Unit 4 Seminar Cathy Moore HN430 Advocacy for Families and Youth

Announcements Unit 2 Project grades – read comments Use rubrics for future assignments Follow directions Review seminars Four supplemental documents posted in Doc Sharing relevant to Unit 4 discussions/project that you might find useful Please make it a priority to turn in assignments on time Late discussion posts not accepted

Unit 4 Project – Billy Case Study  Advocacy issues = key areas that require intervention to help Billy. General systems or general human services areas. ◦ What is the issue? List at least three issues and explain why they are key issues. ◦ How would you address it? List at least three solutions per issue identified. Support your response with at least two Internet sources.  Roadblocks = specific problems that could stand in the way; think ethical issues, resource unavailability, personal concerns, legal issues, etc. – specific to this case study/situation

Ethical Considerations Must always be considered with every client Could be things like … Confidentiality (especially if other family members or other third parties like courts are involved) Informed consent (making sure the client understands especially when age or language are barriers) Limits of competence (make sure you don’t perform outside of your qualifications) Controlling bias and value judgments Cultural competence and awareness Specific laws and regulations (HIPPA, Duty to Warn, etc.) Unit 2 project (cont.) Check Doc Sharing!

Unit 4 Project – cont. Make sure you use support in your paper – not just listed in a reference page. Show what information you use where via direct reference and/or in-text citations. Use APA format. Lots of resources available through writing center, classroom site, websites. Have an introduction and a conclusion Follow the directions Use the grading rubric as a guide Due by midnight on Tuesday

Unit 4 - Reading  Refer back to Chapter 9, p. 231 about corrections  Read Chapter 12, p only  Documents in Doc Sharing from the National Center for Youth Law 1. Case study illustrating need to Improve Public Defense Systems 2. A snapshot of federal laws establishing rights and opportunities for poor youth involved in the child Welfare and/ or juvenile justice systems 3. Fulfilling the Promise of Systems Integration: Ensuring the Rights of Children and Families 4. Issues Faced by Juveniles Leaving Custody: Breaking Down the Barriers

Understanding Juvenile Delinquency and the Juvenile Justice System

Historical Development of Juvenile Justice From a historical perspective, juvenile delinquency and a separate justice process for juveniles are recent concepts. juvenile delinquency A special category of offense created for youths— that is, in most U.S. jurisdictions, persons between the ages of 7 and 18.

The Development of Institutions for Youth In the beginning of the 19th century, American cities were seeing tremendous growth, particularly because of immigration and, in later years, industrialization.

The Houses of Refuge Houses of refuge were designed to be institutions where children could be reformed and turned into hard-working members of the community. A child could be committed to a house of refuge by law enforcement, by a parent, or on the order of a city alderman.

The Houses of Refuge Children in houses of refuge engaged in a daily regimen of hard work, military drills, and enforced silence, as well as religious and academic training. After “reformation,” boys were frequently indentured to masters on farms or to tradesmen, and girls were placed in domestic service.

The Development of the Juvenile Court By the late 1800s, legal mechanisms for treating children differently and separately from adults were being put in place: The juvenile court. The first juvenile court was established in 1899 in Cook County Illinois

The Legal Context of the Juvenile Court The doctrine of parens patriae served as the foundation for the juvenile court parens patriae The legal philosophy justifying state intervention in the lives of children when their parents are unable or unwilling to protect them.

The Formal Juvenile Justice Process The police represent the primary gatekeepers to the formal juvenile justice process. 85 percent of delinquency cases referred to the juvenile courts come from police agencies. Status offenses are often referred by others. status offenses Acts that are not crimes when committed by adults but are illegal for children (for example, truancy or running away from home).

The Police Response to Juveniles Typical responses that police officers employ in handling juvenile cases are: Warn and release Refer to parents Refer to a diversionary program operated by the police or another community agency Refer to court

Trends in Police Processing of Juveniles In recent years, there has been a trend toward more formal processing of juveniles taken into police custody, particularly: Referring more youths to juvenile court Handling fewer cases within police departments Referring more cases to criminal courts

Diversion The goal of juvenile diversion programs is to respond to youths in ways that avoid formal juvenile justice processing. Diversion programs are based on the understanding that formal responses to youths who violate the law do not always protect the best interests of children or the community.

Detention Sometimes a youth is held in secure detention facility during processing. There are three primary reasons for this practice: 1.To protect the community from the juveniles 2.To ensure that the juvenile appears at a subsequent stage of processing 3.To secure the juvenile’s own safety

Disposition Disposition is the juvenile court equivalent of sentencing in criminal court. Disposition An order of the court specifying what is to be done with a juvenile who has been adjudicated delinquent. A disposition hearing is similar to a sentencing hearing in criminal court.

Disposition Some of the options available are: Probation Placement in a diversion program Restitution Community service Detention Placement in foster care Placement in a long-term or short-term residential treatment program Placement with a relative Placement with the state for commitment to a state facility Or a combination of the above

Disposition Because of recent heightened concerns about violent juvenile offenders, many states have legislatively redefined the juvenile court’s mission by deemphasizing the goal of rehabilitation and stressing the need for public safety, punishment, and accountability.

Disposition The philosophical focus has also changed from offender-based dispositions to offense-based dispositions, including: Blended sentences—both juvenile and adult sanctions Mandatory minimum sentences for specific types of offenders Extension of juvenile court dispositions beyond the offender’s age of majority

Probation Probation is the most frequently used correctional response for youths who are adjudicated delinquent in juvenile courts. A recent trend in juvenile probation is the development of intensive-supervision (probation) programs, which in some jurisdictions involve home confinement.

Probation Probation officers (advocates) usually perform four important roles in the juvenile justice process: Performing the intake screening Conducting presentence investigations Supervising offenders Providing assistance to youths placed on probation

Restitution In practice, there are three types of restitution: Monetary restitution—The youth pays cash to the victim for harm done. Victim-service restitution—The youth provides some service to the victim. Community-service restitution—The youth provides assistance to a community organization.

Day Treatment Programs Day treatment programs provide treatment or services during the day and allow youths to return home at night. It is believed that they are: Cost-effective Effective at protecting the community Can provide a range of services

Institutional programs are the most restrictive placements available to juvenile courts. However, juvenile institutions vary in the extent to which they focus on custody and control. Juvenile Correctional Institutions

Secure facilities:Open facilities: have no perimeter fencing Leave entrances and exits unlocked rely heavily on staff perimeter fencing barbed wire surveillance devices monitoring of residents’ movements restricting residents’ access to the community

Juvenile Correctional Institutions Juvenile correctional institutions vary: Some are public, some are private Many are small—40 residents—some house as many as 800 residents Some are co-ed Detention centers and diagnostic centers are designed for short-term stays Farms, ranches, forestry camps, and trainings schools are for long-term placements Types of programming and quality of care

Substance Abuse: Adolescents Substance use in adolescence is particularly concerning because early age of first use of alcohol and drugs is a risk factor for the development of substance dependence and other psychological disorders later in life. Prevention is critical and efforts may include alcohol and drug education programs, as well as programs designed to increase coping and social resistance skills

The Need for Prevention Programs for Children and Adolescents Approximately 9.1% Age 12 or older in U.S. Dependent on some type of psychoactive substance Increasing varieties of drugs available Increase in prescription drug & inhalant use by adolescents Preventing drug use decreases risk of HIV/AIDS, unplanned pregnancies

Adolescent Drug Abuse Risk Factors Individual Characteristics Mental illness, school failure, antisocial behavior, and criminal activity Attitude Distrust, anger, and deviant behaviors Psychosocial characteristics Low self-esteem, poor social skills Family characteristics Family history of drug use, and family antisocial behavior Environment characteristics Poverty, lack of support services, and violence and criminal behavior

Prevention Program Categories Nine Different Strategies 1. School-based prevention programs (peer pressure resistance training; drug education) 2. In-school drug testing 3. Mass media (scare tactics) 4. Early diagnosis and treatment of emotional problems 5. Harm reduction programs 6. Restrictions of access to drugs 7. Juvenile drug court diversionary programs 8. Risk reduction and protective programs 9. Multimodel programs (a little of everything)

School-Based Prevention Educate young people on the dangers of drug use Encourage healthy alternatives Peer involvement programs Adolescent programs focus on “gateway drugs”: tobacco, alcohol, marijuana. Drug Abuse Awareness and Resistance (DARE) No positive long-term outcome

Substance Abuse Prevention Outcomes Effective programs Social-skills training Parental involvement Peers as educators and mediators Partnerships with community members Ineffective Focusing on single factors Teaching a few specific skills

Five Essential Components of Effective Programs Adequate contact hours – exposure lasting at least three (3) years Involvement of peers Emphasis on refusal, social, and decision-making skills Change in students’ expectations and definitions of “normal behavior” Involvement of parents, peers, and community members

Useful Web Sites Drug Abuse Prevention Programs Drug Prevention Media Campaign SAMHSA Model Programs NIDA for Teens