Judicial District 3J and juvenile justice stakeholders completed a review of the probation and juvenile justice system in Lancaster County on April of 2018.  The Robert F. Kennedy National Resource Center (RFK) conducted the review which endorsed fifteen recommendations for reform.   Efforts were immediately put into action to start prioritizing the recommendations and planning for implementation.  Additionally, RFK received grant funds to continue national support during implementation and in March 2019, launched the Dennis M. Mondoro Probation and Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Project.   

Judicial District 3J was again selected as one of three sites to receive training and technical assistance.  RFK will provide ongoing expert support including on-site technical assistance and training opportunities including a variety of methods over the next 24 months to implement and successfully sustain the innovative and best-practice recommendations.  Additionally, expert technical assistance will include the below:

• Keith Cruise, Ph.D. (screening and assessment for trauma)
• National Juvenile Defender Center (probation order analysis)
• National Center for Juvenile Justice (data capacity assessment)
• University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Impact Center (implementation science)

Since being selected, a team attended a two-day Implementation Science Training and identified the four below priority recommendations for initial focus:

1. Enhance family engagement
2. Focus on positive youth development/adolescent brain development in policy and practice
3. Probation order reform efforts
4. Detention and alternatives to detention

The initial site visit occurred at the end of May and focused on development of action plans for the priority recommendations.  Workgroups that focused on each priority item were established, District 3J management team members were selected as co-chairs and each group is solidifying a purpose statement and identifying membership.

For more information contact Amoreena Brady, Juvenile Justice Reform Specialist, at amoreena.brady@nebraska.gov.