By Anne Teigen
Legislators from around the nation convented in Charleston, S.C., last month for NCSL's Juvenile Justice Model Site Visit.
The meeting, convened through a partnership between NCSL and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, provided an opportunity for a small group of state legislators to learn from local leaders about South Carolina’s youth reforms and from national experts on mental health and juvenile justice defense models.
Sylvia Murray, (pictured at left) director of South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), discussed systemic changes to the DJJ, including lowering caseloads for probation officers, repositioning facility clinicians back to the community, expanding diversion and alternative placement programs, and creating extensive job training, anti-gang, and afterschool programs both in detention programs and in the community.
Senator Michael Fair (R), chairman of the South Carolina Senate Corrections and Penology Committee, and J.J. Gentry, staff attorney for the South Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke about the process of passing the 2014 reform bill that limit shackling of juveniles during court appearances.
Dr. Robert Kinscherff, senior associate at the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, make a presentation on the importance of mental health screening for juveniles early on in the process and Representative Diane Larson (R-N.D.) discussed recent juvenile mental health reforms in North Dakota.
Patricia Puritz from the National Juvenile Defender Center spoke about innovative strategies and promising state legislation that address the adoption of new juvenile justice defense standards, provide early appointment of counsel and increase juvenile defender resources to better ensure quality counsel.
Representative Pete Lee (D-Colo.) then presented information from his state on restorative justice.
The group also toured AMIKids in Beaufort, a model nonprofit residential placement program that gives troubled youth opportunities to transform into responsible young adults.
A group of young men led a PowerPoint presentation and tour of the facility, showing legislators how they build boats, fish for crab, go to school, swim, weld and develop leadership skills that help to change the trajectories of their lives.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the group participated in a legislator roundtable where they reviewed and reflected on the information they had obtained over the previous few days.
See photos from the event here. If you would like to download any of the photos, please use this password: ncsl. See a video from the event here. The password is ncsl.
Anne Teigen is a program principal in NCSL's Transportation and Criminal Justice programs.
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