Technical Assistance to Young Adult Diversion Providers

THE CHALLENGE
Young adults (ages 16-24) are involved with the criminal justice system in disproportionate numbers compared to other age groups. A growing body of research shows that this population is closer developmentally to teenagers than to older adults and, therefore, it is more effective to address their criminal behavior with age-appropriate treatments, including diversion programs.¹ Diversion programs redirect individuals, typically youth and first-time offenders, from prosecution and/or incarceration to community-based programming, case management, and supports.²

OUR RESPONSE
In 2017, the U.S. Department of Education, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice, funded a 3-year technical assistance initiative that is helping 16 state and local partnerships provide their justice-involved young adult population with alternatives to prosecution and/or incarceration, including special education, career and technical education, and other workforce development opportunities.

Technical Assistance Partnerships

TOOLS AND RESOURCES

• An online toolkit has been developed and is available at: https://cte.ed.gov/yadiversion

¹Ishida, Kanako. February 2015. Young Adults in Conflict with the Law: Opportunities for Diversion. Evanston, IL: Juvenile Justice Initiative. Accessed February 7, 2019. http://www.modelsforchange.net/publications/799; and Mulvey, Edward. March 2011. Highlights From Pathways to Desistance: A Longitudinal Study of Serious Adolescent Offenders. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Accessed February 7, 2019. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/230971.pdf; and Schiraldi, Vincent, Bruce Western, and Kendra Bradner. 2015. Community-Based Responses to Justice-Involved Young Adults. New Thinking in Community Corrections Bulletin. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice. Accessed February 7, 2019. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/248900.pdf.
²U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. February 2017. Diversion from Formal Juvenile Court Processing. Accessed February 7, 2019. https://www.ojjdp.gov/mpg/litreviews/Diversion_Programs.pdf.

Providing High-Quality Career and Technical Education Programs for Justice Involved Youth

THE CHALLENGE
On any given day, more than 60,000 young people under age 21 are confined in juvenile justice facilities throughout the United States. Youths involved in the juvenile justice system typically have a history of poor school attendance, grade retention, or disengagement from school due to academic failure and school disciplinary issues. Many youths in the juvenile justice system have had little employment experience before confinement, and their employment challenges often intensify post release, with many struggling to find and keep jobs.

OUR RESPONSE
The Juvenile Justice Reentry Education Program: Opening Doors to College and Careers through Career and Technical Education (JJREP) is an innovative program that provides career and technical education (CTE) programs in juvenile justice facilities, along with comprehensive post-release CTE and training, as well as wrap around reentry supports and services.

In 2016, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) made four grant awards through a competitive application process for a period of up to three years. The four grantees are: Portland (Oregon) Community College, Saint Paul (Minnesota) Public Schools, Shelby County (Tennessee) Board of Education, and the School District of Philadelphia. These new CTE programs build on existing efforts to improve reentry outcomes for youths who have been in the justice system, with a focus on building strong partnerships to implement a comprehensive and collaborative approach to improving education, employment, and other positive outcomes for justice involved young adults.

TOOLS AND RESOURCES
For further information, please visit the Perkins Collaborative Resource Network at cte.ed.gov.