Positive Behavior
Intervention Supports
A Case Study on PBIS Use and
Effectiveness at a Juvenile Detention
Center
Presenters
• Hollie Filce
– Assistant Professor at the University of
Southern Mississippi and REACH-MS Project
Director
• Selina Merrell
– REACH-MS State Coordinator
• Brittany Herrington
– REACH-MS Graduate Assistant
PBIS at a Glance
• Identify appropriate expectations and rules
• Develop a system to teach students appropriate
behavior
• Create a predictable discipline referral system so
that students can be provided with consistent
consequences for behavior violations
• Generate a reinforcement system that will increase
the likelihood that students will exhibit the expected
behavior
• Communicate findings to staff, students, and
families
3-Tiered System
www.pbis.org
Review of the Literature
• Majority of published materials advocate for the need
for PBIS in juvenile justice systems and/or suggest
best-practice approaches for it’s implementation
– Characteristics of students in juvenile justice systems
– Full implementation across the facility though it may begin
in one area (i.e. educational unit)
– Utilize PBIS model with existing juvenile justice policies for
safety and security reasons
• Published materials express little to no literature on
the effectiveness of PBIS implementation in the
juvenile justice system
• Decreases in inappropriate behavior and need for
restraints reported
Iowa Juvenile Home/Girls
State Training School
• Non-secure facility practicing PBIS
• 3 focus groups
– 6 administrators
– 9 teachers
– 7 clinical treatment staff
• 9 Themes
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Ecological congruence
Role clarity
Philosophical shift agreement
Cache of pro active preventative strategies
Consistent Practices
Logistics
Data-based decision making
Achievement Outcomes
Houchins, Jolivette, Wessendorf, McGlynn & Nelson, 2005
Louisiana Research Project
• 3 facilities practicing PBIS
• Surveyed all teachers in the 3 facilities for barriers to
PBIS practice and suggestions to alleviate the barriers
• 9 themes
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Personnel concerns
Academics
Student needs
Behavior and discipline
Materials and supplies
Parental involvement
Funding
Communication
Facilities
Houchins, Puckett-Patterson, Crosby, Shippen & Jolivette, 2009
Mississippi Research
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Instrumental Case Study
• 1 Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) in
Mississippi
• At the study’s beginning in March of 2013,
the educational staff had already been
trained in PBIS. Currently, the correctional
officers and court staff are still undergoing
PBIS training.
The JDC Facility
• Considered a long-term facility
• Houses for 20+ counties in Mississippi
– Both males and females
– Ages 10-17
– Over 40 juveniles at one time is a high number
though there are many more beds
• Both those juveniles waiting for a court
hearing and those convicted
– Maximum sentence=90 days
– Some may only stay 1 or 2 days
The JDC’s
Educational Programming
• 2 classrooms
– Typically 1 classroom for boys and 1 for girls
– Designed for a maximum of 20 students each
• 3 teachers and 1 part-time assistant
– 1 male
– 1 special education teacher, 2 general education
teachers
• All major subjects (English, math, science,
social studies) and character education
Participants and Data Collection
• Interviews
– 4 detained adolescents
– 2 teachers (1 special education, 1 general
education)
– 2 youth counselors
– 3 detention center staff
• Observations
– Both during instructional and non-instructional
times
Data Analyses
• Interviews were transcribed.
• Observations were typed = field notes.
• Each transcription and field notes were
coded separately for categories.
• Common themes found across
transcriptions and field notes were
developed from the coded categories.
Discussion Question 1
What types of view do you expect there to
be regarding this use of PBIS at a juvenile
detention center? Do you think the views will
differ among the subgroups of participants?
Explain.
THEMES
Discussion Question 2
Do you agree or disagree with any
of the views found through this particular
study?
Discussion Question 3
Since the inclusion of PBIS practices at juvenile
detention centers is rather new, what are some
ways to present the effectiveness of PBIS
practices in schools to juvenile detention
centers that may provoke these centers to
consider utilizing PBIS practices?
References
Gagnon, J. C. & Barber, B. (2010). Characteristics of and services provided to youth in secure care facilities. Behavioral
Disorders, 36(1), 7-19.
Gagnon, J. C., Rockwell, S. B., & Scott, T. M. (2008). Positive behavior supports in exclusionary schools: a practical
approach based on what we know. Focus on Exceptional Children, 41(1). 1-20.
Houchins, D. E., Jolivette, K., Wessendorf, S., McGlynn, M., & Nelson, C. M. (2005). Stakeholders’ view of
implementing positive behavioral support in a juvenile justice setting. Education and Treatment of Children, 28(4),
380-399.
Houchins, D. E., Puckett-Patterson, D., Crosby, S., Shippen, M. E., & Jolivette, K. (2009). Barriers and facilitators to
providing incarcerated youth with a quality education. Preventing School Failure, 53(3), 159-166.
Jolivette, K. & Nelson, C. M. (2010). Adapting positive behavioral interventions and supports for secure juvenile justice
settings: improving facility-wide behavior. Behavioral Disorders, 36(1), 28-42.
Jolivette, K. & Nelson, C. M. (2013). Positive behavioral interventions and support (PBIS) a multi-tiered framework: An
alternative to traditional school disciplinary practices. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention State
Training and Technical Assistance Center. Retrieved from http://www.juvenilejusticetta.org/sites/default/files/SSD%20Webinar%202-%20Multi-Tiered%20Framework_Nelson-Jolivette%20Handout.pdf
McDermott, J., Scacciaferro, J., Visker, J. D., & Cox, C. (2012). Student’s perceptions of school learning climate in a
rural juvenile detention educational facility. OJJDP Journal of Juvenile Justice, 1(2), 20-33.
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. (2013). OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Effective Schoolwide Interventions.
Retrieved from http://www.pbis.org/
Scott, T. M., Nelson, C. M., Liaupsin, C. J., Jolivette, K., Christle, C. A., & Riney, M. (2002). Addressing the needs of atrisk and adjudicated youth through positive behavior support: effective prevention practices. Education and
Treatment of Children, 25(4), 532-551.
Sidana, A. (2006). PBIS in juvenile justice settings. Washington DC: The National Evaluation and Technical Assistance
Center for the Education of Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk. Retrieved from
http://www.neglecteddelinquent.org/nd/resources/spotlight/spotlight200601b/asp
Texas Juvenile Justice Department. (2012). Effectiveness of positive behavioral interventions and supports: A report to
the Texas. Retrieved from http://www.tjjd.texas.gov/publications/reports/PBISLegislativeReport2012-12.pdf
Thank You for Attending!
This document was produced under U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs Grant No. H323A100001. The views expressed herein do not
necessarily represent the positions or policies of the Department of Education. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product,
commodity, service or enterprise mentioned in this publication is intended or should be inferred. This product is public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in
whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be: Filce, H.G., Merrell, S., & Gautier, P. (Eds.). (2012,
Spring). PBIS: Seeing Excellence Emerge in our Districts and Schools (Volume 2). Hattiesburg, MS: The University of Southern Mississippi, Realizing Excellence for ALL
Children in Mississippi (REACH MS) - Mississippi’s State Personnel Development Grant.