New data from the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) show that LAYC’s Evening Reporting Center (ERC), which provides young people awaiting trial with an alternative to juvenile detention, is achieving a very low rate of recidivism among participants in the program.
Recidivism and the percentage of youth who show up for scheduled court appearances are key metrics used to evaluate the success of alternatives to secure juvenile facilities.
LAYC’s ERC program served 72 young people from January – June of 2006. While participating in the 30-45 day program, just four percent were re-arrested and only one percent failed to show up at their court appearance, according to the DYRS data. There were no negative outcomes for 95%.
LAYC’s rate of re-arrest for the January-June period was the lowest achieved by any of the alternative detention programs being offered in DC through DYRS.
LAYC’s ERC began operations in summer of 2005. Youth are picked up after school and receive homework assistance, computer classes, mental health counseling, arts and recreational opportunities and dinner in a supervised setting. They are returned to their homes at 9:00 pm. The ERC operates six days a week.
Rather than waiting for their trial in juvenile detention, participants at LAYC’s Evening Reporting Center are able to continue in school and stay with their families while receiving supervision to ensure that they do not commit additional crimes. In the past 12 months (July 1, 2005 – June 30, 2006), LAYC’s ERC has served 137 participants, from all eight of the city’s wards.
“The new DYRS data show that alternatives to juvenile detention work,” said Mai Fernandez, Chief Operating Officer at the Latin American Youth Center. “DYRS deserves a lot of credit for putting resources into alternatives to secure juvenile facilities and for working closely with LAYC and other organizations operating similar programs to track and monitor outcomes.”
