For Program Administrators
Reports and Guides Resources
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Juvenile Detention Reform: A Guide for County Officials: It is important for county officials to consider juvenile detention reform for three reasons: current detention practices are costly, detaining children does not promote public safety, and detention affects children negatively. Communities that have reduced their juvenile detention populations did not experience a subsequent increase in crime, and instead have developed alternatives to detention that produce better results for less cost. This guide explores the reasons driving juvenile detention reform across the nation, and describes the positive impact that the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) has had on many communities. (February, 2007)
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Recidivism Findings for the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration’s Dialectical Behavior Therapy Program: Final Report: The Washington State Legislature directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to evaluate the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) pilot to determine if DBT reduces recidivism. DBT is a program for juvenile offenders who have mental health issues and reside in a state institution. The Institute conducted a preliminary study of the program in 2002, using a 12-month follow-up period, and found the program reduced felony recidivism. This report updates the 2002 study using a longer follow-up period to measure recidivism. (July, 2006)
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How Does the Juvenile Justice System Measure Up? Applying Performance Measures in Five Jurisdictions: This bulletin by the National Coalition on Juvenile Justice presents a case for measuring and reporting juvenile justice system performance outcomes and a field-tested strategy for collecting and reporting juvenile justice outcome measures. The experiences of five disparate jurisdictions are used to illustrate that it is both possible and useful to measure juvenile justice system performance for individuals, agencies, and entire systems. Two state systems - Pennsylvania and South Carolina - and three county-level jurisdictions - Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Deschutes County, Oregon, and Marquette County, Michigan - are highlighted. (May, 2006)
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The Juvenile Offender Study: A Retrospective Examination of Youth Offenders: This study was undertaken to retrospectively examine the effects of the juvenile justice system on juvenile offenders who did not go on to commit serious offenses as adults. In addition, this study examined what the juveniles themselves identified as having helped them avoid continued involvement in illegal activities. Results of this study are compared with those of a past study from the year 2000 (which examined those juveniles who continued to offend as adults) in order to provide a more encompassing analysis of juvenile offenders and system interventions. (March, 2006)
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Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National Report: This report published by the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention draws on reliable data and relevant research to provide a comprehensive and insightful view of juvenile crime across the nation. The report offers empirically based answers to frequently asked questions about the nature of juvenile crime and victimization, and about the justice system's response. It is an indispensable resource for informed professionals who strive to shape the juvenile justice system today. (March, 2006)
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Detention Facility Self-Assessment: A Practice Guide to Juvenile Detention Reform: Dangerous and inadequate conditions in juvenile facilities open public officials to liability in civil rights lawsuits and, more importantly, harm the very youth whose care is entrusted to the juvenile justice system. As part of its Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI), the Annie E. Casey Foundation has developed its own set of facility assessment standards based on case law, consent decrees, federal statutes, model state laws, professional standards, and best practices. The materials also include a set of guidelines for conducting facility assessments, and “how to” materials covering each component of the standards. The “how to” materials offer practical and valuable recommendations regarding what documents to review, which people to interview, and what things to observe during assessments. (2006)
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The Effective Management of Juvenile Sex Offenders in the Community: This document by Dr. John A. Hunter of the University of Virginia’s Department of Health Evaluation Sciences provides case management protocols that were developed for the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice (VDJJ) in support of improving the consistency and effectiveness of community supervision and management of juvenile sexual offenders across the state. The protocols reflect in large part a "best practices" model for community-based management of juvenile sexual offenders. VDJJ has consented to the broader dissemination of these guidelines in hope that they will be of assistance to legal and clinical professionals working in other states. The guidelines are informed by a combination of clinical/legal experience and research on juvenile and adult sexual offenders; however, they have not been validated through research and should be viewed as the professional opinion of the author. (November, 2002)
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Beyond the Walls: Improving Conditions of Confinement for Youth in Custody: This report is a toolbox for community advocates and program administrators committed to enhancing conditions of juvenile confinement. While some tools in Beyond the Walls will be familiar and others new, all recognize the lasting benefits of attaining constructive change in juvenile offenders and the inherent risks of criminalizing, warehousing, and abandoning them. This handbook of ideas is intended to stimulate discussion about ways juvenile justice professionals can improve conditions of confinement for detained and incarcerated youth. (January, 1998)
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National Prison Rape Elimination Commission - This website provides important information about the 2003 Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), statistics on sexual assault in U.S. prisons, and articles for practitioners seeking to reduce incidents of sexual assault in secure institutions.
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Sample PREA Policies - This website provides sample policies for compliance with PREA in juvenile facilities gathered by Colorado’s Department of Public Safety.
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U.S. Department of Justice Investigations into Juvenile Corrections Facilities: The 1980 Civil Rights of Incarcerated Persons Act (CRIPA) gives the Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice the authority to conduct investigations and litigate in order to protect the rights of persons who are incarcerated in state-run facilities. In order to avoid federal investigation or lawsuits, it is critical for juvenile justice program administrators to stay abreast of trends in federal civil rights enforcement in juvenile correctional settings.
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Performance-based Standards (PbS) for Youth Correction and Detention Facilities: PbS is a system for agencies and facilities to identify, monitor, and improve conditions and treatment services provided to incarcerated youths using national standards and outcome measures. PbS was launched in 1995 by the US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to improve the deplorable conditions reported by the 1994 Conditions of Confinement study of 1,000 secure facilities.