NCJ Number
213868
Date Published
2006
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This report discusses the fiscal structure of local and State juvenile justice systems and describes five State programs to reduce the State incarceration of youth in favor of treating delinquent youth in local communities.
Abstract
The five programs examined are Pennsylvania’s Act 148, California’s Realignment program, Wisconsin’s Youth Aids, RECLAIM Ohio, and Redeploy Illinois. In jurisdictions across the country, it is often more fiscally prudent for local courts to sentence youth to State secure confinement than it is to treat youth close to home. While it costs the State more to secure youth in confinement, counties are spared the expense of treating youth close to home. The poor outcomes for youth who are confined to juvenile detention facilities are described, which include increased rates of juvenile and adult criminality and intermittent employment. Researchers are pointing out that youth who spend time in State confinement feel ostracized from mainstream society and have trouble transitioning into a crime-free adulthood. Following the discussion of the negative outcomes and fiscal problems associated with State confinement, the report describes five State programs that are shifting the fiscal structuring of their juvenile justice systems. The fiscal restructuring is designed to place an incentive on local communities to treat delinquent youth close to home. Pennsylvania’s Act 148 requires that the State pay 80 percent of the county cost of community-based juvenile justice services while California’s Realignment program requires that counties pay a fee for the use of State juvenile secure facilities. Wisconsin’s Youth Aids program allocates funding for each county based on total county youth populations and the number of juvenile arrests and county secure placements. Ohio’s RECLAIM Ohio program provides counties with fixed financial support for community-based juvenile justice services, with deductions taken for each youth sent to the State for handling. The Redeploy Illinois program provides State funding to counties to deliver services aimed at targeted delinquent populations. Following the implementation of these programs, each State experienced a decline in the number of juveniles committed to secure placements. Footnotes, figures, endnotes