department of juvenile justice circuit 6 comprehensive

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Update September 2018

Department of Juvenile Justice Circuit 6 Comprehensive

Plan 2018-2021

Introduction

The initial Circuit Six Comprehensive Plan was completed December 4, 2014 at

the Tarpon Springs Police Department. Two meetings have been held to focus on

strategic planning since the development of the original plan – December 8, 2016

and January 16, 2018. This plan will expire December 31, 2018 – the existing plan

will extend one year following the December 31 2017 end date.

The plan was developed In Accordance with section 985.664 (2), Florida Statute,

which states that each Juvenile Justice Circuit Advisory Board shall develop a

comprehensive plan for the circuit. The following guidelines were provided in

developing the plan:

The comprehensive plan shall include data review and analysis of each county in

the circuit and benchmarks that may include but are not limited to:

• Reducing juvenile delinquency

• Decreasing Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC)

• Preventing and diverting youth from entering the juvenile justice system

• Increasing the use of alternatives to secure detention

• Working to establish community resources to increase prevention,

alternatives to detention and community interventions

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Section 1 -DJJ and Circuit 6 Mission Statement

DJJ’s Mission: To increase public safety by reducing juvenile delinquency through

effective prevention, intervention and treatment services that strengthen families

and turn around the lives of troubled youth.

Circuit 6 Mission: Strengthen and develop the capacity of community resources

and policies in Circuit 6 with an overarching goal to increase prevention

programming (1), identify alternatives to secure detention (2) and support

community interventions as we work as a community to decrease

disproportionate minority contact, increase public safety and strengthen families.

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Section 2-Benchmarks

There are two counties located in Circuit 6; Pasco and Pinellas. Below represents

benchmarks designated for each county:

Pinellas County

Pasco County

Reduce Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) in Circuit 6

Reduce Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) in Circuit 6

Increase and strengthen communities, resources and policies

Increase and strengthen communities, resources and policies

Maximize effective resources Maximize effective resources Reduce school arrests Reduce school arrests

Explore replication of Pinellas County MOU (Pinellas County School, Resource Officers and DJJ)

Increase family engagement Increase family engagement

Reduce number of youth transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC)

Reduce number of youth transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC)

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Section 3-Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and

Threats

1. Strengths:

a. Reducing DMC – Circuit 6 has multiple initiatives and programs that

are supportive of reducing DMC including the Juvenile Detention

Alternative Initiative (JDAI) in Pinellas, Bridging the Gap (Pinellas

County Schools), mentoring programs (ex. 5000 role models).the

Concerned Organization for Quality Education for Black Students

(COQEBS), FAST of Pinellas County, the Farm Workers Cooperative

(Pasco County), PAL, PACE Center for Girls, Boys & Girls Clubs in

Pinellas, Cops n Kids (after school programs) and Florida Youth

Ranch.

b. Increasing effective resources and policies- There are multiple groups

and resources that support this advocacy within the Circuit.

c. Reducing school arrests: A comprehensive plan to reduce school

arrests was developed and implemented that included SRO training,

Administration training and community awareness activities in

Pinellas County. Subsequently, a collaborative agreement was put

into place in Pinellas. In addition, there is a truancy magistrate

program in Middle Schools and mental health/behavioral evaluation

programs throughout the county. Other areas of positive impact

have been the new Superintendent of Schools in Pinellas and SAO

Truancy intervention with parents. Overall arrests have reduced by

37 percent.

d. Increasing Family Engagement: Parent Academies were established

by Pinellas County Schools. Harvard faculty consultant (Dr. Karen

Mapp) on Family Engagement was brought into Pinellas County to

educate community on strategies in parent engagement. Magnets

and academies provide choice in schools. Parent engagement

application being developed for Smart Phones. In addition, a Title I

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laptop project was implemented which allows for low cost internet

access. Organization was established in St. Pete committed to

improving parental engagement.

e. Reduce Number of Youth Transported to JAC: The community has

seen reduction in arrests. Diversion and civil citation programs have

supported this effort. In addition, Review of Failure to Appear

arrests have also assisted in this effort.

2. Weaknesses:

a. Reducing DMC: County is large with disproportionate resources

(density of resources in South County and Pinellas County as a whole

verses Pasco). Special taxing district in Pinellas (Juvenile Welfare

Board) which funds services NOT present in Pasco. There is variance

in Pasco tax base (compared to Pinellas). There is a need for more

mentoring programs targeted toward teens. There is need for

additional safe haven settings for youth and early intervention for

mental health services. Graduation rates are low and there is overall

a lack of youth employment. More dollars are need to fund services

and there is need for cultural and diversity education as there is

perceived bias.

b. Increase effective community resources: There are groups who won’t

work with youth who already have a record. There is need to identify

standards for successful community services. Both counties

experience lack of transportation for youth participation. There are

no nighttime activities. There is an age group gap in available services

– deficit is middle/early high school. Facilities lack capacity to serve

youth. There is a need for greater business involvement.

c. Reducing School Arrests: Pasco County has no collaborative

agreement with school. Lack of parental involvement increases arrest

rate – no focused programming in Pasco. Family instability lends

itself to higher arrest rate for youth as well as lack of child

social/emotional development. There currently is no objective

discipline matrix.

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d. Increasing Family Engagement: Parents themselves are involved in

the justice system and have previous record. The youth have very

young parents who are in need of parent support and training. Many

parents distrust the (law enforcement) system. Not all schools have

“fundamental style” parent involvement. There is often lack of

education on the part of the parent. English is second language to

many parents which is barrier to delivering services. Many parents

lack an understanding of support programs available.

e. Reduce number of youth being transported to JAC: Misdemeanor

marijuana charges to become Civil Citations verses arrests.

3. Opportunities/threats:

a. Reducing DMC: Review of Field Interrogation Reports. Opportunities

for community conversations to further engage citizens, business and

civic groups. There is ability to better coordinate information and

identify best practices. Stronger utilization of 211 as an

informational portal for families in the system should be explored.

Opportunity for funding Boys & Girls Clubs to open additional

locations. Business partnerships for job training need for minority

youth; examples are Police Explorers. Career Central Pasco/

CareerSource, and Youth Leadership Pinellas/Pasco. Media

sensationalism has been a threat

b. Increasing effective community resources: Opportunity through

Council to coordinate policy. Educate community and stakeholders

on what is available. Collaborate with little leagues and other

sports/extracurricular activities

c. Reducing school arrest: Resources needed are parenting classes,

early intervention programs and peer support programs in schools.

Other capacity building needs PTA/Parent Academies/SAC

information and implementation of a restorative justice model. There

is a need to create a well-rounded System of care.

d. Increasing family engagement: Electronic access to PTA

meeting/information. Hold community forums where system listens.

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e. Reduce number of youth transported to JAC: Working more

collaboratively with school administrators

4. Which areas need focus:

a. Reducing DMC: Education of the community on the problem.

b. Increase effective resources: Understanding who implements best

practices. Conduct an inventory of program effectiveness. Evaluate

which agencies align with our mission. In Pinellas – not necessarily in

increase in funding or services, but better coordination. Consolidate

services when possible to avoid duplication. Education/awareness for

business community.

c. Reducing school arrests: Evaluate data from schools and state.

d. Increasing parent engagement: Must have parent buy-in. Need to re

defining parent involvement to align with our culture/communities.

e. Reduce number of youth transported to JAC: Working with law

enforcement to review practice/change when appropriate.

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Section 4-KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators)

Issue Improvement/Regression Solution Comment Reduce disproportionate minority contact

State (12-17) Black - -28.4% H –21.9% Pinellas Black -+5% H-+16.2% Pasco Black – +14.5% H- -47.2%

RED Committee

Increase and strengthen community resources

JWB funded wrap around position for HOME pilot Faith based partnership in North Greenwood Area City funded Evening Reporting Center as diversion to attending (JDAI) JWB provided funding for PACE driving quality of services.

Strategic Partnerships

Reduce school arrests

State - -39.2 % (12-17) Pinellas - -46.1 % (12-17) Pasco - -24.4% (12-17)

MOU Pinellas County

Increase family engagement

TBD TBD TBD

Reduce number of youth transported to JAC

Pinellas 5% drop (1/15-2/18)Point in Time Numbers fluctuate month on month with small trend downward. Pasco –TBD

JDAI Kick off of ERC Detention Risk Assessment (DRAI) DV Respite

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Section 4 (Continued) -Goals

Identify goals that can be achieved within a 3 year time span. Break down these

goals into six-month increments in order to stay on track. What do you plan to

do? Specifically within each county? Which areas will you focus on? Etc.

1. Reduce delinquency

First Six Months – MOU for Pasco. Board training on delinquency issues.

Update 9/2018 MOU determined not determined to have high utility in Pasco as

other strategies employed demonstrating success. Presentations during CAB

meeting on trends and programming as education to the board.

Second Six Months – Work on implementation of MOU. Begin community

engagement. MOU not deemed appropriate for Pasco.

Year 2

First Six Months – Continue community engagement. Evaluate both MOUs.

Update 9/18-MOU in Pinellas demonstrated marked drop in school arrest. Not

implemented in Pasco.

Second Six Months – Community feedback forum. Defer to FY 19.

Year 3

First Six Months – Use forum participants to expand engagement efforts. Evaluate

MOUs. Defer to FY 19

Second Six Months – Use data from forums to drive system improvement. Defer

to FY 19

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Section 5: Operations Plan

How to transform goals and plans into reality; assess individual projects that will

provide the baseline of your overall goal; how will these be accomplished? Human

resources available to execute plan? If not, how will you obtain them?

• Engage Pasco representatives to identify needs.

Progress: Pasco consistently attended meeting during from the onset of the

Comprehensive Plan. Greater emphasis needed on engaging critical

partners in Pasco.

• Meet in Pasco County to draw more attendance and support within this

underserved county. Meetings held in New Port Richey and Oldsmar (North

Pinellas) to engage Pasco representatives.

• Utilization of DJJ dashboard for support data that is available to the

community. Data presented at each meeting by Chief Probation Officer and

JDAI lead.

• Develop training session for the Advisory Board. Presentations conducted

at each CAB meeting to include HOME program, Human Trafficking, ERC,

substance abuse data on teens (including tobacco use) and mentoring

programs.

• Training regarding message delivery/build the message. Defer to FY 19

• Evaluate effectiveness MOU by review of arrest data. Arrests in school for

Pinellas and Pasco both declined.

• Create data committee Circuit wide to collect and disseminate data. Defer to FY 19.

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Section 6- Executive Summary

The Circuit 6 Comprehensive Plan was developed on December 4, 2014 with

multiple stakeholders present. Circuit 6 is diverse as it has both urban and

rural areas with a richer resources located in Pinellas County. The mission

statement embraces our Circuit’s priorities to include strengthening our

existing resources and prevention services, creating additional alternative to

detention and getting our communities more heavily engaged in decreasing

our disproportionate minority contact.

The benchmarks identified apply to both counties with the exception of

working the Council working closely to replicate an initiative in Pinellas County

in Pasco County; the initiative is the implementation of a MOU that has been

effective in reducing school arrests involving multiple stakeholders.

The SWOT analysis is reflective of the strength in our resources specific to

Pinellas County as well as creation of the MOU that has proved effective in

reducing school arrests (Pinellas County). Our areas of focus are identified as

reducing DMC, increasing the use of effective community based resources,

enhancing the highly effective initiative designed to reduce school arrests,

increase parent engagement through diverse strategies, continued partnership

with the school system and finally reduction in number of youth transported

to JAC.

Finally, the KPI’s and Operating Plan focus on strengthening the Advisory

Council, increasing our use of data to drive policy and decision making and

replication of our effective practices.

Our Circuit has a demonstrated record of collaboration and innovate strategies

to support the children and families in our community. Through strengthening

our Advisory Council, we will strive to achieve the goals set for in the plan.

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Review of Accomplishment 9/18

The plan was extended one year; additional information TBD.

department of juvenile justice circuit 6 comprehensive

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