This report, the 11th installment in a series devoted to revolutionizing detention programs and practices in America, explains how sites in Casey's Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) set the stage — and ensured enduring success — in their quest to create a kinder, fairer (and cheaper!) juvenile justice system for today’s youth.
In the early stages of JDAI, the Casey Foundation shared data that showed how one site reduced its use of secure detention and saved millions of dollars along the way — all without experiencing a jump in juvenile crime.
To help ensure reform efforts stick, says experts, sites should formally integrate policies, practices and resources into their new system. Doing so can help safeguard these components from inevitable threats — including sensational media stories, political whims and high staff turnover — that can undermine an initiative’s long-term success.
The chief juvenile court judge is the most important leader to woo when it comes to launching and sustaining detention reform. Watch for staff turnover in this position and work to engage successors from the get-go.
Words matter. Leaders were careful to describe their reform efforts in powerful and positive terms (think: fair, rational, accountable, objective and effective). Many sites also avoided the explosive image of letting offenders walk free by flipping the focus. Their conversations centered on detaining the right kids (not the equally important issue of releasing the right ones).
To boost support for their reform efforts, each JDAI site established a collaborative that included strong leaders representing a diverse mix of organizations and groups.
This report shares important lessons that JDAI sites learned about promoting and sustaining detention reform. Some of their field-tested tips include: 1) involve key stakeholders, but don’t forget about frontline staff and supervisors; 2) know your (many) audiences; and 3) be patient — and vigilant — when rolling out change.
