Voices For Ohio's Children

Home : Testimonials/Case Studies : Voices testifies on state budget

07-06-2009

Voices testifies on state budget

Good morning, Chairman Sykes and members of HB 1 Conference Committee. I thank you for your time and appreciate the opportunity to speak with you. My name is Yvonne C. Hunnicutt and I am the Policy Associate for Voices for Ohio's Children and the primary facilitator of the Juvenile Justice Initiative workgroup.

Voices for Ohio's Children is a non-partisan group of public, not-for-profit and private sector organizations and individuals who share a mutual concern about improving the well-being of our community¡¦s children and their families. Through a collaborative effort and a collective voice, Voices promotes improvements in the well being of our community's children and their families. Consequently, our Juvenile Justice Initiative workgroup is a broad-based group of individuals and organizations from Ohio to grow an informed, collective, community voice to advocate for transformation of Ohio's juvenile justice system. We recognize that a sound juvenile justice policy agenda rests upon an understanding of adolescent development and incorporates the following best practice standards:

Increasing the range of effective community-based alternatives to institutionalization;
Addressing the challenges of youth with special needs and meaningfully engaging families and youth in their care:
Improving access to legal advocates to ensure effective representation in the system, and
Ensuring that all youth, regardless of race or income, have equal opportunities for treatment and care.

My testimony today is on behalf of the Juvenile Justice Initiative (JJI) as well as youth and their families who are involved in the juvenile corrections process.

JJI applauds the leadership of the Ohio General Assembly, Governor Strickland, and Ohio Department of Youth Services, Director Stickrath in transforming Ohio's juvenile justice system. We understand that the current economic climate makes it extremely difficult for the state to remain focus on what works for families and capitalizing off of our successes. However, as it relates to our work with the Ohio Department of Youth Services and correctional alternatives and options, the proposed reduction of 5.46% ($15 million) in FY 2010 and 5.26% ($13.9 million) in FY 2011 from the Governor¡¦s original budget. For FY 2010, will mean additional cuts to central office, parole positions and services, as well as a reduction in the block grant to Ohio's juvenile courts. Furthermore, these reductions in the budget funding leaves kids behind at a time when we have the opportunity to transform the juvenile justice system. These services aren't just line items in the State budget but actual programs and opportunities where kids are being served in their communities.

In a recent policy brief by the Justice Policy Institute, The Costs of Confinement, Ohio has been recognized as one of five states with a strong juvenile justice reform effort due to our focus on reducing the reliance of institutionalization by strengthening the accessibility of community based programs and alternatives. Our nationally recognized RECLAIM-funded community-based programs are proven that youth who are diverted to these programs are less likely to recidivate than youth sent to state institutions. RECLAIM (Reasoned and Equitable Community and Local Alternatives to the Incarceration of Minors) demonstrates the original focus of the juvenile justice system by recognizing the need to meet youth where they and supporting the family in their respective community. According to the University of Cincinnati, Evaluation of Ohio's RECLAIM Funded Programs, Community Correctional Facilities, and DYS Facilities (8/05), the lower risk youth served by community-based RECLAIM programs have lower recidivism rates (based on adjudication data) than the lower risk youth who are sent to ODYS. For moderate risk groups, youth served by RECLAIM programs and Community Based Corrections Facilities had significantly lower recidivism (18% and 16% respectively) than did the moderate risk youth discharged or released from ODYS facilities (25% and 30% respectively). According to a fiscal analysis by the ODYS, for every dollar spent on the RECLAIM program, the state saves from $11 to $45 in commitment and processing costs, depending on the risk level of the youth. The RECLAIM system continues to show that community-based alternatives are cheaper, thus encouraging the counties to invest in these initiatives. The proposed funding cuts would place an additional hardship on youth and families and will hinder Ohio's opportunity to realize the long term economic and human savings that are evident with smart correctional reforms. Therefore, raising revenue to support community-based programs and options demonstrate a commitment to Ohio's youth and their families.

Additionally, far too many children with behavioral health issues end up in the juvenile justice system. Statewide, nine pilot projects are working to divert children with behavioral health issues from the juvenile justice system, funded through the Department of Mental Health referred to as the BH/JJ initiative (Behavioral Health/ Juvenile Justice). We support ODYS efforts to build on the proven effectiveness of RECLAIM and BH/JJ by providing additional resources to community initiatives over the next two years. We are pleased that additional initiatives such as the Community-Based Treatment Centers and the BH/JJ programs are based on methods proven cost-effective in Ohio and nationally and will maintain funding. For FY 2008, the DYS per diem was $236, with the total cost per stay $78,588 (average stay 11.1 months). In comparison, the per diem for county operated Community Correctional Facilities was $152, at a total cost per stay of $30,552 (average length of stay 6.4 months); and for RECLAIM programs the cost per client served was $1960 (based on payments to the counties and the number youth served 1997- 2002. The BH/JJ evidence-based treatment programs are cost-effective. It is estimated that such programs produce $2.54 of benefits for every dollar of cost (Washington State Institute for Public Policy).

Lastly, in order to fully take advantage of the community-based initiatives in the ODYS budget, juvenile court judges need to have more discretion about which children can be appropriately served in the community. Over the past 15 years, mandatory sentencing has removed this discretion, without any evidence of positive impact on public safety. The Voices for Ohio's Children Juvenile Justice Initiative, is working with Representative Tracy Maxwell Heard with HB 235 on juvenile sentencing issues that impact the number of children institutionalized who do not need to be. This bill acknowledges the differences between adult and juvenile offenders and how juveniles are more amendable to treatment and therefore, should be given access to services that treat, educate and rehabilitate.
In closing, children who are involved in the juvenile justice system are more likely to be rehabilitated and less likely to re-offend if they receive treatment in smaller, community-based facilities and if they are able to maintain and strengthen their family ties during the time they are incarcerated. This is why the Juvenile Justice Initiative encourages you to consider funding what works -investment in services for youth and their families. We believe these are more than expenditures- they are investments in the future of Ohio¡¦s youth. The State of Ohio will ultimately save money and lives if we invest today in what has been proven to effectively rehabilitate children in the juvenile justice system.

Chairman Sykes, members of the Conference Committee, I thank you for your time and the opportunity to speak on behalf of our youth and I welcome any questions you may have.