NCJ Number
206250
Journal
Juvenile Justice Update Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: February/March 2004 Pages: 1,13,15
Editor(s)
Lisa R. Lipman
Date Published
February 2004
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the implementation and effectiveness of the Youth Care System, a strategic plan for managing youth behavior within the juvenile institutions under the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
Abstract
As a result of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into violations of human rights for the incarcerated juveniles under the care of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Correction (DPS&C), the DPS&C implemented a strategic plan for managing youth behavior. This behavior management system was called the Youth Care System (YCS) and has been implemented throughout the juvenile facilities in Louisiana. This article examines the effectiveness of the YCS implemented at Swanson Correctional Center for Youth-Madison Campus. The Swanson-Madison facility is a secure facility for juvenile males with a history of behavioral or adjustment problems at other institutions. In 2001, the YCS was implemented. The YCS is a behavior management system in which staff members interact with youth based on the specific criteria. The evaluation period for the YCS began in February 2002 and ended in December 2002. The evaluation revealed that the youths’ attitudes did not significantly change after participation in the YCS. However, positive staff perceptions significantly increased indicating that the YCS made Swanson-Madison a better environment for the youth and positive youth perception regarding the correctional climate increased. In addition, the implementation of the YCS resulted in a significant decrease in the number of disciplinary infractions during the evaluation period. The YCS appears to be a successful behavior management program for the Swanson-Madison facility.