State Budget Cuts Hit Juvenile Justice Programs

State budget cuts in the wake of the economic downturn of 2008 are curtailing some counseling and group home programs aimed at keeping juveniles out of prison - a move critics believe will end up costing more in the long run. The cuts will eventually lead to more crime and higher costs, critics say.

Some states have already cut 20 percent from their juvenile justice programs and more cuts are expected.

Deep Budget Cuts

Several states have already made deep budget cuts due to declining tax revenues. Other states are expected to follow suit:

• South Carolina has already closed all five of the state's juvenile group homes. Other intensive youth reform programs and after-school programs have been cancelled.

• Kentucky is closing cutting back its boot camp program.

• Virginia has closed some juvenile camps and community programs, cut behavioral services staff and closed a facility that prepared children to return back into society after serving time.

• Florida ended three Associated Marine Institute's wilderness camp programs, aimed at helping troubled youth, in an effort to save $1.7 million. More cuts may be coming in the future as state legislators deal with a $2 billion budget shortfall.

• New Jersey counties are closing some juvenile detention centers and consolidating others in an effort to cutback on expenditures.

• New York's Gov. David Patterson has proposed closing six youth facilities and consolidating or downsizing others in an effort to try to save $12 million.

• Connecticut, Oregon, New Hampshire and Utah have made more modest cuts in their juvenile justice programs, mainly by delaying planned expenditures.

Raising Convicts

"If you raise a child in prison, you're going to raise a convict," said South Carolina Juvenile Justice Director Bill Byars, who believes the cuts are shortsighted.

Sheila Bedi, executive director of the Washington-based Justice Policy Institute, told The Associated Press that housing children can cost as much as $600 per child daily, but the expense is much greater when children learn how to commit more crimes in youth prisons and end up in adult facilities.

"The truant comes out learning how to steal a car," Bedi said. "You cannot expect a child to come out of that situation with the ability to make better life decisions."

In youth prisons, the minor and nonviolent criminals are lumped together with more violent offenders. But when the smaller group homes are available, the less violent offenders can get more individual attention and counseling.

See Also:
Juvenile Detention Center Consolidation Continues in NJ
Cash-Strapped States Cut Juvenile Justice Programs

More Information:
Juvenile Crime and Issues

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