A Conversation with Will Harrell: Perspective of a Federal Monitor

Almost four years ago, the State of Ohio entered into a sweeping settlement after a federal class action was filed in S.H. v. Stickrath (now S.H v. Reed) based on the unsafe and unconstitutional conditions of youth who were housed in state correctional facilities. In a 90-page stipulation for injunctive relief, framed by guiding principles, the State agreed to do much more than remedy conditions of confinement of Ohio's youth. The Ohio Department of Youth Services also agreed to work to keep youth in more community-based treatment options and examine their approach of assisting youth from front to back. To ensure compliance, the federal court appoints a Monitor to oversee a team to assist and ensure progress is being made under the stipulation. Will Harrell was appointed Monitor in S.H. and on January 5, 2012 filed his annual monitoring report. Mr. Harrell joins this episode of Spotlight on Youth to provide an overview of the unique role of a Monitor and monitoring team and how it works in conjunction with the State, plaintiff's attorneys, and other interested parties. He will also discuss his findings outlined in the recently filed annual report, including successes and priorities for continued improvement, and provide thoughts about the ongoing opportunities and challenges Ohio faces as it works on its overall juvenile justice reform efforts.

Guest: Will Harrell, Lead Monitor Ohio Department of Youth Services.

To Listen to the Show go to Spotlight on Youth five minutes before the show

is scheduled to start. If you would like to ask the guests a question live on air, you can call (347)994-1149 and push number 1 on your keypad.

Resources

Third Annual Federal Monitor's Report

S.H. vs Stickrath

Making it Right: Restorative Justice for Youth

Feb. 6, 2012, 3-4 pm Eastern, 2-3 pm Central, 1-2 pm Mountain, 12-1 pm Pacific

Restorative Justice offers a novel approach to dealing with criminals. Both offenders and victims become integral to the process with offenders encouraged to take responsibility for their actions — apologizing to victims, repaying stolen money and performing community service — in lieu of jail time. 

Locally, social worker and mediator Linda Harvey and former Kentucky State Trooper Diana Queen have a pursued a vision for restorative justice in Kentucky. Harvey leads Juvenile Restorative Justice in Lexington, a program that works with juveniles who commit public offenses or who are considered beyond the control of their families or schools. Queen is the Executive Director of the Restorative Justice Center of Kentucky and is engaged in bringing restorative justice practices to schools, courts and the community.

On this segment of Spotlight on Youth, Harvey and Queen will talk about their work and what more can be done to expand the use of restorative justice in the juvenile justice arena and possibly shift the paradigm of our deeply embedded adversarial system of  justice for the benefit of both offenders and the community. 

Guests: 

Linda Harvey, Juvenile Restorative Justice, Lexington

Diana Queen, Executive Director, Restorative Justice Center of Kentucky

 

To listen to the show, go to Spotlight on Youth five minutes before the show is scheduled to start. If you would like to ask the guests a question live on air, you can call (347)994-1149 and push number 1 on your keypad.

Resources:

• Restorative Justice Fact Sheet
• Benefits of Juvenile Restorative Justice Process
• Restorative Solutions For Fayette County Middle Schools
• Cornerstones of Restorative Justice
• SaferSanerSchools
• Central Virginia Restorative Justice Principles and Values
• United Nations - Handbook on Restorative Justice Programmes

Kentucky listeners are invited to attend the Restorative Justice: Transforming Youth one day conference on April 18, 2012 in Lexington, Kentucky. See the flyer for more details.

The Misuse of Isolation in Juvenile Correctional Settings

Jan. 27, 2012, 3-4 pm Eastern, 2-3 pm Central, 1-2 pm Mountain, 12-1 pm Pacific

The use of isolation (also known as seclusion) as part of behavior management and control in juvenile detention and correctional settings has been the subject of debate and litigation for years. Research has demonstrated that isolation causes harm to youth, increases the risk of suicide, and benefits of its use are not supported by evidence. Marty Beyer, PhD, Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Consultant and Sandra Simkins, Founder and Co-Director of the Rutgers Children's Justice Clinic, Rutgers School of Law & Co-Director of the Northeast Regional Juvenile Defender Center, will join us on this episode to discuss isolation. They will explore the research, including long-term impact on youth, the constitutionality of its use, national correctional standards and best practices, and outline considerations for those working for youth in detention and correctional settings.

Guests:

Marty Beyer, PhD, Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Consultant.

Sandra Simkins, Founder and Co-Director of the Rutgers Children's Justice Clinic, Rutgers School of Law & Co-Director of the Northeast Regional Juvenile Defender Center.  

To listen to the show, go to Spotlight on Youth five minutes before the show is scheduled to start. If you would like to ask the guests a question live on air, you can call (347)994-1149 and push number 1 on your keypad.

Resources

Troy Fed Opinion

OS Opinion

Reducing Incarceration of Status Offenders: Next Steps in Kentucky

January 9, 2012. 4-5 pm Eastern, 3-4 pm Central, 2-3 pm Mountain, 1-2 pm Pacific

In recent years, Kentucky has garnered national attention for detaining youth charged with status offenses at the second highest rate in the nation. In particular, Kenton County, Kentucky detains the highest number of youth for status offenders in the state. This statistic has caught the attention of local juvenile justice stakeholders and practitioners, particularly in Kenton County. This episode will explore one county's realization and response to the problem of using incarceration for status offenses in Kentucky. Our guests will discuss their journey in bringing this issue to the forefront in the community, statewide efforts to reduce this practice, as well as the next steps they plan to take in leading their community to find more effective and less costly ways to deal with status offenders.

 

Guests:

Tara Grieshop-Goodwin, Kentucky Youth Advocates

Honorable Judge Christopher J. Mehling, Kenton County Family Court

Rebecca Ballard DiLoreto, Children's Law Center, Inc.

To listen to the show, go to Reducing Incarceration of Status Offenders: Next Steps in Kentucky five minutes before the show is scheduled to start. If you would like to ask the guests a question live on air, you can call (347)994-1149 and push number 1 on your keypad.

Comprehensive and Holistic Reentry: A Critical Element to a Youth's Success

December 13, 2011, 3-4 p.m. Eastern, 2-3 p.m. Central, 1-2 p.m Mountain, 12-1 p.m. Pacific 

Juveniles who are released from residential placement and institutional confinement are more likely to succeed if they have access to services and structures that can help them thrive in a community environment. Lucas County, Ohio developed a unique partnership to support juvenile reentry leading to a program that has since received national recognition. In 2011, Lucas County opened a Community Treatment Center that offers daily programming, cognitive based treatment, and individualized case planning. One key component of this reentry model has been vocational training offered through the Community Integration and Training for Employment (CITE).

CITE provides needed job readiness skills through paid work experience, employment and supervised community service. Some of the projects have included green construction and weatherization, local food production, and urban forestry. On this episode of Spotlight on Youth, the Honorable Denise Navarre Cubbon, Administrative Judge, Lucas County Juvenile Court and Charlie Johnson, Program Manager, CITE Program, will discuss how their reentry model was developed, components of the model, and the collaboration required to continue its success and expansion.

Guests:   

Denise Navarre Cubbon, Administrative Judge, Lucas County Juvenile Court

Charlie Johnson, Program Manager, CITE Program

To listen to the show, go to Comprehensive and Holistic Reentry: A Critical Element to a Youth's Success five minutes before the show is scheduled to start. If you would like to ask the guests a question live on air, you can call (347)994-1149 and push number 1 on your keypad.

Resources 

Exploring Reentry: Creating a Continuum of Care to Support Ohio's Youth