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African-American Youth in The Juvenile Justice System

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Promot<strong>in</strong>g Alternatives: <strong>The</strong> JDAI<br />

Most activists <strong>in</strong> the Movement To End <strong>Youth</strong> Incarceration believe that the best way<br />

to mitigate the impact of detention and <strong>in</strong>carceration on our youth is to reduce the<br />

number of youth that pass through the system. By provid<strong>in</strong>g credible alternatives to<br />

<strong>in</strong>carceration, this portion of the movement provides opportunities for communities to<br />

treat, rather than punish, young offenders—much the way that the juvenile justice<br />

system was founded to do.<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Juvenile</strong> Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) is a private-public partnership be<strong>in</strong>g<br />

implemented nationwide, with pilot programs <strong>in</strong> California, Oregon, New Mexico and<br />

Ill<strong>in</strong>ois. <strong>The</strong>ir goal is to make sure that locked detention is used only when absolutely<br />

necessary. <strong>The</strong> JDAI has produced some promis<strong>in</strong>g results from their programs.<br />

Detention center populations fell by between 14% and 88% <strong>in</strong> JDAI counties over the<br />

course of 7 years (1996–2003). <strong>The</strong>se same counties saw decl<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> juvenile arrests<br />

(an <strong>in</strong>dicator of overall juvenile crime rates) dur<strong>in</strong>g the same time period rang<strong>in</strong>g from<br />

37–54%.<br />

Alternatives for juvenile detention centers for rehabilitation and reentry processes for<br />

those already <strong>in</strong>carcerated requires the work of counselors who understand the<br />

psychology of these <strong>in</strong>dividuals from law enforcement bodies to develop effective<br />

diversion programs are the best strategy to ensure children and youth to stay away from<br />

detention centers. Diversion programs could <strong>in</strong>clude everyth<strong>in</strong>g from counsel<strong>in</strong>g to peer<br />

mentor<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> order to improve the relationship <strong>in</strong> the community and remove the stigma<br />

of crim<strong>in</strong>al youth. <strong>The</strong>re are solutions proven effective for those communities that<br />

impose them. For example, <strong>in</strong>tervention centers are a progressive solution where<br />

trouble kids get the opportunity to be discipl<strong>in</strong>ed to correct behavior but the process<br />

<strong>in</strong>volves family <strong>in</strong>volvement, community service activities, and one-on-one therapy.<br />

Legislation work such as Colorado's Smart School Discipl<strong>in</strong>e Law work to implement<br />

prevention strategies <strong>in</strong> an early stage start<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> school, revise and provide adequate<br />

tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g to police officers <strong>in</strong> order to f<strong>in</strong>d proper discipl<strong>in</strong>ary practice when deal<strong>in</strong>g with<br />

trouble students. <strong>The</strong> <strong>in</strong>itiative is now part of a bigger network to be implemented<br />

nationwide.<br />

Page 36 of 114

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