Barriers Promising Approaches to Workforce and Youth Development for Young Offenders

1. Barriers & Promising Approaches to Workforce and Youth Development for Young Offenders Presented by David E. Brown Executive Director National Youth Employment Coalition

2. A 24 Year-Old Nationwide Network of 275 Youth Employment/Development Organizations Information Sharing Youth Policy Development and Advocacy Forum for Networking Professional Development Dissemination of Effective Practice (PEPNet)

3. Youth Employment and Population Youth Unemployment Young Adults Most Adversely Impacted by the Recession(Sum, et al) Summer Employment for Teens Summer Was Bleakest in Since World War II ( Sum, et al) Employment and Labor Force Participation Rates of Less-Educated Young Black Men Declined in the 80s and 90’s, Despite 90’s Economic Boom (Holzer & Offner) Widespread Employment Discrimination of African American Males (Stahl, Holzer, et. al) Demographic Changes Continued Growth in Youth Population Youth Population Increasingly Minority and ESL

4. Connecting Systems Youth Development as a Common Vision A belief system & a set of activities (mentoring, leadership, community service, positive peer engagement, youth voice) Young people are individuals who need opportunities and supports that promote development, not merely “services” Programs should building skills and competencies, not just prevent negative behavior - “problem free is not fully prepared”

5. Workforce Development and Juvenile Justice: Background U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Labor Convene Task Force on Employment and Training for Court- Involved Youth U.S. Department of Labor Launches Youth Offender Demonstration Grants Project Annie E. Casey Foundation Commissions Study, Building on Work of Task Force, focusing on Lessons from Existing Practice & Policy Initiatives US DOL Launches Reintegration of Young Offender Initiative (Reentry Program/Going Home) Growing recognition that juvenile offenders need employment 1994-1995: Home Builders Institute (HBI) convened task force with OJJDP and US DOL Framework: How to bridge systems NYEC’s report continuation of these efforts US DOL launches grants based on findings Annie E. Casey Commissions Study (what presentation is about today) Growing recognition that juvenile offenders need employment 1994-1995: Home Builders Institute (HBI) convened task force with OJJDP and US DOL Framework: How to bridge systems NYEC’s report continuation of these efforts US DOL launches grants based on findings Annie E. Casey Commissions Study (what presentation is about today)

6. Barriers & Promising Approaches for Workforce & Youth Development for Young Offenders

7. Working in the Juvenile Justice System Prioritization Security, Mandates & Overcrowding Stigma Employers & Job Training System Reluctant to consider juvenile offenders Geography Facilities Far from Home/Labor Markets Philosophy Punitive Focus Restricts Developmental Efforts Creativity Committed to Rehabilitation

8. Findings and Implications Temporary employment programs, devoid of other services and opportunities do little to reduce delinquency or prepare for careers Vocational education, career preparation & workplace readiness initiatives must be linked to comprehensive strategies that address needs & build on strengths Barriers and need to be creatively addressed, including funding Focus of rehabilitation must be retained

9. Common Elements of Promising Practices Commitment to Rehabilitation (assets vs deficits) Continuum of Care (institutional care thru aftercare) Integrated Education (vocational, academic, workplace competencies & responsive to different learning styles) Collaboration (employers, workforce agencies, CBOs) Support Structures (staffing, caring adults & mentors) Accountability (high expectations for youth) Outcomes (employment and recidivism)

10. Promising Practices: Examples Texas RIO-Y Pre-Release Work Readiness & Labor Market Information Post- Release Links to Local One-Stop Career Centers Partnerships with WIBs across the Texas Gulf Coast Trades Center – Vocational programs linked to labor market demands Avon Park Academy – Employer Involvement Fresh Start – Entrepreneurship & Incentives

11. Policy Initiatives Funding Ideas System Collaboration Adoption of New and Innovative Approaches

12. Funding The persistence to locate and attain a variety of traditional and non-traditional funding sources Federal Youth Offender Initiatives (Responsible Reintegration of Young Offenders) Charter Schools and Public Education Funds Workforce Investment Act

13. Why WIA Agencies Are Open to Partnering with Juvenile Justice Need to recruitment of eligible out-of-school youth (enroll institutionalized youth upon intake) Need to leverage other resources to address full range of youth needs (i.e. follow-up using probation/aftercare/parole) Important impacts on the community (quality of life) Many examples of success Juvenile justice system needs workforce and youth development expertise and information about labor market demands to guide development of vocational programs

14. Changes in House WIA Bill:HR 1261 Requires that no less than 70% of the formula dollars be spent on youth 16-24 and one or more of the following: School dropouts; Recipients of a secondary school diploma or its equivalent (including recognized alternative standards for individuals with disabilities) who are deficient in basic skills; Court-involved youth in an alternative school; Youth in foster care or who have been in foster care (in or out-of-school). A priority in the provision of services is given to individuals who are school drop-outs.

15. HR 1261 Caps at 30 % the portion of formula funds that can be used to serve in-school youth. Eligible in-school youth must be 16-24 years of age, low-income individuals, and one or more of the following: a) Deficient in literacy skills; b) Homeless, runaway, or foster children; c) Pregnant or parents; d) Offenders; or e) Individuals who require additional assistance to complete an educational program or to secure employment.

16. Senate Bill S.1627 Caps at 60% the portion of formula funds that can be used to serve in-school youth (14-21), who must be one or more of the following: Deficient in basic literacy skills, including limited English proficiency; Homeless, a runaway, eligible for assistance under John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program, or in an out-of-home placement; Pregnant or parenting; An offender (other than those in OSY category); or An individual who requires additional assistance to complete an educational program, or to secure or hold employment.

17. Senate Bill - S. 1627 Requires spending 40% of funds on out-of-school youth (16-21) who are one or more of the following: School dropouts; Recipients of a secondary school diploma or its equivalent, who is basic skills deficient, low-income, and not attending any school; Subject to the juvenile justice system or court-ordered to attend an alternative school.  Low-income and pregnant or parenting; Within the age for compulsory school attendance, but has not attended school for at least 1 school year calendar quarter; A recipient of a secondary school diploma or equivalent who is homeless, a runaway, or in an out-of-home placement. Not attending school, or attending an alternative school, who is homeless, a runaway, or in an out-of-home placement.

18. System Collaboration Partnership Examples JustWork, Nebraska (Juvenile Justice & Vocational Rehabilitation Agreement Between Ohio Juvenile Corrections Agency & Ohio Conservation Corps New York State Agreement with Regional Job Corps Office Texas RIO-Y (Workforce & Youth Corrections) The simple problem of systems not connecting or not understanding each other is major reason for the lack of collaboration between the juvenile justice and workforce development systems. Therefore, an effort was made to locate systems that were successfully pursuing a shared vision, to find out how the systems converged to provide services to court-involved youth and to investigate how well and why the partnership was working. Some common themes can be drawn from the experiences of these initiatives. The three most common reasons for success are deceptively simple. First, the need for funding is always an incentive to work together. An agency that can demonstrate ongoing innovation and react to new public priorities can more readily justify budgetary demands than one that appears resistant to change. Second, and perhaps more important, are common vision and shared language. Unfortunately, systems such as workforce development and juvenile justice often speak past one another, not understanding how the other system works. The partnerships that made time for these discussions and exerted the effort to educate one another were able to form effective working relationships, as well as to maintain efficient joint operations. Finally, the partnerships that avoid or confront "territorialism" among agency partners are able to surpass initial barriers and build healthy collaborations. This is not always easy and requires a significant period of time to overcome. Turnover among personnel is initially high in these situations, but those partnerships that refuse to give up can ultimately form sustainable efforts. Collaboration Among Government Systems JustWork, Nebraska Overview: Many state governments provide a range of resources and services that can be accessed by juvenile offenders if the opportunities are identified and mutually beneficial inter-agency agreements can be hammered out. JustWork is a cooperative agreement between the Nebraska Vocational Rehabilitation Department and Health and Human Services, Office of Juvenile Services. Initiated in 1998, the collaboration serves Omaha area youth, ages 14-19, who are involved in the juvenile justice system through "experiential" employment training. Prior to this initiative, the Vocational Rehabilitation Department had not worked with court-involved youth; their focus had traditionally been on serving adults with disabilities. To promote communication and cooperation, staff of the two agencies were assigned to the same location. This initiative benefits hard-to-serve youth who may otherwise have been passed over for employment due to their disabilities. In the process, they had to learn the terminologies of each other’s system so that each would understand the eligibility requirements of the program. Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Civilian Conservation Overview: the Ohio Department of Human Services and the Ohio Department Youth Services entered into an agreement with the Division of Civilian Conservation of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to refer juvenile offenders released from residential care in state facilities and over the age of eighteen to the Ohio Civilian Conservation Corps. Collaboration Among Government Systems New York Office of Children and Family Services and Job Corps For years, juvenile justice professionals have been critical of the Job Corps “policy” that discouraged court-involved youth from entering Job Corps programs. Most youth workers recognize that Job Corps youth and juvenile justice youth face similar challenges and backgrounds. In 1997, the New York Office of Children and Family Services (formerly the Division for Youth) and the U.S. Department of Labor, New York Office of Job Corps signed a formal agreement detailing the conditions under which a youth being released from the juvenile justice system could enter Job Corps. The agreement essentially provided youth with much needed aftercare services in a structured environment In this case, the private sector was the “policy community.” It was the business community that approach the Dept of JJ to help make a difference. Linking business and government has always proven an arduous challenge. Business leaders do not conform well to task forces and meetings with social service workers. DJJ immediately rejected the status quo, enabling the agency to adapt to a business, rather than bureaucratic, “culture.” Florida Business Partners for Prevention secures local business involvement in community-based delinquency programs. Lesson Learned: Adapting to a Business “Culture” and Overcoming Bureaucratic Barriers Allowed DJJ to Initiate Successful Services for Youth. Examples of programs across the state include mentoring, job training and placement, pre-apprenticeship training, recreational diversion and family assistance. Youth Industries Program, South Carolina Overview: The South Carolina Youth Industries Program is a cooperative effort between business and government in which juveniles committed to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) participate in a registered apprenticeship program. (Other programs doing this as well - HBI works with their own association members for job placement - highlighted in another section of this report). Operations: Participating youth receive wages while committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice, and are therefore able to pay victim restitution and child support as well as to put aside money for re-entry into the community. Lesson Learned: Include Associations and Employers Links in Partnerships and Policy Formation. Through a collaboration with the South Carolina Mechanical Contractors’ Association, the umbrella organization for HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical contractors in the state, successful graduates of the Youth Industries Program receive assistance in locating employment with contractors in their home counties upon release from the DJJ. They are then able to continue the apprenticeship program in their own communities. The simple problem of systems not connecting or not understanding each other is major reason for the lack of collaboration between the juvenile justice and workforce development systems. Therefore, an effort was made to locate systems that were successfully pursuing a shared vision, to find out how the systems converged to provide services to court-involved youth and to investigate how well and why the partnership was working. Some common themes can be drawn from the experiences of these initiatives. The three most common reasons for success are deceptively simple. First, the need for funding is always an incentive to work together. An agency that can demonstrate ongoing innovation and react to new public priorities can more readily justify budgetary demands than one that appears resistant to change. Second, and perhaps more important, are common vision and shared language. Unfortunately, systems such as workforce development and juvenile justice often speak past one another, not understanding how the other system works. The partnerships that made time for these discussions and exerted the effort to educate one another were able to form effective working relationships, as well as to maintain efficient joint operations. Finally, the partnerships that avoid or confront "territorialism" among agency partners are able to surpass initial barriers and build healthy collaborations. This is not always easy and requires a significant period of time to overcome. Turnover among personnel is initially high in these situations, but those partnerships that refuse to give up can ultimately form sustainable efforts. Collaboration Among Government Systems JustWork, Nebraska Overview: Many state governments provide a range of resources and services that can be accessed by juvenile offenders if the opportunities are identified and mutually beneficial inter-agency agreements can be hammered out. JustWork is a cooperative agreement between the Nebraska Vocational Rehabilitation Department and Health and Human Services, Office of Juvenile Services. Initiated in 1998, the collaboration serves Omaha area youth, ages 14-19, who are involved in the juvenile justice system through "experiential" employment training. Prior to this initiative, the Vocational Rehabilitation Department had not worked with court-involved youth; their focus had traditionally been on serving adults with disabilities. To promote communication and cooperation, staff of the two agencies were assigned to the same location. This initiative benefits hard-to-serve youth who may otherwise have been passed over for employment due to their disabilities. In the process, they had to learn the terminologies of each other’s system so that each would understand the eligibility requirements of the program. Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Civilian Conservation Overview: the Ohio Department of Human Services and the Ohio Department Youth Services entered into an agreement with the Division of Civilian Conservation of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to refer juvenile offenders released from residential care in state facilities and over the age of eighteen to the Ohio Civilian Conservation Corps. Collaboration Among Government Systems New York Office of Children and Family Services and Job Corps For years, juvenile justice professionals have been critical of the Job Corps “policy” that discouraged court-involved youth from entering Job Corps programs. Most youth workers recognize that Job Corps youth and juvenile justice youth face similar challenges and backgrounds. In 1997, the New York Office of Children and Family Services (formerly the Division for Youth) and the U.S. Department of Labor, New York Office of Job Corps signed a formal agreement detailing the conditions under which a youth being released from the juvenile justice system could enter Job Corps. The agreement essentially provided youth with much needed aftercare services in a structured environment In this case, the private sector was the “policy community.” It was the business community that approach the Dept of JJ to help make a difference. Linking business and government has always proven an arduous challenge. Business leaders do not conform well to task forces and meetings with social service workers. DJJ immediately rejected the status quo, enabling the agency to adapt to a business, rather than bureaucratic, “culture.” Florida Business Partners for Prevention secures local business involvement in community-based delinquency programs. Lesson Learned: Adapting to a Business “Culture” and Overcoming Bureaucratic Barriers Allowed DJJ to Initiate Successful Services for Youth. Examples of programs across the state include mentoring, job training and placement, pre-apprenticeship training, recreational diversion and family assistance. Youth Industries Program, South Carolina Overview: The South Carolina Youth Industries Program is a cooperative effort between business and government in which juveniles committed to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) participate in a registered apprenticeship program. (Other programs doing this as well - HBI works with their own association members for job placement - highlighted in another section of this report). Operations: Participating youth receive wages while committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice, and are therefore able to pay victim restitution and child support as well as to put aside money for re-entry into the community. Lesson Learned: Include Associations and Employers Links in Partnerships and Policy Formation. Through a collaboration with the South Carolina Mechanical Contractors’ Association, the umbrella organization for HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical contractors in the state, successful graduates of the Youth Industries Program receive assistance in locating employment with contractors in their home counties upon release from the DJJ. They are then able to continue the apprenticeship program in their own communities.

19. New and Innovative Approaches Market-Demand Driven Initiatives Oregon Market-Driven Vocational Programs Project Craft – Home Building Industry Florida’s Juvenile Justice Accountability Board (JJAB) Overview: The Florida Legislature created the Juvenile Justice Accountability Board (JJAB) and charged it with two broad mandates. The first is to measure, evaluate and report on the outcomes of youth referred to the Department of Juvenile Justice. Second, the JJAB is to assess the degree to which the policies and practices of each unit of the executive and judicial branches of government support the Legislature's policies for the juvenile justice system. Operations: Recently, the JJAB initiated a study of vocational and work programs for youth in commitment facilities. This innovative initiative includes a number of components: an analysis of effective work programs nationwide; relevant research on what makes programs effective; the key ingredients of effective work programs; the status of vocational/work programs in Florida; and recommendations for expansion and improvement of Florida programs. Lesson Learned: Use Research and Data to Guide Policy. Market Demand-Driven Initiatives Labor markets are regional and local. Although it is possible to conclude that the economy has shifted from industrial to informational, specific employment opportunities vary depending on the area. Juvenile justice professionals are searching for labor market statistics and occupational or programmatic guidance, while workforce development continues to search for qualified worker pools. ExploreNet and the North Carolina Office of Juvenile Justice Overview: The State of North Carolina has launched a system to ensure that skills training is responsive to the labor market. When Governor Jim Hunt signed the Juvenile Justice Reform Act into law in October 1998, he challenged the Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ) to find a way to reach young people early and keep them on the right track. The OJJ and its training schools across the state partnered with ExploreNet, a Raleigh-based nonprofit organization, to provide students the opportunity to learn computer skills and turn their lives around. Students learn marketable skills by building computers that are installed and wired in the training schools. Operations: ExploreNet grew out of the successful North Carolina NetDay projects, which was an effort to wire all the state’s public schools for Internet access. No restrictions exist on criminal history for participation, so that both minor and violent offenders can participate. Lesson Learned: Training Youth for Available Jobs in their own Geographic Area Provides them with Greater Opportunities for Employment. Youth in correctional facilities have rarely been prepared for jobs that require high technology skills. This innovative approach is very new, and the State hopes it will lead to better pay, job security and reduced recidivism for youth in the program. Oregon Market Driven Vocational Program Overview: Similar to North Carolina, but operating on a larger and more involved scale, is a broad based initiative in Oregon that allows the juvenile justice system to receive updated labor market information for vocational planning purposes. The University of Oregon and the Oregon’s workforce development system use labor market predictions to guide program development for youth in the juvenile justice system. This process assists transition specialists who work with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation to develop appropriate job-training programs and to locate employment for youth leaving the justice system. A major element of the certification process is a local vocational advisory committee. The makeup of the committee is required to reflect the local labor market trends. In other words, members must represent those industries in need of labor. Advisory committees serve a variety of roles. Members contribute to the certification of vocational instructors, as well as to supporting program design using their local labor market knowledge and relying on the data from the annual statistical publication published by the State Office of Employment. The initiative is a process that informs the Oregon Youth Authority of changing market conditions so that the agency may better serve the youth in their system. Florida’s Juvenile Justice Accountability Board (JJAB) Overview: The Florida Legislature created the Juvenile Justice Accountability Board (JJAB) and charged it with two broad mandates. The first is to measure, evaluate and report on the outcomes of youth referred to the Department of Juvenile Justice. Second, the JJAB is to assess the degree to which the policies and practices of each unit of the executive and judicial branches of government support the Legislature's policies for the juvenile justice system. Operations: Recently, the JJAB initiated a study of vocational and work programs for youth in commitment facilities. This innovative initiative includes a number of components: an analysis of effective work programs nationwide; relevant research on what makes programs effective; the key ingredients of effective work programs; the status of vocational/work programs in Florida; and recommendations for expansion and improvement of Florida programs. Lesson Learned: Use Research and Data to Guide Policy. Market Demand-Driven Initiatives Labor markets are regional and local. Although it is possible to conclude that the economy has shifted from industrial to informational, specific employment opportunities vary depending on the area. Juvenile justice professionals are searching for labor market statistics and occupational or programmatic guidance, while workforce development continues to search for qualified worker pools. ExploreNet and the North Carolina Office of Juvenile Justice Overview: The State of North Carolina has launched a system to ensure that skills training is responsive to the labor market. When Governor Jim Hunt signed the Juvenile Justice Reform Act into law in October 1998, he challenged the Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ) to find a way to reach young people early and keep them on the right track. The OJJ and its training schools across the state partnered with ExploreNet, a Raleigh-based nonprofit organization, to provide students the opportunity to learn computer skills and turn their lives around. Students learn marketable skills by building computers that are installed and wired in the training schools. Operations: ExploreNet grew out of the successful North Carolina NetDay projects, which was an effort to wire all the state’s public schools for Internet access. No restrictions exist on criminal history for participation, so that both minor and violent offenders can participate. Lesson Learned: Training Youth for Available Jobs in their own Geographic Area Provides them with Greater Opportunities for Employment. Youth in correctional facilities have rarely been prepared for jobs that require high technology skills. This innovative approach is very new, and the State hopes it will lead to better pay, job security and reduced recidivism for youth in the program. Oregon Market Driven Vocational Program Overview: Similar to North Carolina, but operating on a larger and more involved scale, is a broad based initiative in Oregon that allows the juvenile justice system to receive updated labor market information for vocational planning purposes. The University of Oregon and the Oregon’s workforce development system use labor market predictions to guide program development for youth in the juvenile justice system. This process assists transition specialists who work with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation to develop appropriate job-training programs and to locate employment for youth leaving the justice system. A major element of the certification process is a local vocational advisory committee. The makeup of the committee is required to reflect the local labor market trends. In other words, members must represent those industries in need of labor. Advisory committees serve a variety of roles. Members contribute to the certification of vocational instructors, as well as to supporting program design using their local labor market knowledge and relying on the data from the annual statistical publication published by the State Office of Employment. The initiative is a process that informs the Oregon Youth Authority of changing market conditions so that the agency may better serve the youth in their system.

20. ACTION IDEAS: Forge System-level Partnerships w/other systems & agencies, specifically WIBs & Youth Councils Meaningfully Engage Employers Explore and Adapt Exemplary Practices Expand Community-Based Opportunities Expand or Establish Reentry Programs Look for Funding from Non-Traditional Sources Provide a Voice for Youth Share Vision and Common Language Resist the Status Quo and be Flexible

21. Resources NYEC Web Site: http://www.nyec.org (info on PEPNet and “Promising Approaches to Workforce and Youth Development for Young Offenders”) Employment & Training for Court-Involved Youth, Available for the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse: (800) 638-8736 or askncjrs@ncjrs.org