1. Prisoner Reentry Institute Occasional Series: Children of the Prison Boom Interventions to Promote Positive Development Jean Kjellstrand Columbia University School of Social Work jk3446@columbia.edu

2. Presentation Key influences that affect development of youth Existing interventions Next steps for moving forward

3. BACKGROUND INFLUENCES BACKGROUND INFLUENCES IMMEDIATE INFLUENCES IMMEDIATE INFLUENCES HEALTHY CHILD OUTCOMES HEALTHY CHILD OUTCOMES Economic Factors Neighborhood poverty Family Poverty Liveable wage jobs Education & Vocational training Health Issues Physical, Mental Health, Family Support, Substance Abuse Access to affordable and health services and resources. Physical Environment Quality housing/buildings Neighborhood design Land use Absence of toxic influences Access to nutritious food/activity Social Environment/ Neighborhood Prosocial norms Informal social control Healthy community norms Community Integration & connectedness Social Support Parenting and Mentoring Parenting Family Functioning Mentors Education and Care Affordable/quality day care Quality Instruction Positive environment Peer Environment Pro-social Healthy opportunities Reduced exposure to AOD, violence Physical, Social, Emotional, Intellectual

4. Existing Interventions Good news and bad news Varied and delivered in many settings Tend to focus on 3 main areas  Child adjustment  Parenting/Family functioning  Broader personal/community context

5. Child Adjustment - Goals Intervene to boost children’s resiliency Environment to safely discuss feelings Provide support around difficult situations/emotions Help develop healthy coping and problem solving skills

6. Child Adjustment Mentoring Support groups Youth advisory programs Day camps Individual therapy Peer leadership Tutoring Job readiness training

7. Parenting/Family Functioning Increasingly popular (within correctional setting and in community) Focus on communication and interpersonal relationships within families  Promote positive development  Encourage family support post-release  Decrease likelihood of recidivism

8. Parenting/Family Functioning Parenting classes Visitation/remote contact Prison nurseries Alternatives to incarceration

9. Personal and Community Context Pre-release/ Post release programming  Employment  Health (physical, mental, substance use)  Relationships  Housing

10. Personal and Community Context Comprehensive community initiatives  Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program  Promise Neighborhoods  Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative  Housing and Urban Development: Choice Neighborhoods

11. Next Steps for Moving Forward 1. Evaluate existing programs 2. Disseminate results 3. Adapt existing evidence-based programs 4. Develop new programs (cost/effective, sustainable) 5. Link interventions to create multilevel strategy that can be tailored to address individual and family strengths and needs.

12. Principles of Effective Preventive Programs (Nation et al., 2003) Comprehensive Varied teaching methods Sufficient dosage Theory driven Promote positive relationships Appropriately timed Socioculturally relevant Well-trained staff Outcome evaluation

13. Model and Promising Programs http://www.blueprintsprograms.com/allPrograms.php http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolenc e/prevention.html http://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/stryve/strategy_pdf.html http://nrepp.samhsa.gov/ http://www.preventviolence.info/evidence_base.aspx