Decisions ... NCEF's New Juvenile Offenders Program

INTRODUCTION
NCEF’s Juvenile Offenders Program has been designed for individuals who are experiencing behavioral challenges, which have caused legal consequences. Due to these issues, the individuals have been enrolled in this program through various levels of the juvenile justice system.

Approximately 93,000 young people are held in juvenile justice facilities across the United States.  Seventy percent of these youth are held in state-funded, post adjudication, residential facilities, at an average cost of $240.99 per day per youth. As a number of states are currently facing serious budgetary constraints, it is an opportune time for policymakers to reconsider ways to reduce juvenile justice spending in ways that won’t compromise public safety.

States needlessly spend about $5.7 billion dollars every year incarcerating young offenders even though the majority are held for nonviolent offenses and could be managed safely in the community.

This NCEF program can help the commonwealth see a net reduction in costs by moving expenditures away from large, congruent care facilities for youth and investing in community-based alternatives. Such a resource realignment can reap better results for communities, taxpayers, and children.

THE NEED
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has a growing need to reduce the number of juvenile offenders. A large percentage of juvenile offenders, when not properly remediated, become repeat offenders into adulthood. The cost associated with their offensives has affected commerce, property damage, lost wages, and forced tax increases to cover the financial burden that has resulted from the offender’s crimes.

THE SOLUTION
The primary purpose of NCEF’s Juvenile Offenders Program is to assist juvenile offenders in turning their lives around and becoming positive members of society. To accomplish this goal, participants will be provided with training/mentoring to assess their personal situations and to positively manage their lives.  Participants will be taught problem-solving skills and ways how to establish goals to address their personal issues.

PROGRAM GOALS

A. 100% program attendance for all referred registered offenders, excluding legitimate absences
B. Reduce residential /remediation by 25% (saving millions in associated cost)
C. Reduce participants’ school suspensions
D. Reduce participants’ repeat offenses
E. Increase participants’ academic performance