JDAI

Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative

For more than 20 years nationally in both urban and rural jurisdictions, the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) has demonstrated that moving low-risk youth from secure detention into community-based alternative programs is excellent public policy. JDAI is a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, focused on juvenile justice system improvement. In Indiana, JDAI is overseen by Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, Indiana Department of Correction, Indiana Supreme Court, Indiana Department of Child Services, Indiana FSSA: Division of Mental Health & Addiction, and Indiana Department of Education.

States

JDAI began in 1992 and is available in 40 states and the District of Columbia

%

of American Youth

Live within a community that
offers JDAI programs

%

of Indiana Youth

 between 10-17 years old live
inside of a JDAI County

JDAI’s 8 Core Strategies

1. Collaboration

Promoting collaboration between juvenile court officials, probation agencies, prosecutors, defense attorneys, schools, community organizations and advocates;

2. Use of Accurate Data

Using rigorous data collection and analysis to guide decision-making.

3. Objective Admission Criteria

Utilizing objective admissions criteria and screening instruments to replace subjective decision-making processes.

4. Alternatives to Detention (ATD)

Implementing new or expanded community-based alternatives to locked facilities — such as day and evening reporting centers, home confinement, and shelter care;

5. Case Processing

Instituting case processing reforms to expedite the flow of cases through the system;

6. Special Detention Cases

Reducing the number of youth detained for probation rule violations or failing to appear in court, and the number held in detention awaiting transfer to a residential facility;

7. Reducing Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Disparities

Improving racial and ethnic equity by examining data to identify policies and practices that may disadvantage youth of color at various stages of the process, and pursuing strategies to ensure a more level playing field for youth regardless of race or ethnicity; and

8. Conditions of Confinement

Monitoring and improving conditions of confinement in facilities.

JDAI in Wayne County

Under the leadership of Judge Darrin Dolehanty, Wayne Superior Court 3, the Wayne County Probation Department began implementing JDAI in 2014. The Wayne County JDAI model has been intentional and implemented with fidelity to the state and national JDAI model. The Wayne County JDAI model has built strong partnerships in the community, especially with our educational partners. Our local work has focused on educating, preventing, and implementing new and innovative approaches to our community work with youth. Wayne County has twice been recognized as a high-achieving JDAI county in Indiana and has been awarded performance-based funding, which assisted our local collaborative in numerous ways. The Wayne County JDAI collaborative consistently analyzes and uses data to decide how best to serve the youth in our community and determine if our approaches and practices have the intended impact and outcome on our youth.