Some juvenile detention centers (JDCs) allow DJJ to utilize existing bed space in their facility by providing detention reentry programs for juveniles in direct care, allowing them to begin transitioning back to their communities 30 to 120 days before their scheduled release date. Similar to CPPs, the programs facilitate increased visitation with families and allow for the initiation of services for parole planning with their assigned parole officers. The objectives of the program are to prepare juveniles for progressively increased responsibility and freedom, bridge services between direct care placement and the community, facilitate increased family engagement, and establish relationships with targeted community support systems. These objectives are met by developing an individualized case plan, via the comprehensive reentry case plan (CRCP), that incorporates family and community involvement.
The following JDCs operate detention reentry programs:
The Detention Reentry Program provides juveniles an option for transitioning from a direct care placement to a local juvenile detention center (JDC) in close proximity to their home community for up to 120 days prior to discharge from commitment onto parole. Direct care placements may include juvenile correctional centers (JCCs), community placement programs (CPPs), and/or contracted residential programs (e.g. residential treatment centers, group homes) through the regional service coordinator. The goal of the program is to establish connections with communities and families. The focus of detention reentry is to prepare juveniles for progressively increased responsibility and freedom, facilitate family interaction and involvement, establish relationships, and begin work with the juvenile and targeted community support systems. All of this is accomplished through progressive opportunities being afforded to the juvenile to participate in off-site outings and furloughs.
Juveniles who:
* Exclusionary criteria is determined by each individual juvenile detention center.
The JDC, at a minimum, provides the following:
The PO is responsible for making necessary links and brokering all community based services through the continuum of care. Service delivery can occur at the JDC or in the community.
Juveniles in detention reentry should be placed in JDCs in their home community in order for transitional parole services to begin prior to release from direct care. This allows for a more seamless and supported transition back into the community and allows the juvenile more frequent interaction with their family and natural support system.
Purposes for off-site outings and furloughs for detention reentry juveniles can include (but are not limited to):
Off-site outings and furloughs should be individualized and clearly align with the juvenile’s established parole reentry CRCP. Detention reentry eliminates gaps in service delivery that may occur with a more traditional release from direct care by allowing the community based service provider to begin their treatment during this time of transition. Ideally, a juvenile in a detention reentry program should be spending more time in the community than in the JDC. The JDC, PO, service provider, or family can all provide transportation for the purpose of off-site outings or furloughs as needed and agreed upon by the treatment team. Furloughs and transportation by family requires approval by the residential case management system. Furloughs also have to be requested two (2) weeks in advance of the scheduled date, to include an outline of the events.
Each JDC’s physical layout and functionality is different so it is up to each individual JDC to determine where detention reentry juveniles are housed. An optimal placement would be in a unit/pod that has a higher level of structure or programming (e.g. post-d) however, this is not a requirement and juveniles can also be placed in a JDC’s general population.
