Governor Beebe's Weekly Column and Radio Address: Better Chances for Troubled Teens

Statement

Recently, representatives from the National Center for Youth Law visited Little Rock to recognize Arkansas's advances in improving our juvenile justice system. Over the past four years, we have progressed from being a system considered below average to one praised as a model for other states to follow.

Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our system required a change in mindset at the Arkansas Youth Services Division. The officials there adopted a more creative approach to finding appropriate consequences for young offenders and new ways to foster their rehabilitation. Responding to the needs of troubled and at-risk adolescents must begin in the communities where these young people live. Treating teens in residential facilities removes them from negative environments, but can often fail to build the self-discipline and self-confidence they need to succeed when they return home to risky and tempting environments.

To reduce crime, we have to create safe environments that encourage our youth to make better choices. When they make bad decisions, it's critical that the punishment fits the crime. Youths who have committed crimes that endanger others should be locked up, but non-violent adolescent offenders often benefit from community-based treatment delivered closer to home. In the past, the Division of Youth Services has relied heavily on the Juvenile Assessment and Treatment Center in Alexander. But recently, the division has been able to reduce institutional spending at the center and route more funding to rehabilitation efforts.

Earlier this month, I met children at a Boys and Girls Club in Little Rock who told me that if they didn't have access to that facility's programs, they'd probably be "up to no good." Kids need good options close to home, and it's up to communities across the State to ensure that we are providing constructive opportunities and strong role models for all of Arkansas's children.

To help communities respond to this challenge, the State has launched a program called the Truth of Youth. Funded by a grant from the Public Welfare Foundation, this program provides community-based outreach toolkits, designed to help educate community members about children's needs and provide ideas for effective local programs. Strong after-school and summer programs keep kids busy in supervised, structured environments, supplement in-school education, and foster a sense of belonging. Ultimately, this can help stop crime before it starts.

Investing in alternative treatment programs has strengthened the juvenile justice system in our State. In one year, the number of youths sentenced to state facilities dropped from 636 to 531, and the Division of Youth Services reports that our increased commitment to community treatment programs has reduced recidivism rates. I am proud of the progress Arkansas is making, but there is more work ahead. Continued improvement requires the help of people all over the State, making the conscious decision to become more involved in the lives of the young people around them. That's something all of us can do.

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