NCJ Number
210543
Journal
Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 40 Issue: 7 Dated: 2005 Pages: 935-951
Date Published
2005
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This article describes the Miami-Dade Juvenile Assessment Center’s (JAC's) Post-Arrest Diversion (PAD) program and the current effort to transform it into a national model.
Abstract
Many of the youth who enter the juvenile justice system present with multiple problems that often include substance abuse and mental health problems, poor school performance, and abusive home lives. If State juvenile justice systems hope to reduce recidivism among juvenile offenders they must begin to address the needs of high-risk youth. In an effort to do just that, the Miami-Dade JAC developed and implemented the PAD program, a diversion program for first-time, nonviolent juvenile arrestees. PAD offers a systematic, standardized screening and assessment process, individualized case planning, referral services, and case management and follow-up. The authors focus on the development and implementation of the PAD program after they present a brief history of juvenile diversion programs. The key findings from the first-year evaluation of PAD are described followed by a review of how the PAD program is evolving based on those findings. Key evaluation findings include the need to expand eligibility for the program and implement on-going training for PAD staff. The future of the Miami-Dade PAD program is discussed as the JAC strives to enhance and improve its responses to youth who enter the juvenile justice system. Tables, figure, references