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National Evaluation and Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-RiskTransition of Juvenile Offenders from Placement to Education Services in the Community
TATC Consulting, submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, March 2004
The U.S. Department of Education contracted with TATC Consulting to report the obstacles and challenges faced by released youth offenders seeking educational services in their communities.
TATC Consulting conducted a background literature review, conducted a survey of six sites, and spoke with experts in the juvenile justice and correctional education fields to identify a sample of youth offender program sites with promising programs.
A number of challenges were identified: lack of resources allocated to transition, lack of partnerships and collaboration between the juvenile justice system and other public and private agencies serving youth, administrative problems (especially educational record exchange), and the schools’ resistance to admit reentering youth offenders.
This report also provides extensive information about successful transition practices to educational services. While each program services a different target population, one common feature is adapting aftercare and individualizing educational programs, such as counseling, mental health support, specialized academic classes, and linkages with community services to meet the special needs of students. In some sites, preliminary evaluation data shows positive outcomes for students.
Key report findings emphasize the importance of a structured, individualized, and cross-agency-supported transition program that aids in the school re-entry process.