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Slide 1
Engaging Stakeholders in Status Offense System
Reform
Moderator: Vidhya Ananthakrishnan, Project Director, Status Offense
Reform Center
April 19, 2023
February 24, 2014
Slide 2 • April 19, 2023
The Status Offense Reform Center
• Vera’s Status Offense Reform Center (SORC)
• Funded and supported by the MacArthur Foundation, as part of the Resource Center Partnership
• www.statusoffensereform.org
• Mission
• To help policymakers and practitioners create effective, community-based responses for keeping youth who commit status offenses out of the juvenile justice system and safely in their homes and communities.
• What does SORC provide?
• A range of tools, resources, and information to help guide system transformation
Slide 3 • April 19, 2023
Featured Resource: A Toolkit for Status Offense System Reform
• Step-by-step guide outlining how to undertake a status offense reform effort
• Module 1: Structuring System Change• Module 2: Using Local Information to Guide System
Change• Module 3: Planning and Implementing System Change
(coming soon - March)• Module 4: Monitoring and Sustaining System Change
(coming soon – late Spring)
Slide 4 • April 19, 2023
Featured Resource: A Toolkit for Status Offense System Reform
• Step-by-step guide outlining how to undertake a status offense reform effort
• Module 1: Structuring System Change• Module 2: Using Local Information to Guide System
Change• Module 3: Planning and Implementing System Change
(coming soon – early Spring)• Module 4: Monitoring and Sustaining System Change
(coming soon – late Spring)
Slide 5 • April 19, 2023
Our Presenters
Annie SalsichDirector, Center on Youth Justice,Vera Institute of Justice
Jennie MarshallSystems Manager,Spokane County Juvenile Court,Spokane County, WA
Karen ThomasJudge, Campbell County District Court,Campbell County, KY
Dane BolinDirector, Office of Juvenile Justice Services, Calcasieu Parish, LA
Slide 6
Annie SalsichDirectorCenter on Youth Justice
April 19, 2023
National Context• Why Status Offense Reform
• What System Change Looks Like
• How to Structure Change in Your Community
Slide 7 • April 19, 2023
Why Status Offense Reform
• In 2010, juvenile courts across the country processed 137,000 status offense cases.
• In 36% of these cases, the most serious allegation was truancy – that’s nearly 50,000 kids taken to court for skipping school.
• Despite the noncriminal nature of these behaviors, youth in approximately 10,400 cases spent time in detention.
• In 6,100 cases, the court disposition was a longer-term placement in a residential facility .
Slide 8 • April 19, 2023
What System Change Looks Like
• A new paradigm has been emerging in many jurisdictions:
• Connect struggling families with social services in their communities, instead of turning to courts.
• The MacArthur Foundation supported and encouraged this shift in its Models for Change initiative.
• Vera has provided technical assistance and research support to more than 30 jurisdictions across the country in this area since 2001.
Slide 9 • April 19, 2023
What System Change Looks Like
5 Features of Effective
Community-Based Responses to
Status Offenses
Slide 10 • April 19, 2023
What System Change Looks Like
5 Features of Effective
Community-Based Responses to
Status Offenses
Diversion from court
Slide 11 • April 19, 2023
What System Change Looks Like
5 Features of Effective
Community-Based Responses to
Status Offenses
Diversion from court
An immediate response
Slide 12 • April 19, 2023
What System Change Looks Like
5 Features of Effective
Community-Based Responses to
Status Offenses
Diversion from court
A process to triage
cases
An immediate response
Slide 13 • April 19, 2023
What System Change Looks Like
5 Features of Effective
Community-Based Responses to
Status Offenses
Diversion from court
A process to triage
cases
An immediate response
Accessible and effective
services
Slide 14 • April 19, 2023
What System Change Looks Like
5 Features of Effective
Community-Based Responses to
Status Offenses
Diversion from court
A process to triage
cases
An immediate response
Accessible and effective
services
Internal assessment
Slide 15 • April 19, 2023
Structuring System Change
• Step 1: Identify and Recruit Stakeholders• Recruit a champion• Leverage an existing group• Strive for representative membership• Incorporate youth and family voices
• Step 2: Prepare Stakeholders for System Change Work
• Invite working group members• Define the local system• Identify a facilitator• Craft a meeting agenda
Slide 16 • April 19, 2023
Structuring System Change
• What does a representative working group look like?
Law enforcement Substance use Prosecutor's office
Probation Public defender’s office
Courts
Mental health Schools Faith-based organizations
Social services Budget representatives
Young people
Caregivers & family members
Child & family advocates
Community-based service providers
Slide 17 • April 19, 2023
Structuring System Change
Tips for Assembling a Stakeholder
Working Group:
• Recruit respected leaders• Recruit passionate managers• Recruit a mix of skill-sets• Conduct a stakeholder analysis
Slide 18 • April 19, 2023
Audience Poll
Which stakeholder group have you struggled to successfully engage in reform?
A.Schools
B.Juvenile Court
C. Probation
D.Law Enforcement
E. Family/Youth
F. Advocate
G.Community Service Provider
Slide 19 • April 19, 2023
Innovative Practices in the Juvenile Justice System:
The Campbell County Status Offense Project
Honorable District Judge Karen Thomas
Slide 20 • April 19, 2023
• Little support to families: Families were asked to initiate and engage in services, maintain appointments with multiple agencies, and at times juggle conflicting requirements.
• Diversion attempts often unsuccessful: Status cases were often sent to court for “non compliance” which opened up contempt sanctions and left the Family Court feeling frustrated.
The Impetus for Reform
• Lack of cross agency coordination: The courts, behavioral health, schools, and community agencies were not always communicating with each other which often left families feeling isolated.
Slide 21 • April 19, 2023
• Offer screening and “warm hand-off” referrals for families seeking information regarding beyond control complaints.
• Enhance efforts around case management at the pre-court stage using a multidisciplinary team as a consult.
• Exhaust efforts for intervention prior to formal court involvement.
Goals of the Project
Slide 22 • April 19, 2023
• We started talking!
• State offered guidance on use of reclaiming futures model
• The court offered to coordinate the local effort.
• Our efforts started with no additional funds – just staff time from agencies.
How We Did It
Slide 23 • April 19, 2023
• Family and District Court Judges invited local and state-level stakeholders to the table
• Local data was shared regarding status cases as well as the potential impact on other agencies (i.e. child welfare)
• Reclaiming Futures model was discussed
• Sign-up sheets were circulated and attendees were asked to sign up for one of two teams:
• A site review team would meet bi-monthly and review child specific data.
• A change agent team would meet quarterly, review aggregate data and discuss opportunities for service enhancement.
Initial Meeting
Slide 24 • April 19, 2023
Step One: Provide a screening to youth to direct the family to services before a complaint is filed. (Court Designated Workers (CDWs) currently use the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs – Short Screener)
Summary of Key Steps
Step Two: If complaint is processed a preliminary inquiry takes place with the CDW and the case is presented to a Site Review Team for consultation where treatment is further engaged if necessary.
Step Three: aggregate data, trends, and concerns will be communicated to a Change Agent Team on a quarterly basis for consideration and potential policy changes.
Slide 27 • April 19, 2023
From July 2012 to Dec. 2013, Status offense referrals to Family Court have been reduced by approximately 40%.
Results
Slide 28 • April 19, 2023
• Services are getting initiated more timely.
• Role confusion has been diminished – though we are still learning.
• Resources for parents have been indentified.
• More attention is focused on the needs of families that file beyond control of parent with the benefit of a team approach.
• Five families have been referred to DCBS as the team found a child welfare case was more appropriate.
Highlights!
Slide 29 • April 19, 2023
SPOKANE COUNTY COMMUNITY TRUANCY BOARDS
A Promising Intervention for TruancyJennie Marshall, Spokane County Juvenile Court
Slide 30 • April 19, 2023
Community Truancy Board Process
The WA State BECCA Law (or truancy law) mandates all schools in
Washington State must
file a Truancy Petition
with Juvenile Court
when a child has five
unexcused absences in
a month, or ten in a
school year.
Slide 31 • April 19, 2023
Drop Out Data
Dropouts are more likely to be unemployed, live in poverty, receive public assistance, go to prison, end up on death row, be unhealthy, and get divorced (Bridgeland, 2006).
Dropouts “cost” our nation more than $260 billion dollars in lost wages, lost taxes, and lost productivity over their lifetimes. [i] Bridgeland, John M. et al (2006). Silent Epidemic.
Slide 32 • April 19, 2023
“It is a community priority to address the needs of drop-out, truant, and at-risk
youth”The Spokane Community established our children’s education and graduation from high school as a top priority.
Spokane County Juvenile Court joined in the efforts by partnering with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s WA State Models for Change Initiative, local schools, community service providers, and Washington State University (WSU) to study the award-winning West Valley Community Truancy Board (WVSD CTB) as a promising program for helping Truant students and their families.
Impetus for Systems Improvement
Slide 33 • April 19, 2023
West Valley School District Agreed to have WSU Evaluate their Community Truancy Board
Slide 34 • April 19, 2023
Results of the WSU WVSD CTB Evaluation Concluded
• Students who attended WVSD had a higher rate overall of graduating or obtaining a GED and correspondingly lower dropout and transfer rates than truant students in comparison districts.
• The WVSD CTB is an effective and promising intervention for truancy.
• The WVSD CTB is an attractive program for replication and sustainable because start up and sustainability costs can be kept minimal through re-allocation of existing resources.
Slide 35 • April 19, 2023
Community Truancy Board Goals
• Developing a system for finding solutions to prevent truancy
• Reduce formal court involvement by Truant youth.
• Improving school engagement
• Reducing drop out rates
• Increasing access to outside service providers
• Using an interdisciplinary approach to collaborate and coordinate with local community businesses, non profit groups, schools, and Juvenile court staff
Slide 36 • April 19, 2023
The first step in the petition process is called a “Stay Petition”. A Stay Petition simply informs the Juvenile Court System the school is having attendance issues with a student, but asks the court to allow the school more time to work with the student and family to correct the attendance problem before the court becomes involved.
(CTB interventions happen here)
Spokane County Truancy Process
Slide 37 • April 19, 2023
• Room set up• Process• Student explanation• Creative problem solving• Signed agreement• Follow up• Formal court involvement only if necessary
Community Truancy Board Process
Slide 38 • April 19, 2023
Positive Outcomes
Drop Out Rates are Decreasing
(Community Indicators Initiative of Spokane Website)
Slide 39 • April 19, 2023
Formal Court Involvement by Truant Youth has decreased by nearly 50%
Spokane County Models for Change efforts began during the 2007-2008 school year and ended with the 2011-2012 school year. Truancy Filings for these years were 1,781 and 1,706 respectively.
While the numbers of Truancy Petitions filed remained roughly the same, numbers of Truancy Contempt orders for the same years dropped nearly 50% from 202 Contempt orders in 2007-2008 to 108 Contempt Orders in 2011-2012.
Slide 40 • April 19, 2023
Spokane County Juvenile Court developed a Toolkit for Community Truancy Board Replication and a Video about CTBs
Slide 41 • April 19, 2023
Replication Efforts
Community Truancy Board (CTB) numbers in Spokane County have increased from one in 2008 to nine in 2013.
Jefferson County in WA State also developed two CTBs to support their Truant students.
Slide 42 • April 19, 2023
Truancy and drop out rates are not just Spokane or
Washington State issues.“There is an established link between truancy and later problems, such as increased poverty, job
problems, poorer health and mental health, adult
criminality, and incarceration.”
Slide 43 • April 19, 2023
Nation-Wide Replication Efforts
The CTB Replication Toolkit has also been shared with 18 other states and ongoing CTB replication efforts continue nationwide. Kansas:
“Challenges abound Jennie, but we are determined! … I will be strongly defending the Spokane model August 8th when we go to Topeka (state capitol) to explain exactly why and how we want to proceed with the Spokane model.”
West Virginia:
…“I view your state’s programming to be some of the best researched, and evidence based solutions to this problem which threatens the future of nation. “…
Slide 44 • April 19, 2023
Lessons Learned
• “Start small, be successful, and build from there.”
• “Together we can accomplish so much more than we can alone.”
• Community Truancy Board development can be accomplished through re-allocation of existing resources and requires no additional funding.
Slide 45 • April 19, 2023
Want to learn more???
To obtain a Toolkit for CTB Replication or to Watch our CTB VideoVisit our Website at : http://www.spokanecounty.org/Juvenile
Or contact: Bonnie BushJuvenile Court AdministratorSpokane County Juvenile Court1208 W. Mallon, Spokane, WA 99201(509) [email protected]
Slide 46 • April 19, 2023
Calcasieu Parish Status Offender Reform
Dane BolinDirector, Office of Juvenile Justice Services
Slide 47 • April 19, 2023
Population 2012: 192,702
Median Household Income $45,470
Race and Ethnic Categories (2000) Caucasian: (73.6%) African American: (24.0%)Native American: (0.3%)Asian: (0.6%)Other: (1.5%)
Juvenile Services:serves six municipalities and nine law enforcement agenciesworks under the supervision of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and serves our Juvenile and Family court through a memorandum of understanding.
Demographics/Structure
Slide 48 • April 19, 2023
Annie E. Casey Foundation “Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative”
MacArthur Foundation “Models for Change”
Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) – Pilot Site
The Vera Institute, New York, NY observed and documented how the parish currently responds to status offenders. A paper was published on the four elements of Calcasieu’s system that stood out as consistent with national best practice.
Working with The Equity Project - LGBTQ
Calcasieu Parish Reform
Slide 49 • April 19, 2023
“In Calcasieu Parish, we realized that although we did not have the answers, we knew we had a lot of room for improvement. We
decided to change the way we do business!”
• Number of juveniles referred to court and/or to detention was not decreasing
• Due to the above, we were not providing effective programming for our kids
• Overall we were not being efficient enough to provide quality services
• (It took a family and average of approximately 50 days to receive the services needed)
• We were not always focusing on the “right kids”
• Timing in our parish was “ripe” for change
“The Need for Change”
Slide 50 • April 19, 2023
Multi-Agency Resource Center
The center is a collaborative project of the Calcasieu Parish Children and Youth Planning Board Member agencies.
The mission of the MARC is to provide a single entry point and coordinated approach to juvenile services for the youth and families of Calcasieu Parish.
MARC Video: http://youtu.be/59T1CMiBecQ
Slide 51 • April 19, 2023
MARC Goals MARC Criteria• Provide youth and families with a single access point.
• Provide on-site screening and assessments of youth.
• Reduce Law Enforcement processing times.
• Reduce time between arrest and intake.
• Promote public safety and wellbeing.
• Walk-in cases (Families requesting information or assistance)
• Alleged Status cases
• Alleged Delinquent cases
MARC Goals/Criteria
Slide 52 • April 19, 2023
Law Enforcement:•Eliminate time spent waiting on parents to arrive at the station/location.•Fast Custody Exchange – Goal is 12 minutes or less.•Assistance in dealing with Status Offenders.•Reduce recidivism.• 24 hour “Help Line”
Community:•Faster processing times from arrest to intake.•Non-traditional hours.•Single Entry Point to reduce service duplication.•Pooling of resources to save Taxpayer Dollars.•Evidence Based programming to address needs.•A data driven center that can be modified to address community needs.
The MARC Benefits
Slide 55 • April 19, 2023
“I recall being asked to comment on the issues law enforcement experienced with
juveniles. I distinctly remember explaining that we knew what to do when kids commit a felony. However, the problem was what to do with guardians when they call and
kids won’t clean their rooms, do homework and other non-specific things that were
behavioral and not necessarily criminal”More “Tools in the Toolbox”
The Art of Listening!
Slide 56 • April 19, 2023
“Now that we have the center which is open it has dramatically changed the process for
handling juveniles in our community, as well as provide law enforcement with a
valuable option that enables them to first be able to keep the juvenile safe and at the
same time allow them to return back to their respective duties.”More “Tools in the Toolbox”
Listening to Results
Slide 57 • April 19, 2023
• Continuous, ongoing training through the Academy
• Active involvement on all reform measures
• Reviewing and analyzing the data
• Educating the public on the results
Accepting the “My Child” challenge
• It requires understanding, commitment, and tools.
Systemic Cultural Sustainability
Slide 60 • April 19, 2023
Current Challenges
• Law enforcement officers at times are not fully utilizing the MARC and are relying on old procedures
• Working with law enforcement officials to provide training to officers and educate them on the purpose of the MARC
• Creating a program that does not widen the net
• Building a program not all about US, keeping Multi-Agency concept in mind
• Quality Assurance Process
• Reduction Community Services
• Assisting Jurisdictions in developing a MARC that fits their needs
Slide 62 • April 19, 2023
Lessons Learned from the Field
Engaging Court Officials:
• Understand their roles in the system and identify how they will benefit from reform.
• Look for low-hanging fruit
• Acknowledge barriers up front and propose practical solutions to removing them
Engaging School Officials:
• Face to face contact works better than emails or phone calls.
• Address how this effort aligns with their agency objectives
• Share data related to the CTBs, success stories, challenges, ideas
Slide 63 • April 19, 2023
Lessons Learned from the Field (Cont’d)
Engaging Law Enforcement:
• Engage law enforcement not only from the onset, but at every stage of reform. A strong foundation only increases sustainability.
• Acknowledge that system change is reciprocal with Law Enforcement. This requires a understanding of their operating systems.
• When a true partnership is made with Law Enforcement, they “own” the vision, they invest time, energy, and personal passion that will carry the reform themselves.
Slide 65 • April 19, 2023
Audience Poll
How helpful did you find this webinar?
A.Very Helpful
B.Somewhat Helpful
C. Not Helpful
Slide 66 • April 19, 2023
To access the Toolkit for Status Offense System Change and other resources, visit the Status
Offense Reform Center at:www.statusoffensereform.org
Thank you!
P.S. Save the date for our upcoming webinar on youth and family engagement in status offense system change work:
Monday April 7th, 2-3pm ET
Find us on twitter! @SOreformcenter