The Annie E. Casey Foundation Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative JDAI Council of State...

The Annie E. Casey Foundation

Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative

JDAICouncil of State Governments

May 17, 2009

Rand Young, WA State JDAI Coordinator rand_young@msn.com 509-624-4924

Rapid Growth of JDAI Nationally100 jurisdictions - 25 states & District of Columbia

County site State site

●

JDAI Goals

• Reduce Detention for low-risk youth

• Develop community-based alternatives to detention

• Improve the effectiveness of the juvenile justice system

• Reduce racial disparities for youth in Detention

• Maintain or improve public safety

High - Risk Youth

• Murder

• Rape/Sex Offenses

• Robbery

• Burglary

• Weapons charges

• Assault

• Physical injury crimes

• Bomb Threats

Low – Risk Youth

• Minor theft

• Alcohol violations

• Minor drug charges

• Disorderly Conduct

• Truancy

• Runaways

• Probation Violations

• Many Warrants

Reducing Detention is Good Public Policy

• Maintains or improves public safety

• Cost-effective for taxpayers

• Produces better outcomes

What we have learned about detaining youth

• Reducing detention for low-risk youth has not increased crime

• Detention is the most expensive crime reduction strategy

• Detention is not particularly effective in reducing crime

• Low-risk youth can be negatively influenced by high-risk youth

• Detention interrupts school – youth fall further behind and dropout

• Detention can pull youth deeper into the criminal justice system

• Detained youth are more likely to reoffend than youth not detained

Less Detention – No increase in Crime

JDAI Site Reduction in Detention ADP

Washington State5 Cities

-- 34%

State of Virginia8 Cities

-- 22 %

Chicago, IL -- 35 %

Santa Cruz, CA -- 52 %

Albuquerque, N.M -- 31%

State of New Jersey5 Cities

-- 43 %

Detention is the most expensive crime reduction strategy

$0$20$40$60$80

$100$120$140$160$180$200

Detention AlternativePrograms

$200

$35

Cost Per Day

Cost Savings/Avoidance - Reduced Liability

Seattle, Washington• Reduced detention population from 180 – 90• Avoided new construction costs• Saved $3.9 - $5.4 million per year over a 20 year period

Tacoma, Washington• Reduced detention population from 158 to 65• Reduced liability by closing an unsafe detention unit• Shifted savings & staff to community-based alternatives

Spokane, Washington• Reduced detention population from 65 – 40• Reduced Liability - eliminated unsafe “double-bunking” • Transferred detention staff to alternative programs

Detention is not particularly effective in reducing crime

$0.00

$2.00

$4.00

$6.00

$8.00

$10.00

$12.00

$14.00

Boot Camps Detention FunctionalFamily Therapy

Mentoring AggressionReplacement

Training

Multi-SystemicTherapy

$1.00 invested = $ ____ Crime Reduction Benefit

$1.01

$1.98

$6.81$7.68

$10.82

$13.36

WA State Institute of Public Policy: Recommendations to Improve Cost-Effectiveness in the Juvenile Justice

Most Detained Youth are not risks to public safety

MisdemeanorShopliftingDrug PossessionAlcohol ViolationsDisorderly Conduct

38.6% 32.3%

29.1%

Felony Assault

Robbery Arson Weapons

Status Offenses Probation Violations

Warrants

7%

5%

40%

14%

15%

19%

Probation Violations

Warrants

Truancy, RunawayAbuse & Neglect

Court OrderedDetention

New Felony New Misdemeanor

JDAI Strategies

2) Reliance on Data

3) Objective Admissions Screening

4) Alternatives to Secure Detention

5) Expedited Case Processing

6) Warrant & Probation Violation Options

7) Reduce Racial Disparities

8) Regular Detention Facility Inspections

1) System-wide Collaboration

System-wide Collaboration

• Leaders work together to improve juvenile justice

• Implement the Eight JDAI strategies

County Council Prosecutors Schools

State Government Defense Attorneys Social Services

Law Enforcement Probation Churches

Judges Detention Community

Reliance on DataData drives decisions & policy

Measure current outcomes & costs• Number low-risk youth detained• Juvenile arrest rates• Cost of Detention

Develop plan based on data• Reduce low-risk youth detained• Develop alternative programs• Monitor arrest rates• Reduce costs – redirect to alternatives

Objective Admission Criteria

Risk Assessment Tool to Detain the Right Youth

• Identify & detain high-risk youth

• Reduce detaining low-risk youth

• Standardize decisions

– fairness – consistency

Alternatives to Secure Detention • Community Service Work Projects

• House Arrest & Electronic Monitoring

• Weekend Programs

• Day & Evening Reporting Centers

• Foster & Shelter Care Programs

Expedited Case Processing

• Youth learn best with a swift consequence

• Improve coordination: Prosecutor, Defense & Probation

• Reduce court case continuances

• Identify stalled cases & problem solve

Probation Violation Options

• Consistent sanctions for all youth

• Match sanction with the seriousness of violation

• Develop immediate informal sanctions

• Use Alternative Programs

• Make Detention the last resort

Warrant Options – Minimize FTAs

• Expedite court process

• Court Hearing Reminder Calls

• In-Person Reminder Contacts

• Verify notice of hearing was received

Reduce Racial Disparities

• Prioritize reducing racial disparities

• Measure rates of racial disparities at decision points• Detention• Sentencing• Sanctioning• Transfers to Adult System

• Adopt “standardized” methods of decision making• Detention Risk Assessment Tool• Standardize Probation Violation Sanctions

Regular Detention Facility Inspections

• Annual Self-Inspections

• Measure compliance with JDAI Standards

• Update policies and make improvements

JDAI Technical Assistance

• Small grants for travel & coordination

• Technical Assistance Providers

• Tools, Guides, Publications

• jdaihelpdesk.org

• Model Site Visits

• JDAI National Conferences

“The daily detention population in our facility has greatly reduced but without a resultant compromise in community safety.

In fact, just the opposite: we have the lowest rates of reoffense that we’ve ever had.”

Amy Holmes Hehn

Multnomah County District Attorney