Goals and structure
Goals and objectives
The goal of the DMC Action Network is to expand the work of state and local jurisdictions to achieve sustainable reductions in racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system.
Expanding opportunities in DMC reductions
The launch of the DMC Action Network presents an opportunity for four additional state and/or local sites across the country to join the Models for Change states (Pennsylvania, Illinois, Louisiana, Washington) in providing leadership in DMC reduction. A key criterion for selection of the additional sites is that the jurisdiction has already achieved measurable success in reducing DMC in some way. The success may be in reducing overrepresentation or racial disparities affecting youth of color in the juvenile justice system, or in adopting measures that reduce the entry or penetration of youth of color into the system.
Measuring success
The success of the action network may be demonstrated in a variety of ways, including but not limited to:
- Reducing the index of overrepresentation at one or more key system decision points;
- Developing a new data system that collects information on race and ethnicity of youth in the juvenile justice system;
- Compiling and issuing regular reports on race and ethnicity of youth at key decision points in the system;
- Adopting a Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI) to reduce the impact of subjective detention decisions;
- Establishing new alternatives to detention or commitment to prevent youth of color from being unnecessarily incarcerated;
- Creating new culturally competent community-based programs for youth of color.
Network structure
Coordination
The DMC Action Network is coordinated by the Center for Children’s Law and Policy, a National Resource Bank member that provides technical assistance to DMC efforts in all four Models for Change states.
Strategic innovations
A key requirement for all Network members is participation with other sites in developing and implementing strategic innovations to reduce DMC or specific efforts that lead to measurable outcomes to reduce DMC. Examples of strategic innovations range from data collection and reporting innovations to improve site data capacity and ensure the disaggregating of data by race and/or ethnicity to program and service innovations that will primarily impact youth of color. Learn more about these and other strategic innovations underway.
Other requirements
In addition to work on a Strategic Innovation, each Network site will be required to:
- Identify one key stakeholder to lead DMC reduction efforts in the jurisdiction;
- Demonstrate buy-in and support at the state level for its efforts, at a minimum by obtaining a letter from the state DMC Committee or State Advisory Group that distributes funds under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act;
- Commit to identify and work to achieve measurable goals for improvement;
- Attend annual conferences of Network members;
- Participate in quarterly conference calls involving all Network sites;
- Write one article during the year on its DMC reduction efforts, to be published in the monthly DMC Action Network e-newsletter; and
- Submit semi-annual reports on progress in implementing the strategic intervention.