Highlights

The current Youth Justice Council was appointed by Governor Schweitzer in August 2005. The Council is assigned the task of developing a 3 Year Plan that is submitted to the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in application for Formula Grant funding. The current 3 Year plan has established priorities along the continuum of Prevention, Intervention, and Accountability.

The YJC identified the needs of the state by reviewing available data and targeting funding to address the needs identified. At the 3 Year Planning Retreat, held December 2nd, 2005, the YJC identified the following needs for program development that entail Prevention activities:
• Truancy programs
• Early Identification services
• 80% of youth coming into contact with probation staff are handled through an informal process. Thus, an important element for preventing youth from further escalation into the system is through diversion programming available in communities.

Intervention programming has been identified as a second priority need for the State’s juvenile justice system.
• Training for Judges dealing with youth who come before them.
• Training for Public Defenders in representation of youth and the Youth Court Act
• Improved electronic information sharing
• Improved access to services while in detention.
• Need for technical assistance such as JDAI for statewide detention centers
• Increase in community based programs available as alternatives to detention
• Lack of mental health screening and assessment tools available.
• Lack of treatment services for youth with identified mental health needs
• Lack of crisis services
• Lack of community services available.

Accountability programming has been identified as a monitoring issue in terms of system needs. The YJC has noted the need for training for Judges and lawyers in holding youth accountable. There will be a statewide conference October 2006 to provide this training.

PREVENTION Programs funded include:
• Youth Quest, Anaconda; Skills development
• Truancy Intervention, Helena

INTERVENTION Programs funded include:
• Community Youth Justice Council, W. Yellowstone
• Victim Offender Dialog, Missoula
• Systems of Care/KMA, Polson
• Systems of Care/KMA, Billings
• Youth Services Network, Kalispell
• Planning for the Future, Great Falls
• Systems of Care/KMA, Roundup/Lewistown

ACCOUNTABILITY Programs funded include;
• Juvenile Drug Court, Great Falls
• Accountability Enforcement, Peer Court, Kalispell
• Intensive Community Supervision, Billings
• Community Service Supervision, Dawson County
• Accountability Management, Dillon
• Juvenile Accountability, Musselshell County
• Concentrated Supervision, Blaine County
• Juvenile Accountability, Missoula