US Department of Justice releases report on sexual violence in juvenile facilities for 2005-2006

August 4, 2008 12:48:23 PM

The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics released findings from 2005-2006 of sexual violence allegations and substantiated claims in juvenile justice centers throughout the country. These are statistics are the first set to be collected and analyzed since the Prison Rape Elimination Act has required such data to be collected.

The study found that there were over 4,000 allegations of sexual violence reported in juvenile facilities in 2005 and 2006, or a rate of about 1.8 allegations per 1,000 youth held in custody. Of those allegations, 732 incidents were substantiated by follow up investigations.

About 36% of the allegations referred to youth-on-youth sexual violence, such as rape and forcible sodomy. 21% were youth-on-youth abusive contacts, such as unwanted touching or grabbing with sexual intent.

Approximately 32% of all allegations involved staff sexual misconduct. This was defined as any act of a sexual nature directed towards youth, whether seemingly consensual or non-consensual. 11% involved sexual harassment of staff towards youth. Of the substantiated incidents of sexual violence, 437 were youth on youth, and 295 involved staff sexual misconduct.

For further information, see the BJS abstract here. Or, download a copy of the full report here (.pdf file).

Posted by Amy Jacob
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Reforming Juvenile Justice at the National Level

July 3, 2008 3:21:51 PM

At the Huffington Post, Carol Chodroff informs us:

The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act (JJDPA), first enacted in 1974 and overdue for reauthorization, is pending in Congress. Next week, the Senate will consider this legislation and amendments to improve juvenile justice in this country. And improvement is long overdue.

The bi-partisan Senate Bill 3155 was introduced June 18th by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ranking Member, Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI). According to the summary posted at Senator Leahy's website, this re-authorization will do the following:

Increases Federal Funding of Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment Programs Designed to Reduce the Incidence of Juvenile Crime

Increases funding for critical Title V prevention programs to discourage juvenile contact with the justice system, such as mentoring and aftercare.

Increases federal authorizations to assist States in achieving and maintaining compliance with the JJDPA’s goals and particularly its core requirements.

Promotes evidence-based and promising practices to ensure that federal dollars have maximum impact.

Encourages States to Make Critical Improvements to Juvenile Justice Systems

Places significant new emphasis on the crucial issues of mental health and substance abuse, including expanding the allowable uses of grant funds for mental health and substance abuse training and treatment, encouraging states to focus more on these needs, and providing new incentive grants for these purposes.

Works toward reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system.

Requires States to devise strategies to eliminate the incidence of dangerous practices, restraints, and isolation of juveniles through the increased use of training and best practices.

Gives States the authority to retain juveniles in juvenile facilities after the age of majority.

Places Common Sense Limits on the Pretrial Detention of Juveniles in Adult Jails and the Detention of Juveniles for Status Offenses

Ensures that “status offenders” – juveniles arrested for offenses that would not be criminal if committed by adults (e.g., runaways, truants) – not be placed in secure detention unless absolutely necessary, establishes strict time limitations, and establishes procedural protections to ensure their prompt transfer out of detention.

Discourages the placement of juveniles in adult jails pretrial, establishes meaningful factors to determine when they may be placed pretrial in adult jails, and bolsters procedural protections for juveniles charged as adults.

Encourages the use of alternatives to secure detention.

Reaffirms and Strengthens the Federal-State Partnership

Supports States’ efforts to comply with JJDPA core requirements by making funds withheld due to non-compliance available to States as improvement grants meant to enable states to become compliant.

Strengthens research and technical assistance by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Policy (OJJDP) to encourage States to adopt best practices.

Increases transparency by making State plans and OJJDP decision-making publicly available.

For a .pdf file of the bill, click here.

Posted by Amy Jacob
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Trauma and the Law

June 11, 2008 6:12:23 PM

Yesterday, the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security held a hearing on "Addressing Gangs: What’s Effective? What’s Not?"

This hearing was in response to a proposed bill H.R. 880 (Rep. Randy Forbes) that is looking to address gang violence by spending $1.3 billion to 1) increase incarceration rates of youth who are "gang involved," 2) lengthen sentences and 3) lower the age of "gang involved" youth - perhaps to as low as ten years old - that can be adjudicated as an adult if found to be "gang involved."

Several experts in child development and traumatic stress were invited by Rep. Bobby Scott (Chair) to testify regarding the best approaches to the youth gang problem. More information and Rep. Scott's written an dvideo introduction can be found here.

Scott has introduced another bill, one that would emphasize evidenced-based practices for reducing juvenile crime and juvenile gang involvement, with a focus on prevention and interventions to strengthen communities.

The testimony of each expert is available at the link above, and well worth a read. The experts assert the link between childhood trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and increased rates of violence.

The good news? The experts have evidence that these youth are highly ammenable to treatment. If services can be provided to youth and their families, and in particular, if youth can be helped to remain in high school, the cost savings in terms of community crime and imprisonment are astounding.

Let's hope Scott's bill is the one that passes the House!

Posted by Amy Jacob
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Monmouth County JDC workers still in limbo

April 16, 2008 2:17:05 PM

A number of Juvenile Detention Centers in NJ have been facing the strain of closing of their facilities. This article in the Asbury Park Press online talks about the situation.

Under this proposal, Monmouth county would pay Middlesex County to house up to 25 of its juvenile detention residents.

From the article:

...Mark Ferrante, program director for the Washington-based Coalition for Juvenile Justice, said local officials must weigh the drawbacks to closing detention centers, even after occupancy rates drop. The centers often serve as a link to services of the various new programs, he said.

"There are cost-effective, community-based alternatives to detention which research indicates would benefit young people more so than moving them farther away from their families, schools and positive community connections. The other point is that much good work has been accomplished in Monmouth County through (alternative methods) and to simply resort to moving kids to another county has the potential to undo much of what has been put in place," said Ferrante, who was an administrator at the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission from 2000 to 2007.

Posted by Amy Jacob
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Another Juvenile Justice Blog!

March 28, 2008 1:15:14 PM

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) has launched its own juvenile justice blog! Juvenile Justice Connections has a lot of great articles that are relevant to Creating Safe and Respectful Environments. From their blog:

This is the place to share info for and about juvenile justice!

We'll be regularly blogging about:

- New research in juvenile justice

- Training and development opportunities open to juvenile justice professionals and organizations

- Links to info about what is happening around the US and the world in juvenile justice

- Much more!

Be sure to take a trip over and see what they've got.

Posted by Amy Jacob
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An alternative to detention?

March 26, 2008 3:50:41 PM

Marion Wright Edelman, the nation's most famous child advocate, writes in the Louisiana Weekly News:

As a result of the state applying new thinking to its approach to juvenile justice and overhauling its entire system, Missouri has been copied by other jurisdictions for its success in rerouting troubled, adjudicated children and teens onto successful life paths. First it eliminated its huge, rural detention facility that warehoused 2,500 young people. In its place, Missouri established 33 residential facilities and 11 day treatment centers in five regions. These aren't just smaller prisons; they are designed to provide a dormitory atmosphere for groups of no more than 12 children and teens.

While New Jersey's juvenile justice system has evolved differently from Missouri's, her article makes some interesting observations. Continue reading her article here: Missouri's humane and sensible approach to juvenile justice

Posted by Amy Jacob
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Training Descriptions for CSRE

March 11, 2008 5:03:03 PM

Have you scheduled training for your facility yet? We have a great catalogue of opportunities available for your facility.

Trauma and Juvenile Justice Youth: This three hour training will introduce participants to the topic of trauma in juvenile residents. It will describe in general how childhood trauma affects juveniles and help participants understand youth acting-out behaviors in this context. It will explain the concept of “re-enactment” and teach participants how to avoid or disengage from re-enacting traumatic patterns with youth in their care. This training will also revisit the concept of the Crisis Cycle, as taught in Creating Safe and Respectful Environments, with an understanding of how traumatized youth fit into the cycle and how pre-crisis warning signs relate to triggering traumatic reactions in youth. This training will also allow for practicing de-escalation techniques. The following learning objectives will be met:

· Participants will be able to discuss the prevalence of trauma and trauma-related disorders among juveniles in detention and secure facilities.

· Participants will be able to describe how traumatic experiences influence a youth’s development and lead to behavior and mood difficulties.

· Participants will be able to explain the role of re-enactment in traumatized youth and its effect on the Crisis Cycle.

· Participants will be able to name the phases of the Crisis Cycle and will be able to identify pre-crisis warning signs and potential interventions related to trauma.

· Participants will be able to demonstrate effective use of verbal de-escalation techniques.


Vicarious Trauma and the Juvenile Justice Worker: This three hour training will focus on the potential hazard of vicarious trauma among officers and youth care workers. It will discuss how working with traumatized youth can expose staff to stressors that can impact their own personal lives. The workshop will also identify potential mental health disorders and their symptoms that are common among professionals who work with traumatized individuals. The workshop will incorporate a “coping group” format that engages participants in an active process of discussing their work and identifying resources to help them cope with stress in their lives. The workshop will also provide an overview of stress management techniques and will engage participants in learning simple stress relieving activities including stretching, breathing and creative visualization. Objectives for this workshop are as follows.

· Participants will be able to describe vicarious trauma and burn out and differentiate between the two.

· Participants will be able to discuss potential effects of vicarious trauma on their professional and personal lives.

· Participants will be able to identify risk factors and warning signs of vicarious trauma and burn-out.

· Participants will be able to identify warning signs of related mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse disorders.

· Participants will demonstrate the ability to create a self-care plan and to implement strategies to reduce the effects stress in their lives.

· Participants will be able to identify at least three stress-reduction techniques that they can use to in a self-care plan.

Communication Training This three-hour module is a follow-up session for basic CSRE and Managing Youth with Mental Health Disorders. It will provide staff with an active, hands-on skill building experience that teaches verbal techniques for working with juvenile residents with mental health disorders as well as other residents and co-workers. This workshop seeks to meet the following objectives:

· Engage participants in discussion of conflict situations on the job and different approaches to resolution

· Identify effective approaches for communicating in stressful environments and during crisis situations

· Engage participants in practice of verbal skills through the use of role plays based on real events.

Suicide Prevention: This two hour presentation will provide an overview of the risk factors and warning signs of suicide. It will also use discussion of cases to help illuminate techniques and strategies for dealing with suicidal youth and youth who threaten suicide as part of an oppositional/defiant presentation. Skills for talking to depressed and suicidal youth will be demonstrated by the trainer with opportunities for staff to practice. The objectives are as follows:

· Participants will be able to identify risk factors and warning signs of suicide in youth.

· Participants will be able to identify critical components of suicide prevention policy

· Participants will be able to identify protective factors against suicide

· Participants will be able to demonstrate skills for speaking to and interacting with depressed and suicidal youth

· Participants will be able to identify appropriate steps to take when there is a suicidal crisis with youth as it pertains to their own agency’s policies.

Understanding Mental Health Disorders: This 3 hour training will assist officers and staffs to understand mental health disorders and how they may present in the youth we serve. Other areas covered include, understanding normal and abnormal adolescent behavior, the role of medication in psychiatric care and ways to respond when observing these behaviors.

· Objective: Staff will report an improved understanding of how mental illness manifests itself in the youth we serve and an enhanced confidence in how to respond to a youth in psychiatric crisis.

Managers/Supervisors Training: A 3 hour training curriculum on principles of effective supervision that will enable managers and supervisors to motivate staff to embrace the Safe and Respectful principles.

· Objective: Supervisors will report improvement in their skill sets with regard to motivating their subordinates to meet their expectations.

Behavior Modification Programs Up to 3 hours of on-site training and consultation on designing and running effective level/point systems in detention/secure settings will be offered to identified staff involved in managing the behavior modification system.The primary focus will be on creating and maintaining a system that is well understood by staff and adolescents to provide immediate and motivating reinforcement for pro-social behavior.

· Objective: Detention/secure facilities will report having a behavior modification system that they feel has improved over the course of the CSRE II award year.

And we always have our flagship training, Creating Safe and Respectful Environments available for those of you who'd like your staff to have a refresher. Most officers attending the Sea Girt academy will receive this training. However, sometimes recruits don't have the opportunity to attend the Academy for several months after hire. CSRE provides an overview of how to approach work with juvenile detention residents and teaches strategies for managing behaviors and intervening in "pre-crisis" to help avoid crises.

See you all at training this spring!

Posted by Amy Jacob
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Abuse in Juvenile Justice facilities across the country

March 2, 2008 6:19:08 PM

An interesting article appears today regarding abuse claims in juvenile justice facilities across the country. AP: 13,000 abuse claims in juvie centers talks about an Associated Press survey of the states and abuse claims filed on behalf of juveniles. The article states:

"Across the country, in state after state, child advocates have deplored the conditions under which young offenders are housed — conditions that include sexual and physical abuse and even deaths in restraints. The U.S. Justice Department has filed lawsuits against facilities in 11 states for supervision that is either abusive or harmfully lax and shoddy.

Still, a lack of oversight and nationally accepted standards of tracking abuse make it difficult to know exactly how many youngsters have been assaulted or neglected.

The Associated Press contacted each state agency that oversees juvenile correction centers and asked for information on the number of deaths as well as the number of allegations and confirmed cases of physical, sexual and emotional abuse by staff members since Jan. 1, 2004.

According to the survey, more than 13,000 claims of abuse were identified in juvenile correction centers around the country from 2004 through 2007 — a remarkable total, given that the total population of detainees was about 46,000 at the time the states were surveyed in 2007.

Just 1,343 of those claims of abuse identified by the AP were confirmed by various authorities. Of 1,140 claims of sexual abuse, 143 were confirmed by investigators."

Continue reading this article here.

Posted by Amy Jacob
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Interesting NY Times article about community interventions for juvenile offenders

February 20, 2008 4:30:19 PM

A home remedy for juvenile offenders" is an interesting piece on what appears to be a JDAI type of project in New York City. A snippet of the article:

"When Jacob Rivera, 15, was resentenced in May on an assault conviction, he felt he had received a “blessing.”

"Only months earlier he had been sentenced to a year in state custody, and he had already spent weeks bouncing between a juvenile detention center in the Bronx and a residential treatment campus upstate. Two of his older siblings had spent time in those facilities and, he said, had “come out a mess.” He could see his future.

"But the court gave him a second chance because his case had not been properly reviewed for inclusion in a new alternative sentencing program, which the city started in February 2007. The program, called the Juvenile Justice Initiative, sends medium-risk offenders back to their families and provides intensive therapy.

"The city says that in just a year, it has seen significant success for the juveniles enrolled, as well as cost savings from the reduced use of residential treatment centers.

"Under the program, Jacob went back home on probation, and he and his family were assigned a counselor, Eddy Lee, who visited the two-bedroom Bronx apartment that the teenager shares with his mother, Michelle Rivera, her husband, a younger brother and other relatives.

"Within weeks, the situation improved as Mr. Lee provided intensive counseling to the family, with the aim of defusing what had become an increasingly angry relationship between Jacob and his mother. Instead of screaming at Jacob when he refused to comply with her curfew, Ms. Rivera called Mr. Lee. Over time, Mr. Lee persuaded her to agree to be less strict if her son would agree to be more forthcoming about his whereabouts, and
more responsible."

Continue reading this article here.

It makes me wonder how well we're using our resources in NJ to match kids with appropriate Intensive In Community treatment who are in a similar situation to Jacob.

Posted by Amy Jacob
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New Executive Director nominated for the JJC

January 29, 2008 3:48:39 PM

Via the Newark Star Ledger:

Woman picked to head juvenile justice agency
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
BY SUSAN K. LIVIO

Star-Ledger Staff
A member of the State Parole Board and veteran social worker was nominated yesterday by Gov. Jon Corzine to serve as executive director for the Juvenile Justice Commission.

Veleria Lawson of Manalapan served as a social worker for the Middletown and Lakewood districts, working on their child study teams for a collective 23 years, At torney General Anne Milgram said late yesterday.

Read more of this post here.

Posted by Amy Jacob
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