1. Reducing the School-to- Prison Pipeline A Strategy to Serve High-Risk Youth Juvenile Justice Summit, April 25, 2017
Both Introduce Ourselves
LINDA BARTON, Director, Wyoming Afterschool Alliance
Craig Williams, white, riley, Peterson fellow

2. WYOMING AFTERSCHOOL ALLIANCE
WHO WE ARE
Statewide Afterschool Network since 2007, funded by Charles
Stewart Mott Foundation and a priority fund of the Wyoming Community Foundation
Support all afterschool programs in the state with:
Professional Development and Training
Annual Statewide Afterschool Conference
Ensure equal access to high quality programs in every community
Develop statewide initiatives that support positive youth outcomes, and success in school and life
Craig

3. Today’s Crowd Afterschool Providers Legal and Judicial Professionals
School District Leaders
State Government Agencies
State and Federal Legislators
Non-profit organizations (NPO)
Mental Health Professionals
County Prevention Coalitions
County Government
Law Enforcement
Craig

4. Juvenile Justice in Wyoming
As of 2012, Wyoming ranks *2nd in the nation for youth under court order to a detention facility or other residential placement.
Wyoming also ranks *4th in the nation for school referrals to law enforcement.
Wyoming ranks *1st in the nation for suicides among children and youth.
Research has shown that formal processing of youth through court systems does not reduce subsequent offending and probably increases the likelihood for reoffending.
Both of these statistics are attributed to lack of community-based options and resources due in part to Wyoming’s rural nature.
*Based on per capita
Craig

5. WHY AFTERSCHOOL IS A SYSTEM OF SUPPORT
Provide expanded learning opportunities for children and youth during high-risk hours between 3-6pm and summer learning
Provide activities that support positive youth development
Offer least restrictive environments for at-risk youth
Provide highly-qualified staff who become positive and nurturing adult mentors.
Research shows that worker productivity goes up when parents
know their children are safe afterschool.
Definitions:
“At-risk youth” applies to those who are less likely to transition
successfully into adulthood and achieve economic self-sufficiency
Craig

6. Serving At-Risk Children & Youth
By The Numbers
Serving At-Risk Children & Youth
Number of youth served*
Cost per youth/year*
Afterschool Programs
14,000
3rd tier interventions
1,855
Afterschool Programs
$800
3rd tier
Interventions
$9,000
Craig
*average values based on data from 21st Century Community Learning Center afterschool providers and Wyoming DFS

7. Linda

8. History of the Project The results are in…….
In Fall 2013, WYAA became interested in understanding the School-to- Prison Pipeline, and how afterschool and summer programs can help.
We know that afterschool and summer programs are important prevention and intervention strategies for at-risk children.
Research shows that afterschool programs keep kids safe, support positive youth development, and help kids graduate from high school.
In Fall 2015, WYAA received funding from Sargent Foundation to begin efforts on: Reducing the School-to-Prison Pipeline – Leading with Afterschool
The results are in…….
Linda

9. Surveys Conducted In 2016 Afterschool Program Providers
Wyoming Stakeholders & Professionals
School Resource Officers
Linda

10. We Wanted To Know From Each Group:
STATEWIDE
DATA
We Wanted To Know From Each Group:
Barriers to serving at-risk children/youth
Challenges in working with at-risk children/youth
Knowledge of the afterschool field and its work
What training is needed
Linda

11. Barriers to providing services to At-Risk Youth
Afterschool Program Providers
Barriers to providing services to At-Risk Youth
Access to IEPs for specific understanding of needs
Other confidentiality issues such as parent approvals, court orders, and/or custody
Cooperation and communication with school personnel
Funding for experts to provide behavior management strategies
Staffing and professional development opportunities
Linda

12. School Resource Officers
Describe the major challenges you experience while working with at-risk youth
Number 1 Response: “Behavior Issues and Attitudes”
Interested in professional development opportunities:
- Confidentiality Laws and IEPs
- De-escalation Techniques and Strategies for Behavior Management
- Understanding Autism and Spectrum Disorders
- Understanding ADHD
Linda

13. Wyoming Stakeholders & Professionals
Afterschool programs are the least understood and/or utilized as community partners for juvenile justice in Wyoming communities
Linda

14. Workforce Productivity
The Economics
Working families and businesses:
Derive benefits from afterschool programs that ensure that youth have a safe place to go while parents are at work.
Parents concerned about their children’s afterschool care miss an average of eight days of work per/year.
Decreased worker productivity costs businesses up to $300 billion annually.
(Brandeis University, Community, Families and Work Program, 2004
and Catalyst & Brandeis University, 2006).
Linda

15. Craig

16. Craig

18. References and Citations
Prevention (Note: this is Juveniles in Residential Placement, 2011, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency s the most recent report released by OJJDP.) Confinement includes youth who are under court order to a detention facility or other residential placement.
The Center for Public Integrity, A state-by-state look at students referred to law enforcement
By Chris Zubak-Skees, enforcement
Reference: Petrosino, Anthony, Carolyn Turpin Petrosino, and Sarah Guckenburg (2010). Formal System Processing of Juveniles: Effects on Delinquency. The Campbell Collaboration. Oslo, Norway:
Taking a Deeper Dive into Afterschool: Positive Outcomes and Promising Practices, Afterschool Alliance, 1616 H St., NW, Suite 820, Washington, DC 20006, February 2014.
Craig