Restorative Justice (RJ) models of diversion from the criminal justice system have been used successfully with adults and youth charged with minor offenses. Professionally mediated RJ conferences bring together the offender and the person(s) harmed to discuss the impact of their actions and develop a plan to restore community safety and make…

Little to no professional research exists regarding the challenges that juvenile justice school administrators encounter in leading their respective schools. This study sought to identify the challenges juvenile justice school administrators experience and whether they are similar to those experienced by their K-12 counterparts. This study…

The transition to and from juvenile justice settings is a complex and challenging process. Effectively preparing juvenile justice personnel to address the transition needs of incarcerated students is an essential aspect of reducing the negative effects of the school-to-prison pipeline. This article examines program and professional development…

The purpose of this study is to examine the self-efficacy of teachers who work in the juvenile detention and youth development centers in Kentucky and how their level of self-efficacy influences their students' efforts to complete high school. This study is important because it provides information that contributes to the improvement of education…

Background: Alternative school settings for students who are identified as "disruptive or dangerous" are playing an increasingly prominent role in the world of public education, yet significant gaps in our understanding of their efficacy remain. Objective: This longitudinal investigation within a large school district serving 100,000…

Using a sample of 580 juvenile offenders released from out-of-home placements, this study regressed 18-month recidivism on 33 possible predictors. Over 52 percent of juveniles had new adjudications. Only gender, age, victimization history, and presence of special education needs significantly predicted recidivism. When separate models were…

Students, a large percentage with disabilities, are at high risk for poor post-secondary outcomes in state agency education programs. This mixed-methods study describes the understandings of student transitions in state agency education programs from the perspectives of youth and administrators. Results indicated that: transition is more narrowly…

The Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF Institute) is a special entity within the National League of Cities (NLC). The YEF Institute helps municipal leaders take action on behalf of the children, youth, and families in their communities. The YEF Institute's first-ever report on The State of City Leadership for Children and Families…

This study examines staff perceptions of juvenile intensive supervision program goals and frequency of offender violations. It identifies factors staff consider in pursuing revocation and alternatives they use to avert revocation. Staff prioritized rehabilitation behind other goals. Regardless of whether they considered probated or aftercare…

Public education has long been the subject of public discontent. Historical events such as the Soviet launch of "Sputnik" in 1957, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, and repeated media reports that U.S. students were outscored by students in many other countries on international tests each prompted federal and state…

In many U.S. jurisdictions, the choice of placement for delinquent offenders is determined by both the provider and level of education available. Although state level juvenile justice agencies are the primary providers of educational services to youth in state operated programs, public schools are responsible for educating most youth in the…

Discusses whether the imposition of capital punishment on an individual for a crime committed as a juvenile constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Explores the crimes of Kevin Stanford and David Allen who were 16 and 17 respectively when they each committed murder. (CMK)

Presents how the state of Kentucky has approached the escalating expenditures and overcrowded programs and facilities for juvenile justice and mental health care services. Discusses four state legislative initiatives developed to care for at-risk and delinquent youth that have greatly enhanced and expanded Kentucky's system of community-based…

Discusses the use of law-related education as an alternative to formal court in Kentucky's juvenile justice system focusing on the Court-Designated Worker (CDW) Program that processes public and status complaints on individuals under 18 years old. Encourages practitioners in similar settings to pilot a law-related education program. (CMK)

The juvenile offender population presents a significant challenge to residential group workers. One strategy to address this challenge is structured psychoeducational group work. The Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice, in collaboration with Western Kentucky University, has established the Group Work Training Certification Program for…