Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI)

The W. Haywood Burns Institute proposes to reduce the unnecessary and inappropriate use of secure detention in various sites over a multi-year period. The organization will provide extensive technical assistance on detention reform to the different selected sites. The population to be served is youth who are held in secure detention but who could be safely released to parents or guardians or to community-based programs. The Institute will provide assistance with six sets of activities to accomplish detention reform. First is "site immersion" activities to assist policy makers in learning about detention reform. Second is development of an administrative infrastructure to direct and support the site work. Third is development of a data collection and analysis capacity. Fourth is conducting a system assessment of juvenile detention policies, programs, and practices in the site. Fifth is development of a comprehensive work plan. Sixth is development of an objective risk assessment instrument (RAI). Each set of activities has several performance measures. NCA/NCF

The purpose of this proposal is to continue work to reduce the unnecessary and inappropriate use of secure detention in sites over a multi-year period. The W. Haywood Burns Institute (BI) will continue to provide extensive technical assistance on detention reform to the statewide sites of Kansas, Wyoming, Arizona and New York as well as the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. This proposal is for a third year of federal funding for detention reform. The population to be served is youth who are held in secure detention but who could be safely released to parents or guardians or to community-based programs. NCA/NCF