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Neon Tommy - Annenberg digital news

Advocates Seek New Ways To Get Kids Out Of Penal System

LeTania Kirkland |
October 5, 2009 | 6:51 a.m. PDT

Staff Reporter
Jasmine Hernandez
Jasmine Hernandez looks at pictures of community youths who have died
from violence. (photo by LeTania Kirkland)

  Jasmine Hernandez, 16, entered the probation system at 11 and feels like she practically "grew up in juvenile hall." But she's stayed out since New Year's Day, when she was released after being arrested for grand theft auto. 

  She thinks she's finally turned her life around but recalls the years when she lived in group homes and probation camps, in addition to juvenile hall.

  "I thought that was going to be the rest of my life," she said.

  To keep kids like Hernandez out of the revolving door of juvenile justice, advocates like the Youth Justice Coalition are calling for the rehabilitation of communities as a whole to aid Los Angeles' youth. Kim McGill, an organizer at the coalition, also wants to see more emphasis and spending on education rather than the penal system.

  YJC, in Inglewood, Calif., is a community space for kids to come during the day and attend classes to get a diploma or GED. It is not only concerned with the amount of kids in the probation system but also with violence among youth as well as between youth and probation officers, she said.

  In August two teens in a group home in Yucaipa, about 80 miles east of Los Angeles, severely beat their caretaker and then stole his car in an attempt to flee. The teens were caught and charged with attempted murder.

  Dave Mitchell, who oversees juvenile group home placement for the L.A. County probation system, said he hasn't seen a marked increase in group home violence in recent years nor has he seen a significant decline.

  The RAND Corp. published a study in May that followed the lives of more than 400 youths seven years after being released from group homes. The study found that 12 respondents had been killed, 36 percent admitted to hard drug use, and 25 percent reported being in jail within 90 days of the survey. The authors concluded that there is a need for more effective rehabilitation techniques for juvenile offenders. 

  Those working in L.A. County's juvenile probation system say they can help kids transition back into their communities. The system is divided into juvenile hall, camps and group homes. Juvenile halls and camps are more regimented, while groups homes are described by the probation system as the "least restrictive, most family-like setting."

  The county's first priority is to keep children in their community, unless they have substance abuse issues, are doing poorly in school, or subject to abuse in the home, Mitchell said. Group homes are not a punishment, he added, noting part of group home rehabilitation is "functional family therapy" that includes weekly counseling with parents. 

  "If we don't engage the family, we're not doing anything for the kids," Mitchell explained.

  Probation camps are locked communities where children are required to participate in recreation as part of rehabilitation. The camps are for high-risk youth with greater needs, said Alberto Ramirez, a consultant for the camps.

  In camps, activities such as intramural sports, counseling, religious services and life skills curriculum are available. If a child is considered lower risk, camp is deemed inappropriate, and he or she will likely be placed in a group home or in-home probation, he said. Camp staff are encouraged to not treat the kids as if they are being punished, he added.

  McGill of the Youth Justice Coalition said rehabilitation shouldn't depend on removing youths from their communities. She is leery of probation officers conducting family intervention and calls for "restorative justice," which would involve creating youth jobs, building youth centers and forming gang intervention positions. 

  Mitchell said the probation system is trying to locate the root causes of youth crime to implement prevention tactics. Probation is the hub of juvenile justice, he argued. While he thinks youth advocacy is crucial, he also believes advocates should work with the probation department. But like McGill, Mitchell sees a need for more resources.

  For example, in the past 10 years, he has seen a shortage in facilities for mentally ill  juveniles, who are being placed in group home settings. That can result in violent behavior, he explained. The probation department is in discussion with L.A. County's Department of Mental Health to build a 60-bed facility. However, the current economic climate has greatly hindered plans, he noted. 

  Now living with her mother again, Jasmine remembers how she often fled her group home only land herself back in the system. Then she began attending YJC, where she saw a way to transition from the penal system to citizenry. She also remembers the violence, often pouring over a binder filled with clippings of young people from local communities who have died violently.

  In addition to attending YJC, Jasmine is a member of one of its organizing groups, called LOBOS: "leading our brother and sisters out of the system." LOBOS conducts intervention workshops in group homes, camps and juvenile halls throughout the county to encourage peers to pursue a life outside of the system. 

  She said everybody wants the "Hollywood dream," but she hopes to convince kids that education is the key to life and the most direct way to obtain that dream.


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