Community-Based Alternatives to Youth Incarceration Training and Technical Assistance Program

The National Institute of Criminal Justice Reform has assembled a diverse, experienced, and dedicated team of experts to work with stakeholders in states throughout the country who are interested in closing youth prisons to provide them with training and technical assistance to safely close and repurpose youth facilities; transform shuttered facilities into community assets; develop transition plans for impacted staff; redeploy savings to communities; increase equity; and improve youth outcomes. Expected outcomes will include reduction in youth incarceration, repurposing of closed facilities to community assets, realignment of funds formerly spent on youth incarceration to community services, supports, and opportunities co-designed with community stakeholders, and state stakeholder committees assembled to help ensure reform durability. Engagement of state stakeholders beyond the four OJJDP-selected sites, along with a communications plan, will help foment larger scale reforms and disseminate project outcomes broadly.