Youth Justice Transformation
Ramsey County Youth Justice Transformation (YJT), a program of Transforming Systems Together, is redefining how the county approaches youth justice. It is a collaborative effort that brings together diverse stakeholders within the county and community to create meaningful change and better outcomes for young people and their families.
The initiative aims to reduce the number of young people who are placed in detention and secure placements while expanding services to those impacted by juvenile probation, extended juvenile jurisdiction and out-of-home placements.
YJT takes a holistic approach to youth justice with internal and external partners. By working together, YJT aims to develop solutions tailored to young people's and their families' unique needs, while promoting equity and inclusion by addressing the root causes of youth involvement in the justice system.
Core strategies
- Collaboration.
- Reliance on data.
- Eliminating disparities.
- Detention screening.
- Detention alternatives/placements.
- Probation violations and warrant cases.
- Case processing (detention length of stay).
- Confinement conditions.
- Community engagement.
Goals
Using the core JDAI strategies of relevant data, community engagement, and decision-point analysis as essential tools, stakeholders will adopt policies, procedures, practices and programming in the youth justice system that:
- Decrease unnecessary displacement of youth and address the disparities of youth of color in the corrections system by utilizing an effective Risk Assessment Inventory (RAI), which assesses whether a youth meets the criteria for secure confinement, release, or an alternative to detention like respite shelter.
- Use restorative justice principles that focus on preventing and repairing harm and restoring families and communities rather than punishment.
- Increase collaboration among public safety transformation partners within Ramsey County to foster cross-agency and cross-sector responses that build bridges between criminal justice partners and the community.
Current projects
The Power Within Us
This program helps support young adults ages 16-24 who are currently on probation in Ramsey County connect to paid job training and education programs. Learn more.
Pay 4 Peace
The Pay 4 Peace initiative is a collaborative effort between Ramsey County Youth Justice Transformation and Ramsey County Healing Streets Project. This collaboration offers youth engaging in group and gun violence a courageous place to reconcile their differences and receive peace stipends to uphold peace treaties in the community. The primary objective of the Pay 4 Peace Initiative seeks to offer (1) reconciliation sessions for youth to reconcile conflicts before a violent/or criminal activity occurs; (2) provide client-specific programming and wrap-around support for youth enrolled in the cohort; and offer (3) monthly stipends for youth who sign onto the peace agreement, attend programming, and remain peaceful in the community.
ATD Respite Shelter Project
In partnership with the Youth Advisory Council, community stakeholders, youth justice leaders, and families in need of resources, Ramsey County seeks to establish several community-based respite shelters for youth who are experiencing delinquency and require emergency shelter services. The respite shelters will be an alternative to detention for youth who score between 10 and 14 on the Risk Assessment Instrument and don't meet the criteria for secure detention. Shelters should be culturally specific, community-based, secure, or non-secure, 24-hour supervision. The Request For Proposals for respite shelters will be released by the end of April 2024.
Youth Advisory Council
The Youth Advisory Council seeks to transform systems to become more inclusive, responsive, and intentional in how the county delivers services and support for youth and young adults, especially those who are impacted by criminal justice and the child-welfare system. Learn more.
Governance
Stakeholder Group
Provide overall oversight and set general direction to Youth Justice Transformation
Steering Committee
Purpose: Responsible for providing leadership support, planning, and oversight of the priorities and initiatives of Youth Justice Transformation.
Alternatives To Detention (ATD) & Case Processing Committee
Identify and recommend detention and youth justice system alternatives that meet the needs of Ramsey County and system-involved youth, decrease the use of detention, and increase the use of alternatives to detention in matters where court appearance and public safety are not compromised.
Eliminating Racial Disparities Committee
Identify the challenges, data trends, and barriers to eliminating racial disparities in Youth Justice; understand who the key beneficiaries are and what they need; and determine the most effective and efficient way possible to achieve the identified goals of interest.
Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI) Committee
Develops, implements, and evaluates recruitment and outreach activities, strategies, and programs to recruit, admit youth advisors with emphasis on retention.
Data Committee
Responsible for preparing data reports for quarterly and annual analysis using the REGGO lens (race, ethnicity, gender, geography, and offense) to assist in implementing strategies and policies that eliminate disparities within the youth justice system.
Communications Committee
Responsible for establishing internal and external communications processes; and evaluating the effectiveness of communication of YJT initiatives, data, and priorities to internal and external stakeholders.
Youth Advisory Council
The Youth Advisory Council seeks to transform systems throughout Ramsey County to become more inclusive, responsive, and intentional in how the county delivers services and support for youth and young adults, especially youth and young adults impacted by criminal justice and the child-welfare system.