I’ve been offering my observations and suggestions to a Commission in my state of Connecticut USA concerning how to re-connect youth who are disconnected from school, engaging in risky, criminal and destructive behavior. Since this is a nation-wide and world-wide problem, I figured a blog was in order. This also coincides with re-directing my blogs toward solutions rather than ranting about what offends me. Rather than “blowing off steam” directed at those I oppose or “preaching to the choir” among those with whom I agree, I’m trying to make my writings more solutions and results based.
That said……I present the following observations/suggestions:
Observation:
A tremendous amount of time, energy and resources are devoted to crime prevention, social services, human services and juvenile justice. The number and variety of agencies, non-profits, organizations and departments (i.e., child services, juvenile probation, police, courts, etc.) is overwhelming. Many people are working hard in their respective silos doing the best they can with the resources and tools available to them. Oftentimes they are under-resourced and over-worked. I’ve had opportunities to chat with probation officers and therapists/counselors. When I ask “how frequently do you meet with clients and for what duration?”, their response is often that the meetings are relatively infrequent and of short duration. When I enquire about the size of their caseloads, they frequently quote very high numbers.
As I perused the website descriptions of various agencies tasked with the mission of preventing juvenile delinquency, my head started spinning in the alphabet soup of jargon and acronyms affiliated with all the well-intentioned programs designed to get youth out-of-trouble and back-on-track.
Suggestion:
The intention and mission of programs, agencies and organizations may be laudable but having worked 40 years in this environment, I experience a feeling of “the hurrier I go, the behinder I get”. The image of a dog chasing its’ own tail comes to mind. This cycle can only be broken if the root causes are addressed. We need to stop addressing the symptoms and stop nibbling at the edges of vexing issues. Keeping youth busy, engaged and enriched is still certainly important. It also goes a long way toward building trust and understanding between program administrators and the youths that they serve. However, in the long run, the most cost-effective use of funding and energy is only accomplished if the root cause of each childs distress is addressed. We simply do not have the time, energy, and resources to keep every kid “full-focused-safe-busy” on a 7/24 basis. I suggest that “funds-following-the-person” is preferable to chasing programs and agencies working hard in their respective silos disconnected from eachother. There needs to be a “point person” (a Harry Truman type following the mantra that “the buck stops here”) who will seamelessly follow the troubled youth and presumably that youths family. This person needs to be a trusted source and reliable contact for that youth and family. This person needs to fulfill the following roles: mentor, life coach, counselor, therapist and coordinator of whatever services are needed to get that youth on the right track and address root causes that are holding him/her back. This is a tall order requiring a competetive pay rate and professional skills to deliver services. This may require more time in programs and more money but in the long run it’s preferable to the bandaid approach that cobbles together a myraid of programs and good-causes.
Observation:
I observed that the duration of residential in-treatment programs was relatively short. The emphasis appeared to focus on quick return to community. That’s understandable since family and community connections can be a source of support. Likewise, the duration and frequency of out-patient, community based treatment seemed to be of limited duration and intensity. Intensive Out-Patient (IOP) treatment frequently entails a couple of meetings a week of relatively short duration. It often is conducted in a group setting with limited time-attention-resources devoted to getting to the root causes that drive the destructive behavior. My observation is that the deep issues (aka, root causes) are in many cases so severe that short term and intermittent scheduling of counselling and training will not be cost-effictive or lasting. What I have observed is scheduling, treatment and programming that allows too much time for “free roam chickens” leading to bad results. I speak from personal experience since one of my clients was murdered and another died from an overdose when they were “in the wrong places at the wrong times” roaming in the community with all its bad influences in an unsupervised and unstructured manor. Both were great guys who were a pleasure to know and both had tremendous potential but the demons of their root problems got the better of them. The lack of sustained, supervised scheduling on a 7/24 long term duration generates a crack through which they and many others fall through.
Many years ago back when I was single with no kids, I was a VIP (Volunteer In Probation). I assisted, as best I could, a troubled young man who had no suport network, traumatic youth experiences, alcoholism and depression. I had access to a basketball court and we went bowling a couple of times. However, his needs far exceeded anything I could provide and this was a textbook case of the need for 7/24 wraparound intensive services. I do not know what became of him. I hope for the best, but I fear the worst.
Suggestion:
Apply the aforementioned intensive therapy-counseling-mentoring in a community setting (or restricted setting for a youth who is determined to have a risk of violence to himself or others) on a 7/24 basis. This would require 2.5 staffers assigned to this youth (and his/her family). One staffer would be required to cover the 8 AM to 4 PM shift and the other staffer covers the 4 PM to midnight shift. Allow no “wiggle room” for youth to regress to harmfull habits and a lifestyle that presents a danger to self or others. This is essential when countering the ever present attraction to revert to peer pressure and bad habits of street life. The half position (i.e. the 2.5 position) could be the overnight coverage providing a monitoring and advisory capability for emergency situations which hopefully would be limited since presumably the youth would be off-the-street and sleeping in the midnight to 8 AM timeframe (especially if they were kept positively engaged during the daylight hours). This overnight monitor function could be at a lighter pay grade if the job description is focused on monitoring and light supervision. If the overnight staffer is also serving as a daytime mentor-counselor-therapist on an as-needed basis, then their pay rate and training would have to be comparable to the daytime staff. The bottom line with this scenario is that the youth (and family, support network) would experience intensive treatment for a sustained timeframe (suggesting at least 1 year) so as to get to root causes of disfunctions and achieve longer term behavioral modifications. The 7/24 “mentor-monitor-coach” would be following a customized treatment plan with each youth addressing the needs and issues of that youth. For example, if fitness and obesity was an issue, there would be a personal training aspect scaled to the physical capability and interests of the youth. I’m a swim instructor so if I was serving in that mentor-monitor-coach role, I could provide that training. For any other sports or activities, connections could be make with the appropriate trainer/coach and the “mentor-monitor-coach” would be present to make sure the training regime was completed. Every customized treatment plan would include intensive tutoring so that at the culmination of 1 year of what I’m calling a “life boot camp”, the youth will get up to speed academically. After 1 year of daily, intensive interaction with the “mentor-monitor-coach”, the goal will be to achieve increased vocabulary, improved communication skills, conflict mediation skills and a renewed sense of confidence and goal setting. These are all measurable life skills presumably accomplished during a fast tracked, intensive year of change.
Observation:
Discussions to address the juvenile delinquency issue (and most other issues requiring complex solutions such as affordable housing, quality education, etc.) all include calls for following: partnerships, collaborations, synergistic relationships, networking, etc.
Suggestion:
I’m in support of all of the aforementioned phrases but I suggest that whenever they are used, there must be specific examples of implementation so they are more than just hollow phrases and platitudes. This must include more than just Morandumums Of Understandings (MOU’s) that encourage cooperation and comprehensiveness. There needs to be mandated cooperation and a requirement for deliverables. There must be consequences for inefficiency, inertia and incompetency. This is where my proposal for the a person tasked with the mission of following the person rather than chasing after programatic bureaucracies is essential. It’s ok for that person to not have the answers and resources for everything, but they need to have the means and the wherewithal to make it happen and get the results. In a military combat situation, we do not allow needless delay and indecision, so why do we allow it when the future of youth are at stake and the safety of society in general and the youth in particular is at stake? As long as there is reasonable oversight of the staff tasked with the responsibility of working with the youth (and family) on a 7/24 year-round basis, there should be no chance of over-reach of the powers vested with this staff to achieve results within a reasonable, clearly defined timeline. The mantra/mission should be to “cut to the chase” addressing the root causes in the most cost-effective, focused, intensive manor.
Observation:
With matters concerning juvenile delinquency (and most other criminal justice, mental health and addiction related issues) the following roadbloocks exist: Too much confidentiality & too little consequences.
Suggestion:
A reasonable amount of confidentiality is fine but if hiding behind confidentiality prevents a straight line to solutions and getting to the root causes, then maybe it’s time to loosen this hard and fast rule on a case by case basis. Persons tasked with the mission of getting the troubled youth back on track should not be sidelined and stonewalled by the firewall of confidentiality that oftentimes protects the agency tasked with helping the person. It begs the question as to whose interests are best and most efficiently served, the person/client or the agency?
Without consequences for non-compliance on behalf of the person/client being served or the agency entrusted with delivering the services, all the time and resources thrown at this situation will be for naught. Unless the tough-love equation is fully funded and fully implemented, my observation is that we will spiral down the pit of good money and good efforts after bad.
The following examples might clarify these suggestions:
Police departments should be able to detain youths who have committed crimes in their jurisdictions until data is gathered from surrounding jurisidictions concerning any other crime sprees commited by criminals in general and youths in particular.
Hospitals treating persons brought in due to violence or overdoses or domestic violence should discharge them to in-residence programs where they can be thoroughly evaluated and enrolled in a program. This could be an in-residence or in-community situation depending upon the circumstances. Whichever track is taken, there must be intensive 7/24 application of counselling, therapy, mentoring, coaching and supervision. I underscore the importance of supervision and monitoring of the person and family based upon my prior description of the need to prevent “free roam chickens” from harming themselves and society. The bottom line is, the revolving door must stop. The intensity and duration of the treatment can be adjusted in accordance with the nature of the offence (determined by the pattern of behavior and severity of incidence). The repeat offender, repeat occurrance syndrome must be drastically shortened.
Observations & Suggestions:
Costs are a consideration but there needs to be a cost-benefit analysis to determine if it’s beneficial to spend more money up-front over an intense timeframe (one year for example) rather that dribbs and drabbles of programs and well intentioned initiatives. Current approaches to juvenile delinquency (and many other social programs) is akin to throwing spagetti on the wall and hoping that some of it sticks.
Observations & Suggestions:
A pilot program incorporating these suggestions focusing on funding and programming following the youth/family on an intensive one-on-one “full court press” for at least one year could be implemented on an experimental basis to determine effectiveness. If it’s successful, duplicate it. Compare this result with the success record affiliated with how we currently address juvenile delinquency, absenteeism, crime and social disorder.
Back when I managed after-school and enrichment programs at a housing authority, I recall a Latino family whose kids engaged in a wide range of program offerings. There was very little down-time and hanging out opportunities for these kids between school, after-school and weekends. No hanging out in the lobby or parking lot. They remained focused and safe as we managed a van transport service to make sure they got from point “A” to point “B”. Likewise, an African-American youth from a single parent household immersed himself in the tennis program and other enrichment opportunities. The results in both cases were quite positive. These are the experiences that shape my focus upon very intensive, lasting and individualized programming rather than spending funding and energy on a smattering of initiatives on an intermittent basis hoping that somehow, someway it will generate positive outcomes.
As an urban planner, I view problems on a geographic targeted basis. As a social critic, I am saddened by the fact that there are so many programs and initiatives launched in distressed urban areas are doing good work only to be undone by ongoing shootings and violence in those same urban areas. I’m intrigued by the notion of creating safe, gated, well managed cooperative communities providing safe harbor where youth can thrive without becoming overwhelmed by surrounding violence and street life. I’m working on a blog to further explore this notion but in the meatime my proposal for an intensive 7/24 venue of counselling-mentoring coincides with my proposal for an urban oasis of safety within a cooperative community of mutual support and self-sufficiency. Until we are able to create the afore mentioned safe, self-sufficient, supportive zones, my proposal for 7/24 attacking of root causes and delinquency issues may be the only realistic alternative.
Final thoughts….
Yes, this is costly (at least concerning up-front costs).
It’s very individualized (but that’s what it takes to get to root causes).
It will take time. But it’s also grounded in tough-love where there is a balance of consequences and compassion with a specific timeline within which there is an expectation of measurable, positive results.
It’s driven by cost-benefit analysis. It’s no-nonsense, no-excuses concerning the youth, the family/support network and the team entrusted with the mission to deliver results.
It’s a very micro rather than macro approach (and that may be its long term cost-effective advantage).
Whatever the cost, it may be economical in the longer run when you consider the alternatives.
Best case scenario to our current manor of doing things is a lifetime of lost productivity by the delinquent youngster and the disconnected kid languishing thru life not fulfilling his/her potential. In the big picture of economic productivity, international competition and even national defense, consider the thousands of disconnected, depressed, angry, addicted youngsters becoming disconnected, depressed, angry, addicted adults.
Worst case scenario is youngsters and young adults cycling downward becoming hard core criminals and possibly mass shooters.
As always, I look forward to further feedback, ideas and solutions.
© Gregory Dunn 2024
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