Why the Number of Young People in Prison Has Dropped Dramatically

The Department of Justice recently reported that the number of incarcerated youths in America fell to 43,580, a 60% drop since 2000.Restorative approaches to youth justice that focus on outcomes and accountability, and that consider incarceration a last resort, are behind this dramatic decrease in youth incarceration.Several states have led the way through dynamic cooperation among juvenile justice department leaders, lawmakers, advocates and families of those impacted by the youth justice system. If more states get involved, we could see an even larger decline in the number of young people in prison and realize safer, stronger communities.Prison Fellowship has been a voice for justice that restores both youths and adults for more than 40 years. Inspired by our Christian faith, we believe that when young people are held accountable for the wrongs they've committed in ways that reflect their inherent dignity and potential, we see safer communities, stronger families and better futures for those youths. Kansas is a remarkable bright spot in youth justice. Buoyed by data on what wasn't working for public safety, Kansas embarked on a bold mission to rebuild its juvenile justice system from the ground up in 2016. Three years later, we can see the results. Between 2015 and 2018, the number of youths placed in juvenile correction facilities fell by 31%, while the overall number of youths placed outside of their homes dropped by 63%. Ninety-five percent of all Kansas counties participated in a diversion options program designed to provide effective, community-based alternatives to incarceration. Nearly 90% of the young people who entered the program completed the diversion process. The state even closed one of its youth prisons.The Kansas Department of Corrections has been able to move $30 million in cost savings into a fund for evidence-based programming, which subsidizes community programs at both the state and county levels. This opens doors across even rural counties for youths to be held accountable and take responsibility for their actions, while encouraging positive connections in their home communities.But Kansas isn't the only state reforming its youth justice system. Since passage of juvenile justice reforms in 2013, the number of young people committed to Georgia's Department of Juvenile Justice has declined by 46%, according to Pew. Within two years, nearly everyone in Georgia's youth justice system completed the diversion programs in which they were placed. And in 2014, Kentucky passed juvenile justice reforms aimed at strengthening evidence-based programs and limiting out-of-home placement.Utah joined the list of states reforming juvenile justice in 2017. While it's too early to see the real impact of this legislation, the state has already seen a 23% drop in the number of youths entering its juvenile justice system.States such as Kansas and Georgia are learning that people benefit from community-based punishments that offer character building and skills development without sacrificing safety. Other states should take notice: Restorative approaches to youth justice maximize the impact of tax dollars, result in safer communities and treat our young people with dignity as individuals made in the image of God who are capable of change.Kate Trammell is director of state policy at Prison Fellowship.   Continue reading...