Washington County Juvenile Justice System improvements in progress

For Immediate Release: Thursday, October 11, 2018

Washington County is working to implement improved evidence based decision making throughout the juvenile justice system with technical assistance from Georgetown University's Center for Juvenile Justice Reform (CJJR). The project aims to enhance the overall system through a comprehensive, evidence-based platform to improve youth outcomes, protect public safety and reduce system costs. Members of a multi-disciplinary team of juvenile justice stakeholders in Washington County have all been selected as Georgetown CJJR Fellows as part of their commitment to this effort and their participation in a "Capstone Project" entitled "Evidence Based Decision Making." The team includes the following individuals:

• Judge Erik Bucher, Washington County Circuit Court
• David Castleton, Division Manager, Washington County Juvenile Department
• Dr. Jennifer Cearley, Research &Evaluation Analyst, Washington County Juvenile
• Douglas Killian, Attorney, Metropolitan Public Defenders
• Nicholas Ocon, Behavioral Health Supervisor, Washington County Health &Human Services
• Susan Salkield, Special Projects Director, Tigard-Tualatin School District
• Lynne Schroeder, Director, Washington County Juvenile
• Dustin Staten, Deputy District Attorney, Washington County District Attorney's Office

Their efforts are tied to strong research evidence on what works to reduce recidivism and other negative outcomes for youth in the justice system. Over time, this research has aided the development of structured decision-making tools that allow juvenile justice practitioners to use relevant research to improve the efficiency and outcomes of juvenile justice systems. These tools include:

• Risk and needs assessment instruments that can guide decisions about the proper level of supervision for individual youth—based on their risk for continued delinquent behavior—and the types of intervention programs that are appropriate for their identified needs;
• The Standardized Program Evaluation Protocol (SPEPTM), which can be used to assess the expected effectiveness of those programs for reducing recidivism;and
• Local data collection which helps to evaluate the level of supervision and types of services likely to reduce overall subsequent delinquent behavior for youth managed in that system.

According to Washington County Juvenile Department Director, Lynne Schroeder, "I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with this dedicated group of people, and our advisors at Georgetown, to improve our juvenile justice system. In turn, I believe our efforts will enhance public safety and create more positive outcomes for youth and their families in Washington County. I'm confident that this project will aid our ongoing commitment to reduce delinquency, hold youth accountable and support positive youth development."

For more information about the Washington County Juvenile Department, go to https://www.co.washington.or.us/Juvenile/ .

For more information on CJJR Fellows Network, visit http://cjjr.georgetown.edu/certificate-programs/fellows-network/.

Media Contact:

Jennifer Cearley, Research & Evaluation Analyst, Washington County Juvenile
503-846-8361
[email protected]