DMC Action Network 1st Annual Meeting
The DMC Action Network held its first annual meeting in Washington, DC on October 24th and October 25th. The meeting was attended by approximately 75 people including juvenile justice advocates, defense attorneys, judges, prosecutors, community members and others working most closely to address DMC at the local level. Click here for full statement.OPENING SESSION
Overview of the Models for Change Initiative and the DMC Action Network
• Laurie Garduque, Program Director for Research Program on Human and Community Development, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
A Foundation for Networking
• Lisa Garry, DMC Policy Director - Center for Children’s Law and Policy
Models for Change Approach to DMC Reduction
• Mark Soler, Executive Director- Center for Children’s Law and Policy
STRATEGIC INNOVATION WORKSHOPS:
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
This workshop emphasized concrete steps Network sites can take to develop their data capacity (i.e., regular data collection, analysis and strategic use) and build sustainability in data-driven practices.
Defining DMC and the Success Conversation
• Michael Finley, Senior Program Associate, W. Hayward Burns Institute
Pierce County Juvenile Court: Data Collection and Analysis
• The Honorable Frank Cuthbertson, Pierce County Superior Court (WA)
Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities: Data Collection and Analysis
• Lori Brown, DMC Coordinator, Peoria Children’s Home Association (IL)
CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND COMMUNITY RESPONSIVENESS
This workshop outlined strategies for reviewing and modifying system processes through a cultural competence lens, and ensuring that the DMC reduction and other reform strategies are responsive to the unique needs and preferences of communities of color.
Racially and Culturally Responsive Alternatives to Detention: Santa Cruz County
• Dana Shoenberg, Senior Staff Attorney, Center for Children’s Law and Policy
Cultural Competence Continuum
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LJJN: A Cultural Competent Model for Juvenile Justice Reform
• Angela Arboleda, Criminal Justice Policy Director, National Council of La Raza
NCLR Competency Fact Sheet
• Angela Arboleda, Criminal Justice Policy Director, National Council of La Raza
ETHNICITY AND LANGUAGE DATA COLLECTION
This workshop featured speakers who have worked on improving data collection regarding ethnicity and language issues in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. They described national standards as well as the steps needed to arrive at and implement a standardized approach to ethnicity and language data collection.
Ethnicity and Data Language Collection
• Francisco Villarruel, Professor, Michigan State University
Language Access and Ethnic Data Considerations in the Juvenile Justice Context
• Angela Arboleda, Criminal Justice Policy Director, National Council of La Raza
ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS AND DIVERSION SERVICES
This workshop outlined concrete steps taken to develop and expand a continuum of alternative programs to serve low-to-moderate risk youth who would otherwise be detained, innovations in addressing the pipeline betweens school disciplinary methods and the juvenile justice system, and family intervention methods to prevent system entry through the identification and placement of youth and families in community-based resources.
Alternative Programs and Diversion Services: Baltimore City, MD
• Larry Dawson, Family League of Baltimore City, Inc. (MD)
• Maceo Hallmon, Director, East Baltimore Youth & Family Services (MD)
Discipline Interventions: Rapides Parish, LA
• Daphne McGinnis, LaFarge Special Education Center, (LA)
Diversions from the Juvenile Justice System: Union County, NC
• Rebecca Smith, NC Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (Union County, NC)
POST-DISPOSITIONAL DMC ISSUES
This workshop addressed the issue of over-representation beyond secure detention, the use of graduated sanctions to reduce admissions to secure detention for probation violations, explored issues and complications of juvenile re-entry, and began a dialogue about potential best practices in this unexplored area of DMC reduction.
Failure to Adjust” Research on Post-Disposition Commitments in Allegheny County, PA
• Suzanne Pierce, Research Assistant, National Center for Juvenile Justice
Lessons from Missouri and from JDAI
• Gail D. Mumford, Senior Associate, Annie E. Casey Foundation
RISK SCREENING TOOLS
This workshop outlined the steps needed to develop and implement a risk assessment tool, including stakeholder collaboration, design of the instrument, testing and validation.
Detention Risk Screening Tool: Sedgwick County DMC
• Mark Masterson, Department of Corrections (Sedgwick County, KS)
Risk Assessment Instrument Development: Jefferson Parish
• John Ryals, Evaluation/Treatment Supervisor, Jefferson Parrish Department of Juvenile Services (LA)