CTJJA Reports on Juvenile Justice

The purpose of the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance is to promote a safe, effective, and equitable continuum of care for children and adolescents in, or at risk of involvement in, the juvenile justice system.

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Connecticut:
1) Close to Home

2) Troubled Kids, Troubled Courts

Systems Reform:
3) Justice Cut Short

4) Small is Beautiful: The Missouri Division of Youth Services

Race:
5) Race as a Factor in Juvenile Arrests

Disabilities:
6) Addressing the Needs of Youth with Disabilities

Gender:
7)Justice by Gender

8)Improving Conditions for Girls in the Justice System

Contact Alliance Coordinator: Amy Blankson

Phone: 203-579-2727, x.307
Email: [email protected]
2470 Fairfield Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06605

Reports on Juvenile Justice

1) “Close to Home: A Report on Behavioral Health Services for Children in Connecticut’s Juvenile Justice System” by the Connecticut Center for Effective Practices--For a copy, click here -- or call Robert Walsh, 860.679.1536

Summary — (released Feb.12th) Many of the children in the Connecticut juvenile justice system suffer psychiatric or addictive disorders. A report released Tuesday shows that there are interventions that can address these problems much more effectively than is presently being done, according to Janet Williams, M.D., Director of the Connecticut Center for Effective Practice (CCEP), of the Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut.

The report, Close to Home: A Report on Behavioral Health Services for Children in Connecticut's Juvenile Justice System, presents findings on: (1) the needs of children entering or at risk of entering Connecticut's juvenile justice system; (2) the resources currently available; and (3) the latest national findings on interventions that have been successful and cost effective. Commissioned by the Tow Foundation, with additional support from Connecticut Health Foundation and the Children s Fund of Connecticut, the report is the first of its kind in the state, defining the link between unmet behavioral health needs of children and families and involvement in the juvenile justice system. Beyond detailing the current situation, Close to Home presents an array of recommendations and outlines several evidence-based behavioral health interventions.
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2) “Troubled Kids, Troubled Courts: A Call to New England’s Juvenile Court Judges and State Policymakers” by the New England Juvenile Defender Center-- For a copy, click here.

Summary – (released Feb. 18th) Today the NEJDC released Troubled Kids, Troubled Courts to the public. The report focuses on state levels of support for juvenile court judges: the central players of the juvenile justice system. The report exams five areas affecting juvenile court judges and offers recommendations on reform including on how judicial appointments are made; judges' caseload size; training and education of judges; judicial retention policies; and judges' lack of familiarity with the facilities to which they commit youth and the communities in which youth live.

The report is most critical of states' financial and general support of the juvenile justice systems and for restricting juvenile court judges' ability to participate in advocacy for systemic reform. However, the report also urges juvenile court judges to take steps to increase their understanding of and involvement in the facilities to which they commit youths.
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3) “Justice Cut Short: An Assessment of Access to Counsel and Quality of Representation in Delinquency Proceedings in Ohio” Click here for the report.

Summary - (released March 13, 2003) This study—the sixth in a series of juvenile defense state assessments by the American Bar Association Juvenile Justice Center—states that the Ohio juvenile justice system suffers from a lack of resources and other systemic barriers. The study also points out that African-American youth appear to be among those who are pushed into the system in largely disproportionate numbers.

To obtain the Virginia, Louisiana, Georgia, Texas or Kentucky reports, visit the ABA Juvenile Justice Center site.
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4) Small is Beautiful: The Missouri Division of Youth Services Click here for the report.

Summary - Since closing its large juvenile training schools 20 years ago, Missouri has become a model for the nation in juvenile corrections.
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5) “Race as a Factor in Juvenile Arrests” Click here for the report.

Summary - (released April 2003) This report analyzes statistics from the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System for evidence of racial bias in police arrests of juveniles for violent crimes. Although previous research has explored the degree to which race impacts the juvenile justice system, the results have been mixed. Some studies have found evidence of racial bias, while others have found that race is not a significant factor. This Bulletin focuses on a somewhat neglected area of research, i.e., the role that race plays in police decision-making. It compares arrest probabilities of white and nonwhite juveniles for violent crimes and finds no direct evidence that an offender's race affects police decisions to take juveniles into custody in such incidents.
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6) “Addressing the Needs of Youth with Disabilities in the Juvenile Justice System: The Current Status of Evidence-Based Research” Click here for the report.

Summary - (released May 2003) This report summarizes and assesses the state of knowledge about children and youth with disabilities who are at risk of delinquency and involvement in, or who have already entered, the juvenile justice system. By highlighting what is known about addressing delinquency and the diverse needs of this population, it aims to inform policy discussions among policymakers, practitioners, and researchers.
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7) “Justice by Gender: The Lack of Appropriate Prevention,Diversion and Treatment Alternatives for Girls in the Justice System” Click here for the report.

Summary - Based on recent research on girls and delinquency it is apparent that the typical girl in the delinquency system, and the root causes of her delinquent behavior, often differ greatly from that of her male counterpart. This study explores those differences and offers practical recommendations.
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8) “Improving Conditions for Girls in the Justice System: The Female Detention Project” Click here for the report.

Summary - The Female Detention Project sought to create a profile of the typical girl in detention. Our goal in doing so was to draw attention to the common needs of girls, to identify gaps in services - both past and present - available to this population, and to identify strategies to compel the system to improve the quality of services offered to girls in Philadelphia's Juvenile Justice System.
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