Framework to evaluate5 13a-12

Prepared by Kaye Kendrick Enterprises, LLC

Keeping Children Out of the

Juvenile Justice System


Keeping Children Out of the

Juvenile Justice System• Purpose of Initiative• Where are we now?• What do we know?• Best Practices• Early vs. Late Intervention• Strategy for Early Intervention• Voices of Florida’s job


Long-term EffectivenessPrevention &

Early Intervention

Criminal Activity

Awareness &

Treatment

Adult Court &

Incarceration

Juvenile Court &

Incarceration

Victims


Getting Tough on Juvenile Crime —An Approach with Costly Results

Getting Smart about Juvenile Justice– The Blueprint Commission

Justice by Gender, The Lack of Appropriate Prevention, Diversion, and Treatment Alternatives for Girls in the Juvenile Justice System– American Bar Association/National Bar Association


Where are we now?

• More children in criminal (adult) court system than any other state in the nation

• Florida almost half size of California– transfers to adult criminal court 8x that of

California• Youth crime dropped 57 percent between 1995 and

2010.

….all rates down in USA


According to FBI statistics

• Rate of violent youth crime in Florida dropped 57 percent between 1995 and 2010

• Juvenile arrests for murder fell 69 percent.

Why?....long-term effect?

The Challenge

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/topic/crime-law-justice/crimes/fbi-ORGOV000008.topic


State Comparison• Florida’s transfer to Adult system….approximately 165 transfers per 100,000 youth population – nearly double that of its closest

competitors, Oregon and Arizona ....96 and 84 per 100,000, respectively– Yet, both of those states beat Florida in

the crime drop.• Ohio had lowest… 20 per 100,000

But, crime decline of 74 percent was the steepest of all six states.


…In Comparison to Rest of World• THE UNITED STATES IMPRISONS MORE

PEOPLE THAN ANY OTHER NATION IN THE WORLD.

• While 123 nations allow the death penalty, only the U.S. and Iran currently sentence juvenile offenders to death. Even nations such as China and Pakistan, countries that previously executed juveniles, have amended their laws to exclude death as a penalty for youth. In the U.S. since 1973, 226 juvenile offenders have been sentenced to death, and 22 have been executed.


Around the World (con’t)• Many countries have “punitive” prevention programs that

try to suppress juvenile and youth offenses, as well as gang recruitment, expansion and criminal behavior, by means of surveillance (continuous police observation) and prosecution.

• This type of approach generally precludes efforts to promote proper behavior, focusing instead on preventing unwanted behavior. However, aggression on the part of authorities can in many cases contribute to the further integration of youth into delinquent groups.


• Black juveniles are held in residential custody in the United States at twice the rate for Hispanics and five times the rates for whites.

• Women/Girls being Incarcerated at increasing rate.

Alarming Statistics


“…studies exist indicating getting tough approach has little or no effect on the rate of juvenile crime.

Studies show that trying juveniles in adult criminal court may actually result in higher rates of reoffending.”

Recent Studies


• Juveniles who receive harsher penalties when tried as adults are not "scared straight."

• In fact, after their release, they tend to reoffend sooner and more often than those treated in the juvenile system.

Results of Studies


Juvenile Court “The original idea was, when a kid gets in trouble and is brought into court, the judge sits down, is a friendly mentor and has a talk. The family is involved and things get better. But that's not the way the juvenile court now operates. It's very big, it's very precise. Crimes are charged: the kid didn't hit another kid, he committed an assault or an assault with a deadly weapon or a battery. All of a sudden, the minor's there in court with an attorney telling him not to acknowledge that he did a wrong, because punishment's going to be terrible. And I'm not saying the kid shouldn't have an attorney, but that's what happens when we made this system like a mini-adult system”Judge Nance Hoffman , Retired, County of Santa Clara


The juvenile system does work: a 1996 Florida study found that youth transferred to adult prisons had approximately a 30% higher recidivism rate than youth who stayed in the juvenile systemSource: Donna Bishop, et al, The Transfer of Juveniles to Criminal Court, 42 Crime and Delinquency 171 (1996)

Important to Know: Juvenile Issues & Solutions vary over time and communities!


What We Do Know….

Statistical data in many countries show that delinquency is largely a group phenomenon; between two-thirds and three-quarters of all juvenile offenses are committed by members of various groups.


Juvenile peer groups are noted for their high levels of social cohesiveness, hierarchical organization, and a certain code of behavior based on the rejection of adult values and experience.

What We Do Know….

There is a level of juvenile issues that are a “normal” part of the adolescent maturation process


If you reach a kid early, chances are they won't re-offend

What We Do Know….Juvenile crime, including violent offenses, peaks at around 3 p.m., generally right after school lets out.


A study carried out in prisons in the United States reveals that families involved in criminal activities tend to push their younger members towards violating the law. More than two-thirds of those interviewed had relatives who were incarcerated; for 25 per cent it was a father and for another 25 per cent a brother or sister.

What We Do Know….


• The symbolic exclusion from society of juveniles who have committed even minor offences has important implications for the development of delinquent careers.

• Studies show that the act of labeling may lead to the self-adoption of a delinquent image, which later results in delinquent activity.

What We Do Know….


• Lack or insufficiency of parental supervision is one of the strongest predictors of delinquency.

What We Do Know….


• Can reduce juvenile delinquency by changing an urban environment.

• A research study revealed most activities of juvenile delinquent groups concentrated around park.

• The layout of the park was redesigned to create many more leisure and recreational alternatives for juveniles and their parents.

• Number of positive afternoon activities held in schools and parks was increased. …considerable reduction in juvenile

delinquency.

Best Practice….


• Supplying adolescents and young people with increased economic opportunities, professional training and education, new workplaces and assistance in organizing businesses reduces juvenile crime

Best Practice….


Best Practice….Build on strengths and interests of youth, rather than focusing only on their problems or deficits.

Citizens forged a partnership to combat crime in 10 high-crime neighborhoods. They established new athletic leagues for young people and a youth forum for teens to speak out on community problems

—led to a 29 per cent drop in crime in the targeted neighborhoods and a citywide reduction in violent crime.


Best Practice….The idea that young people can and should work in partnership with adults to improve conditions in their communities has gained currency in the past decade. Young people are being asked to sit on boards, submit ideas and support community efforts through structured (sometimes required) volunteering.


• Low wages paid to social service employees give them little incentive to work with adolescents.

Barrier….


“The Balance”

$

Prevention by Community Awareness

Root Cause

Community Intervention

Early Detection

Root Cause

Judicial Proceedings

Law Enforcement Detection

Root Cause

Incarceration

$$$$$

EarlyLate


…..more time and energy to figure out who they are and why they're there ….figure out what their

strengths are and build upon those

Requires Detection & Addressing Root Cause


How well are we listening?.......

“A lot of it had to do with feeling like nobody else cared about them, or feeling disrespected by everybody else unless they belonged to something bigger than themselves, and the only thing bigger than themselves that they knew about was the gang.”

Detection & Intervention


Three Areas of Detection & Intervention

• At Individual Level

• At Community Level

• At Societal Level


Points of Detection - Individuals

• Hunger & Malnutrition• Growth & Development• School Readiness• Reading Ability• Drop in School

Attendance• Drop in Grades• Changes in Appearance• Aggression or Withdrawal


Community Points of Detection

• Increase in Crime Rates• Presence of Gang Activity

Graffiti & Fights• Group Cultural Dynamics• Unsupervised Children• Health Trends

• Disease• Prenatal Issues


Societal Points of Detection

• Socio-Economic Changes• Immigration• Urbanization• Unemployment• Parent Incarceration• Organized Crime• Sudden Affluence


Individual & Family Intervention

• Educational, Social & Psychological Support (same culture, race helpful)

• Social Work & Life Coaching• Group/Out-of-Home

camps, group homes, alternative schools and shelters

• Health Care


Community Intervention

Public Awareness & Education• Parenting• Social Responsibility• Specific Issues


Society Level Intervention

• Long-term Focus & Flexible Laws• Available & Flexible Funding

Prepared by Kaye Kendrick Enterprises, LLC…only a little different for children!

Early Warning Signs of Conflict or War• Sudden demographic changes and displacement• Rising unemployment rates• Economic shocks or financial crisis• Destruction or desecration of religious sites• Discrimination or legislation favoring on group over

another• Government “clamp-downs”• Destabilizing referenda or elections• A rise in “societal” intolerance and prejudice• An increase in numbers of demonstrations or rallies• Foreign intervention


The Florida Challenge

Communities

Child Welfare Systems

Health Care

Systems

Law Enforcement

Systems

Education Systems


• Tracking Outcome & Early Warning Indicators At Societal Level

• Helping Communities Develop Their Own Indicators and Use Proven Strategy to Address Unique Needs in Their Community

Voices For Florida - Help Foster Seamlessness and

Early Warning Systems for Children

Documents

Framework to evaluate5 13a-12