Found 45 matches.
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Sign-on Letter Coalition for Smart Safety
Tags: General System Reform | Risk Assessment and Screening | Advocacy | Legislation
Letter by the Coalition for Smart Safety and allies in strong opposition to the Luke and Alex School Safety Act of 2021 (S.111/H.R. 750) which focuses on measures such as threat mitigation, incident response, SROs, and hardening schools to make schools safe rather than restorative justice and other positive behavior practices.
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Improving Outcomes for Justice-Involved Youth Through Structured Decision-Making and Diversion
Tags: Federal | Virginia | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Deinstitutionalization | General System Reform | Positive Youth Development and Strengths-Based Programming | Risk Assessment and Screening | Restorative Justice | Evidence-Based Practices | Advocacy | Administrative/Regulatory Policies | Reports | Research | Partner Publications | Fact Sheets and Briefs
This issue brief by the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University reviews research on the structured decision-making process and diversion, including the use of risk and needs assessment tools and dispositional matrices. It also has a focus on how these tools can improve the effectiveness of juvenile diversion programming. Moving from research to practice, this brief further highlights some of the recent reform efforts in Fairfax County, Virginia.
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Letter to urge continued funding of federal innocence forensic science programs Nov 9, 2017
Tags: Federal | Crime Data and Statistics | General System Reform | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Risk Assessment and Screening | Evidence-Based Practices | Administrative/Regulatory Policies | Member Publications | Partner Publications
The letter to urge leaders of the Appropriations Committees to continue funding of federal innocence and forensic science programs at the Department of Justice and the National Institute of Standards and Technology at the Department of Commerce in the final FY 2018 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Innocence Project.
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ADDRESSING THE INTERSECTIONS OF JUVENILE JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT AND YOUTH HOMELESSNESS: PRINCIPLES FOR CHANGE
Tags: National | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Detention | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Positive Youth Development and Strengths-Based Programming | Prevention | Risk Assessment and Screening | Evidence-Based Practices | Reports | Research | Partner Publications | Fact Sheets and Briefs
Coalition for Juvenile Justice reports ways to ensure young people do not experience homelessness as a result of involvement with the juvenile justice system, and likewise do not become involved with the justice system because of a lack of housing.
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Charging Youth As Adults Is Ineffective, Bias-Fraught & Harmful
Tags: California | Brain and Adolescent Development | Collateral Consequences | Crime Data and Statistics | Detention | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | General System Reform | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Positive Youth Development and Strengths-Based Programming | Risk Assessment and Screening | Youth in the Adult System | Victims | Evidence-Based Practices | Legislation | Reports | Research
Prop. 57 passed this past November, one section took away from prosecutors the power to cause a young person to be tried as an adult out, and gave the power back to judges. The report includes disproportionality of race and geography in adult sentencing.
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NCCD Now: A Question of Evidence, Pt. 2
Tags: International | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports | Research | Partner Publications
National Council on Crime and Delinquency board chair Chris Baird critiques several risk assessment models in a comprehensive report.
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Reducing Recidivism for Justice-Involved Youth
Tags: Federal | National | Aftercare/Reentry | General System Reform | Risk Assessment and Screening | Correctional Education | Reports | Web-Based Tools
New guides and resources to help justice-involved youth transition back to traditional school settings. Includes a guide written for incarcerated youth; a newly updated transition toolkit and resource guide for practitioners in juvenile justice facilities.
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NJJN - Addressing the Intersection of Gender and Racial Disparities: a Snapshot from the Juvenile Justice Resource Hub
Tags: National | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | Girls | Risk Assessment and Screening | Status Offenses | NJJN Publications
Girls of color suffer the effects of gender and racial bias in the youth justice system. This snapshot from the National Juvenile Justice Network contains recommendations for addressing this.
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Trauma and Resilience: A New Look at Legal Advocacy for Youth in the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems
Tags: National | Crossover and Dual Jurisdiction Youth | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports | Partner Publications
This report from the Juvenile Law Center sets forth key points about using research on trauma in advocacy for system-involved youth.
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NCCD Compares Juvenile Justice Risk Assessment Instruments: A Summary of the OJJDP-Funded Study
Tags: National | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports | Partner Publications
The National Council on Crime and Delinquency provides an assessment and comparison of instruments used for risk assessment of system-involved youth.
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Can Risk Assessment Improve Juvenile Justice Practices?
Tags: National | Risk Assessment and Screening | Research | Partner Publications
The MacArthur Foundation provides steps in identifying risk factors for delinquency. Research shows that past approaches for deterrence have actually increased the likelihood of youths becoming involved in the justice system. By learning to identify certain risk factors, children can avoid the juvenile justice system.
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Prediction and Risk/Needs Assessment
Tags: National | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
This bulletin from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention discusses our ability to predict whether a young adult will commit crimes based on information available from his or her juvenile years and reviews assessment tools used to make these predictions.
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Why Detention is Not Always the Answer: A Closer Look at Youth Lock-Up in Arkansas
Tags: Arkansas | Deinstitutionalization | Risk Assessment and Screening | Member Publications
Reviews the harmful impact of juvenile detention, its use and misuse in Arkansas. Makes recommendations for detention reform.
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A Comparison of Risk Assessment Instruments in Juvenile Justice
Tags: National | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports | Research
This report from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency compares risk assessment instruments used in youth justice.
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Better Solutions for Youth with Mental Health Needs in the Juvenile Justice System
Tags: National | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Evidence-Based Practices | Reports
This paper, from the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice and the MacArthur Foundation's Models for Change Initiative, discusses evidence-based practices for identifying and treating youth with mental health issues before they reach the youth justice system.
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10 Steps for Implementing Mental Health Screening
Tags: National | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
This tool offers 10 essential tips for juvenile facilities or agencies considering implementing mental health screenings.
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Berks County, Pennsylvania Juvenile Detention Risk Assessment
Tags: Pennsylvania | Risk Assessment and Screening | Administrative/Regulatory Policies | Reports | Research
This report assesses the efficacy of a draft Juvenile Detention Risk Assessment Instrument in Berks County, Pennsylvania using data from an 8-month trial period. The report offers data analysis as well as policy recommendations to improve future risk assessment models, advance best practices, and reduce the rate of juveniles in detention.
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Georgia Passes Sweeping Juvenile Justice Reform Bill, H.B. 242
Tags: Georgia | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Detention | General System Reform | Risk Assessment and Screening | Status Offenses | Legislation
Georgia passed a comprehensive reform of the state’s juvenile code, aimed at reducing the number of youth in confinement and ensuring the juvenile justice system is focused on rehabilitation. The 248-page law prohibits detention of youth who commit status offenses, and instead designates them as “children in need of services.” The new code increases use of alternatives to detention for youth who are classified as low-to-medium risk and includes an increased emphasis on risk and behavioral health assessments. Additionally, the code ensures representation for youth at every stage of the legal process. In FY 2014, the law invested five million new dollars ($4 million state/$1 million federal) in community-based programs and in the second year, FY 2015, the law invested $8.85 million ($7.85 million state/$1 million federal) into such services. The changes stemming from the law are expected to save the state $88 billion over five years. H.B. 242/Act No. 127, signed into law May 2, 2013; effective January 1, 2014.
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Doing It Right: Risk Assessment in Juvenile Justice
Tags: Risk Assessment and Screening
Advocates should be aware of how risk assessments can be used most effectively to avoid unnecessary incarceration and improve case planning for youth. Fact sheet based on *Risk Assessment in Juvenile Justice: A Guidebook for Implementation* from Models for Change.
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Executive Summary - Handle with Care: Serving the Mental Health Needs of Young Offenders
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
This resource provides recommendations for providing effective mental health services to youth in the juvenile justice system.
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Defending Childhood: Report of the Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence
Tags: Federal | Brain and Adolescent Development | General System Reform | Girls | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | LGBTQ Youth | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Prevention | Risk Assessment and Screening | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Victims | Reports
The U.S. Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence report makes recommendations to prevent children from exposure to crime, abuse, and violence; and assist those who have been. Includes recommendations to improve the juvenile justice system.
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Defending Childhood: [Executive Summary] Report of the Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence
Tags: Federal | Brain and Adolescent Development | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | General System Reform | Girls | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | LGBTQ Youth | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Prevention | Risk Assessment and Screening | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Victims | Reports
This document summarizes key recommendations from the Attorney General to prevent children from exposure to crime, abuse, and violence; and assist those who have been exposed. Includes recommendations to improve the juvenile justice system. [Executive Summary]
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Mental Health Needs and Due Process Rights: Finding the Balance
Tags: Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
This brief focuses on the challenge of providing youth in the juvenile justice system necessary mental health screening and assessment in a way that does not violate their right against self-incrimination.
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Risk Assessment in Juvenile Justice: A Guidebook for Implementation, Gina Vincent, Models for Change
Tags: Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports | Research
This Guide from Models for Change provides a structure for jurisdictions, juvenile probation or centralized statewide agencies to implement risk assessment or to improve their current risk assessment practices.
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Kentucky - Concurrent Resolution to study Juvenile Code, HCR 129
Tags: Kentucky | Brain and Adolescent Development | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | General System Reform | Risk Assessment and Screening | Status Offenses | Legislation
Establish a task force to study the Unified Juvenile Code; establish membership of task force; provide that the task force is to study issues related to status offenders, the use of community resources, alternatives to detention, reinvestment of savings to create community based treatment programs, feasibility of establishing an age of criminal responsibility, issues related to domestic violence and its impact on children exposed to domestic violence, issues related to special needs children, and use of validated risk and needs assessments; require the task force to submit a report to the Legislative Research Commission by November 1, 2012.
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Youth Entering Detention Must Be Screened for Developmental Disabilities, S.B. 6157
Tags: Washington | Risk Assessment and Screening | Legislation
By December 31, 2012, counties in Washington State were required to develop and implement detention intake and risk assessment standards for determining whether youth are developmentally disabled. The requirement aims to help the state meet its goal of keeping youth in the community prior to adjudication whenever possible by accurately assessing their risk and needs, and of providing safe and rehabilitative care for youth in detention. S.B. 6157/Act No. 120, signed into law March 29, 2012; effective June 7, 2012.
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Screening and Assessment in Juvenile Justice Systems: Identifying Mental Health Needs and Risk of Reoffending
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
This brief highlights the benefits of adopting screening and assessment tools for both mental health problems and risk of reoffending among many youth populations.
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Juvenile Detention Risk Assessment, Report to Joint Judiciary Interim Committee, Wyoming Department of Family Services, January 2012
Tags: Wyoming | Detention | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
Wyoming law requires law enforcement to screen youth taken into custody with a uniform juvenile detention risk assessment instrument designed by county sheriffs (H.B. 12, 2010). The Department of Family Services must collect and analyze data on the application of the risk assessment instrument, and report annually to the legislature. A report submitted to the legislature in January 2012 acknowledges that a large portion of such youth do not belong in a secure facility for reasons of public safety or flight risk. The report encourages communities to consider serving such youth through alternatives to detention.
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Knowledge Brief: Does Mental Health Screening Fulfill Its Promise?
Tags: Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
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New York Funds Detention Alternatives and Requires Use of Pre-Trial Risk Assessment Instrument Through SFY 11-12 Budget
Tags: New York | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Fiscal Issues and Funding | Risk Assessment and Screening | Legislation
Through the 2011-12 adopted state budget, New York lawmakers agreed to allow local jurisdictions the option to use state detention funds for detention alternatives, such as community-based supervision and treatment programs. In the past, the state has not reimbursed for such programs, although it reimbursed counties for detention use; now the state will reimburse the community-based supervision programs at a higher rate than for detention. The budget also requires all local jurisdictions to begin using a pre-trial detention risk assessment instrument to make better decisions about whom to detain pre-trial, and to report to the state on who is being detained.
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Missouri Supreme Court Mandates Use of Juvenile Detention Assessment Instrument, Court Operating Rule 28, April 8, 2011
Tags: Missouri | Detention | Risk Assessment and Screening | Court Decisions and Related Documents
The Missouri Supreme Court mandated that as of January 1, 2012, all youth facing detention receive a risk score through Missouri's new juvenile detention assessment instrument in order to determine their pre-adjudication placement. The court states that generally youth should not be held in secure detention unless they present a risk to public safety or may fail to appear in court for their hearings. The instrument is to be used to assist in making a decision as to whether a youth should be placed in a secure detention facility, placed in an alternative to detention, or released. The instrument is a written checklist used to rate each youth for specific detention-related risks and was developed to address the inappropriate detention of youth based on race, gender, or offense. The court's order also directs the state courts administrator to provide training to all circuits on the use of the instrument, and requires circuits using the instrument to keep and report data. Court Operating Rule 28, April 8, 2011.
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Report on the Behavioral Health Program for Youth Committed to Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice
Tags: Illinois | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
In response to a request for technical assistance from the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), the Illinois Models for Change initiative assembled a team of mental health and corrections experts to evaluate the department’s behavioral health policies, practices and programming.
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Wisconsin Improves Data Sharing in Order to Increase Effective Detention Screening, S.B. 375
Tags: Wisconsin | Risk Assessment and Screening | Legislation
A Wisconsin law allows detention intake workers access to prior adjudication histories in order to make more appropriate detention decisions.
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Wyoming Officers to Conduct Risk Assessments of Youth in Detention, H.B. 12
Tags: Wyoming | Detention | Risk Assessment and Screening | Legislation
Wyoming law requires law enforcement to screen youth taken into custody with a uniform juvenile detention risk assessment instrument designed by county sheriffs. The Department of Family Services must collect and analyze data on the application of the risk assessment instrument, and report annually to the legislature. The law additionally requires law enforcement to notify a youth’s parent or guardian as soon as possible—and no later than 24 hours—that the youth has been taken into custody. The law prohibits holding a youth under age 11 in a hardware-secure juvenile detention facility.
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Texas Task Force for Children with Special Needs, 2011-2016 Five-Year Plan
Tags: Texas | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | General System Reform | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
The Texas Legislature created the Interagency Task Force for Children with Special Needs in order to improve the coordination and quality of services for children and youth with special needs. The report includes several objectives related to juvenile justice, including diversion and minimization of youth involvement in the juvenile justice system; improved assessment of youth entering the system; and improved services for youth with special needs, both within the system and upon reentry to their communities.
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Suitability of Assessment Instruments for Delinquent Girls, Susan Brumbaugh, Jennifer L. Hardison Walters, and Laura A. Winterfield, Girls Study Group
Tags: Girls | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
Bulletin examining the extent to which standardized risk and need assessment instruments are valid for girls.
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Rapides Parish, Louisiana Service Referral Matrix, September 23, 2009
Tags: Louisiana | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
In May 2009, Rapides Parish juvenile justice officials, in collaboration with the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative, developed a service referral matrix based on the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) with a goal of reducing disproportionate probation revocations. The matrix outlines all of the options available to address a youth’s needs in various domains, including mental health, family relationships, and peers.
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Texas Creates Task Force for Children with Special Needs in Order to Address Service Delivery in Juvenile Justice System, S.B. 1824
Tags: Texas | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | General System Reform | Risk Assessment and Screening | Legislation
The Texas Legislature created the Interagency Task Force for Children with Special Needs in order to improve the coordination and quality of services for children and youth with special needs. The report includes several objectives related to juvenile justice, including diversion and minimization of youth involvement in the juvenile justice system; improved assessment of youth entering the system; and improved services for youth with special needs, both within the system and upon reentry to their communities.
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RAI 4 Implementation Fact Sheet, First Ten Months, Multnomah County, Oregon
Tags: Oregon | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
New validated detention risk instrument has decreased the detention rate for African American youth in Multnomah County by 15%.
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Connecticut Strengthens Protections for Youth in Families with Service Needs Cases, Connecticut, H.B. 5926/Public Act 08-86
Tags: Connecticut | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Confidentiality | Risk Assessment and Screening | Legislation
Improves the due process rights of children in families with service needs cases and clarifies issues of confidentiality of mental health screenings and assessments.
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Mental Health Needs of Juvenile Offenders
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
This report focuses on how multi-system partnerships can help address the mental health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system.
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Youth with Mental Health Disorders in the Juvenile Justice System: Results from a Multi-State Prevalence Study
Tags: General System Reform | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
An in-depth study from the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, in collaboration with the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators, focusing on the prevalence of mental health disorders. The study draws upon data from over 1,400 youth in 29 different programs and facilities across three states.
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Wyoming Creates Improved Assessment and Services for Youth, Wyoming, S.B. 39
Tags: Wyoming | Risk Assessment and Screening | Legislation
Requires that a pre-dispositional study be completed by a multi-disciplinary team for a youth alleged delinquent. This study must include information about special education needs and appropriate services.
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Idaho Improves Mental Health Assessments, Idaho, S.B. 1165
Tags: Idaho | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Legislation
Allows juvenile court judges to order a mental health assessment of a juvenile at any stage in the juvenile court proceedings.
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Screening and Assessing Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Among Youth in the Juvenile Justice System: A Resource Guide for Practitioners
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
This Resource Guide offers a comprehensive, user-friendly synthesis of current information on instruments that can be used to screen and assess youth for mental health- and substance use- related disorders at various stages of the juvenile justice process.