Introduction
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An unmet need in the community of Norfolk is that juveniles are experiencing discriminatory practices such as wrongful convictions, legal representation, longer sentences, and residential placements. An intervention program to meet this unmet need would be a youth prevention center. Prevention programs are very important, prevention intervention is more likely to be effective when it is provided earlier in life rather than later in life. This program will teach minorities of color preventions to stop them from being in front of the juvenile justice system. This program will help minorities not to be discriminated against in the juvenile justice system. Once the minorities of color obtain the information from the prevention program, there will be less minorities of color in front of the juvenile justice system because of the information intake they have received from this beneficial program.
https://eji.org/news/black-children-five-times-more-likely-than-whites-to-be-incarcerated/
https://innocenceproject.org/race-and-wrongful-convictions/
Task
To meet the need of the juvenile system being unfair to minorities of color implementing a youth prevention center in the community of Norfolk to prevent minorities from going into the juvenile system will be very beneficial. This intervention program will be consisted of numerous program to help educate minorities of color prevention skills and knowledge of how to be preventive of situations that will lead them in front of the juvenile court system. The different programs in this facility will be designed as the following:
- Mentoring
- Bullying prevention
- Classroom and behavior management
- Social competence promotion
This plan will require a facility. To secure the facility and and to secure funds we will receive public funding, corporate donations, and foundation grants. Hiring volunteers will also be conducted; this will be good for volunteers because it will help them with their community service. The volunteers will all pitch in to help work on this plan. Partnering with other organizations that supports our goal/mission to the Norfolk community is a beneficial tool that will be used. Partnering with other organizations will help strengthen the advocacy voice of the goal/mission of our facility, expand programs, and increase brand exposure.
https://youth.gov/youth-topics/juvenile-justice/prevention-and-early-intervention
Process
With requesting funding from the Office of Justice Programs (OJJDP), this will help fund the youth prevention center and important materials to help this program run efficiently. The Office of Justice Programs supports community efforts to promote the safety and well-being of youth and to deter delinquency. Securing other resources will be done by hosting fundraisers in the community to raise money to go towards the other resources that will be needed for the facility. Fundraising, such as selling tickets to the Children’s museums that can be used December 2022 – January 2023. Applying for grants from the Office of Child Services and locating Child Welfare funding through private corporations such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation will also help during the process of opening the youth prevention center. Our programs will be very beneficial to the the youth in the community of Norfolk. The youth prevention center is ready to help the community of Norfolk. In high hopes the agency hopes that all donors, organization, and private organizations will consider investing in the program. The youth prevention center sees the future in the youth and wants the best for them.
https://www.aecf.org/grant-making
https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/management/funding/funding-sources/federal-funding/
Evaluation
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974
- The office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is a leader in efforts to reduce the over representation of minority youth in the Nations juvenile justice system. Funding through OJJDP helps address juvenile delinquency and supports improvements to the juvenile justice system. The funds also helps states address the four core requirements of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The four core requirements are the following:
- Identify and reduce racial and ethnicity disparities among youth who come into contact with the juvenile system
- Removal of juveniles from adult jails and lockups
- Separation of juveniles from adult inmates
- Deinstitutionalization of status offenders
- This legislation states and supports the issue of discrimination in the juvenile justice system. However, this law has made it mandatory for states to reduce disparities in order to receive funding.
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/programs/racial-and-ethnic-disparities
Conclusion
In conclusion, to meet the unmet need of the juvenile system showing disparities towards minorities of color to help I will start a prevention youth center. This prevention youth center will teach youth of color important knowledge of how to not ever be in front of the juvenile justice system. This prevention program will have beneficial outcomes for the minorities who attend the programs at the youth prevention center. Each program will reduce the amount of minorities that will appear in front of the juvenile justice system. Not only will it reduce the amount of minorities being seen in the juvenile justice system but it will also help each individual flourish into a successful adult. The youth prevention center sees the future in all youth. As a social worker making sure the youth has a well well-being is very important. Therefore, starting a facility to help the youth of minorities stay out of trouble while continuing to advocate for this group so they can live a successful life is very important.
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/making-justice-equal