Contact Information

  • Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

  • Alt Contact:  Jennifer Humke, The MacArthur Foundation, 202-390-8672

MacArthur Foundation selects Washington as model state for national juvenile justice reform initiative

For Immediate Release: November 16, 2005

SEATTLE � Nov. 16, 2005 -- The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has selected Washington as one of four states to participate in its national initiative to accelerate promising models for juvenile justice system reform, Gov. Chris Gregoire announced today. MacArthur will award up to $7.5 million in grants over five years to build upon juvenile justice reform efforts underway across the state.

After a competitive selection process, Washington was chosen to participate in the Foundation�s Models for Change initiative because of its systemic commitment to an improved juvenile justice system. The state has made significant progress in integrating juvenile justice programs with child welfare and mental health services and in improving child and youth information management systems across multiple agencies. Gov. Gregoire has a long track record of support for these efforts.

"If we are able to save our kids from destructive behavior early on and help our kids in trouble get back on the right track, we have invested in our future," Gov. Gregoire said. "Solid educational opportunities coupled with early interventions are key to our success. The MacArthur Foundation's support through Models for Change will be a tremendous asset as we continue to build on our successes."

Since the late 1990s, Washington has become known as a model for implementing research-based programs in juvenile courts, instituting measures to ensure the quality of services, and evaluating outcomes to determine the most cost-effective approaches to reducing juvenile crime and delinquency. Its experience with Functional Family Therapy and Aggression Replacement Therapy demonstrates that the competent delivery of evidence-based intervention programs saves the taxpayers money, protects public safety and promotes positive youth development.

Since 2000, King County has worked with the Burns Institute to tackle the problem of the over-representation of youth of color in the juvenile justice system, referred to as disproportionate minority contact. The Seattle Advisory Board brought together all the stakeholders -- judges, prosecutors, public defenders, probation, police, as well as representatives from the community and youth advocates -- and has undertaken a data-driven approach to identify where changes in policies, procedures and practices are needed to reduce racial disparities. It has made steady progress and has become the model for eight other counties around the country.

In 1997, Gov. Gregoire, then the State Attorney General, was instrumental in creating the Community Justice Accountability Act, designed to reduce juvenile crime by funding research-based interventions for youth and families. The legislation has become the cornerstone for other effective reforms. Washington is well-positioned to tackle more ambitious and challenging juvenile justice reforms and to disseminate model practices throughout the state.

�Washington is a bellwether state in juvenile justice reform,� said Jonathan Fanton, President of the MacArthur Foundation. �Policy change occurs by example, and our support is designed to enhance the tremendous leadership in Washington that addresses reform statewide and at the systems level, engaging not only juvenile justice, but also other child and family serving systems and institutions. From its judges to its community leaders to its health and welfare officials, Washington has created successful models for reform that can be replicated throughout the nation and has the potential to set the standards for performance even higher.�

Initially, participation in the initiative will mean grants of up to $1.5 million per year for the next five years in Washington, starting with a planning phase and then moving to implementation. Funds will go to state and local agencies, nonprofit organizations and others engaged in juvenile justice reform. Participation in Models for Change requires the development of a work plan designed to focus Washington�s reform efforts and serve as the blueprint for statewide and local partnerships, targeted reform areas and grant-making by the Foundation.

Models for Change is grounded in a fundamental set of principles that are shared by model juvenile justice systems. Model systems are rational, effective and recognize the developmental differences between adolescents and adults. These systems hold young offenders accountable for their actions, provide for their rehabilitation, protect them from harm, increase their life chances and manage the risk they pose to themselves and to public safety. Yet the Foundation recognizes that there is no single model or pathway for reform. Successful -- and replicable -- system-wide change can be achieved through a collection of approaches and interventions.

In addition to Models for Change, the MacArthur Foundation has supported a network of researchers who are studying the developmental differences between adolescents and adults. This group, the MacArthur Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice, has reinforced the notion of juvenile justice with evidence that young people, due to inherent developmental differences with adults and their immaturity, are more likely to take risks, more susceptible to peer pressure and less able to foresee the consequences of their actions.

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, headquartered in Chicago, is a private, independent grantmaking institution dedicated to helping groups and individuals foster lasting improvement in the human condition. With assets of approximately $5 billion, the Foundation makes grants totaling $200 million each year.

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