MacArthur Foundation Juvenile Justice Grantmaking  Background and History  The MacArthur Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice  Models for Change: Systems Reform in Juvenile Justice

MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice Long-Term Goals  To improve decision-making in the juvenile and criminal justice systems with better and more complete knowledge about adolescent development  To improve court and corrections practices affecting youthful offenders  To inform policy debates about the appropriate treatment of juvenile offenders and the future of juvenile justice  To inform the public discussion about juvenile crime

Focal Issues  Adjudicative competence of adolescents in the Juvenile and Criminal Justice systems  Actual and perceived criminal culpability of youth  Risk, amenability, and desistance among serious juvenile offenders

The goal is to create a new wave of juvenile justice reform by producing system-wide change in multiple states that others will learn from and emulate.

National Resource Bank  Center for Children’s Law and Policy  Child Welfare League of America  Coalition for Juvenile Justice  Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators  Justice Policy Institute  Juvenile Law Center  National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice  National Council of La Raza  National Juvenile Defender Center  National Mental Health Association  National Youth Screening Assistance Project

Pennsylvania — 2004  Lead entity – Juvenile Law Center  Targeted areas of improvement (TAI)  Mental health-juvenile justice coordination  Aftercare  Disproportionate minority contact (DMC)  Strengths, assets, and risks

Pennsylvania Pilot Counties and Targeted Areas of Improvement

ILLINOIS — 2005  Lead entity – Loyola University Chicago and coordinating council  Targeted areas of improvement (TAI)  Community-based alternative sanctions and services  Juvenile court jurisdiction  Disproportionate minority contact (DMC)  Strengths, assets, and risks

The Children’s Home Association of Illinois DuPage County Juvenile Justice Council The 2nd Judicial Circuit: Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne, and White counties Youth Outreach Services/Cook County Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative Ogle County Probation Department

LOUISIANA — 2006  Lead entity – Louisiana Board of Regents  Targeted areas of improvement (TAI)  Alternatives to formal processing and secure confinement  Evidence-based practice  Disproportionate minority contact (DMC)  Strengths, assets, and risks

WASHINGTON — 2006  Lead entity — Center for Children and Youth Justice  Possible targeted areas of improvement (TAI)  Mental health  Systems integration  Indigent defense bar  Diversion  Status offenders  Disproportionate minority contact (DMC)  Strengths, assets, and risks

Five Vital Signs 1. Fairness – measured by reduced racial disparities and access to qualified counsel 2. Recognition of Juvenile-Adult Differences – measured by reduced transfer to adult criminal court 3. Successful Engagement – measured by increased participation in education, rehabilitation, and treatment services 4. Community Safety – measured by lower recidivism rates 5. Diversion – measured by reduced reliance on incarceration as well as increased use of community-based alternative sanctions

Advancing the Models  Building an evidence base Select bellwether states Develop and test tools to support reform Document, assess and understand the process of change Create new knowledge  Creating interest and demand Understand how innovation travels through information and technical assistance Establish issue networks on DMC and mental health