NCJ Number
181368
Date Published
1998
Length
24 pages
Annotation
The juvenile correctional reforms that Massachusetts initiated in the early 1970's have results in a State juvenile correctional system that is increasingly becoming the standard of care for juvenile offenders and that many other jurisdictions are examining and establishing.
Abstract
Massachusetts removed nearly 1,000 juveniles from State training schools, closed the schools, and placed the youths in a diverse array of community programs. State and Federal agencies had severely castigated the State training schools for abusive and inadequate treatment programs. Legislative hearings revealed major breakdowns in management and operations. The initial response was agency reorganization; Jerome Miller was hired as commissioner to do the job. Four subsequent commissioners of the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services succeeded in consolidating the dramatic Massachusetts reforms. Several important refinements have occurred in the original reforms. However, the vast majority of Massachusetts juvenile justice professionals and children's advocates remain committed to the goals and philosophy set forth by Jerome Miller. The Massachusetts system is no longer an experiment due to its 20 years of successful experience with community-based juvenile corrections. The hallmark of Massachusetts programs is their small size; Massachusetts also uses secure confinement in a unique and cost-effective manner compared to other corrections systems. The success of the Massachusetts experience has influenced juvenile justice reforms in Utah, Missouri, Maryland, and other States. Figures, tables, and reference notes