Creating Policies
Juvenile offender policy initiatives were created by state legislation in response to a specific event, such as a crisis that captured public attention; partnerships; or to meet a community need using creative approaches.
This report reviews the challenges associated with the juvenile justice system, presents the barriers to court-involved youth becoming economically self-sufficient and discusses the elements of promising programs and policies for this population. The document identifies promising examples using the framework of the Promising and Effective Practices Network (PEPNet) of the National Youth Employment Coalition.
Some youth involved in the juvenile justice system are status offenders while others have committed more serious crimes. Increasingly, however, the juvenile justice system has moved from rehabilitation toward a more punitive approach, impacting all youth in the system. Programs serving court-involved youth should be comprehensive; focus on a youth’s strengths, long-term employment and career development; and view youth as resources that are supported by the community.