Mobilizing Service Delivery for Violent Juveniles and Adults

• In Event: Risk-Needs-Responsivity Concerns in Community Corrections

Abstract

As young adults return to their communities from confinement, many share essential needs: find safe housing, graduate from school, obtain employment, address safety issues in their communities and maintain physical and mental health (US DoEd Summit 2012). In NJ, juveniles returning from correctional facilities are referred by the juvenile justice system to the Re-entry Multidisciplinary team (MDT), a collaborative network of social service agencies, parole, and probation. MDT provides support during this transitional period to foster the successful reintegration of juveniles into their communities. In Newark, the most violent adult reentry population is also in critical need of successful service delivery through comprehensive collaboration. The Newark Violence Reduction Initiative (NVRI) is a focused deterrent model where high risk individuals are convened and presented with alternatives to prevent future violence in their neighborhoods. Similar to MDT, a major component of NVRI is the delivery of services including education, employment, mental health, rehabilitation, and life skills. Mobilizing service providers for both populations is essential to the success of these individuals. This presentation will provide an overview of MDT and NVRI addressing the value of social service engagement as a critical engine in violence prevention and fostering safe communitie

Authors

• Lori A. Scott-Pickens, Rutgers University

• Joanna Kubik, Rutgers University

• Wanda H. Moore, State of NJ Office of the Attorney General