System Improvement

Video Introduction

Today we continue to realize positive results from our decision in early 2005 to implement a pro-active response to reduce overcrowding in the detention center.  Spokane County Juvenile Court Services began exploring alternatives that would achieve public safety, youth accountability and rehabilitation.

Detention Centers are designed and intended to temporarily house youth who pose a high risk of re-offending before sentencing, or who are deemed likely to not appear for their trial.

The Dangers of Detention

www.justicepolicy.org

The nation’s use of detention is steadily rising and facilities are packed with young people who do not meet those high-risk criteria – about 70% are detained for nonviolent offenses.  A recent literature review of youth corrections shows that detention has a profoundly negative impact on young people’s mental and physical well-being, their education, and their employment.  Most importantly, for a variety of reasons to be explored, there is credible and significant research that suggests that the experience of detention may make it more likely that youth will continue to engage in delinquent behavior, and that the detention experience may increase the odds that youth will recidivate, further compromising public safety.

Planning and System Improvement Efforts

Misuse of secure detention and overcrowding produces unsafe, unhealthy conditions for both detainees and staff.  Crowding increases liability risks and the possibility of litigation.  Crowding also puts additional financial pressure on existing facilities (wear and aging of buildings. overtime, emergency needs and unbudgeted costs that result from crowding).  In many jurisdictions, alternatives to detention are underdeveloped, leaving court and probation personnel with only two choices:  release to parents or detention until sentencing. Establishing community alternatives serves several important juvenile justice goals including:

1. Community Collaboration
2. Data Driven Decision Making
3. Use of a validated Risk Assessment Instrument
4. Use of Detention Alternatives to reduction facility overcrowding
5. Reduce Racial Disparities
6. Expedite Case Processing
7. Enhancing public safety- through high levels of supervision for released youth and by
8. Offering Evidence Based Treatment Programs to youth and their families and
9. Maintaining a cost effective system

Which Youth Should Be In The Community?

System improvement is not accomplished by the walking through the numbers but rather by effective management of the numbers.

Risk assessment technology is linked to alternative program development, because the Detention Risk Assessment Instrument (DRAI) can be designed to identify youth at low and modest risk levels than can safely be moved to non-secure, pre-trial alternatives like Electronic Home Monitoring (EM). The review of the detained population revealed a number of youth (Status Offenders and Probation Violators) who qualify for release but need additional structure and supervision; for these youth, Day or Evening reporting centers are viable and cost-effective options to secure detention. The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy and other research institutes have shown that several community based programs have been proven to be effective in the recidivism and crime in cost effective manners. 

Knowing why we value our community support and resources You may appreciate reviewing some of the positive statistics provided below:

Detention Alternative Programs
 

*1,825 Admissions to Secure Detention for Year 2006
2,008 Projected admissions to Detention Alternatives for year 2007

Annual Detention Alternatives Goals

Some additional Spokane County Statistical Highlights of interest.