JDAI Site Updates
Clark County Delivers Impressive Results
Since becoming a JDAI site in 2004, Clark County, Nevada, has steadily reduced its population. The average daily population has declined by more than 33 percent; the average length of stay is down by 14 percent; and the failure-to-appear rates are down 11 percent.
According to technical assistance provider and team leader John Rhoads, "These reductions were primarily due to better training of supervisors, daily monitoring of the population, closing of the oldest and largest detention unit, and a hands-on JDAI coordinator."
The county’s reform-based strategies included an expedited case processing effort by the district attorney’s office that shortened the time it takes to file petitions from eight to three days. In addition, the JDAI site relocated two attorneys to intake and assigned a probation officer to expedite girls in detention. Two new intensive supervision programs – for youth returning to the community from youth camp and for youth on house arrest and electronic monitoring – have also made a difference.
In an ongoing effort to reconcile the disparities facing youth of color, Clark County reduced the number of Hispanics detained on warrants from 47 percent to 33 percent. An internal review by the Clark County racial disparities workgroup found that 47 percent of all bench warrants were being written for Hispanic youth. This was particularly troubling since Hispanic youth accounted for only 29 percent of the county’s student population and only 35 percent of the referrals to juvenile court. An internal review that included meetings with juvenile services staff, discussions with the county interpreter’s office and interviews with youth and their families led the county to conclude that there was significant culturally based fear and distrust of the "system." They also discovered that the tools available to staff to communicate with Spanish-speaking clientele were inadequate.
As a result, the county significantly improved its outgoing Spanish-language communication strategies. Documentation was edited to ensure cultural sensitivity, forms were rewritten in Spanish and a bilingual court information system was implemented. The JDAI site also worked to provide more balanced information on juvenile court by collaborating with school-based community programs and local Hispanic organizations around public education.
For more information contact Clark County JDAI Coordinator Michael Walker at walkermd@co.clark.nv.us.
To read more visit the Clark County page on the JDAI Help Desk.
< JDAI Newsletter