Esther Short — Washington State Supreme Court Justice Charles Johnson recently visited Clark County Juvenile Court to meet with court officials and young offenders to discuss the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. Johnson co-chairs a statewide effort to support and expand the effort, which aims to save money and improve prospects for young offenders by finding alternatives to incarceration. Nine Washington counties are currently piloting the program.
“We have found that incarcerating juveniles can lead to an increased likelihood they will graduate to more serious criminal behavior,” Johnson said.
Instead, the low-risk youth in this program are closely monitored and directed to community support and restitution programs while continuing with school. (Youth who are charged with violent felonies do not qualify.)
“If you improve the prospects for troubled good people, they are much more likely to grow into responsible citizens,” Johnson said. “I believe keeping our youth out of detention and in school or other supportive programs makes sense and is good policy.”
