Juvenile Services asks for program funding as committee confronts high rearrest rates

The subcommittee’s final topic was the Department of Juvenile Services, where DLS and DJS offered stark performance data and programmatic proposals.

DLS analyst Madeline Miller summarized FY25: a 3.8% increase to $338.6 million, driven largely by personnel costs. She highlighted performance measures showing juvenile arrests remain below pre‑pandemic levels overall but recent increases in complaints and a 3.8% rise in average daily detained population. DLS flagged growing medical care costs for youth (medical expenditures rose 46.3% between FY22 and FY23) and recommended DJS comment on whether a deficiency is needed for FY24. DLS also asked for further detail on the Thrive Academy expansion, spending plans for community investment funding, and updated reports (including a new facilities master plan and wait‑time information for out‑of‑home placements).

The committee focused on recidivism measures in DLS Exhibit 10: roughly 59.5% of youths released in a reference year experienced rearrest within three years, while a smaller share were re‑adjudicated or recommitted. Senators and the chair framed the metric as a primary marker of system performance and pressed DJS for a concrete plan to reduce repeat involvement.

Secretary Vinny Sheraldi told the committee DJS is implementing a two‑pronged approach: quickly fill gaps in services while launching a longer‑term Community Investment Initiative (CII) in coordination with the departments of public safety and human services. Sheraldi described the Thrive Academy as an intensive, evidence‑based program pairing youth with case managers and life coaches and providing stipends, employment pathways and relocation assistance; the department expects to expand the program and to procure services through the interagency rate committee process. DJS said Thrive served roughly 49 youth across four jurisdictions initially and proposed funding to extend capacity in FY25.

DJS committed to producing a plan to ensure youth on electronic monitoring receive programmatic services, not only surveillance: agency leadership said most youth on pretrial release are placed on electronic monitoring but often do not receive additional supports, a gap the agency intends to close and present to the committee by July 1.

Ending: The subcommittee requested DJS provide a facilities master plan, wait‑time data in the requested format, and a service‑linkage plan for youth on monitoring; no budget votes were taken during the hearing.