Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee (JJPOC) Recommendations Move through the Legislative Session

In January and February this year, the JJPOC approved an annual set of recommendations for legislation.  The recommendations became part of House Bill 6888 and included the following:

  1. Automatic diverted pre-arrest to the community-based diversion system or other services for first and second-time offenses. This would allow law enforcement, schools, and other systems to refer children to a Youth Service Bureau (YSB)/Juvenile Review Board (JRB) or other community-based agencies in lieu of an arrest and would permit the agencies to send the case back to the referring entity for further action, including referral to court, if the services are unsuccessful. By July 1, 2024: The implementation team shall develop and submit to the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee a plan for automatic pre-arrest diversion of children to the community-based diversion system or other community-based agencies in lieu of an arrest for first and second-time offenses.
  2. The Department of Correction shall develop with the JJPOC Incarceration Subcommittee a commissary implementation plan and submit the plan to the JJPOC, no later than July 1, 2023.  The Plan, which shall be implemented by DOC for youth 17 and under no later than November 1st, 2023, and funded by the legislature and Governor, shall include:
    1. An integrated positive behavior motivation system to engage and reinforce positive youth behaviors and expectations that can be used as payment for commissary goods in place of a monetary system.
    2. Revision of commissary policies and procedures to include the development and implementation of positive behavior motivation policies and procedures.
    3. Increases in incentives in a way that promotes good health and recognizes the diverse range of ethnic groups, races, sexes, and cultural backgrounds.
    4. Identification of those youth within the institution that do not currently have equitable access to commissary, including indigent youth, youth without family supports and youth with disabilities for whom their disabilities are contributing to their lack of commissary, and implementing strategies for equitable access to commissary.
    5. Incorporation of practices as noted in A. 22-188 sec. 82-83 addressing access to menstrual products.
    6. Consideration for the transition of saved commissary allocations and how those funds can be transitioned and accessed when a youth is transferred to an adult unit facility.
    7. Consideration for on-going training and technical assistance (i.e., CREC PBIS)
    8. Continuous Quality Improvement system for on-going monitoring of the implementation of the plan.
    9. Twice yearly surveys or focus groups to obtain feedback from the youth within its facilities on the ways to improve its system.

DOC, in the interim while awaiting implementation of the new Plan, shall, as noted in 1(d) above, address strategies for equitable commissary options for youth with vulnerabilities.

 

  1.  The Judicial Branch, the Department of Correction, and the Department of Children and Families shall, in consultation with the JJPOC’s Incarceration Workgroup, the Community Expertise Workgroup, and the Education Workgroup develop a Reentry Success Plan for youth released from DOC and Judicial Branch facilities and contracted programs for the purpose of reintegrating these youth back into their communities successfully. Such plan shall be developed no later than November 1, 2023.  In development of the Reentry Success Plan, the above-mentioned entities shall examine:
    • reentry models and best practices around the country, including reentry hubs and community-based enhanced reentry wraparound services (New Jersey), and transitional housing (Long Creek in Maine).
    • expansion of community Reentry Roundtables and Welcome Centers to include focus on youth
    • any other considerations deemed necessary for successful implementation of the plan.

 

Such plan shall incorporate restorative and transformative justice principles, and shall include but not be limited to:

  1. the provision of individualized academic support, and the role of school districts in ensuring the provision of academic, vocational and transition support services,
  2. connection of youth to vocational and workforce opportunities,
  3. connection to developmentally appropriate housing,
  4. delivery of trauma-informed mental health and substance use treatments,
  5. development of restorative justice re-entry circles, utilization of credible messengers as mentors and/or transition support providers.
  6. role of reentry coordinators

The plan shall include a proposed quality assurance framework, including the collection of appropriate data, promulgation of a public dashboard, and the monitoring framework to ensure the successful discharge and re-entry of incarcerated youth.  The plan shall include information regarding federal and state funding sources to support a comprehensive reentry model and identify priorities and appropriate timelines for implementation.  Such Plan shall be presented to the JJPOC for its consideration no later than January 1, 2024.

 

  • Amend Public Act 14-217, Section 79 to increase the membership of the JJPOC to include:
    • Two children/youth/young adults between the ages of 18 and 26 with lived expertise in the juvenile justice system and nominated by the Community Expertise Workgroup, one of whom shall be appointed by one chairperson of the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee, and one of whom shall be appointed by the other chairperson of the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee; and
    • One community member, which could include family members of youth impacted by the juvenile justice system or credible messengers with lived expertise in the justice system and currently working with youth in the juvenile justice system, nominated by the Community Expertise Workgroup and appointed by the chairpersons of the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee.

The state shall fund sponsor organizations to support members appointed by the Community Expertise Workgroup with transportation, childcare, and stipends to enable member participation.

The legislative session in Connecticut ends June 8th, 2023. We will update you when final legislation is complete.

|