Slicing funds from juvenile justice is a poor response to federal mandates

Correcting corrections

Arizona bristles when the feds ride in to right local wrongs. Yet the Department of Justice investigation that revealed deadly flaws at the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections was necessary and welcome.
Gov. Janet Napolitano wisely averted a courtroom confrontation and signed an agreement last fall to address deficiencies that led to high inmate suicide rates, inadequate education and mental health services, as well as physical and sexual abuse of incarcerated youths by staff members and fellow inmates.
Now the first of a series of reviews mandated by that agreement reveals that “significant strides” have been made. Improvements came after Michael Branham took over as director, more than 75 employees were fired or resigned in lieu of being fired and the Legislature pumped $5.1 million into the system.

But the continued progress necessary to satisfy the agreement that kept the state out of court won't happen unless lawmakers recognize the importance to Arizona of a well-run juvenile corrections system.
Under Arizona law, repeat and violent juvenile offenders are automatically sent into the adult system. That means the boys and girls who remain in the juvenile justice system are those most likely to respond to rehabilitation and someday become contributing members of society.
But the system the Justice Department began investigating in 2002 was more likely to hone criminal attitudes than reshape young minds. Not only were youths in danger from themselves and others, the grievance process that should have helped identify problems was utterly dysfunctional.
The depth of the problem shows in the review that was released last week. Despite “significant” improvements, consultants found youths were still afraid staff members would not keep them safe, and only one out of 30 kids knew how to report abuse.

In category after category — suicide prevention, coordination of medical and mental-health files, abuse prevention, education — the consultants who scrutinized juvenile corrections praised baby steps but pointed to giant-sized needs.
Remaking the department to reflect a real commitment to rehabilitation won't be quick or cheap. Yet the budget approved by the Legislature and vetoed by Napolitano cut $3.1 million from the department. Increases, not cuts, are needed.
According to the review, 49 additional staff members must be hired and trained to meet national staffing standards. Additional training is needed for existing staff and some renovations are necessary. In addition, 45 percent of youths in juvenile corrections qualify for special education, but teachers and other services are in short supply.
Arizona shouldn't complete the job of fixing juvenile corrections because Uncle Sam says so. The state should pursue improvements to the juvenile justice system because reforming troubled youths will pay social and economic dividends.

29 March 2005

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0329tue1-29.html

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