Former Critics
Credit Reforms, Hail System for Creating Potential
"National Model"
BATON ROUGE, La. - A U.S. district judge today
dismissed a 1998 federal lawsuit against Louisiana's
juvenile justice system, citing substantial improvements
in youth safety and treatment, as well as significant
progress toward implementing a milestone statewide
reform strategy for the way the state treats its
troubled youth.
U.S. District Judge James Brady granted a motion from
all parties to dismiss the eight-year-old lawsuit, which
became part of litigation that had been ongoing for 35
years. He cited a reduction in the youth population in
secure facilities, fewer incidents of youth violence in
facilities, increased investigative resources to ferret
out violence, more effective behavioral health and
rehabilitation services, and comprehensive behavior
management programs, including a specialized program for
sex offenders.
The motion also hailed the state's new juvenile justice
reform plan as an emerging national model. "As it has
moved away from a ! correctional-based approach, the
state has developed an innovative and unique model to
care for youth in secure care: the Louisiana Model (LAMOD).
To develop LAMOD, the state worked in collaboration with
the Missouri Youth Services Institute and the Annie E.
Casey Foundation. The program is not yet implemented
throughout the system, but once it is the State of
Louisiana stands to become a national model in the care
of youth in secure care."
"When I took office more than 2 years ago, I set out to
reform Louisiana's broken juvenile justice system to
ensure that it was a system designed to rehabilitate
youth not a system designed to feed our adult prisons,"
said Governor Blanco. "We want to keep kids in our
classrooms and out of trouble. But for those who come to
our juvenile system, we need to provide them with the
best treatment possible so that they leave us well
prepared to make good decisions -- respectful decisions
-- as they return to our communities. We be! lieve that
the best way to ensure public safety is to provide
rigorous programs and treatment to our youth."
Office of Youth Development head, Simon Gonsoulin said
the continued support of the Governor, dedicated and
hard working OYD staffers and determined partners will
help ensure that a reformed juvenile justice system
becomes a reality.
"As a state we must give these young people the promise
of a brighter future, we must tell them there are
communities, families and partners working for them in a
united and directed manner. We have to say to them that
they are valued. We must provide them with a safe
environment to learn, and we must ensure that they will
prosper," Gonsoulin said after the hearing.
Louisiana was one of 22 jurisdictions nationwide with
juvenile justice systems under federal supervision. In
the Louisiana case, the U. S. Department of Justice and
the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana alleged that
the state failed to provide reasonably safe conditions
and adequate educational, medical, d! ental, mental
health, and rehabilitative services.
The lawsuit focused on four facilities: Jetson Center
for Youth near Baton Rouge, Swanson Center for Youth in
Monroe, Bridge City Center for Youth near New Orleans
and Swanson Correctional Center for Youth in Tallulah.
The educational claims were dismissed in 2003. Claims
against Bridge City and Tallulah, which is no longer a
juvenile facility, were dismissed in 2004.
"We want to congratulate the Governor and her people for
all their work and a job well done," said JJPL executive
director David Utter. "We all recognize that the
dismissal of the lawsuit marks a landmark step in the
continuing reform process and frees the Office of Youth
Development, advocates and families to work in
partnership to deepen the reforms the Governor started
with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, improve programs for
our children and communities and work to turn the
Louisiana system from worst to first."
"This is an! important achievement for the Governor. She
made juvenile justice ref orm a priority, recognizing
that treating young people differently than adults and
providing opportunities to rehabilitate increases public
safety, and saves us money in the long run," said Utter.
Louisiana's progress toward a more community-based,
treatment-centered approach accelerated in 2003 when the
Legislature passed Act 1225 of the 2003 Regular Session
to systematically restructure the juvenile justice
system in Louisiana. In one of her first actions as
Governor, Blanco separated juvenile services from adult
corrections, making the Office of Youth Development an
independent agency. This change underscored the
commitment and energy of reforming juvenile justice in
Louisiana from a corrections model to one that is
centered on the treatment and rehabilitation of youth.
The state's commitment to reform attracted national
partners in the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the John D.
and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Missouri
Division of Youth Se! rvices, which is considered the
leading system in the country.
In 2004, Louisiana began working with the Casey
Foundation and Mark Steward, then director of Missouri's
DYS, to develop Louisiana's Model for Juvenile Justice.
Most notably, the model features a more homelike
environment in secure facilities; group processes led by
new staff called YouthCare workers; dorm sizes of 10-12
youth (down from an average of 37 in 1997); a focus on a
therapeutic, child-centered environment versus a
correctional, custodial model; and an emphasis on
relationship-building that affords youth the opportunity
to belong and contribute, make meaningful choices,
develop transferable skills and mentor peers. The state
introduced its reform pilot at Bridge City in July 2005.
The state released a five-year strategic plan in
December that outlines specific reform objectives and
measurements. Designed to reduce recidivism and improve
the overall effectiveness of the system, the! reform
emphasizes the development of and funding for
community-based programs, community and family
involvement, regional placement of youth so they can
stay closer to their homes and families, public and
youth safety, development of a continuum of care at the
local level and tracking and measurement of progress.
The plan was developed with significant public input,
including 10 public meetings throughout the state last
summer. More than 1,600 community members participated.
Louisiana now has about 406 youth in four secure
juvenile facilities. For more information about
Louisiana's juvenile justice system, visit the OYD
website at www.oyd.louisiana.gov.
The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
Louisiana's Fund for Louisiana's People
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