Rethinking Juvenile Justice and Schools

Eliminate or revamp standardized, education-related conditions of supervision so such conditions are generally imposed only if and when school issues are a direct cause of individual youth’s delinquent behavior.

Reduce or eliminate the time that probation officers spend tracking down school records and making school visits for all youth on their caseloads unless school attendance is directly related to the actual causes of individual youth’s delinquent behavior. In such cases, probation officers should partner with schools, youth, families, and community-based organizations to identify and connect youth with programs and services that address the individualized reasons underlying their school attendance and performance challenges.

Maintain operations during nontraditional hours to ensure that youth don’t have to miss school (and families don’t have to miss work) for court hearings and probation appointments.

Eliminate probation contacts while youth are at school to avoid youth feeling stigmatized. If such appointments are absolutely necessary, officers should partner with schools to make every effort to keep such meetings confidential.

Employ a formal system of incentives and graduated responses focused on concrete educational goals as the most effective way to promote school progress and hold youth accountable rather than sanctions, such as detention, that have proven costly and ineffective.