By Cecilia Bianco, August 04 2014
The Council of State Governments Justice Center (CSG Justice Center) released two publications that offer state and local governments recommendations to improve outcomes for youth impacted by the juvenile justice system:
- Measuring and Using Juvenile Recidivism Data to Inform Policy, Practice, and Resource Allocation
- Core Principles for Reducing Recidivism and Improving Other Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System
The first publication Measuring and Using Juvenile Recidivism Data to Inform Policy, Practice, and Resource Allocation surveyed 50 juvenile correctional agencies, resulting in the following eye-opening information:
- 20 percent of the agencies do not track the rates of youth reoffending.
- Of the 39 states that do track recidivism, most consider only one type of contact with the system and do not track if the youth are later incarcerated in the adult system.
The second publication Core Principles for Reducing Recidivism and Improving Other Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System provides guiding principles and recommendations ranging from engaging family in decisions regarding a child, to moving away from curfew laws and “scared straight” tactics. The document also covers concrete examples of states that have succeeded by employing these proposed strategies.
The CSG Justice Center announced partnerships with five states to test the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the reports: Utah, Tennessee, Nebraska, Kansas, and Pennsylvania.
Susan Burke, director of the Utah Division of Juvenile Justice Services, is one of many who are looking forward to putting the new information into action:
“We can talk about the programs, services, and treatment we provide, but good intentions alone won’t reduce the likelihood of reoffending. This white paper released today summarizes, in one comprehensive document, the new lens in which we should be viewing each state system. I, for one, am eager to get started.”
For more information, visit the following:
Roadmap Released to Improve Outcomes for Youth in Juvenile Justice System
Updated: August 04 2014