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Promising Transition Practices in Short-Term Correctional Facilities. Overview of the Issues in Transition Out of the Short-term Detention Facility Mary Magee Quinn An Urban Example: Arizona Detention Transition Project
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Promising Transition Practices in Short-Term Correctional Facilities • Overview of the Issues in Transition Out of the Short-term Detention Facility • Mary Magee Quinn • An Urban Example: Arizona Detention Transition Project • Rob Rutherford, Heather Griller Clark, Shanna Unger, Mary Kay Hoskovec, Derrick Platt • A Rural Example: Cochise County Juvenile Detention Education Program • Sara McCauley, Nicole Wetzel, Jeremy Hebnes
Transition Out of the Short-term Detention Facility Education Program • Standards and benchmarks met • Academic credit • Special education status • IEP • Description of transition support needs • Graduation plan, if appropriate
Transition As Part of the IEP • Initiated while student is in detention facility • Developed with key stakeholders • Account for full range of education, vocational, and other service needs • Include support services
Special Education Practices • Process for immediate identification, evaluation, and placement of youths with disabilities • Extensive diagnostic system • Educational, vocational, social/emotional, and behavioral • Modify IEP to include transition plan
Policy Issues • Immediate transfer of records and portfolios • Student access to resource center or library • Individualized preplacement planning • Special funds earmarked for transition • Coordination with probation • Coordination with education program personnel • Periodic evaluation of the transition program
Training Issues • Staff awareness of available resources • Regularly held interagency meetings, training activities, and crossover correctional and community school visits to ensure staff awareness of youth and agency transition needs
Transition Challenges • Interagency awareness of programs and services • Differences in eligibility criteria • Exchanging information about students prior to transition • Program planning before transition • Post-Transition Information for Program Evaluation • Formal, Written Transition Procedures • Return to the Short-term Facility
Contents of the Manual • Special education law and education programming • Identifying students with special education needs • Formal evaluation and development of individualized education programs • Special education programming • Transition
Phases of Transition • Referral phase • Program placement phase • Follow-up phase
The Arizona Detention Transition Project (ADTP) • 4 year OSEP Model Demonstration Project • Purpose is to develop a sustainable model transition program that will assure the seamless transfer of youth with disabilities and their records across public schools, detention centers, community and employment agencies, and corrections. • The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of youth who recidivate and are sentenced to state and adult corrections and to increase the number of youth who are successfully engaged in school, work, and community activities.
Maricopa County Juvenile Detention Centers • Durango • Mary Kay • 14 Units • 229 youth at Capacity (average 250) • SEF • Shanna • 8 Units • 128 youth at capacity (average 185)
ADTP Goals Develop Individualized Transition Plans Establish a Seamless Transfer of Educational Records and Services Establish a Youth Tracking System Increase Interagency Collaboration Develop & Implement a Student Portfolio
Phase 1: Pre-Implementation • Determine the number of special education students served • Review current special education procedures • Determine the number of records requested and received • Determine the number of active transition plans • Determine the number of special education youth on probation who are engaged (school, work, other) • Determine the number of special education youth transferred to ADJC/DOC • Conduct a transition interview all special education students • Determine the format for the Passport/Portfolio • Become familiar with local resources
Phase 2: Implementation in Detention • Professional development/training (ADE, Probation Officers, Youth) • Outline records request procedure/establish a system for tracking records • Improve academic/vocational assessment of youth • Ensure ITPs are developed • Develop Passport/Portfolio • Increase Interagency communication/linkages (ABLE, PINS, Mentors)
Phase 3: Implementation in the Community • Improve educational tracking system for youth (JOLTS II) • Determine a process for contacting special education youth on probation (30, 60, 90 days) • Document engagement (school, work, other) • Determine a plan of action for youth who are not engaged • Establish a network of mentors
Cochise County Juvenile Detention Education Program • “Filling in the Gaps”
Cochise County Juvenile Detention Population BreakdownFY2003 • Gender # of Students • Male 208 • Female 60 • Ethnicity # of Students • African American 13 • Anglo 110 • Asian Pacific 2 • Hispanic 139 • Native American 4 • Age # of Students • 11years 3 • 12years 9 • 13years 14 • 14years 30 • 15years 50 • 16years 70 • 17years 92 • *Ave. Daily Pop. 29 • *Ave. Stay 16
Transition Services • Provided by Transition Program Manager and Transition Education Officer
Services Offered • Weekly Life Skills Lesson; Merging Two Worlds • Weekly Scheduled Guest Speakers • Transition Plans (Description of Transition Support Needs Included) • Follow-up Transition Counseling for Local Students
Weekly Life Skills Lessons • Merging Two Worlds, Transition Curriculum • Who Am I? • Where Am I Going? • How Do I Get There? • How Do I Keep It All Together? • Supplemental Lessons Covering • Money Management, Cooking, Poetry as a Coping Mechanism • Character Counts • Six Pillars of Character
Transition Plans • Participation in the Transition Outcomes Project • Transition interview • Review of PLEP • Transition plan as coordinated set of activities • The responsible agencies are invited to IEP meeting and are informed of any changes/ revisions to plan • Course of study
Follow-up Transition Counseling for Local Students • New program facilitated by licensed counselor, offered to students for at least one month after release (if P.O. or student wants to continue after that month, they can) • Designed to offer support for newly released students and the unique issues they face, including: • Anger management • Fear • Resiliency, follow through • respect