Achieving Positive Outcomes

Time in custody can and should be a catchment opportunity to help youths prepare to return to living with their families and communities so they are not likely to reoffend. PbS standards and performance measures promote practices research has shown are the most likely to give youths a meaningful second chance when they leave and stop the cycle in and out of facilities, whether for juveniles or adults.

Measuring positive youth outcomes is the antithesis of recidivism; they are measures of success, not failure. They provide clear expectations of the skills, competencies, experiences, beliefs and supports youths need to have with them when they leave juvenile justice systems and show the impact of facility operations, programs and services on the youths.

The impact on youths has proven essential to long-term success and the only way to truly know is to ask the youths. For example, fundamental fairness is key to how willing youths, and all of us, are to adhere to societal norms and laws. A facility may have written policies and rules to fairly administer sanctions and incentives, but in order to know if the policies are being implemented fairly, they need to ask the youths. Similarly, a facility may help a youth to earn a high school diploma and certificate in a trade but if the youth doesn’t have confidence and hope they can get and keep a job and afford basic life necessities.

PbS provides several surveys to understand the impact of operations, programs and services on youths as well as staff and families. There are two surveys of youths: the PbS Youth Climate Survey administered during the months of April and October to youths in the facility at that time and the PbS Youth Reentry Survey, administered to youths shortly before they leave.

Surveying the youths, staff and families is an easy and efficient opportunity to collect meaningful data to continuously ensure juvenile justice agencies are providing safety and effective programming. Some of the perceptions of youth, staff and families that PbS participants have found most helpful focus on:

Youth

Understanding the rules and their rights

Perceptions of safety

Experiences of school, medical services

Fairness of rules, of staff sanctions

Relationship with staff

Preparedness for reentry

Staff

Training and support by supervisors

Training needs

Personal safety and how well staff follow safety procedures

Relationships with youths and families

Authority to use force and ability to use incentives and rewards

Families

Understanding the rules and their child’s rights

Feeling their child was safe

Being treated with respect

Feeling welcomed and that their opinion was valued

Understanding, agreement with and ability to comply with treatment and discharge plans