Family-Driven Strategies to
Improve Juvenile Justice
Santa Cruz County
2008
JDAI results, including a significant
drop in detention…
Average Daily Population
50
46.7
40
52% decrease
30
22.5
20
10
0
1996
2007
…a significant reduction in DMC…
Latino Representation in Juvenile Hall vs. General
Population
5% gap
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
64%
30% gap
55%
50%
34%
1997
Latinos in Juv. Hall
2007
Latinos in Gen. Pop.
...along with a drop in placements
and institutional commitments …
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Placements
Ranch
Camp
CYA
Juvenile Hall
ADP*
1996
104
35
11
50.67
2007
61
11
1
22.5
1996
2007
…could not be sustained without
home-based and community
solutions supported by family
focused Juvenile Justice Practices.
Premises of Juvenile Justice
Practices that Support Youth and Family
Centered Practice
• The Justice System does not hold the wisdom of youth,
families and communities
• Youth problems do not develop in isolation, therefore
solutions should be context focused not offender focused
and retributive.
• Reliance on authoritarian and confrontational approaches
is unnecessary, unproductive and will produce resistance
and mutual disrespect.
• Partnerships with youth, families and communities
produce better services, outcomes, promote public safety
and are more cost effective.
Why Include Families ?
• Better and more sustainable outcomes are achieved
when youth and families are involved in the planning
• More informed decision making
• Reinforces that caregivers should maintain the lead in
raising their children
• Transparency encourages trust in the JJ system
• Can break destructive intergenerational cycles
• Creates a cooperative partnership rather than an
adversarial relationship
• Meets best practice standards
Go Beyond…
Satisfaction Surveys
Family Engagement Services Create
a Family Friendly Culture
•
•
•
•
•
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•
•
Family Conferencing
Court Video
Wraparound services
Family partners
Cara y Corazon curriculum
Placement Screening Committee
Facilitated crisis intervention
Victim – Offender mediation for
domestic disputes
• Family Resource Center Contracts
• Youth Re-entry Team
• Services to Children of
Incarcerated Parents
Require Contractors to Put Families
and Youth First
• Work with CBO’s who are in the same community as
your clients and share your values
• Provide training for CBO’s on EBP’s, strength based
work, the court system, etc.
• Be clear with CBO’s about expected outcomes.
Examples from a Santa Cruz contract
– “CAA will provide primary attention to youth in secure
custody to expedite safe release to a less restrictive
environment”
– “CAA will provide services in a youth and family centered
manner, in the primary language of the family”
Youth Re-entry Team
• Parents and youth self-refer to services
– Four CBO’s
– Specializing in gang related issues, career
development, family stresses, school barriers, LGBT
struggles, and physical and mental health linkages to
the community
– In conjunction with Children’s Mental Health
Involve all Stakeholders in Critical
Decisions
Placement Screening Committee
• Interdisciplinary team meets 2x’s per week
• Team consists of:
– Children’s Mental Health:
• Detention Mental Health Clinician,
• Supervising MH Clinicians for Wraparound and Family Preservation Programs
– Probation:
• Probation supervisors for residential placement and Wraparound and Family Pres
Programs
• Probation manager
• Presenting Probation Officer
– Community Based Organization – Youth Services
• Parent partner
–
–
–
–
Parent’s or caregivers and possibly other family
Youth
Health Educator
Other support people – ex: Clergy, school personnel, neighbor
What Cases are Screened ?
• Any youth who might be escalated to the
following dispositions in the system:
–
–
–
–
Wraparound or Family Preservation
Residential Placement
Ranch Camp
Intensive Mental Health Caseload and Evening
Treatment Center
SB 163 Wraparound Services
– Target population are deeply entrenched interagency involved
families – high criminality, dual diagnosis, high need
– Key principles:
•
•
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Family voice and choice
Culturally responsive and community based services
Team approach/collaboration
Involves natural supports
Individualized family plans
Outcome based – goals remain at forefront
Strength based and needs driven
Addresses all life domains
Wraparound In Action :
• Staff – Child and Family
Team:
– Child and Family Team
Facilitator – coordinator of
services
– Parent Partner – focus on
parent
– Family Specialist – focus on
youth
– Probation Officer as team
member
– Natural Helpers and family
members
Lessons Learned
• Families know more about themselves than we can ever hope to
• Parents need to be supported so they have sufficient resources to
care for their children
• Don’t ever give up – recovery can be a long, grueling process
• There is not a one-size-fits-all solution – responsivity needs to be
tied to risk/need
• Family centered work is also culturally competent and helps
address DMC
• Collaboration with other family and child serving agencies is key
• It’s not just about family system change
– formal system must undergo self examination
and change