ARIZONA JUVENILE JUSTICE COMMISSION 2006 Annual Report The Arizona Juvenile Justice Commission, in conjunction with the Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families, works to create conditions in Arizona's communities that promote juvenile justice and the positive development of youth, reduce youth-related problems, advocate for youth involvement in both the planning and implementation of projects, and increase collaboration among sectors in the community to address youth problems. Mission The Arizona Juvenile Justice Commission provides leadership to the state and local communities to develop and maintain a coordinated, best practice approach to juvenile justice prevention, intervention, and public safety. Arizona juvenile Justice commission Cecil B. Patterson, Jr. AJJC CHAIR Derrick Johnson AJJC VICE CHAIR June 2007 Dear Governor Napolitano, Members of the Arizona State Legislature, and Arizonans: On behalf of the Arizona Juvenile Justice Commission, I am pleased to present to you the 2006 Annual Report. During 2006, the Commission continued to emphasize the importance of upholding the core requirements of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act of 2002 and we are pleased to report a finding of full compliance with the requirements of the Act by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. In early 2006, the Commission brought together national experts along with multidisciplinary teams from across the state to help promote greater integration in the provision of service delivery. The Commission also gathered together key juvenile justice and child welfare stakeholders from around the state to participate in an all day strategic planning event. This event provided a forum to increase awareness of the Commission, the JJDP Act, and its mandates, as well as to discuss over-arching issues facing child serving agencies and emerging issues facing state and local communities. The input received during this planning session served as the basis for the Commission’s 2007 Strategic Plan. Throughout 2006, the Commission awarded over $650,000 in Juvenile Accountability Block Grant funds to 13 Arizona communities, including eight counties, three cities, and two tribes. Over $700,000 was awarded from the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention fund to thirteen program renewals. Among major statewide projects funded by the Commission were grants to the Arizona Administrative Office of the Courts to support further enhancements to the Juvenile Online Tracking System – Arizona (JOLTSaz). In addition, funds were provided to the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections to support enhancements in automation of the Department’s Medical and Clinical Services, Education Division, and Inspections and Investigations Division. These enhancements will result in improved programming and services provided to youth. While we celebrate the accomplishments of the past, we recognize there remains much to be done to ensure the health and well-being of youth and families of our State, we look forward the future as we work to help build a truly outstanding juvenile justice system in Arizona. Sincerely, Cecil B. Patterson Jr., Chair Arizona Juvenile Justice Commission body, the Commission has been at the forefront in providing vision and leadership within our Arizona Juvenile Justice Commission Judge Cecil B. Patterson, Jr., Chair Ret. Maricopa County Court of Appeals Derrick Johnson, Vice Chair Phoenix Fire Department (Maricopa County) (Maricopa County) Richard Bass Hospice of the Southwest (Maricopa County) Helen Gandara Zavala Director City of Scottsdale Police Department (Maricopa County) Michael Branham Director, Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (Maricopa County) Arjelia "Argie" Gomez President, PROMESA Inc. (Maricopa County) The Honorable Robert Brutinel Presiding Juvenile Court Judge Yavapai County Courthouse (Yavapai County) Anna Maria Chavez Office of Governor Janet Napolitano (Maricopa County) Paul Cunningham Safe Schools Officer Juvenile Probation (Pima County) Libby Dwyer (Maricopa County) Representative Steve Gallardo Arizona House of Representatives (Maricopa County) Luis Ibarra President, Friendly House (Maricopa County) Sanjay Kumar Youth Member (Maricopa County) Alma Laris Youth Member (Maricopa County) Cynthia Lindstrom Youth Member (Maricopa County) James Molina (Maricopa County) Michael Owelicio Youth Member (Maricopa County) Judge Patricia Orozco Arizona County Court of Appeals (Maricopa County) 3 Vada Jo Phelps Executive Director Cochise Private Industry Council, Inc. (Cochise County) Dennis Pickering BEHCON, Inc. (Maricopa County) Dr. Robert Thomas Chief U.S. Probation Officer, Ret. (Maricopa County) Christopher Tijerina Youth Member (Maricopa County) Margaret Trujillo MgT & Associates, Inc. (Maricopa County) Hon. Garye Vasquez State of Arizona, Court of Appeals, 2nd Division Myrtle Young Director, Juvenile Court Services (Cochise County) 4 Commission Responsibilities The Arizona Juvenile Justice Commission is authorized under Executive Order 97-6 to receive and allocate federal funds under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 2002 (JJDP). In compliance with the JJDP Act, the Commission consists of 24 members appointed by the Governor. The members have training, experience and special knowledge concerning the prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency and the administration of juvenile justice. The Commission includes representation from juvenile justice agencies, public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, locallyelected officials, as well as volunteers and youth. Arizona has also designated the Commission to serve as its Juvenile Accountability Block Grant State Advisory Board (JABG SAB), as required under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 3796ee). The JABG SAG is responsible for establishing a coordinated plan for reducing juvenile crime through accountability-based programs. The Commission’s roles and responsibilities include: • Advocating for full implementation of the JJDP Act and its core protections for the funding of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention programs; the core protections (commonly referred to as the core requirements) are aimed to protect juveniles in the juvenile justice system from inappropriate placements and from the harm—both physical and psychological—that can occur as a result of exposure to adult inmates; • Establishing priorities for the statewide implementation of the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) program; • Establishing a Three-Year Comprehensive plan to reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency; • Addressing the linkage between child maltreatment and juvenile justice; • Obtaining input from juveniles currently under the jurisdiction of the juvenile justice system; • Advising the Governor and the Arizona State Legislature on matters related to the improvement of the juvenile justice system and its services to children, youth and families; and, • Providing leadership to the state and its local communities in developing and maintaining a coordinated, best practice approach to juvenile justice prevention, intervention, and public safety. 5 Authorization for and Duties of the Commission Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 2002 Juvenile Accountability Block Grants Act Arizona Executive Order 97-6 State Advisory Group SAG) State Advisory Board (SAB) Arizona Juvenile Justice Commission Three Year Plan JABG State Plan JJDP Funding Prevention JABG Funding Intervention 6 Accountability Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDP Act) The Four Core Requirements The JJDP Act requires Arizona to demonstrate compliance with the four core protections defined in the JJDP Act in order to receive formula grant funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The Commission maintains a focus on these core protections in both their policy recommendations and funding priorities: Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders (DSO) Juveniles who are charged with or who have committed offenses, which would not be criminal if committed by an adult (i.e.: status offenders) and non-offenders, shall not be placed in secure detention or secure correctional facilities. The following are considered status offenses: truancy, runaway, violations of curfew, underage possession and/or consumption of tobacco products, and underage alcohol offenses. Sight and Sound Separation (Separation) Juveniles alleged to be, or found to be delinquent, as well as status offenders and non-offenders, cannot be detained or confined in any institution in which they have sight or sound contact with adult offenders. Adult Jail and Lock-up Removal (Jail Removal) Juveniles who are accused of delinquent acts may not be held in a secure area of an adult jail or lockup for longer than six hours, and must remain separated by sight and sound from adult offenders. Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) States are required to address juvenile delinquency prevention efforts and system improvement efforts designed to reduce the disproportionate number of minority youth who come in contact with the juvenile justice system. 7 2006 Accomplishments During 2006, Commissioners: • • • • • • Received a finding of full compliance with the mandates of the JJDP Act. Held a strategic planning session to review its 2005-2006 strategic initiatives. Identified strategic initiatives for 2007 and published the Commission's 2007 Strategic Plan. Held two Positive Youth Develop Trainings and a Workshop for Transitioning Youth out of Foster Care. Held a statewide Child Welfare Juvenile Justice Summit. Awarded approximately $1.8 million in funding to state and local agencies. The Commission, with the support and partnership of the Governor's Division for Children: 1. Continued to maintain a finding of compliance with all requirements of the OJJDP Act including areas of Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders (DSO), Jail Removal, Site and Sound protection, and Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC). Our compliance with these mandates allows us to continue to participate and receive delinquency prevention funding. This funding is used to support delinquency prevention and alternatives to detention programs statewide. This would not be achieved without the voluntary participation of juvenile detention centers and adult jail and lock up facilities statewide who comply with the mandates of the JJDP Act and allow the Governor’s Division for Children to monitor their facilities. 2. Gathered together multidisciplinary teams from each Arizona county and a state-level team, totaling nearly 250 attendees, to participate in a learning and planning Summit to help promote greater integration in the provision of services to children and families in their communities. As a result, eight county teams have begun implementation of action plans developed at the Summit and are moving forward with this initiative at a local level. 3. Awarded approximately $700,000 in delinquency prevention funding that resulted in the renewal of 10 Title II programs and three Title V programs. These programs are based on elements of research that show opportunities for reducing risks associated with delinquent behaviors. The Commission, in partnership with the Governor’s Division for Children, continued to fund, monitor and provide technical assistance to existing Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) programs over the course of 2006. 4. Awarded $650,000 in 2006 Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) funds to 13 Arizona communities, including eight counties, three cities, and two tribes. Throughout Arizona, JABG funds support a variety of successful programs, including community service and restitution programming and safe schools programs, as well as technology enhancements to facilitate more effective and efficient information sharing among juvenile justice stakeholders. 8 2006 Accomplishments Cont’d 5. Awarded $121,500 in JABG state retained funds to the Arizona Supreme Court (AOC) to support the development of the next generation of the Juvenile Online Tracking System or JOLTSaz. JOLTSaz will provide an enhanced automation infrastructure to the Juvenile Courts for 14 of the 15 Arizona counties and will provide the basis for more extensive use of JOLTS for decision making at both the policy level and the direct service level. 6. Awarded $155,250 in JABG state retained funds to the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC) to support enhancements to the Department’s YouthBase database system to include automation for the Department’s Medical and Clinical Services, Education Division, and Inspections and Investigations Division. Improvements to programming and services provided to youth in the Department’s care include a focus on gender-specific programming, sex offender treatment, and the development of a behavior management system. 7. Sponsored and participated in two Positive Youth Development trainings and a Workshop for Transitioning Youth out of Foster Care. Attendees from a variety of disciplines were presented with the latest research on effective strategies for building resilience and increasing competence in youth. 8. Gathered together key juvenile justice stakeholders from around the state to participate in the Commission’s annual strategic planning and stakeholders retreat. Participants from around the state came together to discuss emerging issues facing state and local communities and the over arching issues facing child serving agencies. Discussion and planning efforts took place on a variety of topics including the JJDP Act and the four core requirements, system integration and coordination, data collection, disproportionate minority contact, and increased coordination of federal, state and local funding sources. 9. Supported the completion of Arizona’s 2006 Compliance Monitoring report. This report documents and analyzes data in regard to Arizona’s compliance with the four core protections of the JJDP Act. The report was submitted to OJJDP in December 2006. 10. Developed Arizona’s Comprehensive Three Year Plan (2006-2008) and formula grant application to the United States Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The plan addresses a number of issues including the major elements of sound policy that preserve public safety and establish effective juvenile justice and delinquency prevention programs. 11. Developed Arizona’s Juvenile Accountability Block Grant State Plan for administration of JABG funding. This plan identifies the statewide needs of Arizona’s juvenile justice system. Since 1998, the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant program has been instrumental in furthering accountability-based programming and significant improvements in the operation of Arizona’s juvenile justice system. 9 2007 Future Directions The Commission recognizes that a major part of its core business is to award funding and provide ongoing oversight of the juvenile justice grants that are administered through the Governor's Division for Children. An equally important role is to Advise the Governor and the Arizona State Legislature on matters related to the improvement of the juvenile justice system and its services to youth and families. To be effective in this role, the Commission continually engages in a coordinated planning process that impacts local and statewide juvenile justice policy, informs and improves practice, fosters the development of model programs, and defines consistent philosophies for how to address the needs of children both in and out of Arizona’s juvenile justice system. In November 2006, the Commission held a day-long Strategic Planning and Juvenile Justice Stakeholder’s Retreat. During this session, the Commission renewed its commitment to advocate for youth by supporting the four core protections of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act and build upon the accomplishments made during 2006. In addition, the Commission renewed its commitment to support, as funds are available, efforts to improve information sharing across agencies involved in juvenile justice and related areas. Examples of these efforts include additional enhancements to the Administrative Office of the Court’s Juvenile Online Tracking System (JOLTS) which also links to the YouthBase database system managed by the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections. The Arizona Juvenile Justice Commission remains committed to its leadership role, providing tools to the state and local communities for the development and maintenance of a coordinated, best practice approach to decision making in the arena of juvenile justice. The Arizona Juvenile Justice Commission remains an active partner in this effort and is prepared to confront the challenges ahead in order to continually improve the quality of justice for Arizona’s youth. Based on a review of the Commission’s Strategic Initiatives, funding requirements and analysis of current needs, the Commission renewed its commitment to focus on the following topics for 2007: Compliance With the Core Requirements of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. Arizona’s compliance status not only has direct implications for grant eligibility, but also is reflective of the realities of policy and practice in the field with regard to how juveniles are treated within law enforcement facilities and detention centers. 10 2007 Future Directions The Commission is committed to working to identify opportunities for the provision of training and technical assistance to Arizona’s communities, collaborating with communities and supporting effective alternatives to detention, and identifing existing local resources to avoid compliance violations. The following Strategic Objectives will be addressed to meet this goal: • Collect and analyze jurisdiction-specific information on compliance violations • Hold local and regional community stakeholder forums to facilitate a collaborative approach to detention alternatives • Identify strategies that lead to reductions in violations or factors contributing to violations of the core requirements • Conduct trainings for local law enforcement and detention center personnel to provide continual education on compliance mandates and compliance issues • Develop and publish a Field Operation Guide on the JJDP Act Compliance Mandates and other training materials for local law enforcement and detention center personnel • Collaborate with granting body of AJJC to increase coordination among funding sources to fully address gaps such as limited alternatives to detention Disproportionate Minority Contact. As dictated by the core protections of the JJDP Act, the Commission is committed to developing effective strategies and programs to address minority youth who come in contact with the juvenile justice system. Essential to this effort is the establishment of an integrated and comprehensive approach to identifying opportunities for community-level change with respect to policing, developing culturally competent assessments and services, and identifying existing model programs and available resources. The Commission will continue to support statewide efforts currently under way to address the disproportionate minority contact and confinement. The following Strategic Objectives will be addressed to meet this goal: • Collaborate with other entities to establish statewide benchmarks for data collection and analysis such as the Arizona Supreme Court’s Commission on Minorities • Support Arizona’s Building Blocks Initiative and Maricopa and Pima Countys’ DMC-reduction activities • Collaborate with granting body of AJJC to increase coordination among funding sources to fully address gaps • Support, promote and replicate existing model programs that are being used in Arizona and nationally 11 2007 Future Directions Prevention, Early Intervention, and Family Involvement. The Commission recognizes that rehabilitation of children who come in contact with the juvenile justice system is dependent on an approach that emphasizes effective treatment, services and prevention. Earlier identification of youth at risk, implementation of Best Practices that focus on balanced and restorative justice, and promotion of alternative approaches that will make consequences more meaningful to juveniles, are ideas that should be explored and expanded. Moreover, employing a remedial model to deal with children in the juvenile justice system would be more responsive to those children who are also in the child welfare system. The following Strategic Objectives will be addressed to meet this goal: • Establish a planning and funding process that supports a connection among compliance with the four core requirements, juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention, and the programs that are funded with juvenile justice dollars • Develop a coordinated, statewide strategy for distribution of funding to Arizona's primary juvenile justice agencies: AOC and ADJC • Promote alternative approaches that will make consequences more meaningful to juveniles and support accountability-based programming • Ensure that funding decisions are based on coordinated, promising practice strategies by collaborating with the issue specific committees of the AJJC System Integration and Coordination. The Commission is committed to supporting current state and local efforts under way to identify at-risk youth and families in order to provide multiple systems involvement earlier, provide more comprehensive and effective services, and cultivate improved outcomes for children and youth who are at-risk for, or who have experienced maltreatment. The following Strategic Objectives will be addressed to meet this goal: • • • • Provide leadership and support to the County Teams and to the State Team to promote greater integration in the provision of services to children and families in their communities resulting in improved outcomes for youth Active participation with the Interagency Integration and Coordination Executive Team Support the development of a Field Guide for practitioners to assist them in their understanding of protected information, to permit their sharing of permissible information, and to inform them as to how to access particular items of information Provide funding for local collaborative teams around the state to conduct “mini summits” Public Education. The Commission has identified public education as a key component in their strategic plan. The Commission is interested in communicating accurate information about the juvenile justice system to a variety of audiences in Arizona. Other elements of a public education strategy include providing information to communities regarding available resources and tools such as JOLTS, the Arizona Youth Survey, and other data that facilitate the development and improvement of local programs. 12 Recommendations to the Governor and the Arizona State Legislature The Commission has adopted the following recommendations and submits them to the Governor and the Legislature for consideration. The Commission will continue its efforts to: • Advocate for continued adherence with all requirements and mandates of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act throughout Arizona. • Identify and address issues that contribute to Disproportionate Minority Contact in the juvenile justice system. • Develop a public education campaign around issues related to the juvenile justice system. • Coordinate the distribution of JJDP and JABG funding to meet the identified priority areas of need within Arizona. • Develop better coordinated responses to, and improved outcomes for, youth who are dually involved or at risk of dual involvement in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. • Continue to move Arizona from a punitive to a remedial juvenile justice model by developing a prevention, early intervention and accountability-based model that also promotes public safety and optimizes positive outcomes for youth. 13 14 Appendix A. Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Grant 1. 2. 3. Four Core Requirements of the JJDP Act JJDP Fund Description JJDP Priority Areas B. Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) 1. JABG Fund Description 2. JABG Priority Areas 15 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) JJDP Fund Description The Title II Formula Grant supports a wide range of programs for prevention of, or early intervention in, juvenile delinquency. The Title V Incentive Grant focuses exclusively on preventing delinquency of at-risk youth by utilizing the Communities That Care model. This model incorporates a community risk and resource assessment and relies heavily on overall community mobilization to prevent delinquency. JJDP Priority Program Areas • Delinquency Prevention: Programs, research or other initiatives designed to reduce the incidence of delinquent acts and directed to the general youth population thought to be “at risk” of becoming delinquent. • Alternatives to Detention: Services provided to a juvenile offender in the community as an alternative to incarceration. This priority area also will encompass the program area descriptions within: Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders, Disproportionate Minority Contact, Jail Removal, and Juvenile Justice System Improvement. • Native American Programs: Programs to address juvenile justice and delinquency prevention issues for American Indians and Alaska Natives. • Compliance Monitoring: Programs, research, staff support, or other activities designed primarily to enhance or maintain a state’s ability to adequately monitor jails, detention facilities, and other facilities to assure compliance with the JJDP Act of 2002. 16 Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) JABG Fund Description JABG is an entitlement grant and allocations are available to eligible units of government. JABG provides states and local units of government with funds to encourage the development of juvenile justice policies, procedures, and programs that promote juvenile accountability. The stated goals of the program include: • • • Reduction of juvenile delinquency Improvement of the juvenile justice system Increased accountability for juvenile offenders JABG Priority Program Areas • Quality in Confinement and Training Building, expanding, renovating or operating temporary or permanent juvenile correction or detention facilities; Establishing and maintaining training and programs for such personnel to improve facility practices and programming. • Risk and Needs Assessment Establishing and maintaining programs to conduct risk and needs assessments of juvenile offenders that facilitate the effective early intervention and the provision of comprehensive services, including mental health screening and treatment and substance abuse testing and treatment, to such offenders. • Information Sharing Establishing and maintaining interagency information-sharing programs that enable the juvenile and criminal justice systems, schools, and social services agencies to make more informed decisions regarding the early identification, control, supervision, and treatment of juveniles who repeatedly commit serious delinquent or criminal acts. 17 For additional information about the Arizona Juvenile Justice Commission, please contact the Governor’s Division for Children at (602) 542-3486. Visit the Commission’s website at: www.gocyf.az.gov ______________________________________________________________________________ Report prepared and distributed by: The Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families Division for Children 1700 West Washington, Suite 101 Phoenix, AZ 85007 Telephone: 602-542-3486 Fax: 602-542-4644 http://www.gocyf.az.gov