Competency Development Advanced

1. Competency Development Advanced Powerpoint presentation of the White Paper Prepared by the National Center for Juvenile Justice for use in Pennsylvania August 2005

2. White Paper Development • JJDPC acknowledged CD as least understood JJS goal • Focus Group of state and local practitioners charged w/ re-examining our assumptions, values & current approaches to delinquency • NCJJ conducted background research and wrote drafts for review/consensus © NCJJ, 2005

3. White Paper • “White Paper” argues a specific position • What does CD mean? • Why is it important? • How is it done? • Defines principles, practices and outcomes for CD that conform to the Juvenile Act’s purpose clause • The “official” position: flag planted © NCJJ, 2005

4. White Paper • Points to next steps needed to translate “position” into action / practice • Acknowledges that it’s not the last word but start of an extended discussion © NCJJ, 2005

5. CD Examined • Perspectives: • Positive Youth Development • Delinquency Prevention • Balanced and Restorative Justice • Research • Most effective ways of reducing recidivism © NCJJ, 2005

6. Positive Youth Development: All kids • Need consistent, age-appropriate services, supports & opportunities they need to become productive adolescents and adults • Acquire broad range of assets © NCJJ, 2005

7. Prevention: At-risk kids • Need clear, positive standards for behavior & opportunities to form prosocial attachments/bonds • Increase Protective Factors © NCJJ, 2005

8. BARJ: Juvenile Offenders • Need experiential, productive activities w/ prosocial adults & peers • Develop living, learning, working skills and reduce recidivism © NCJJ, 2005

9. Research • Most JOs outgrow del behaviors because they: • acquire skills and get a job • develop close, caring personal relationships • establish attachments & ties to prosocial groups and institutions © NCJJ, 2005

10. “Competency” • The capacity to do something well that others value • Competence: “a sufficiency of means for the necessities and conveniences of life” © NCJJ, 2005

11. Competency Development is… • the process by which juvenile offenders acquire the knowledge and skills they need to become community members who are: • productive • connected • law abiding © NCJJ, 2005

12. CD Domains • Pro-Social Skills • Moral Reasoning Skills • Academic Skills • Workforce Development Skills • Independent Living Skills © NCJJ, 2005

13. Domains • Not a complete list • Areas that matter most • Increase resistance to delinquency • For success in school, work, and life • Deficits put offenders at risk for continued JJS involvement © NCJJ, 2005

14. Primary activity used to advance CD is Skill Training • Standard elements • Conducted in counseling, classroom, or role-play settings over several sessions • Developed/adapted for delinq pop • Employ curricula/manual/tool • Delivered with integrity © NCJJ, 2005

15. More to CD than Skill Training • Research is clear: Interventions that don’t help to build • stronger relationships or bonds to pro-social entities • positive roles for offenders in the community are unlikely to have long-term impact. © NCJJ, 2005

16. Skill Training + Connecting Opps. • Opportunities to: • practice / demo new skills in community • engage in experiential & productive activities • establish + relationships w/ law-abiding adults and peers • form ties w/ pro-social community groups and institutions • receive services and supports © NCJJ, 2005

17. Opportunities & Challenges • Kids in placement • Captive audience (control behavior/teach skills) • Work furlough, CS, off-site voc training designed to bridge transition from learning skills to using them in real-life settings • Collaboration among provider, PO, family • Re-thinking community service © NCJJ, 2005

18. Probation has central role • Assess: across all 5 domains to identify targets/strengths • Plan: for addressing CD needs most closely associated w/ offending beh. • Connect / provide opportunities: the “process” • Oversee / monitor • Motivate • Document © NCJJ, 2005

19. Others have responsibility • Prosecuting and defense attorneys • Detention staff • Residential programs • Schools • Businesses, churches, community groups • Parents and guardians © NCJJ, 2005

20. Next Steps • Assessment and Case-planning Protocols • Promising Practices • Case-closing form • Aftercare model • Training and development © NCJJ, 2005

21. What will it take? • Communication • Compliance • Continuing Development • Commitment to CD and measure progress © NCJJ, 2005

22. Competency DevelopmentORTreatment • Competency Development is ……. “The process by which juvenile offenders acquire the knowledge and skills they need to become productive, connected, and law abiding members of their communities.” © NCJJ, 2005

23. Competency DevelopmentIs Not Treatment • Competency Development has to do with acquisition of knowledge and skills • Synonyms - ability, capability, capacity • Treatment has to do with the systematic application of remedies to effect a cure • Synonyms – care, regimen, rehabilitation, therapy © NCJJ, 2005

24. Competency DevelopmentORTreatment Not all Juvenile Court-Involved Youth Are in Need of Treatment But….. Most Could Benefit From Competency Development Activities © NCJJ, 2005

25. Competency DevelopmentORTreatment Treatment May Be A Necessary Prerequisite For Competency Development © NCJJ, 2005

26. Competency DevelopmentORTreatment May Need to Address: Substance abuse Mental illness Sexual aggression Serious cognitive / thinking errors © NCJJ, 2005

27. Competency DevelopmentORTreatment Before We Can Develop: Pro-social Skills Moral Reasoning Skills Workforce Development Skills Independent Living Skills Academic Skills © NCJJ, 2005

28. Who is Responsible for Developing Competencies? • The juvenile justice system has an important, yet limited, place in developing competencies • Limitations Include • Time – juvenile justice system should do what it can in the time available • Legal authority – interventions must be related to offending behavior • Available resources – can only work within the confines of existing resources • Involuntary system - Cannot do it alone © NCJJ, 2005

29. Measuring Competency Development • Expected Outcome Delinquent youth leaving the system more capable of being productive, connected, and law abiding • Performance Measures • Indicators of the degree to which activities have been completed and outcomes achieved © NCJJ, 2005

30. Measuring Competency Development • Composite IO Measure • A summary indicator that a juvenile “leaves the system more competent.” • Determined at the time of case closing • Addresses degree to which juvenile appears to be more: • Productive • Connected • Law Abiding © NCJJ, 2005

31. Measuring Competency Development • Indicators of “Productive” • One or more of the following: • Attending school and passing • Attending GED prep / Alternative educ. • Participating in vocational training • Employed full- or part-time © NCJJ, 2005

32. Measuring Competency Development • Indicators of “Connected” • One or more of the following: • Engaged with a mentor • Engaged with a positive peer group • Engaged in a club, organized school group (team or organization), or community group © NCJJ, 2005

33. Measuring Competency Development • Indicator of “Law Abiding” • No new adjudications / adult convictions or pending court cases three months prior to case closing © NCJJ, 2005

34. Case-closing information can be aggregated to meet mgmt, admin and reporting needs • Quantify degree to which competency development goal has been achieved and use in a “report card” • Provide data regarding quality of existing competency development resources • Help identify needed resources • Facilitate planning, program development, and state reporting © NCJJ, 2005