Incarceration, Child Welfare, and Justice Reforms Overview

How many youth are locked up in Detention Centers

16,858

purpose of detention:

hold

What comes after detention?

placement

Stated purpose of placement

rehab and treatment

Targets for Mountain Ridge Academy:

Drug sellers and users

Mountain Ridge Academy's Model of Change:

Change in thinking -> Change in behavior -> Earned release [criminal thinking error theory]

Evidence-based treatment programs:

MST, FFT, MTFC, that are demonstrated through research to be effective across different sites where it is carried out.

Main takeaway from Bernstein's chapter:

Reform from the older more punishment-oriented settings from the past to the more therapeutic settings of today is problematic because many staff members were trained during the punishment-oriented era and have a hard time changing their own behavior to fit the new therapeutic settings.

where are the most well-known therapeutic facilities?

Missouri, which built a 'model' that other jurisdictions have studied but been reluctant to adopt.

Positive Youth Development focuses on....

youths' strengths, rather than deficits.

the role of coercion in treatment:

Treatment is coercive, meaning youth are punished when they don't do treatment in the right way according to staff.

how many states have child abuse and neglect reporting laws?

All 50 states as well as the District of Columbia and all US territories.

what sets the standards for child abuse and neglect laws?

federal law

How many victims of child abuse and neglect did the US have in 2020?

618,000

Long term psychological consequences of abuse and neglect:

Diminished executive functioning, Poor mental health, Attachment problems, Antisocial behavior, PTSD.

Long term behavioral consequences of abuse and neglect

Unhealthy sexual practices, Substance abuse, Perpetration of abuse and neglect, delinquency/adult law-breaking.

Epigenetics

Changes in how an individual's genes are expressed and used, which may be temporary or permanent.

Toxic stress

Strong, frequent, or prolonged activation of a person's stress response.

who has oversight of child welfare in Philadelphia?

Department of human services and family courts.

Ideal foster care placement type:

Kinship care.

Outcomes for youth in foster care:

Lack of strong and supportive relationships, Abuse, neglect, and other adverse childhood experiences, Chronically absent from school, Homelessness.

Results of the foster care crisis

Kids are going missing and sometimes partaking in illicit activities, Overnight stays at DHS, Fewer children are being sent to institutions and are instead being held in juvenile detention centers.

Outcomes of aging out of foster care

54 percent earns a HS diploma, 2 percent earn a bachelors, 84 percent become a parent, 51 percent were unemployed, 30 percent had no health insurance, 25 percent had been homeless.

how does the foster care system impact ones involvement in the juvenile justice system?

Being in the foster care system heightens the odds of you being involved in the juvenile justice system.

how can we improve placement matching?

Make optimal first placements for children.

Gender-specific involvement in the juvenile justice system:

Youth under the age of 15 and females accounted for 3 of every 10 arrests involving youth in 2020.

Gender-specific pathways for girls:

Status offenses, abuse/trauma, substance abuse, mental health problems, problematic relationships.

how does gender bias in juvenile justice impact girls?

Leads girls to be treated differently than boys at every stage.

Girl-specific considerations for the juvenile justice system:

Unique health needs, pregnant and parenting, more likely to be sexually abused by staff, trauma, prior harm, troubled family relationships, unsafe romantic relationships, LGBTQ.

Outcomes of girls being detained:

Exacerbates trauma, languish waiting for placements, girls that have been detained are 5 times as likely to die by age 29 [for Latinas 9x].

Gender-responsive programming components:

Holistic, strength-based, relational, culturally responsive to the needs of youth from different racial/ethnic backgrounds.

Dorothy Roberts' view on foster care:

We could address most dependency/child welfare cases by providing financial support to grandmothers or other family members who take care of children after parents lose custody.

Inquirer article main idea:

The system has largely ignored girls, failing to provide them with needed services.

Impact of ACS shutdown in 2020:

Less ACS involvement arguably kept kids safer, as more caring and effective ways of supporting families arose.

how do risk assessment scores for girls compare to that of boys?

Girls have similar risk assessment scores, despite presenting less risk than boys.

Percentage of arrested girls who are Black or Hispanic:

95 percent.

who is the most powerful actor in the criminal justice system?

Prosecutors.

Functions of prosecutors

Determine if to bring charges and which charges, set bail, determine plea bargains.

Evolution of prosecutors' role

There is little to no accountability; power has grown over the last 40 years; largely responsible for mass incarceration.

Support for prosecution reform

Liberals, libertarians, conservatives.

Frequently cited prosecution reforms

Diversion, ending mass incarceration, increasing transparency, promoting police reform.

Utilitarian functions of punishment

Deterrence, rehabilitation, incapacitation, profit.

Symbolic functions of punishment

Retribution, vengeance, redemption, restoration.

what are some ineffective juvenile justice practices?

Deterrence and incapacitation-based policies and practices, control, exclusion, stigma.

Outcomes of restorative circles:

Brings together victims, survivors, and law breakers; harm is expressed; responsibility is taken; relationship is repaired.

what measure did Larry Krasner's office take [hint: age of those who are prosecuted]

Avoiding the prosecution of anyone under 18 in the adult court system.

Central tenet of restorative justice:

Repairing the relationship between victim & offender

Restorative justice involves...

"doing sorry," or taking actions to repair harm.

Larry Krasner's office impact on mass incarceration:

Larry Krasner's office has reduced mass incarceration by 40,000 years between 2018-2023.

what is the raise the age movement trying to reverse?

get tough era policies.

how many states have raised the minimum age of adult court jurisdiction?

11 states have raised the minimum age of adult court jurisdiction to 18 since 2007.

How many states are using 17 as minimum age?

3 states still use 17 as the minimum age of adult court jurisdiction: GA, TX, WI.

Early adoption states outcomes:

In early adoption states, juvenile crime went down, jurisdictions saved money, juvenile courts were not overloaded, less children were arrested, and funds were redirected to community-based alternatives.

Philadelphia raise the age reforms outcomes:

In Philadelphia, the number of youth charged as adults decreased from 127/year to just 50/year, a reduction of 80 percent.

Massachusetts raise the age reforms outcomes:

Massachusetts raised the age to 19, resulting in decreased arrests, arraignments, and commitments.

what are some successful reform strategies?

addressing mental health, making probation and aftercare approaches more effective, reducing pretrial detention, and focusing resources on community-based approaches.

why do we need emerging adult justice?

Emerging adult justice is needed because development continues until mid 20's and emerging adults are disproportionately involved in the system but are poised to desist from law breaking.

Characteristics of emerging adults

Emerging adults engage in risky behavior, have increased responsibilities and independence, explore and experiment, develop their identity and prosocial attitudes, and learn civic responsibility.

Risks for emerging adults

Emerging adults are 3 times more likely to misuse or depend on substances, and 1 in 10 a year are homeless.

who are more likely to be victims of violence?

Younger men of color are more likely to be victims of violence and subject to hyper-surveillance and incarceration.

how does incarceration effect recidivism rates?

Recidivism rates are higher after being incarcerated.

Outcomes of respect centered interactions:

Outcomes include improved academic performance, more satisfactory teacher-student relationships, promotion of psychological well-being, and reduction of bullying in schools.

Forms of disrespect in juvenile justice:

Typical forms of disrespect include verbal abuse, pat downs, searches, roughing up, long waits, and lack of privacy, property, and bodily autonomy.

what are the two forms of respect?

hierarchical [older generation] and bidirectional. [younger generation]

what are some innovative respect-centered approaches?

credible messengers, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed services, restorative justice, and positive youth justice.

Juvenile justice practitioners should frame respect as...

given, not earned.

while using respect centered practices, you should avoid....

Unintentional signs of disrespect

Best practice language:

Employing language that reflects effective communication standards.

in respect centered interactions one should...

make a conscious use of both spoken language and body language.

Cavanaugh's argument:

One opportunity to improve the juvenile justice system is to include parents in the process.

the current juvenile justice system focuses on....

risk while adolescents are more focused on rewards.

Vermont raised the age of adult court jurisdiction to....

20

Evidence based practices

Programs or practices that use high quality science to evaluate outcomes and must be replicated.

Randomized controlled trials

The gold standard of evidence, an experiment that randomly assigns cases to treatment and control conditions.

Meta analysis

A statistical study of studies where high quality studies are given more weight.

Systematic review

A study of studies using a wider criteria than meta analysis, meant to cover the state of the field.

Principles of evaluation science

Evaluability and implementation assessments.

Communities that care

A model that aims to provide support and encourage positive outcomes through 5 phases.

Harlem children's zone

A program focusing on charter schools to break generational poverty, starting as an effort to prevent truancy.

Trauma informed care

A model that tailors care to clients' trauma, focusing on strengths and avoiding re-traumatization.

Positive youth development

A model that is strength-based, focusing on belonging and skills, prioritizing children over offenders.

what are some internal assets?

Commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies, and positive identity.

what are some external assets?

Support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, and constructive use of time.

Mentoring

A model where children are paired with non-parental adults, showing moderate to positive effects.

More impactful for boys/males

Restorative justice outcomes:

reduces later delinquency and enhances fairness and satisfaction for victims and perpetrators.

Programs including an apology letter are... [hint: effectiveness]

more effective in restorative justice.

Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development requires....

at least one randomized controlled trial (RCT) to show effectiveness.

Participatory justice

A reform movement with an emphasis on direct experience of those most affected by the decision making process, such as formerly incarcerated individuals.

Abolition

A commitment to reduce the footprint and harms of the criminal legal system, characterized by skepticism of reform and a desire for a robust social welfare system.

Manifest functions

Obvious, evident purposes of police, courts, and corrections, such as deterrence and rehabilitation.

Latent functions

Hidden, but real purposes of systems, such as driving racism.

Collective efficacy is...

based on the idea that informal social control is more effective, and less harmful, than formal social control

Communities that Care (CTC)

A prevention model designed to help communities reduce youth problem behaviors such as delinquency, substance abuse, and violence.

Blueprints for Healthy Adolescent Development

A framework that outlines evidence-based practices/models for promoting positive development in adolescents.

Credible Messengers

Individuals who have lived experience related to the challenges that the youth or community they serve are facing, acting as mentors or role models.

Criminal Thinking Errors

Cognitive distortions or flawed thinking patterns that individuals involved in criminal behavior may exhibit.

Detention

The temporary holding of a young person in a secure facility, typically before their court hearings or as part of a sentence.

Emerging Adulthood / Emerging Adult Justice

A developmental stage between adolescence and full adulthood (roughly ages 18-25) that recognizes the unique needs of this age group within the justice system.

Participatory defense

A community-based approach that empowers individuals facing criminal charges to actively participate in their defense.

Violence interrupters

Individuals who intervene in conflicts to prevent violence before it occurs.