates How a juvenile adjusts to the facility and the program is largely a function of their personality and prior history with the system.

Rehabilitation

Methods of treatment and counseling used to reform juvenile offenders so that they will return to society in a constructive rather than a destructive way

Institutional Facilities

Secure facilities including detention centers, orientation and diagnostic assessment centers, transfer facilities, boot camps, youth ranches and camps, institutions and state schools, and transitional facilities.

Assessment Facility

Secure facilities responsible for orienting the juvenile to the expectations of the correctional system in that particular state. These centers are responsible for conducting testing and diagnosis of each juvenile committed to the juvenile correctional authority. Once the orientation and diagnostic assessments are complete, a comprehensive profile of the juvenile is compiled and the juvenile is then transferred to the most appropriate unit in the system for his needs. In states where a centralized facility does not exist, the orientation and assessment is typically done at a regional office or within the correctional facility itself

Juvenile Detention Facilities

Secure facilities that house juveniles on a short-term basis while they await court hearings or adjudications.

State Institutions and Schools

Self contained facilities that provide a variety of services for juveniles including rehabilitation, health, education, counseling, recreation, employment, and training. Historically, these facilities have been very large, housing up to 300 youths drawn from wide geographic regions of the state. Starting in the 70's some states started developing smaller community based facilities serving 10-50 youths; these typically allow youth to be placed closer to their homes and to the communities to which they will return upon release. The state institution takes on a much broader role in rehabilitative juveniles than do other juvenile correctional institutions. Many states operate separate institutions for female delinquents designed to address their needs

Programs for Serious and Repeat Juvenile Delinquents Info

Serious juvenile offenders are usually categorized as juveniles who commit violent crimes or other crimes that result in a serious impact on society or a victim. First time offenders deemed serious by a juvenile court or state statute are likely to be sentenced to secure placement regardless of their social, educational, or psychological history. TX Juvenile Justice Dept. operates a program in the Giddings State School for juveniles convicted of murder or attempted murder. Youths are required to reenact their crimes and play the role of both perpetrator and victim. Another program receiving national attention is the Lighthouse Youth Center at Paint Creek in Cincinnati Ohio. The program is operated by a private, nonprofit corporation that accepts referrals from the Ohio Dept of Youth Services of juveniles who have committed serious felonies

Sexual Abuse in Juvenile Facilities Info

Sexual abuse in juvenile facilities is area of concern for juvenile facilities A Department of Justice study released in 2010 found that about 12% of youth being held in state run, local, or private facilities experienced some kind of sexual victimization Male juveniles were more likely to be involved in incidents with staff members; female youth were more likely to report forced sexual contact with other youth

Specialized Treatment and Programs Info

Specialized treatment includes programs designed specifically for the treatment of capital offenders, sex offenders, chemically dependent youths, youths with emotional disturbances, and mentally retarded youth. As many as 40% of youths in correctional facilities may have some form of learning disability. Special education typically focuses on: 1. Assessment of the deficits and learning needs 2. A curriculum that meets each student's needs 3. Vocational training opportunity 4. Transitional services that link the correctional special education services to prior educational experiences and to educational and human services needed after release. 5. A comprehensive range of educational and related services 6. Effective staff training. Juvenile delinquents are often deficient in cognitive problem solving skills, moral reasoning, communication skills, and social skills essential for successful functioning in daily life. Many programs offer specialized treatment focusing on problem solving and social survival skills The goals of these programs are to bring the juveniles to a level of social skills commensurate with their age as well as provide the juveniles with the cognitive skills they will need to make it on the outside.

Incapacitation

Taking juveniles out of the community so that they are prevented from committing crime. It means locking up juveniles so that they are incapacitated from causing any more harm.

Education Model by the Office of Juvenile Justice

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention published a model that involves changes in educational philosophy, curriculum, and instructional techniques. The model recommends that correctional education adopt the following principles: 1. The academic curriculum features comprehension and complex problem-solving tasks, allowing students to develop their cognitive skills. 2. The curriculum integrates basic skills into more challenging tasks that allow students to apply these skills to real-life situations. 3. The curriculum allows for a number of discrete skills to be combined and applied to perform more complex tasks 4. Knowledge sharing is emphasized through cooperative learning, peer tutoring, and team problem solving 5. Teachers model cognitive processes through a variety of instructional strategies, including externalizing thought processes, encouraging multiple approaches to problem solving, and focusing on dialog and reciprocal learning. 6. A variety of assessment and evaluation measures are used. Progress is based on mutually defined student goals emphasizing competence. 7. Instruction involves multiple strategies appropriate to each learner's interests and needs. 8. Reading, writing, and oral expression are interrelated One example of this model is CoNEXTions; adopted by the TX Juvenile Justice Dept.

Three Boot Camps

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention sponsored three demonstration boot camps for juvenile offenders in Cleveland, OH; Denver, CO; and Mobile, AL. The goal was to initiate and evaluate the concepts that led to the creation of the boot camp as a juvenile correctional alterative. Intermediate sanctions; 90 day programs in a comprehensive residential facility with supervised aftercare in the community for up to 9 months. All three camps focused on physical fitness, basic education, and life skills training. None of the three programs researched demonstrated a reduction in recidivism. In OH, boot camp graduates had higher recidivism rates than juvenile confined in traditional juvenile correctional facilities. When boot camps are used as an alternative to traditional confinement, costs can be reduced considerably because of the significantly shorter residential stay; if boot camps are used as an alternative to probation, savings will not be realized. In response to many of the criticisms, many boot camps began to adopt a more holistic approach to correctional programming The nature of boot camps does not fit well with the basic principles of adolescent development; boot camps do not allow the juveniles to have a voice in their treatment and they tend to be very negative Boot camps violate a primary principle of the juvenile justice system which is individualized treatment More recent boot camps have taken on a more holistic philosophy that includes a range of programming and aftercare services

Public vs. Private Facilities

The juvenile correctional system uses a number of private facilities that contract with the state or local jurisdiction to house juvenile offenders. Most juveniles in public facilities are held there by court order under a delinquency adjudication Private facilities hold about 88% of their population under delinquency offenses. A greater portion of the population in private facilities are there for status offenses, or are detained for other reasons. Juveniles in private facilities include youths referred for abuse, neglect, emotional disturbance, or mental retardation, as well as youths who were voluntarily admitted (referred by parents or school officials as part of a diversion program). They are often housed with the delinquent youths

Working in Institutional Corrections

The largest juvenile facilities are akin to self-sufficient small cities and require numerous staff to operate. Larger facilities tend to have specialists who focus on one or a few roles, and the smaller facilities have generalists who perform a variety of tasks The most problematic issues concerning working in juvenile corrections are appropriate training and retention of qualified personnel The demographics of juvenile correctional personnel are somewhat different from their adult prison counterparts

Correctional Industry and Vocational Training Info

The majority of delinquents age 16 and older do not return to school after release from a correctional setting. Juveniles who will enter the workplace need training in working productively with others on teams, acquiring and using information, understanding and utilizing systems, and using technology. Some facilities develop internships, apprenticeships, and mentorships with these business partners. CA Division of Juvenile Justice Free Venture Program lets a business set up and operate its industry within the confines of the correctional institution and hire the youthful offenders as its employees. The juveniles receive training for meaningful jobs, which aids in their rehabilitation. The program provides financial assistance to victims of crime, and funds generated also reduce incarceration costs. Under the program guidelines, inmates are paid comparable wage that is subject to deductions for: 1. Federal, state, and local taxes 2. Room and board 3. Restitution fines or victims compensation 4. Family support 5. Mandatory inmate savings

State Variables with Private Facilities

The use of private facilities in juvenile corrections varies substantially from state to state. There is substantial variation across the US in custody rate, the rate of incarceration of delinquent and status offenders, and the use of private facilities. Several variables affect state custody rates: age difference in juvenile court jurisdiction, differences in the age at which a state can hold a juvenile in a correctional facility, provisions for transfer to criminal court, demographic and offense profile differences, and available bed space.

Correctional Treatment Info

The various juvenile correctional institutions all have some type of treatment program or correctional mission that they use to treat the youths in their custody. There is a great deal of variety; but there are some standard treatment methods that have received attention in academic and practitioner circles. Sometimes the correctional approach of the facility changes when the administration changes; thus it is more a function of the person than it is the facility. There are four primary goals in corrections: 1. Rehabilitation 2. Deterrence 3. Incapacitation 4. Retribution All of these goals are operational in one way or another; some facilities may emphasize one over the others in their correctional programming Juvenile correctional facilities emphasize rehabilitation over all other goals while prisons emphasize retribution Juvenile facility directors believe that almost 50% of the youths they deal with will be rehabilitated while only 25% of prison wardens hold the same thoughts about their inmates. Public surveys reveal that the public strongly believes in rehabilitation for juvenile offenders; respondents also believed that government funds should be shifted from incarceration to educational, rehabilitative, and vocational programs.

The Population in Institutional Corrections

Typically only a small portion of the juveniles arrested are eventually committed to a residential placement. Six states combined represent 44% of all juveniles in custody in the US: CA, TX, PN, NY, OH, FL Most states have a central juvenile correctional authority that governs the administration and operations of juvenile correctional facilities in the state. If a judge decides to send a juvenile to a secure placement, the judge issues an order of commitment whereby the juvenile is removed from the custody of his parent and placed in the custody of the state juvenile correctional authority It is then up to the correctional authority to determine placement, correctional treatment plan, time spent I the institution, and release from secure confinement. In some instances, the judge retains the authority to release the juvenile. Most state correctional authorities have a variety of placement options that address the offense committed, the risk associated with the juvenile, and the treatment needs of the juvenile. The population of juveniles in secure placements is typically young males who have committed a serious offense or multiple offenses There are varying levels of risk that are determined by the correctional authority prior to placing the juvenile in a facility. Most juveniles are sent to low or medium risk facilities; high risk facilities handle only those juveniles who have repeatedly committed crimes, committed violent or sex crimes, or are guilty of a particularly heinous crime.