ATTORNEYS AND YOUTH AT RISK

Potential Areas For Increased Attorney Involvement Young Offenders (12 years and younger) Truant Youth Youth Aging Out of DHS System Attorneys and Youth at Risk

Young Offenders: Population at risk for becoming violent offenders  Six out of 10 are likely to be future serious, violent and chronic offenders  Cost: an average of $1.7–$2.3 million per youth on average is spent through their juvenile and young adult years

Young Offenders What is the trend of young offending?

Young Offenders What types of crimes do they commit?

Young Offenders: Best Practice Models Based upon a comprehensive assessment of strengths and deficits, youth (and their families) can be matched to any combination of the following: Get Real About Violence Aggression Replacement Training The Parenting Project and Parenting Adolescents Wisely Street Worker Surveillance (AVRP Components)

Truancy…… First Step to a Lifetime of Problems

Truancy…… 40.4% Philadelphia public school students had 8 or more unexcused absences in Translation: more than 90,000 Philadelphia public school students are currently in danger of experiencing long-term educational and social problems

Truant Youth: Were 3.2 times more likely to be suspended one or more times during the school year Were approximately 2.4 times more likely than their non-truant counterparts to drop out of high school within the next four years of schooling (cohort was truant youth in 8th grade in )

Truant Youth: Scored significantly lower in Reading and in Math than his/her non-truant counterpart during the school year Tend to be concentrated in the city’s most economically distressed neighborhoods

Truancy: Best Practice Models A comprehensive assessment of strengths and deficits will provide for service “matching” wherein youth (and family) profiles will be “matched” to services designed to meet identified needs Currently reviewing the following for possible inclusion in the Truancy Initiative Project SMARTTIPSTRACK Project STARTTHRIVE

Youth Aging Out of Foster Care ….. Are less likely to have a HS diploma or GED Suffer from behavioral health conditions Have high rates of future involvement with the criminal justice system Experience housing instability and frequent periods of homelessness

Youth Aging Out of DHS Completing a study funded by GPUAC Final report due out in October

Potential Role of Attorneys Youth Level Advocate for Psychosocial Assessments to Identify a Profile of Youth (and Family) Needs Based Upon the Identified Profile, Advocate for Youth-to-Service Matching Monitor Assessment/Service Provision

Potential Role of Attorneys System Level Hold System Accountable for Appropriate Intervention Initiate System Level Litigation When Appropriate Services Are Not Provided

Changing Systems, Getting Results.