The Challenge
Few states have the capacity to track and analyze the recidivism rates of young people who have previously come into conflict with the law. The Pennsylvania Juvenile Case Management System (PaJCMS), which is administered by the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission (JCJC), is one of the most effective mechanisms for collecting juvenile delinquency data. However, these data have never been analyzed to track the effectiveness of practices to reduce recidivism.
The Project
Through her Emerging Leader Fellowship, Justine Fowler worked with the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission to establish statewide and county-level benchmarks for juvenile recidivism rates in Pennsylvania. The recidivism reports were shared with the Pennsylvania Council of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers, the JCJC member judges, and Governor Corbett. Justine’s analysis also enabled stakeholders to measure the effectiveness of Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy, identify the strategy’s strengths and weaknesses, and make data-informed decisions about future services and programs for justice-involved youth.
