different worlds with common concerns: how dependency and delinquency systems can achieve better...
TRANSCRIPT
Different Worlds with Common Concerns: How Dependency and
Delinquency Systems Can Achieve Better Results by Authentically Engaging Youth and Families
Hernan Carvente and Ryan Shanahan, PhD
Engaging Families
• What are some BENEFITS to working
with families of youth?
• What are some CHALLENGES to
working with families of youth?
Why Work with Families?
• Families are experts on their own lives.• Family members know each other best.• Family is a natural support system for
early crisis intervention.• Families have a long-term investment that
outlasts treatment and government interventions.
Family Justice Program
• Vera’s Family Justice Program provides extensive training and strategic support to government and community partners to help them effectively draw on the resources of families and communities. These systemic interventions are designed to benefit people at greatest risk of cycling in and out of the justice system.
• The Vera Institute of Justice is an independent nonprofit that combines expertise in research, demonstration projects, and technical assistance to help leaders in government and civil society improve the systems people rely on for justice and safety.
Family Engagement Matters
A family-systems approach not only reduced recidivism rates for justice-involved youth as compared with other models of treatment, but also reduced rates of siblings’ involvement in the justice system. (Klein, 1977)
The protective effect of receiving parental visits during incarceration exists regardless of the quality of the parent-adolescent relationship. (Monahan, Goldweber, Cauffman, 2011)
Youth Who are Visited Weekly Have Better GPA’s
80.482.0
85.0
70
75
80
85
90
Never Less 1 week Weekly
Visitation Frequency
GPA
Distance to Facility Is a Barrier to Visitation
School District 11 2 5 7 9 8 4 1 6 10Average
Number of Visits per Year
21.5 19.3 18.8 13.3 9.6 9 3.6 3 2.1 0
High visitation ratesMedium visitation ratesLow visitation rates
FACILITY
Juvenile Relational Inquiry Tool
• Goals of the Juvenile Relational Inquiry Tool:
• To provide staff with a user-friendly method of recognizing and reinforcing positive connections to family and social networks during and after incarceration.
• To build rapport between the professional using the tool and the incarcerated individual.
Paulab.1961
Ray (Mr. A)b. 1957
Cynthiab. 1978
Chloeb. 1994
James Jr.b. 1955
Robertb. 1953
Eleanor 1932-2007
Graceb. 1952
Annetteb. 1960
MALE
FEMALE
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT
MENTAL ILLNESS
CHRONIC ILLNESS
DECEASED
MARRIED
SEPARATED
DIVORCED
FAMILY VIOLENCE
James 1929-2006
Henriettab. 1960Incarcerated
Martinb. 1984
EMPLOYED
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION
HIGHSCHOOL GRADUATE
TAKES CARE OF CHILDREN
IN SCHOOL
XX
The Genogram
Religious Services
Unit Staff
PsychologistMother and
Sister
Friends at Facility
School
Godmother
YOUTH
CONFLICT
NEUTRAL
STRONG
The Ecomap
Miracle Question
Imagine you go to sleep tonight and a miracle happens: your challenges no longer exist. When you wake up tomorrow, what will you notice first that tells you a miracle has happened and things are different?
Exception Questions
Were there times recently when the problem did NOT occur? When was the most recent time you were able to…How did that happen? What was different? Who was involved?
Implementation
• Write down one thing you can do the moment you get back from this training.
• Write down one thing you will do within one week.
• Write down one thing you will do within one month.
Contact Information
Hernan Carvente(212) 376-3113
Ryan Shanahan, PhD(212)376-3071
http://www.vera.org/centers/family-justice-program