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In this issue of the JDAI Communication Pipeline you will find:
If you would like to include information in future editions of the The JDAI Communication Pipeline, please send an email to jdai@state.ma.us.
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Hello JDAI Massachusetts –
Almost overnight many of us experienced our normal way of doing business, both personally and professionally, grinding to a halt, or shifting dramatically to rightfully accommodate stopping the spread of COVID-19, our minds forced to consider what is necessary, essential and non-negotiable. It is particularly interesting to reflect on the impact of these changes within the proceedings of juvenile justice, while pondering the question of what is necessary.
For several years youth justice reform advocates have been asking the questions, “What if detention wasn’t an option?” and “What would it take to get to zero?” (Zero meaning zero youth held in pre-trial detention). These read like theoretical questions, too unwieldy to put into practice. However, these are practical questions, the implementation within the collective control of a willful community. Today, with our current way of business in flux and rapidly adapting, it is a convenient time to get creative and ponder what if detention wasn’t an option, and could we get to zero?
In Washington State, King County’s Zero Youth Detention Strategy is a collaboration of thought leaders envisioning a zero detention reality within their community. The county’s zero detention strategy is framed through a public health lens, expressly trauma informed by the strategies and actions crafted to respond to the impact of trauma, and additionally anchored by restorative justice principles. Leaders of the Zero Detention vision state the need for community based diversion options, and strong partnerships in order to achieve success. Learn more thorough a short four-minute video.
King County’s Zero Detention Road Map lays out five goals (the link will bring you to the full road map complete with objectives and activities for each area). The five goals are: Leading with racial equity – like Massachusetts, Washington’s decrease in detention population has led to more disproportionality in admissions – the decrease not experienced equally for youth of color; Prevention by targeting and supporting upstream systems; Diversion at every decision point, guided by individual needs; Supporting youth and families to reduce the reoccurrence of legal system involvement; and Alignment across every agency.
Even with the push toward zero detention, King County recently built a multi-million dollar Children and Family Justice Center, which includes a detention facility. This has called into question both how committed stakeholders are toward zero detention, and the feasibility in moving a community toward a reality where detention is not an option. There are several articles you can reference which speak to this contention.
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What if detention wasn’t an option in Massachusetts, or your county? Has this time sparked any creative thinking in how we can do things differently? What has changed that should be sustained in the future? Is getting to zero a possibility – what would that take?
Give us a sense of what you think! Click here to share.
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We failed to include this grant recipient in our last announcement. Our apologies!
Youth Advocacy Foundation
The YAF project will implement the Identity Project Curriculum at the Northeast Regional Youth Services Center in Middleton, Massachusetts. There will be a focus on ensuring youth's voice is heard throughout the juvenile justice system, guaranteeing youth are able to exercise self-determination within the juvenile justice system, and allowing juvenile justice stakeholders to see youth as contributors. The project places a particular focus on positive youth development with a goal of reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system.
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JDAI Massachusetts seeks to ensure that the Right Youth, is in the Right Place, for the Right Reasons.
For more information about JDAI please visit our website at www.mass.gov/jdai
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