Juvenile Rehabilitation

Clients in JR can be placed in room confinement (locked in the room designated for their sleeping, during times when other clients are outside of their rooms) or in isolation (locked in a room that is not designated for their sleeping, often a padded room). DCYF tracks the 30 day rate of room confinement and isolation for clients released from residential facilities each state fiscal year (SFY). In SFY 2023, the 30 day RCI rate for Hispanic clients was 2.97, meaning that Hispanic clients who released in SFY 2023 experienced, on average, 2.97 RCI events every 30 days, during their stay with JR.

Thirty Day Rate of Room Confinement/Isolation by Race/Ethnicity, SFY 2017-2023

 

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Thirty Day Rate of Room Confinement/Isolation by Race/Ethnicity, SFY 2017-2023

Source: DCYF. (October 2023). Automated Client Tracking System (ACT) [July 2016-June 2023].
WSRDAC/M: American Indian/Alaska Native, Multiracial combined with American Indian/Alaska Native and Black/African American, Multiracial combined with Black/African American. 
Notes: Asian/Pacific Islander suppressed due to low cell counts.

All clients in JR start at an institution. After they have spent 10% or 30 days of their sentence in an institution, most clients can be considered for placement in a community facility. DCYF tracks the disparity ratio of community facility placement. A ratio of 1.0 indicates that clients of that race/ethnicity are placed in community facilities at the same rate that they are placed in JR. A ratio above 1 indicates that group is placed at a higher frequency, and a ratio below 1 indicates that they are placed at a lower rate than their overall population in JR.

Racial/Ethnic Disparity Ratios for Community Facility Placement, 2017-2023

 

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Racial/Ethnic Disparity Ratios for Community Facility Placement, 2017-2023

Source: DCYF. (October 2023). Automated Client Tracking System (ACT) [July 2016-June 2023].
WSRDAC/M: American Indian/Alaska Native, Multiracial combined with American Indian/Alaska Native and Black/African American, Multiracial combined with Black/African American. 
Notes: Asian/Pacific Islander suppressed due to low cell counts.

Approximately 50% of clients in JR are assigned to parole aftercare. Although about half of parole assignments are mandatory based on a client’s committing offense, the remaining half of parole assignment is based on JR discretion. DCYF tracks racial/ethnic disparity in discretionary parole placement using a Disparity Ratio. A value of 1.0 indicates that clients of that race/ethnicity are placed on parole at the same rate that they are placed in JR. A ratio above 1 indicates that group is placed at a higher frequency, and a ratio below 1 indicates that they are placed at a lower rate than their overall population in JR.

Racial/Ethnic Disparity Ratios for Discretionary Parole Placement, SFY 2017-2023

 

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Racial/Ethnic Disparity Ratios for Discretionary Parole Placement, SFY 2017-2023

Source: DCYF. (October 2023). Automated Client Tracking System (ACT) [July 2016-June 2023].
WSRDAC/M: American Indian/Alaska Native, Multiracial combined with American Indian/Alaska Native and Black/African American, Multiracial combined with Black/African American. 
Notes: Asian/Pacific Islander suppressed due to low cell counts.

Employment for youth and young adults leaving residential facilities in Juvenile Rehabilitation is another outcome indicator for creating successful transitions to adulthood for youth and young adults in our care. Among young adults released in State Fiscal Year 2021, 68% found some work in the following year. Across the years, employment rates varied significantly by race and ethnicity. Asian clients had the highest rates of employment, while American Indian/Alaska Native clients had the lowest.

READ THE REPORT, EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES FOR YOUTH RELEASED FROM JUVENILE REHABILITATION

Quarters Worked First Year After Release from Juvenile Rehabilitation by Young Adults 18+ at Release, SFY 2014-2021

 

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Quarters Worked First Year After Release from Juvenile Rehabilitation by Young Adults 18+ at Release, SFY 2014-2021

Source: Goins, A. (2022). Employment outcomes for clients released from juvenile rehabilitation. Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families Office of Innovation, Alignment, and Accountability. https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/reports/EmploymentOutcomes-ReleasedJR2022.pdf
DCYF. (October 2023). Automated Client Tracking (ACT). [7/1/2022-6/30/2023]. Employment Security Department (ESD). (October 2023). [7/1/2022-6/30/2023]. 

Another outcome indicator for the strategic priority to improve the quality and availability of provider services is mental health need and parole aftercare availability for youth and young adults released from Juvenile Rehabilitation facilities. Post-release aftercare services increase the likelihood that youth and young adults will reenter their communities and live socially responsible and stable lifestyles. About half of youth and young adults with identified mental health needs are released with no parole aftercare services. DCYF continues to strive to find creative ways to service the unfunded post-release needs of this group. Each year, among the youth and young adults who are released to Intensive Parole services, more than half have identified mental health needs.

READ THE REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE, INTENSIVE PAROLE SERVICES FOR HIGH-RISK JUVENILE OFFENDERS

Youth and Young Adults Released from Juvenile Rehabilitation, by Identified Mental Health Need and Parole Aftercare, SFY 2016-2023

 

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Youth and Young Adults Released from Juvenile Rehabilitation, by Identified Mental Health Need and Parole Aftercare, SFY 2016-2023

Source: DCYF. (October 2023). Automated Client Tracking System (ACT) [July 2016-June 2023]. 
Notes: This measure has been updated to indicate mental health need based on the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs - Short Screener (GAIN-SS). Approximately 2% of clients who release each year were not assessed by the GAIN-SS. Mental health need is identified using the Internalizing Disorder Screener in the GAIN-SS. A score of 1 or more was used as it suggests a need for mental health treatment (Dennis, M. L., Feeney, T., & Titus, J. C. (2013). Global Appraisal of Individual Needs–Short Screener (GAIN-SS): Administration and scoring manual, version 3. Bloomington,IL: Chestnut Health Systems.)

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the primary residential treatment for youth and young adults in Washington’s Juvenile Rehabilitation (JR) facilities. Two integral components of DBT are individual counseling sessions and skills groups. JR’s standard is for residents to attend 4 of each per month. Equitable access to appropriate treatment is a driver of equitable outcomes. Residents who are Black/African American or Asian/Pacific Islander received less DBT treatment than did other groups.

READ THE EVALUATION OF DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY IN WASHINGTON STATE’S JUVENILE REHABILITATION

READ THE UPDATE ON THE 2019 DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY RECOMMENDATIONS

Another systems-related measure to track in this area is youth detention rates. As parents and caregivers are more supported to meet the needs of their youth, more youth and adolescents will be able to avoid juvenile detention. Across Washington, the average youth detention rate in 2020 was 5.4 admissions per 1,000 youth ages 12-17.

READ THE 2020 JUVENILE DETENTION REPORT

Youth Detention Rates per 1,000 Youth Age 12-17, by County, 2020

 

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Youth Detention Rates per 1,000 Youth Age 12-17, by County, 2020

Source: Gilman, A.B., & Sanford, R. (2022) Washington State Juvenile Detention 2020 Annual Report. Olympia, WA: Washington State Center for Court Research, Administrative Office of the Courts.
Notes: Rates were previously reported for ages 10-17, however detention admissions for youth under 12 have become uncommon (0.6% in 2020), so rates are now being reported for the population of youth ages 12-17.