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Despite our best
efforts and
billions of
taxpayer dollars
invested over
the years, far
too many youth
in America move
through our
nation's
juvenile justice
system only to
be involved
again in crime,
drug and gang
related
activities, and
never reach
their full
potential. As
Congress looks
to reauthorize
the Juvenile
Justice and
Delinquency
Prevention Act
(JJDPA), reforms
are needed that
focus on
breaking the
cycle to prevent
at-risk kids
from ever
getting involved
in criminal
activity, and
keep them
engaged in
school, in
meaningful after
school programs,
and involved in
the community.
According to the
U.S. Office of
Juvenile Justice
and Delinquency
Prevention,
police annually
arrest
approximately
2.2 million
juveniles; 1.7
million cases
are referred to
juvenile courts;
an estimated
400,000 young
people cycle
through juvenile
detention
centers; and
about 100,000
youth are
detained in
juvenile jails,
prisons, boot
camps, and other
residential
facilities each
night. The Annie
E. Casey
Foundation
reports the cost
of detaining a
young person can
be up to $65,000
per youth, per
year.
We must work
together to
protect the
safety and
future of our
children,
families, and
communities by
updating our
country's
juvenile justice
system and
providing
effective
supports and
alternatives to
at-risk youth.
Not only will
such change
bring families
and communities
closer together,
but it will make
our streets
safer and
ultimately save
counties and
states millions
in
detainment-related
costs.
We
must work
together to
protect the
safety and
future of our
children,
families, and
communities by
updating our
country's
juvenile justice
system and
providing
effective
supports and
alternatives to
at-risk youth.
As Congress
considers
updating JJDPA,
we will explore
ways to protect
our children
from the dangers
of adult jails;
improve the
safety for youth
in custody; and
perhaps, most
importantly, we
focus on how to
prevent youth
from getting
involved in the
juvenile justice
system all
together.
Studies
consistently
show that the
most effective
way to reduce
crime in the
long-term is to
invest in
prevention-based
strategies that
reach at-risk
youth before
they ever become
involved in
criminal
activity. For
these reasons, I
remain committed
to working with
my colleagues in
Congress on
evidence-based
policies to
prevent juvenile
crime and
violence by
providing
at-risk youth
with access to
safe
alternatives.
At a recent
Youth Violence
Prevention
Roundtable I
held in my home
state of
Delaware, I
learned from
teachers, law
enforcement,
juvenile justice
officials,
community
leaders, and
academic leaders
about what
measures work to
keep kids safe
in our
community, both
inside and
outside the
classroom. These
leaders agreed
that early
childhood
programs,
mentoring
programs,
afterschool
activities, and
community and
family
involvement are
integral in
helping prevent
youth violence
from taking
place and
helping at-risk
youth succeed.
In Congress, we
must target
investment in
programs that
reach youth
before they
participate in
criminal and
violent
activities. To
this end, I have
joined with my
colleague Rep.
Bobby Scott
(D-VA) to
introduce the
Youth Prison
Reduction
through
Opportunity
Mentoring,
Intervention,
Support, and
Education,
or Youth
PROMISE Act.
If enacted, the
Youth PROMISE
Act would
provide for
evidence-based
and promising
practices
related to
juvenile
delinquency and
criminal street
gang activity
prevention and
intervention.
Specifically,
this legislation
aims to provide
communities with
the much-needed
resources and
support needed
to break the
cycle of
violence,
specifically
gang-related
youth violence,
and to provide
at-risk youth
access to a safe
and
educationally
enriched
environment.
Evidence has
shown that the
majority of
juvenile
delinquent acts
committed occur
between the time
when the school
day ends and
parents return
home from work.
During this
unsupervised
time, youth
become
increasingly
involved in
crime-, drug-
and gang-related
activities. Once
kids start down
the path of gang
participation,
many will end up
behind bars and
continuing the
cycle of
violence.
Once kids start
down the path of
gang
participation,
many will end up
behind bars and
continuing the
cycle of
violence. Now,
more than ever,
we must break
this cycle
before it starts
by focusing on
prevention.
Now, more than
ever, we must
break this cycle
before it starts
by focusing on
prevention. The
Youth PROMISE
Act supports
these efforts by
engaging youth
in positive
educational and
enrichment
activities,
including
afterschool
programs,
sports, and
volunteering so
they can be
successful in
the classroom
and beyond.
Additionally,
parent and
community
involvement is
critical in
creating a
safety net for
youth. Under the
Youth PROMISE
Act,
communities
facing the
greatest youth
gang and crime
challenges would
establish a
Promise
Coordinating
Council (PCC).
Each PCC would
consist of law
enforcement,
court services,
school, social
service, health
and mental
health, and
community-based
representatives
who would
collaborate to
develop a
comprehensive
plan for
implementing
evidence-based
strategies
targeted at
youth at-risk or
currently
involved in
gangs or other
delinquent
activities aimed
at redirecting
them towards
productive
alternatives.
By supporting
evidence-based
prevention and
intervention
strategies,
including those
which foster
educational
success and
community
involvement, we
can work
together to keep
youth from
falling victim
to crime and
violence. Our
nation's youth
can no longer
wait, and I am
hopeful Congress
will consider
these important
measures aimed
at improving our
country's
juvenile justice
system this
year.
--###--
Mike Castle
represents the
State of
Delaware in the
U.S. House of
Representatives.
He is the
Ranking Member
of the
Subcommittee on
Early Childhood,
Elementary and
Secondary
Education. He
also serves as a
member of The
Ripon Society’s
Honorary
Congressional
Advisory Board.
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