Children & the Law Blog

Dallas Morning News offers a glowing assessment of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative in the recent article County’s youth detention program offers ray of hope.

Michael Lindsey* is a local consultant who has worked extensively with the Casey Foundation and is the organization’s point man here. He said this country’s get-tough policies on crime spilled down to have a devastating effect on children and teens. “The attitude basically became: ‘Lock ‘em all up and let God sort ‘em out,’ ” he said. Unfortunately, the approach backfired and juvenile detention became like the farm team for adult prisons – with way too many kids making it to the majors.

Mike Griffiths, director of the Dallas County Juvenile Department, points to the voluntary adoption of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative as an indication that local officials are looking for alternatives to avoid recidivism and ease the burden on detention facilities.

The Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, is aimed at “reducing the unnecessary confinement of youth in our country.” Since its inception in 1992, the project has had some notable successes in reducing detention rates and time spent in detention, reduction in the overall amount of youth crime in the affected area and reducing racial disparity in juvenile corrections settings.

* In the interests of disclosure it should be noted that Michael Lindsey is a Fellow at the Center for Children, Law & Policy.

• Dallas Morning News: County’s youth detention program offers ray of hope
• Annie E. Casey Foundation: Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative