Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council

A Balanced Approach to Juvenile Justice Prevention and Early Intervention

Three-Year Strategic Plan

Fiscal Year 2003-2004 through 2006-2007

Vision Statement

The Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council envisions a Pinellas County where parents work with their children, schools, law enforcement, religious and community institutions to provide a safe and positive environment for the healthy development of all our children.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council is to engage youth, parents, families, businesses, schools, religious and community organizations, government, law enforcement and the justice system in a collaborative approach to reduce risk-taking behavior that leads to juvenile delinquency.

The mission will be accomplished by:

Ø Utilizing a data driven approach to meet the needs of the community

Ø Linking youth and their families to a full range of supportive services

Ø Increasing cooperation and collaboration among youth-serving organizations and groups

Ø Educating the community about issues relating to juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention

Introduction

Section 985.4135 (2) of the Florida Statues (2004) requires the Juvenile Justice Council in each county to develop a Juvenile Justice Prevention and Early Intervention Plan (FS 04). This plan constitutes the local jurisdiction’s opportunity to organize a continuum of services to deal with juveniles who have been referred for juvenile prosecution or who display an array of risk factors that indicate they are likely to be active clients in the juvenile justice system. This plan has become increasingly important over the years as the state philosophy has shifted to focusing on the 8% to 15% of juvenile offenders who constitute the bulk of offenses.

Background Information

Description of Geographic Boundaries

Pinellas County is a peninsula on the west-central coast of Florida. Pinellas County has no rural land left; it is the most densely populated county in Florida. Pinellas County has 280 square miles of land with a population of 3,291 persons per square mile, with an estimated total population of 921,482 (85.9% White, 9.0% Black, 2.1% Asian and 3.0% Other, as indicated by the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau. About 3.7% were identified as Hispanic ethnicity (C 00). Pinellas County consists of 24 municipalities and enclaves of unincorporated communities.

Risk Factors

Under the Sphere of Influence COMMUNITY, specific issues that stand out:

· According to the “2002 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, Pinellas County”, students surveyed Beginning in 6^th grade, the perception of availability of marijuana increases and continues to increase through 12^th grade; the perceived availability of marijuana increases significantly in the 8^th grade and continues through the 12^th grade. The percent of students responding that marijuana is easy to acquire: 5^th – 4.2, 6^th – 12.9%, 8^th – 46.3%, 10^th – 69.6%, 12^th – 76.4% (FYS 02).

· According to the “2002 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, Pinellas County”, students surveyed Compared to national rates, Pinellas County demonstrated higher prevalence rates of recent drug use by students for every substance question for all 8^th, 10^th and 12^th grade students with the exception of 12^th grade alcohol prevalence(FYS 02).

· According to the “2002 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, Pinellas County,” students surveyed reported 59.9% for lifetime use and 35.1% for past 30-day use, making alcohol the most commonly abused drug among Pinellas County students. After alcohol, Pinellas County students reported cigarettes (42.1% lifetime and 15% past 30-day) and marijuana (30.3% lifetime and 16.1% past 30-day) as the most commonly abused drugs (FYS 02). Regarding the use of OxyContin without a prescription, surveyed students reported a lifetime prevalence rate of 3.1% and a past 30-day prevalence rate of 1%. The use of prescription drugs without a prescription is a growing concern in Florida, according to the Office of Drug Control (ODC 02).

· The “2002 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, Pinellas County” also documents certain risk and protective factors for Pinellas County students. Surveyed students reported lower scores on the Community Rewards for Pro-social Involvement (43) protective factor scales, compared to the national average of 50. This indicates that students in other Florida counties feel more appreciated or rewarded for their involvement in the community than students in Pinellas County (FYS 02).

· According to the June 2004 Pinellas Profile, middle schools demonstrate the highest number of reports for threats or injury with a weapon on school property with 11.2% for 6^th grade and 12.8% for 8^th grade students. Followed by 5^th grade at 10.4%, 10^th grade at 10.2% and 12^th grade at 9.2% (PP 04). Middle school demonstrates the highest incident rate of youth carrying a weapon to school with 6^th grade reporting 12.3% compared to 8.9% for 5^th grade, 7.5% for 8^th grade, 6.6% for 10^th grade, and 7.0% for 12^th grade (PP 04).

· According to the Department of Juvenile Justice, between 1996 and 2002 there is a distinct pattern where the number of admissions for juvenile crime drops significantly during the months of December, June, July, and August, which correlates with when students are out of school. The number of admissions peaks during the months of October, March, and May (DJJ 96-02).

· According to Department of Juvenile Justice Data the Pinellas Regional Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) admitted 1,257 youth between November 1, 2003 and April 30, 2004. Of that total, 77.7% (977) were male and 22.3% (280) were female. Of all youth admitted, 57.9% were 14-16 years old; another 14.5% were 11-13 years old. Based on the results of the MAYSI assessment, 20.7% scored with alcohol and drug problems; 41.8% scored as Anxious and Irritable; 34.8 % scored as Depressed and Anxious; 47.6% scored as Somatic Compliant; 30.9% scored with Suicidal Ideation and 36.2% scored with Thought Disturbances. Additionally, 65.6% of girls (183) and 66.9% of boys (652) reported at least one traumatic experience in their lifetime. About 730 youth less than 14 years of age leave the JDC with no connection to diversion, no probation officer services and no court-ordered services to address the service needs identified through their assessments at the JDC and the PJAC (DJJ 02-04).

Risk Factors

Under the Sphere of Influence SCHOOL, specific issues that stand out:

· The “2002 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, Pinellas County” also documents certain risk and protective factors for Pinellas County students. Surveyed students reported lower scores on the School Rewards for Pro-social Involvement (37) protective factor scales, compared to the national average of 50. This indicates that students in other Florida counties feel more appreciated or rewarded for their involvement in the community than students in Pinellas County (FYS 02).

· Information retrieved from an article published in The St. Petersburg Times on May 3, 2003 reports that 22% of Pinellas County 3^rd grade students failed the FCAT reading, with a state average of 23%. More than 1,000 third grade student will be held back to repeat the third grade for school year 2003-2004 (SPT 5/03).

· Pinellas County reported a graduation rate of 69%, and the state reported a graduation rate for 2002-2003 (FDOE 04). In 2000, Pinellas County had a higher-than-state average for chronic absence among all school levels: elementary, middle, and high school (PP 04).

In-School Suspension Rates per 1,000 Students Pinellas County Schools
	1998-1999	1999-2000	2000-2001
Elementary	972	745	829
Middle	24,220	23,324	21,215
High	22,747	18,187	17,350

· Of the top 10 schools referring youth to Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center (PJAC), six were middle schools, which have a lower student population than high schools (PJAC 02).

· Pinellas County has experienced an increase in the dropout rate for three consecutive years, whereas the state dropout rate has decreased for three consecutive years (PP 04).

· Although all grade levels experienced a decrease in suspension rates for three years, Pinellas County Middle Schools maintained a significantly higher rate of In-School Suspensions and Out-of-School Suspensions than elementary and high schools. See Table 1 (PP 04).

Out-of-School Suspension Rates per 1,000 Students Pinellas County Schools
	1998-1999	1999-2000	2000-2001
Elementary	31.45	27.29	29.91
Middle	341.83	367.74	295.47
High	334.81	348.63	283.41

· The out-of-school suspension rate jumps significantly between elementary school and middle school students. Middle school also maintained a higher rate per student for out-of-school suspensions than high schools for 3 consecutive years. See Table 2 (PP 04).

· Middle School students that are enrolled in free or reduced lunch programs have higher rates of In-School and Out-of-School Suspensions (PP 04).

Risk Factors

Under the Sphere of Influence FAMILY, specific issues that stand out:

· According to the latest Census data. 99,346 of Pinellas County households are recorded as being below poverty level. Of that number, 31,210 school age children (ages 5- 17) reside in a household with a below poverty level status. A total of 414,792 of Pinellas County households received food stamps in 2003. A total of 6.7% of families in Pinellas County live below poverty level. A total of 28% of Pinellas County’s 18-24 year olds have not attained high school graduation status Source is listed as WWW.Census.gov ; American fact finder (QT-P20 Educational attainment by sex (C 03).

· As reported by the Juvenile Welfare Board, there are 5,729 Pinellas County grandparents who are the primary caregivers for 10,469 grandchildren. An additional 7,258 children are being cared for by relatives or other non-related adults. Additionally, 2,699 Pinellas children have one or both parents who are incarcerated (PP 04).

· 32% of the total county population age 25 and older with less than a 9^th grade education and 28% of high school students who did not receive a diploma reside within the City of St. Petersburg (PP 04).

· From 1988-1997, the rate per 1,000 substance-exposed newborns fluctuated with a 10-year low of 19.60 in 1995 to a 7-year high of 29.40 in 1997. During the same 10-year span, Pinellas County exceeded the state rate each year. In 1996 and 1997, the Pinellas County rate was more than twice the state rate (DOH 04).

· Pinellas County saw a .35% average rate per month increase in the number

· of child abuse cases received from FY 01-02 to FY 02-03. Additionally, Pinellas County saw a .58% decrease in the rate of initial and additional child abuse reports received during FY 01-02 and FY 2002-2003 (DCF 04).

· According to the 2004 Florida Domestic Violence Fatality Review, substance abuse was involved in 80% of the cases involving domestic violence arrests (FDLE 04).

· Of all Pinellas County Fatality Reviews conducted in 2004, a child either heard or observed the fatal incident (FDLE 04).

Risk Factors

Under the Sphere of Influence PEER, specific issues that stand out:

· The “2002 Prevalence of Substance Use among Pinellas County Students” JWB study indicates:

Ø Ann increase, in each grade level, for students who reported riding as a passenger with an alcohol-impaired driver.

Ø Students in 8^th through 12^th grade perceive “their friends to be very accepting of drug use,” according to survey results.

Ø Students of young grade levels perceive a much higher pressure from their peers to use alcohol and drugs. Perceived peer pressure declines with grade level, according to survey results (JWB 02).

Risk Factors

Under the Sphere of Influence INDIVIDUAL, specific issues that stand out:

· According to the “2002 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, Pinellas County,” published by the Florida Department of Children and Families, surveyed students reported higher scores on the Personal Transitions and Mobility (62) and Favorable Attitudes toward Antisocial Behavior (58) risk factor scales, compared to the national average of 50. This indicates that students in Pinellas County are at greater risk for involvement in drug use and other antisocial behaviors due to a lack of long-term neighborhood connection and due to students’ acceptance of antisocial behaviors (FYS 02).

· The juvenile arrest rate in Pinellas County was nearly twice the State of Florida rate in 1991. Although the juvenile arrest rate in Pinellas County reduced by 2000, it still remains higher than the State of Florida rate (DJJ 02))According to data released by the Office of the Public Defender, there were 333 juveniles who were direct filed as adults in 2002. The number of juveniles who were direct filed as adults increased to 460 in 2003 and to 456 in 2004 at the time the data was requested in mid-December 2004(PD 02).

· The birth rate for females ages 10-14 fluctuated during the measured period of time and was below the statewide birthrate for this age group for most of the same measured period of time. However, although the birthrate in Pinellas County is lower than the statewide rate, the rate of births to black mothers 10-14 has consistently been higher in Pinellas than the statewide average (PP 04).

Recent Use and Lifetime Use of Club Drugs Grades 6, 8, 10 & 12
Grade	Recent Use	Lifetime Use
6	1.0	1.5
8	6.1	7.7
10	6.8	11.6
12	7.7	17.3

· According to the “2002 Prevalence of Substance Use among Pinellas County Students”, a significantly greater proportion of males report recent use of marijuana than do females: 5^th and 6^th grade, 2.1% versus 1.0%; 8^th through 12^th grade, 26.3% versus 19.2%. The same is true for cocaine use with males reporting at 5.9% versus females reporting at 2.9%. The

reports show that Club Drug usage increased for each grade level, with a significant increase between 6^th and 8^th grade. See Table 3 (JWB 02).

· The prioritized risk factors to be addressed include: Academic Failure; Early and Persistent Anti-Social Behavior; Early onset of Violence and Early onset of Alcohol and Drug Use within the middle school population. This decision was based on several factors, such as the high rate of middle school youth arrested and referred to the Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center (PJAC) during the 2002-2003 school year. Also, six of the top ten schools that referred youth to the PJAC were middle schools; a significant number of eighth grade students performed at levels 1 & 2 for reading; middle schools maintained a significantly higher rate of suspensions than elementary and high schools in Pinellas County for three consecutive years; middle schools have a higher rate of fighting and threat of injury with a weapon than both elementary and high schools; and the jump in substance use among eighth grade students compared to fifth and sixth grade students. The graphic on the following pages details the number of Pinellas County youth admitted to the PJAC during 2004 and 2003 (PJAC 04, 03, 02).

Protective Factors

Information from the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB) has been used to establish a “thumbnail” picture of the assets and protective factors available to youth and families in Pinellas County. JWB is a countywide agency utilizing dedicated property tax revenue to fund non-profit, government, and grassroots community groups to better the lives of children and families. The JWB 2002-03 Annual Performance Report states that JWB provided approximately $32 million to fund 77 local agencies for 161 different programs that provide services to children and families throughout Pinellas County. JWB-funded agencies receive an average allocation of $420,175. This represents 38% of the funded agencies’ program revenues.

JWB’s primary investment is in childcare, followed by family support, mental health/substance abuse /family counseling and youth development programs. Overall, JWB-funded programs provided services to more than 51,000 children and 26,000 adults during fiscal year 2002-2003. Of those served 55% were White, 37% Black, 2% Asian and 6% other. Of the children served, 40% were age 0-6, 13% were aged 7-9, 34% were age 10-14, and 13% were age 15-17.

All funded programs have an established methodology with measurable objectives and identified outcomes for each primary participant served. Individual participants’ data is entered into SAMIS, a web-based data collection system developed and hosted by JWB to increase efficiency of data collection and financial transfers. SAMIS measures an individual participant’s progress through outcome-based reporting. There were a total of 77,943 participants served by JWB-funded programs in FY 2002-2003, as reported in SAMIS. In addition, 92,000 participants were served in manually reporting programs. Also 226,153 participants were served in Group Activities.

The 161 JWB-funded programs are located throughout the county. There is a heavy concentration of participants receiving JWB funded services from zip codes 33705, 33712 and 33755. Pinellas County has eleven Neighborhood Family Centers designed to support families and empower neighborhoods for positive community change. Nine of these Family Centers are neighborhood-specific and serve the surrounding community while the other two centers, Family Center on Deafness and Asian Neighborhood Family Center, are designed to work with specialized populations throughout the entire county. These specialized centers target services for the deaf and hard-of-hearing participants along with their families and the Asian populations, respectively. Among the centers, programming provided supports the JWB strategic plan of reducing substance abuse, violent behavior and irresponsible sexual behavior. Two of the family centers are located within the zip code areas identified by DJJ as high risk: 33705 and 33712.

GAPS

The following gaps in services have been identified and are addressed in this three-year plan:

Teenage use of alcohol and drugs.

Support for families (to include in-home services, crisis management, post detention coordination and Kinship Care)

Gender-specific services for young women and young men

Youth violence (home, school, and community)

Relevant, non-school time accessible activities for youth

Comprehensive suicide prevention

Minority Overrepresentation

Implications surrounding Zero Tolerance

Additionally, the Community Needs Committee final report has identified the gaps in services listed below that are substantiated by the findings in Appendix A.

Ø Minority Overrepresentation in the Juvenile Justice System

Ø Prevention and direct diversion programs for minority youth in their schools and communities

Ø Prevention and direct diversion programs for Hispanic youth in their schools and communities

Ø Alternatives to detention for youth 10 and younger

Ø Gender-specific services

Ø Alternatives to judicial action for non-law violation of probation

Ø Youth violence in homes, schools, and the community

Ø Teenage use of alcohol and drugs including prescription drugs

Ø After school and non-school time accessible affordable activities for youth

Ø Comprehensive suicide prevention

Ø Mental health Services

Ø Resources and Services for runaways and their families

Ø Truancy reduction incentive initiative for youth

The presence of relevant available activities for young people during non-school time would be a preventative factor for all of the above identified gaps.

Organization of the Plan

This plan is organized into two main components. The first is the Administrative Component, which includes objectives and tasks related to keeping the plan active. The second is the Service Component, which includes emphasis areas for juvenile justice prevention and intervention in Pinellas County.

1. Administrative Component

Annual Data Collection and Gap Analysis – See Appendix A. See Appendix B.

Goal: The Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council Community Needs Committee will, by December 1 of each year, report to the Council on the state of the county’s juvenile services. This report will contain documented needs of the juvenile clients, the time delay in receiving services, and the overall system performance data as defined by the Committee and adopted by the Council.

The Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council has approved the final report of the Community Needs Committee, including its recommendations to the Council. The Final Report of the Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council Community Needs Committee is found in Appendix A.

For resources to be most effective in the juvenile justice system, they must be focused and directed toward the needs of the clients in the system. Two problems arise in planning to meet the needs of children at risk. First, funds are often philosophically driven rather than needs driven, which results in funds being directed toward programs that meet the program criteria of a particular philosophy more than the particular needs of the client. Second, funds are often provided on the basis of agency history or emphasis area, rather than on client need. This results in legacy agency funding regardless of the demand for service.

In an attempt to provide a more scientific linkage to client need, the Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council, in conjunction with the Community Needs Committee, will annually review other aspects of data and report in time to utilize the data for granting and/or program development.

Ø Review information collected from the Community Outreach committee Special Inquiry meetings.

Ø Conduct a needs-assessment of clients entering the system, and compare those needs to the resources available.

Ø Review the programs that are in place to determine if they are indeed providing the service that addresses the need.

Strategies:

a. Implement recommendations of the Community Needs Committee listed in Appendix A, pages 55-57.

b. Continue to use Community Needs Committee to review risk and protective factor data, identify gaps and maintain an up-to-date annual plan.

c. Implement recommendations of the Community Outreach Committee listed in Appendix B and have Community Outreach Committee continue to facilitate Special Inquiry meetings to diversify representation on the Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council.

d. Review performance and achievements of community and department funded programs to the extent of addressing community needs and effectiveness.

e. Provide opportunities for community providers to present best practices prevention programs in an effort to further education the community.

The Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council has approved the final report of the Outreach Committee, including its recommendations to the Council. The Final Report of the Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council Outreach Committee is found in Appendix B.

2. Annual Plan Compliance Report

Goal: The Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council will give weight and/or recommendations to those programs seeking DJJ and other funding that seem most likely to fill the identified gaps in service and meet the goals identified by the Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council.

An understanding of the status of the system is only appropriate if it guides decision-making related to program development, program funding, and focused service delivery. The Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council must be aware of and comment on the effectiveness and ability of programs to meet the needs of clients within the county. It is important to know if the programs implemented within the county are actually addressing the problems identified adequately, or if resource or program requirements prohibit success. In addition, as the entity charged with the responsibility of reviewing and making recommendations of grant distribution and/or recommendations for support, it is important that the Council ensure that grants address the needs identified in the annual report on the system.

Strategies:

a. Provide a review of the on-going data collection and gap analysis to the grant review committee, as well as an assessment of Department funded programs to all Council members for regular review.

3. Local Guidelines for Distribution of Prevention Funds

Goal: The Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council will support programs that provide services that are linked to documented needs as contained in the Strategic Plan.

The only vehicle available to insure that programs meet the needs of juvenile justice clients in Pinellas County is to link the distribution of funds, the support of grant applications, and the participation in partnerships to those areas, in which a demonstrated need in the community exists.

Strategies:

a. Endorse/support grants that adhere to the guidelines established by the Department of Juvenile Justice utilizing best practice program models and demonstrating positive results.

b. Endorse/support grants and programs that address identified risk factors depicted within the annual plan.

4. Partnership Activities

Goal: The Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council will support those partnerships that seek strategic alliances with other non-profits, governmental agencies and businesses to link key service providers in further developing an efficient and effective youth service and delivery system.

A disproportionate number of grant requests contain the requirement that agencies partner with each other for three reasons. The first is to not duplicate information on a client family. Agencies who partner share information. The second is to avoid duplication of effort. Agencies who partner distribute tasks so that each one does not have to pay for initial assessment, administrative overhead, etc. The third is that agencies that partner each perform their designated service upon referral.

Partnerships foster an economy of scale and make it easier for clients and families to get the help they need. Partnering should be the accepted pattern for agencies to work together to meet the needs of clients and it should be the practice rather than a funding requirement. Partnering also means a process of joint decision-making process related to service development, distribution of resources, and lead and participating agency responsibilities.

All too often partnerships develop on paper rather than in practice. Likewise, partnerships are not developed overnight or through e-mail contacts as last minute efforts to meet grant deadlines. They do not exist in the form of letters of support. Efficient and effective partnerships exist in the form of pre-existing coalitions of agencies and, where appropriate, implement commonly developed strategies. Utilizing and expanding ongoing coalitions nurture network opportunities that reduce the likelihood of duplications and strengthen the County’s capacity to connect families to the right services.

Strategies:

a. Recognizing that some of the most effective partnerships are the result of a grant requirement, the Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council will support initiatives involving partnerships that have articulated a common vision accounting for individual and mutual goals for participants within the context of the broader community interest.

b. All requests for support should be presented for approval at the Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council, or Executive Committee meetings held monthly.

Service Component:

1. Teen Age Use of Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs

Prevention and Intervention: As detailed in the 2002 Prevalence of Substance Abuse in Pinellas County, 26% of 8^th graders report recent use of alcohol (up from 6% in 6^th grade); 16% of 8^th graders report recent binge (5 or more drinks in one setting) drinking; 18% of 8^th graders report recent use of marijuana; 12% of 8^th graders report recent use of prescription drugs without a prescription. The largest increase in substance use occurs from 8^th to 9^th grade. (JWB 02) Alcohol and marijuana use remain the primary drugs of abuse of the majority of juveniles admitted into Operation PAR’s treatment services, according to Operation PAR data. .

Goal: Reduce the prevalence of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use in Pinellas County youth.

Strategies:

a. Support/endorse activities outlined in the Safe and Drug Free Schools District Comprehensive Plan.

b. Recommend involvement in Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Pinellas County.

c. Maintain awareness of prevalence rates and data trends with quarterly updates to the Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council, Circuit Board, JWB and Substance Abuse Mental Health Leadership Groups.

d. Support/endorse gender-specific initiatives holistic in approach.

e. Support/endorse effective evidence-based initiatives within Pinellas County that are culturally appropriate and scientifically validated.

Goal: Reduce binge drinking by Pinellas County youth.

a. Support/endorse activities outlined in the Safe and Drug Free Schools District Comprehensive Plan.

Recommend involvement in Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Pinellas County.
Maintain awareness of prevalence rates and data trends with quarterly updates to the Juvenile Justice Council, JWB, Substance Abuse Mental Health Leadership groups.
Support/endorse diversion strategies working with law enforcement, Office of the State Attorney, Office of the Public Defender, Juvenile Drug Court, Department of Juvenile Justice, parents, faith-based organizations, parents, schools, and other community groups.
Support/endorse gender-specific initiatives holistic in approach.
Support/endorse effective evidence-based initiatives within Pinellas County that are culturally appropriate and scientifically validated.

2. Family Support

Prevention and Intervention: Domestic battery was the second-most frequent charge of youths admitted to the Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center during calendar year 2002 (PJAC 02). Based on the data, the third-most frequent charge was runaways. Domestic batteries and runaways represented more then 5% of the total charges, or 10% combined. According to JWB, there are 5,729 Pinellas County grandparents who are the primary caregivers for 10,469 grandchildren. An additional 7,258 children are being cared for by relatives or other non-related adults. Additionally, 2,699 Pinellas children have one or both parents who are incarcerated.

Goal: Strengthen and empower families (including Kinship Caregivers and foster care parents) to improve parenting skills, foster healthy communications to reduce psychological and physical abuse, violence within households, teenage runaways and improve family resilience. Early identification is an essential component of improving family functioning.

Strategies: The council advocates and supports:

a. Community-based family services that is professional, convenient and respectful to family needs and available in-home, at school or other appropriate community settings.

b. Post-Detention Coordination and/or Intensive linkage services (intensive case management) provided at juvenile justice sites, recognizing that involvement in J.J., problematic school behavior, home problems, weekender boot camp, and the like, are potential entry points and opportunities for families to get help.

c. Programs that address cultural diversity and ethnicity. Since Pinellas County’s Hispanic population more than doubled to 42,760, language barriers and the ability to access services can be obstacles to families whose primary language is not English (C 02).

d. Programs that include early interventions for family and children with opportunity that continues through adolescence.

e. Programs that include a Child’s Mediator to serve as an independent, impartial, confidential compliant handler to ensure the fair and equitable treatment of youth under the supervision of the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Juvenile Justice.

3. Gender-Specific Services

Prevention: A recent report entitled, A Summary of Findings from the NCCD Study of Girls in The State of Florida and Duval County Juvenile Justice Systems, also reports that statewide, judicial waivers of girls from the juvenile to the adult system increased by 11% between 1993 and 1995. (It is important to note that judicial waiver is only one of at least three methods of transferring juveniles into the criminal justice system. Also, while 17-year old girls comprise slightly over 50% of transfers, the percentage of younger (15-year old) girls transferred has increased from 5% to 10% over that same period of time. Florida State juvenile justice system state trends reveal that young women’s delinquencies have risen 30% over the last four years compared to a 5% increase in delinquencies among young males. Pinellas County data reflect the state trend. The single most statistically significant risk factor for girls’ criminal offending is school failure, especially in middle school, grades 6 through 8. In addition, the road to the juvenile justice system for girls is paved by prior victimization and abuse. Sexual experiences, pregnancy and having an incarcerated parent are also statistically significant risk factors in serious offending for girls. Conversely, having mental and physical health issues adequately addressed reduce recidivism rates in addition to having “friends as positives” in their lives.

Goal: The Juvenile Justice Council will advocate for and support research-based programs that are gender-specific and address the strategies listed below:

Prevention Strategies:

1. Support and advocate for comprehensive, safe, educational environments with emphasis on, but not limited to middle school age young people. Issues to be addressed within these environments include but are not limited to:

Ø Health Services (Pregnancy/STD prevention/minimizing risky sexual behaviors)

Ø Services for families

Ø Relational aggression

2. Promote early identification and assessment of victims of crime, trauma and abuse.

3. Support and advocate for the education of adults working with young people so they understand gender-specific issues.

Intervention Strategies:

1. Advocate for and support partnerships that provide gender competent, holistic and strength-based programming to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors for young people.

2. Support and advocate for adequate mental health and/or substance services that are gender-responsive.

3. Promote training for those working in facilities serving both sexes in gender-specific interventions to address the unique needs of both sexes.

4. Youth Violence (Home, School and Community)

Prevention and Intervention: The arrest of youth for domestic violence continues to be a problem. There is a lack of Batterer’s Intervention Programs (BIP) available for male teens and of assistance to unmarried minors who may be victims of domestic violence. It is strongly recommended that education for youth and parents of youth regarding dangers and signs of dating violence be expanded.

Goal: The Juvenile Justice Council will advocate for and support research-based programs designed to protect youth from home and community-based violence, teach youth pro-social, non-violent coping skills and keep students in school rather than being suspended out of school.

Strategies: Support and encourage the development of programs to fill the above-named gaps in service.

5. Need for relevant activities in which young people can participate.

Prevention and Intervention: A lack of appealing and accessible programs and activities for youth leaves young people open to risk-taking behaviors.

Goal: Have young people engaged in healthy activities when not in school.

Strategies: The Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council will advocate for and support programs that address the needs identified in 2, 3 and 4 by providing positive, practical and available activities for young people during non-school time.

6. Need for appropriate suicide prevention programs for Pinellas County youth.

Goal: No young people in Pinellas County will die by suicide.

Strategies: Pinellas County Schools has adopted the SOS (Signs of Suicide) Prevention curriculum which is being implemented in the required Health Education classes for all 8th and 10th grade students. Students are alerted to the signs and symptoms of suicide and where to go for help if they, or a friend, are in trouble. In addition to the SOS program, school based staff and administrators receive on-going training in the signs and symptoms of suicide, as well as steps to take if they have a student of concern. Student Services professionals, including school psychologists, social workers and guidance counselors are also trained in assessment and intervention procedures. Regarding post-vention, a licensed clinical social worker assists those students who have been Baker Acted and works with the student and family in the transition and recovery process. The University of South Florida, FMHI in partnership with Nova Southeastern University and the Institute for Child Health Policy has developed a Youth Suicide Prevention School-Based Guide. Pinellas County Schools has already requested 200 copies through its SEDNET services. The Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council will utilize existing resources offered by Pinellas County Schools and advocate for additional appropriate suicide prevention programs for Pinellas County youth.

7. Need to address Minority Overrepresentation among Pinellas County youth.

Prevention and Intervention: According to a review of Department of Juvenile Justice, Pinellas County Schools and PJAC data, minority youth are disproportionately represented in at-risk categories including number of arrests, number of In-School and Out-of-School Suspension, number of juveniles direct filed into the adult system, etc.

Goal: Pinellas County minority youth will not be overrepresented in the juvenile justice system.

Strategies: The Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council will advocate for and support programs that address the cultural and ethnic needs of minority youth in Pinellas County. Programs should be developed that address the academic risk factors such as In-School and Out-of-School Suspension, FCAT Grade 3 Reading at Levels 1 and 2, Absent 21+ Days, pro-social skill building, drug use prevalence and entrepreneur, leadership and economic opportunities.

8. Implications surrounding Zero Tolerance:

Florida Statute 1006.13 "Policy of Zero Tolerance for crime and victimization" has increased the number of children charged with criminal offenses that occur on public school property. According to the Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center Quarterly Reports for 2004, there were 75 different charges brought against such children. These “top 5” generated 1,211 counts of which the top five charges accounted for 64% of the total:

Charge Counts

Disruption of school environment 207

Disorderly conduct 198

Trespassing on school grounds 147

Battery 137

Possession of marijuana <20 grams 86

Total 775

In contrast, there were only three (3) weapons-related charges and they generated just 15 counts or 1% of the 1,211 total counts:

Charge Counts

Carrying a concealed weapon 13

Aggravated assault with firearm 1

Robbery – weapon 1

Total 15

Goal: Reduce the counts per school child by at least 50% by December 2007.

Strategies:

1. County Level

Co-operate with the Pinellas County School Board, public school administrators and School Resource Officers (SRO's) to:

· Limit the use of law enforcement as a means of discipline in public schools

· Re-institute in-school discipline via school administration.

· Re-define certain "delinquent acts and crimes" as "childhood misbehavior”

· Re-evaluate the existing policy of "school-based management" which leaves too broad a discretion to individual school administrators in regard to the application of law enforcement remedies to discipline problems.

2. State Level

Co-operate with Florida's Juvenile Justice Boards and Councils to recommend to the State Legislature a revision of F.S. 1006.13 to provide a more specific, less ambiguous definition of the parameters of Zero Tolerance as applied to particular offenses and so narrow the range of its application.

References

1. (COO) American Factfinder. QT-P20 Educational attainment by sex. 2003. http://www.census.gov January 6, 2005.

2. (DCF 04) Florida Department of Children and Families. Child Protective Investigations FY 2002-2003. http://www.dcf.state.fl.us~fsp/newspages/cpi/fahc0102.pdf. January 6, 2005.

3. (FYS 02) Florida Department of Children and Families. 2002 Florida Youth Survey-Pinellas County Report. 2003.

4. (FDOE 04) Florida Department of Education. School District Data 2004. http://www.fldoe.org. January 20, 2005.

5. (DOH 04) Florida Department of Health. Substance Exposed Newborns 1998-1997. http://www.doh.state.fl.us January 20, 2005.

6. (DJJ 96-04) Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. 2002-2004 Data . http://www.djj.state.us January 20, 2005.

7. (FDLE 04) Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Florida Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team and Report for 2004. http://www.fdle.state.fl.us January 20, 2005.

8. (ODC 02) Florida Office of Drug Control. Florida Drug Control Strategy 1999-2005. August 1999.

9. (FS 2000) Florida Statutes. 985.4135(2) FS. 2000 http://www.myflorida.com January 21, 2005.

10. (PP 04) Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County. Pinellas Profile. June 2004.

11. (JWB 02) Pinellas County School Board, Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, Operation PAR, Inc.; Prevalence of Substance Use Among Pinellas County Students, December 2002.

12. (PJAC 04, 03, 02) Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center. Annual Report. 2004, 2003, 2002.

13. (PD 02) Pinellas County Public Defenders Office. 2002 –2004 Data Pinellas County, Florida.

14. (SPT 5/03) Stephen Hegarty. “43,000 kids fail reading FCAT” [South Pinellas Edition]. St. Petersburg Times May 3, 2003. Pg. 1.A.

Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council

Appendix A: Pinellas County Community Needs Gap Analysis Report October 2004

VISION STATEMENT

MISSION STATEMENT

PURPOSE

The Community Needs Committee of the Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council has the responsibility of analyzing, comparing and reporting on Juvenile Justice service delivery in the community. In that regard, the Community Needs Committee shall report on gaps in services and observed needs in the community and present the results of the gap analysis to the Council. Additionally, the Community Needs Committee assists the Community Planning Committee to develop “local criteria” for Juvenile Justice grant applications directed toward meeting the identified needs of youth and families in the community. The preparation and submission of an annual performance report on the plan to the Council and monitoring Juvenile Justice grant programs funded by the Department of Juvenile Justice as appropriate are also responsibilities of the committee.

INTRODUCTION

The Committee Needs Committee began meeting on June 24, 2004. Representation from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast, Court Administration, Juvenile Welfare Board, Justice 4-Kids, Refuge Ministries, Operation PAR and Episcopal Peace Fellowship were in attendance. Statistical data was collected for the meeting from various sources including: Juvenile Welfare Board, Department of Juvenile Justice, Pinellas County Schools, PAR, Inc., Family Resources, PEMHS (Pinellas Emergency Mental Health Service), Sixth Judicial Circuit Court, Administrative Office of the Courts and various other county agencies. The comprehensive statistical data consists of 21 chapters (over 250 pages) and is available upon request.

The Committee agreed that the data and statistical analysis were of paramount necessity in determining service delivery and gaps in services. However, the Committee also agreed that community, youth and parent input were vital and critical to assessing the needs and gaps in our community. The community needs surveys were developed to gain input from youth, parents, community members and service providers to truly identify community needs and garner input in regards to gaps in services. On August 26, 2004, the Community Needs surveys were presented to the Juvenile Justice Council with a request for Council members to assist in distribution and collection of the surveys.

On October 7, 2004, the Community Needs Committee met to review the survey results and review the gap analysis and findings. Committee members approved the draft and the final report included herein was presented to the Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council on October 28, 2004.

Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council

Community Needs Gap Analysis Report

October 2004

Summary

Youth in Pinellas County

The number of youths between the ages of 10 and 14 in Pinellas County increased 31.3% between 1990 and 2002. In 2002, 11.2% of Pinellas County families with children under the age of 18 were living in poverty. Between 1990 and 2000, the percentage of children living in single parent homes increased from 25.4% to 32.1%. Pinellas County has a higher percentage of single parent homes than both the state and national average. It is imperative that productive services and programs are expanded, enhanced, or implemented to address the trend of increased youth in Pinellas County and the risk factors of poverty and single parent homes within the community. One way this can be accomplished is by providing accessible positive activities and programs for youth and their families during non-school hours.

Department of Juvenile Justice Data/Non-law Violations of Probation

The number of referrals for delinquency has increased in 2002-2003, along with referrals that were handled non-judicially and judicially. The number of juveniles transferred to Adult Court has continually decreased since 1998. The number of youth placed on probation and in commitment programs also declined in 2002-2003. However, the number of non-law violations of probation (curfew, home rules, disciplinary referrals, non-attendance, etc.) handled both judicially and non-judicially increased significantly in 2002-2003. Non-law violations of probation accounted for 97 commitments in 1998 and rose to 181 commitments in 2003. A total of 261 non-law violations of probation were handled judicially in 1998. In 2003, that number rose to 772.

There has been great effort and significant success in the reduction of juveniles transferred to adult court and placed on probation and in commitment programs since 1998. The increase in delinquency referrals handled both judicially and non-judicially may be related to the increase in the total number of youth in Pinellas County between the ages of 10 and 14. Prevention, intervention and diversion programs that are successful should be expanded and implemented to address the growing number of youth in our community and reduce the number of delinquency referrals into the juvenile justice system. The significant increase in non-law violations of probation handled judicially should be further explored and examined to determine if interventions other than judicial interventions can be successful.

Youth in Detention

According to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice 2003 Quality Assurance Report, 14 youth ages 9 and under were admitted to the Pinellas Regional Juvenile Detention Center in FY 2002-2003. Pinellas County had the 2^nd highest number of admissions ages 10 and under in the state with 33. Marion County had the highest number with 36 admissions 10 and under. Pinellas County had 79 admissions of youth 11 years of age and younger, the 2^nd highest number of admissions in this category. Hillsborough County’s East and West Detention Centers combined had the highest number with 86 admissions of youth ages 11 and under in FY 2002-2003.

Alternatives to detention for youth 10 and younger should be researched and implemented in Pinellas County. Larger counties such as Dade County and Hillsborough County admitted only 10 and 19 youth, respectively, age ten and under to their detention centers in 2002-2003. Best practice programs that are successfully addressing this issue in other counties should be explored.

Female Delinquency/Risk Factors

The number of delinquency referrals for females has increased in all racial and ethnic categories. Of females in commitment programs, over one-half have been sexually abused, 60% physically abused, 60% have witnessed domestic violence in their homes and 75% of females in these programs have run away from home at least once. In Pinellas County in 2002, law enforcement agencies received 4,050 reported runaway cases. Also of note is the Sexual Behavior Risk Based Indicator Report contained in the Pinellas Profile X, which indicated that STD rates among girls in Pinellas County ages 10-19 exceeded state of Florida rates for most years from 1993 to 2002. Gender specific and responsive programs and services such as PACE Centers for Girls and Juvenile Probation Officer female specific caseloads offering psycho-educational groups should be enhanced and expanded. Adults working with young people should be educated and trained in gender-specific issues and interventions to address the needs of females. Health services, education, prevention, and early identification and assessment of trauma and abuse should be expanded and incorporated into existing Juvenile Justice service delivery programs.

Minority Youth

The racial composition of Pinellas County changed considerably between 1990 and 2002. The proportion of non-white residents in Pinellas County grew from nearly 10% in 1990 to 12% in 2002. Pinellas County experienced increased racial diversity between 1990 and 2000, with the proportion of White residents decreasing from 90.5% to 85.9% and the proportion of Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian, Hispanic, Asian and other residents increasing during this period.

Delinquency referrals for Black males increased by 5.5% over the previous year from 2,369 in 2001-2002 to 2,499 in 2002-2003. A significant increase for Black males was noted for youth beginning at age 12 in 2002-2003 with 227 Black male youth incurring referrals. In addition, it should be noted that 206 Black males age 11 and younger incurred delinquency referrals in 2002-2003. The number of delinquency referrals received for Black females increased by 8.1% in 2002-2003 from the previous year. The number of delinquency referrals for Black females in 2002-2003 was 1,069. In 2001-2002 that number was 989.

According to the 2003 Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center Annual Report, 39% of youth admitted to the assessment center were African-American youth.

Prevention and early intervention programs should be expanded in minority communities. The Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council should support and endorse effective evidence based initiatives within Pinellas County that are culturally appropriate. Effective after-school programs and diversion programs should be enhanced and expanded in minority communities. Resources should be expanded and made available to youth and families in minority and at-risk communities. Successful Neighborhood Accountability Board models should be adapted in more minority communities. Boys/Girls clubs, activity centers, community centers, and in-home and at-school early intervention programs that are successful should be expanded. Effective sensitivity training and education should be required for all professions that work with or come in contact with at-risk minority youth including but not limited to: law enforcement personnel, Juvenile Probation Officers, youth agency workers, school personnel, judicial personnel, and detention personnel. By providing delinquency prevention and direct community diversion programming, inroads could be made to reduce the number of minority youth in the juvenile justice system in Pinellas County. Ongoing data collection and monitoring of minority arrest rates will provide valuable and comprehensive feedback on the effectiveness of the overall strategies to reduce minority overrepresentation over time.

Hispanic Youth

The Hispanic community in Clearwater is the fastest growing population in the city. The 2000 Census figures reveal that the Hispanic population in Clearwater now represents 9% of the total population, up from 3% in 1990. Experts agree that the number may be underreported, based on estimates that the number of undocumented immigrants may bring this number to at least 50% more than the official 2000 Census Bureau figures.

The number of referrals for Hispanic males increased by 6.6% in 2002-2003 from the previous year. In 2002-2003, 273 delinquency referrals were received. In 2001-2002, 256 delinquency referrals were received. It should be noted that only 91 delinquency referrals were received for Hispanic males in 1998-1999.

The number of referrals for Hispanic females increased by 23.1% in 2002-2003 from the previous year. In 2002-2003, 96 delinquency referrals were received. In 2001-2002, 78 delinquency referrals were received. Comparatively, in 1998-1999 only 14 delinquency referrals were received for Hispanic females.

The number of delinquency dispositions also increased for both groups. Hispanic male delinquency dispositions increased from 153 in 2001-2002 to 168 in 2002-2003. Likewise, the number of delinquency dispositions for Hispanic females increased from 54 in 2001-2002 to 75 in 2002-2003. Comparatively, in 1998 Hispanic males had 45 delinquency dispositions and Hispanic females had only 10.

Since September 2000, the Clearwater Police Department has partnered with the YWCA of Tampa Bay to provide several needed services. Service increases in interpreter services, advocacy, counseling, referral services, informational services and crime prevention education classes for Hispanic youth and their families should be expanded. Resources for Hispanic populations throughout Pinellas County should be expanded. Agencies should collaborate and partner in Hispanic communities to offer vital services for youth and their families. By providing delinquency prevention and direct community diversion programs, inroads could be made to reduce the number of Hispanic youth entering the juvenile justice system in Pinellas County. Ongoing data collection and monitoring of Hispanic arrest rates will provide valuable and comprehensive feedback on the effectiveness of the overall strategies to reduce referrals for Hispanic youth in Pinellas County.

Substance Use/Abuse

An increase in prescription drug abuse among youth was reflected in the statistical data reviewed. Prescription drug abuse is being reported at an alarming rate among 8^th, 10^th, and 12^th grade students. Recent misuse/possible abuse of prescription medication are higher for 5^th grade students than reported use of alcohol and tobacco.

Compared to national rates, Pinellas County demonstrated higher prevalent rates of recent use of drugs by students for every substance question for all 8^th, 10^th, and 12^th grade students with the exception of 12^th grade alcohol prevalence.

The percentage of Pinellas County’s 5^th, 6^th, 8th, 10^th, and 12^th graders reporting recent use of alcohol decreased between 1994 and 2002 and between 2000 and 2002. In all years, the greatest increase across grades in the percent of respondents reporting recent use of alcohol occurred between 6^th and 8^th grade.

It is recommended that the Council support activities outlined in the Safe and Drug Free Schools Comprehensive District Plan and become an active participant in the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Pinellas County. Juvenile Justice service delivery programs and agencies should provide effective evidence based substance abuse prevention education.

School Suspension and Arrest Data

Defiance, fighting, and battery on a student remained the most frequently cited reason (apart from “other”) for suspensions in 2001 and 2002 in Pinellas County The largest proportional increase in suspensions occurred between 1991 and 2002 which was for using drugs on school property, the number has quadrupled between 1991 and 2002. The rate of exceptional school students suspended in Pinellas County has continued to steadily increase. School arrest rates reflect that Meadowlawn Middle School had 114 total arrests, nearly twice that of Riviera Middle School, which has the 2^nd highest rate at 65 arrests. For high schools, Clearwater had 151 arrests which is over two times the number of arrests of the second leading school, Largo High with 72. It should be noted that these numbers reflect the number of reported arrests.

Middle school demonstrates the highest number of reports for threats or injury with a weapon and the highest incident rate of youth carrying a weapon on school property.

Conflict resolution, anger management, peer counseling, and violence prevention programs that are proven effective should be expanded in Pinellas County Schools.

School Attendance/Truancy

In 2001, Pinellas County had 53,295 students enrolled between pre-kindergarten and fifth grade, of whom approximately 1,570 (3%) were absent 21 or more days during the school year. Also, in 2001, Pinellas County had 27,536 middle school students enrolled, of whom approximately 3,360 (12%) were absent 21 or more days, and 33,770 high school students enrolled, of whom 6,112 (18%) were absent 21 or more days. The data reflects a higher than state average chronic absence rate among all school levels.

Pinellas County has experienced an increase in the drop out rate for three consecutive years. The state dropout rate has decreased for three consecutive years.

Pinellas County Schools are building strong collaborations and continuum of services designed to address truancy issues. Services from interventions such as Truancy Teen Court, Family Resources Counseling through the filing of Truancy Petitions are being implemented in Pinellas County. Strong partnerships and collaborations have recently been established that may have a positive affect on outcomes in the future.

Initiatives that provide incentives to students to reduce truancy and improve attendance should be explored (carrots). Community interagency collaboration should be continued and expanded. All partners should understand the collaborative plan and overall attendance strategy and the continuum of interventions (carrots and sticks) should be continually enhanced in the effort to reduce truancy and improve attendance.

Domestic Violence

The rate of reported domestic violence in Pinellas County exceeded the rate in the State of Florida every year during the 1993-2002 periods. The ten-year average Pinellas County rate of 1,053.7 per 100,000 residents exceeds the 10 year average of Florida by 24.7%. In 2002, the domestic violence offense rate in Pinellas County exceeded the state of Florida rate by 35%. Domestic batteries are cited as the second most frequent charge of youths admitted to the Juvenile Assessment Center in 2002.

With domestic battery cited as the second most frequent charge of youths admitted to the Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center it is vital that recognition and prevention begin with early interventions for family and young children and continue through adolescence. Early identification is essential to address the issues and the cycle of domestic violence. Batterer’s Intervention Programs (BIP) need to be researched and implemented for both male and female teens. In addition, it is essential that education programs for youth and parents of youth regarding dangers and signs of dating violence be expanded.

Mental Health

Pinellas Emergency Mental Health Services averages nearly 1,000 voluntary admissions and Baker Act screenings each year. The Sixth Judicial Circuit’s Behavioral Evaluation Program conducted 611 youth evaluations and 429 family assessments in 2001-2002. The Pinellas County Detention Center admitted 1,257 youth between November 1, 2003 and April 30^th, 2004. Based on the results of the MAYSI assessment, 41.8% scored with Anxiety and Irritability; 34.8% scored as Depressed and Anxious; 47.6 scored Somatic Complaint; 30.9% scored Suicidal Ideation and 36.2% scored with Thought Disturbances.

Mental Health and physical issues that are addressed appropriately and early assist in reducing delinquency and recidivism rates. Programs that collaborate and partner in our community to provide mental health services have been proven to be successful and should be expanded. Adequate resources are critical at the front-end to address the serious mental health issues that many adolescents face today and to provide proven successful interventions.

A comprehensive review of the available data and a statistical analysis provided a detailed assessment of community needs, trends, gaps, and juvenile justice service delivery in Pinellas County. The analysis pointed to gaps in the following areas: minority overrepresentation, teenage use of alcohol and drugs including prescription drugs, gender-specific services for girls, youth violence in homes, schools, and the community, a need for additional and enhanced after school and non-school accessible activities for youth, prevention and direct diversion programs for minority and Hispanic youth in their communities, alternatives to judicial action for non-law violation of probation, a need for increased resources for Hispanic youth and their families throughout Pinellas County, suicide prevention, a need for additional resources for runaways and youth with mental health issues, truancy reduction incentive initiative for youth. The analysis reflected that great achievements have been made in the reduction of juveniles committed to residential programs, reductions in the number of juveniles placed on probation, and most importantly, the number of juveniles transferred to adult court. Agencies have established strong collaborations and in some cases partnerships to strengthen services within our communities. True partnerships and collaborations needs to be expanded among all agencies serving youth and their families in all communities. The Juvenile Justice Council in Pinellas County is sound body and continues to expand with increasing representation from the community at-large. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice has a new Secretary, Anthony J. Schembri, who intends on developing an organization that values youth and is accountable. Strong partnerships and strong leadership along with the commitment and dedication of our stakeholders, place Pinellas County in a formidable position to continue our successes and to address head-on the critical needs and gaps in our community.

Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council

Community Needs Gap Analysis Report

October 2004

Findings

Demographic and Economic Trends

The number of youths between the ages of 10 and 14 in Pinellas County increased 31.3% between 1990 and 2002. In 2002, 11.2% of families with children under the age of 18 were living in poverty. Between 1990 and 2000, the percentage of children living in single parent homes increased from 25.4% to 32.1%. A higher percentage of single parent homes than both the state and national average. The number of children on waiting lists for subsidized childcare in Pinellas County increased 74.1% between 1997 and 2003. Pinellas County incurred an additional increase of the waiting list by 4.2% between 2002 and 2003. As of February 2003, 2,176 children were on a waiting list for subsidized childcare. Six zip codes in Pinellas County have over 1000 youth living in poverty. The zip codes include: 33705, 33711, 33712, 33713, 33755, and 33759.

Department of Juvenile Justice Data

The number of referrals for delinquency increased in 2002-2003 from the previous year 2001-2002. The total number of referrals for 2001-2002 was 9,780. The total number of referrals for 2002-2003 was 10,154. Referrals handled judicially increased 1.6% from 6,129 in 2001-2002 to 6,228 in 2002-2003. The number of referrals handled non-judicially increased 7.5% from 3,651 in 2001-2002 to 3,926 in 2002-2003. Referrals transferred to Adult Court was reduced by 7.7% from 313 in year 2001-2002 to 283 in year 2002-2003. Delinquency commitments were reduced by 7% from 717 in year 2001-2002 to 670 in year 2002-2003. The number of referrals placed on probation decreased by 15.2% from 2,463 in 2001-2002 to 2,088 in 2002-2003. The number of non-law violations of probation handled both judicially and non-judicially substantially increased in 2002-2003. The number of non-law violations of probation accounted for 97 commitments in 1998 and 181 commitments in 2003. In 1998, 261 non-law violations of probation were handled judicially. In 2003, that number rose to 772.

According to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice 2003 Quality Assurance Report, 14 youth ages 9 and under were admitted to the Pinellas Regional Juvenile Detention Center in FY 2002-2003. Pinellas County had the 2^nd highest number of admissions ages 10 and under in the state with 33. Marion County had the highest number with 36 admissions 10 and under. Pinellas County had 79 admissions of youth 11 years of age and younger, the 2^nd highest number of admissions in this category. Hillsborough County’s East and West detention Centers combined had the highest number with 86 admissions of youth ages 11 and under in FY 2002-2003.

Female Juveniles

The number of delinquency referrals for female youth increased in 2002-2003. The total number of referrals in 2002-2003 for female youth was 2,854. The number of referrals for female youth in 2001-2002 was 2,577. The number of referrals handled judicially increased from 1,481 in 2001-2002 to 1,536 in 2002-2003. The number of referrals handled non-judicially increased from 1,096 in 2001-2002 to 1,318 in 2002-2003. The number of juvenile female offenders placed on probation, in commitment programs, and transferred to adult court decreased in 2002-2003 from the previous year 2001-2002.

The number of delinquency referrals received for Black females increased by 8.1% in 2002-2003 from the previous year. The number of delinquency referrals for Black females in 2002-2003 was 1,069. In 2001-2002 that number was 989. The number of delinquency referrals received for Hispanic females increased by 23.1% in 2002-2003 from the previous year. The number of delinquency referrals for Hispanic females in 2002-2003 was 96. In 2001-2002 that number was 78.

The number of delinquency referrals received for white females increased by 3.4% in 2002-2003 from the previous year. The number of delinquency referrals received for white females in 2002-2003 was 1,486. In 2001-2002 that number was 1,437.

The most prevalent offenses among females in 2002-2003 were violent related offenses including assault/battery, disorderly conduct, and aggravated assault/ battery.

A significant increase in referrals beginning at age 13 was noted for all female categories.

Among girls in moderate and high risk residential commitment programs in Florida, nearly half have been sexually abused, more than 60% have been physically abused, and more than 60% have witnessed domestic violence in their homes. One quarter has been in foster care as a result of abuse or neglect. Sixty percent have a parent that has been arrested and 75% have run away from home at least once. Twenty percent of girls in residential commitment programs in Florida are mothers. Girls in commitment programs in Florida are more likely than boys to suffer from most types of mental health problems, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and dual diagnosis of substance abuse and mental health problems.

Minority Youth

Delinquency referrals for Black males increased by 5.5% over the previous year from 2,369 in 2001-2002 to 2,499 in 2002-2003. A significant increase for black males was noted for youth beginning at age 12 in 2002-2003 with 227 Black male youth incurring referrals. However, it should be noted that 206 Black males age 11 and younger incurred delinquency referrals in 2002-2003.

Twelve percent of Pinellas County residents lived in a home where a language other than English was spoken in 2000. Of those homes where a language other than English was spoken, languages spoken in households included Spanish or Spanish Creole (49.6%), Vietnamese (6.4%), French (4.3%), Greek (4.0%), Serbo-Croation (3.7%), and a multitude of others.

The percentage of students served by English as a Second Language programs has steadily increased since 1996 in Pinellas County and Florida: By 26.3% (from 1.9% to 2.4%) among elementary students, and by 42.8% (from 1.4% to 2.0%) and 46.7% (from 1.5% to 2.2%) among middle and high school students respectively.

Hispanic Youth

The proportion of residents in Pinellas County identifying themselves as being of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin nearly doubled between 1990 and 2000 from 2.36% to 4.64%.

The Hispanic community in Clearwater is the fastest growing population in the city. The 2000 Census figures reveal that the Hispanic population in Clearwater now represents 9% of the total population, up from 3% in 1990. Experts agree that the number may be underreported, based on estimates that the number of undocumented immigrants may bring this number to at least 50% more than the official 2000 Census Bureau figures.

In year 2000 Catholic Charities provided 200 Hispanic individuals services. In year 2002, that number increased to well over 1,000.

Substance Use

An increase in prescription drug abuse among youth was reflected in the statistical data reviewed. Prescription drug abuse is being reported at an alarming rate among 8^th, 10^th, and 12^th grade students. Recent misuse/possible abuse of prescription medication are higher for 5^th grade students than reported use of alcohol and tobacco.

Between 1994 and 2002, and between 2000 and 2002, the percentage of Pinellas County student respondents reporting recent use of marijuana decreased slightly at all grade levels. In all years reported, the increase in percent of respondents reporting recent marijuana use is greatest between 6th and 8th grade.

For 12th grade students, results indicate a reported decrease in recent tobacco and alcohol use, and a significant increase in recent tranquilizer use.

School Related Data

Defiance, fighting, and battery on a student remained the most frequently cited reason (apart from “other”) for suspensions in 2001 and 2002. The largest proportional increase in suspensions between 1991 and 2002 was for using drugs on school property, the number has quadrupled between 1991 and 2002. The rate of exceptional school students suspended has continued to steadily increase. School arrest data is as follows: 2003-2004 middle school arrests reflected that Meadowlawn Middle School had 114 total arrests, nearly twice that of Riviera Middle School, which has the 2^nd highest rate at 65 arrests. For high schools, Clearwater had 151 arrests which is over two times the number of arrests of the second leading school, Largo High with 72.

Middle schools demonstrate the highest number of reports for threats or injury with a weapon on school property with 11.2% for 6^th grade and 12.8% for 8^th grade students. Followed by 5^th grade at 10.4%, 10^th grade at 10.2% and 12^th grade at 9.2%. Middle schools represent the highest incident rate of youth carrying a weapon to school with 6^th grade reporting 12.3% compared to 8.9% for 5^th grade, and 7.5% for 8^th grade.

Between the 1991 and 2002 school years, the number of students suspended, the number of suspensions issued, and the rate of suspensions per 1,000 students decreased for Pinellas County regular middle and high school students but increased for Pinellas County exceptional school students.

The out-of-school suspension rate jumps significantly between elementary school and middle school students. Middle school also maintains a higher rate per student for out-of-school suspensions than high schools for three consecutive years.

The Pinellas County high school dropout rate increased from 3.3 percent to 5.2 percent between the 1996 academic year and the 2001 academic year. The State of Florida continued a recent downward trend, while Pinellas County continued a recent upward trend.

The non-promotion rate in Pinellas County exceeded the non-promotion rate in Florida in four of six school years between 1996 and 2001. During that time, the net increase in non-promotions of Pinellas County Students was 30.4 percent (from 5.6% to 7.3%).

Pinellas County has not greatly improved the 4-year graduation rate, whereas the statewide average has steadily improved over the last four years, with Pinellas County reporting a graduation rate of 66.4% and the state reporting a 67.9% graduation rate for 2001-2002.

In 2000, Pinellas County had a higher than state average for chronic absence among all school levels: elementary, middle and high school levels.

Of the top 10 schools referring youth to Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center (PJAC), six were middle school, with middle schools having a lower student population than high schools.

School Attendance/Truancy

In 2001, Pinellas County had 53,295 students enrolled between pre-kindergarten and fifth grade, of which approximately 1,570 were absent 21 or more days during the school year. Also, in 2001, Pinellas County had 27,536 middle school students enrolled, of whom approximately 3,360 were absent 21 or more days, and 33,770 high school students enrolled, of whom 6,112 were absent 21 or more days. The data reflects a higher than state average chronic absence rate among all school levels.

Pinellas County has experienced an increase in the drop out rate for three consecutive years. The state dropout rate has decreased for three consecutive years.

Domestic Violence

The rate of reported domestic violence in Pinellas County exceeded the offense rate in the State of Florida every year during 1993-2002 periods. The ten-year average Pinellas County rate of 1,053.7 per 100,000 residents exceeds the ten-year average Florida rate of 844.8 by 24.7%. In 2002, the domestic violence offense rate in Pinellas County exceeded the State of Florida rate by 35%.

There were 9,212 domestic violence offenses in Pinellas County in 2002. Of those, 7,368 were cases of simple assault and 1,382 were cases of aggravated assault.

Child Abuse and Neglect

In Pinellas County, there were 2,413 cases closed in FY 2001-2002 in which there was either some indication of child abuse, or child abuse was verified.

Physical injury continues to be the most commonly cited closed child abuse complaint in the County, followed by sexual maltreatment, mental injury, substance exposed children, and other abuse.

Pinellas County saw a 6% increase in the number of verified child neglect complaint cases closed since FY 1992-1993. The State experienced a 5% decrease for the same year. Inadequate supervision was the most commonly cited neglect complaint in Pinellas County with Environmental Neglect being the second most commonly cited complaint.

Mental Health

Pinellas Emergency Mental Health Services experienced 868 Juvenile Admissions in 2003. The number of admissions in 2002 was 769. Pinellas Emergency Mental Health Services screens approximately 1000 juvenile voluntary admissions and Baker Acts each year.

The Sixth Judicial Circuit’s Behavioral Evaluation Program evaluated 611 youth in FY 2001-2002. An additional 40 youth received independent mental health evaluations conducted by contracted providers. The court’s Clinical Social Worker, who provides follow-up, recommendations to the court, and treatment referrals, conducted a total of 429 family assessments. The Pinellas County Detention Center admitted 1,257 youth between November 1, 2003 and April 30^th, 2004. Based on the results of the MAYSI assessment, 41.8% scored with Anxiety and Irritability; 34.8% scored as Depressed and Anxious; 47.6 scored Somatic Complaint; 30.9% scored Suicidal Ideation and 36.2% scored with Thought Disturbances.

Runaways

In year 2002, local law enforcement agencies documented 4,050 runaway cases in Pinellas County. The St. Petersburg Police department reported 1,861 reported runaway cases. The Pinellas County Sheriffs Office reported 1,114 runaway cases with an additional 878 cases reported in unincorporated Pinellas County. Clearwater Police Department reported 485 reported runaway cases followed by the Largo Police Department who reported 272 and the Pinellas Park Police Department with 190. Other local law enforcement agencies accounted for the remaining reported runaway cases reporting between 2 and 97 cases.

Based on interviews with the youth and/or their parents/guardians at Family Resources shelters during 2003-2004, 84% indicated that the parent does not know how to control his/her child, 44% indicated that the parent does not set clear limits, 47% of the parents do not know where the child spends his or her free time, 42% do not know with whom the child spends his or her time, and 22% are not aware of the child’s problems in school. Based on interviews, 30% of the youth have documented instances of child abuse and 26% have had prior involvement with the child welfare system. As many as 34% of the youth have a parent/guardian or sibling that has a prior criminal record, 31% have a parent/guardian or sibling with prior prison time.

In 2003, the Family Resources south county shelter admitted 267 youth while the Family Resources north county shelter admitted 251 youth.

JUVENILE JUSTICE COUNCIL

COMMUNITY NEEDS SURVEY REPORT

The Community Needs Committee of the Juvenile Justice Council recently conducted four surveys of the community to assess Neighborhood Involvement, Parents Raising Children, Service Providers and Youth. The analysis of those surveys follows.

SURVEY FOR NEIGHBORHOOD INVOLVEMENT

In total, 28 individuals responded to the survey on Neighborhood Involvement. 19 neighborhoods responded to the survey from 7 cities in Pinellas County.

Neighborhood		City
13th Street	John Hopkins Sr. Resident	Clearwater(3)
17th St / Prescott(2)	Kendall	Dunedin
Blossom Lake Village	Lake Maggiore Shore(2)	Pinellas Park
Coquina Keys	Methodist Town/Jamestown	Safety Harbor
Cromwell Heights	Midtown(2)	Seminole(2)
Dexter Park	Pinellas Point	St. Petersburg(14)
Fairlawn Park	Sunset Hill Area	Tarpon Spring(5)
Greenbrook	West Tarpon
Imperial Oaks	Young subdivision
Jamestown

Of the respondents, 75.0% own while 17.9% rent their place of residence with (7.1% did not respond). The age of the respondents to the survey broke down as follows:

The types of services/activities that respondents liked to have for their family in the community included:

Services/Activities
After school programs(9)	Little league football, basketball
All of the above(6)	Mentoring
Boxing gym	More community recreation teams for high schoolers
Copy printing business like Staples	More youth NA/AA meetings
Counseling	PTEC center
DCF Office	Senior programs working with youth
Drug abuse awareness	Skills development for employment
Employment for parents and teenagers	Summer youth activity programs(8)
Field Trips	Tutoring(6)
Health care(2)	Volunteer summer programs
Help with homework

Regarding a center that serves children and families if one were to open in your neighborhood, 89.3% would support such a center while 7.1% would not. (3.6% did not respond).

Also, regarding a Center for children and families 28.6% knew of a place/building that could be a possible location for a Center, while 67.9% did not. (3.6% did not respond).

Possible locations included:

Location

2nd Ave near warehouses

Corner of 82nd Ave & 66th St

Indian Rock Baptist Church

Lake Maggiore - across Lakewood Elementary

Tarpon Springs Boys & Girls Club(4)

Regarding a neighborhood association, 82.1.9% indicated they would be willing to join, while 17.9% did not.

Regarding a neighborhood-watch program, 50.0% indicated that their neighborhood had such a program while 50.0% indicated theirs didn’t. Of those responding no, 57.1% indicated they would like to have one, while 28.6% said they wouldn’t (14.3% did not respond).

Regarding positive services/activities (Example: Festivals, cultural events, community information fairs?) in their neighborhood, 42.9% felt there were enough while 53.6% did not feel there were enough. 3.6% did not respond.

Finally, 64.3% felt there were problems in the neighborhood they would like to see addressed, while 28.6% indicated there were no problems (7.1% did not respond). The problems listed include:

Problems
18-20 year olds purchasing cigarettes for those under 18	Livable wage employment in the community
Cars broken into	Loud speeding cars (2)
Children roaming the streets late at night (4)	Unkempt yard/property (3)
Church involvement	More unity with neighbors
Cleanness of area	Neighborhood watch
Drop in center for teens	Parent education
Drugs (9)	Progress energy poor service to midtown residents
Fighting	Sexual molestation
Gangs	Student truancy (2)
Landlords cleaning up vacant property	Theft (2)

SURVEY FOR PARENTS RAISING CHILDREN

In total, 71 individuals responded to the survey on Parents Raising Children. 38 neighborhoods responded to the survey from 10 cities in Pinellas County.

Neighborhood		City
5828 46th Ave N	Lake Maggiore Shores(2)	Clearwater(19)
Autumn Run	Lakeland Estates	Dunedin(3)
Barrington Hills	Northeast area	Kenneth City(2)
Canterbury Oaks	Off Starkey Road	Oldsmar
Countryside/Kendall	Orange Lake Estates	Pinellas Park(11)
Cromwell Heights	Outlook Village Apartments	Safety Harbor
Dexter Park	Park Trace Apts	Seminole(2)
Discovery Park	Pegasus	St. Petersburg(17)
Downtown	Pinellas Point	Tarpon Springs(6)
Fairlawn Park	S. MLK Jr.	Treasure Island
Fairwood Ave	Sal's Lake
Forest Lakes	Skycrest
Greenbrook	South Greenwood
Highland & Keene	Stonehaven Ct
Hilmar Apartments	Trotter & Dryer
Imperial Oaks	Twinn Brooks
Jamestown(4)	Vonn Rd. and Wilcox
Jasmine Courts	Wildwood
Kings Highway(2)	Woodlawn

Support

From the survey 69 individuals responded to the questions regarding community support.

Do you feel you have adequate support from the community in raising your child/children?

The respondents listed the following problems they had raising their children:

Problems

Asked for help at school but did not get it

Don't feel safe leaving my child unsupervised

Drugs (6)

I've had little to no help from the local schools when I've had school related problems

Lot of violence in the community

Need more youth services and programs that target younger children - more art programs

Negative peers (2)

Neighborhood is kind of rough

No school activities

Other parents let kids hang out till wee hours of morning

Overcrowding of schools

Parents have no power to deal with our kids.

Peer pressure about drugs and teenage sex

School

Schools need to be more proactive in notifying parents of absences and other school issues.

Set up good programs in schools but then lose the funding

Sometimes with neighborhood kids

Speeding traffic

Unhappy with school system

Yes, have to watch kind of kids he hangs around with

Yes, negative peers and negative environment

Services Activities

From the survey 70 individuals responded to the questions regarding services and activities.

Do you find the needed services/activities readily available in the community for your family? (Examples: childcare, healthcare, tutoring, after-school program, summer camp, sports, etc.)

To what degree are you satisfied with these service activities?

The respondents listed the following barriers encountered in using the available services and activities:

Barriers

After school programs

Age limit

Cost (2)

Don't use any services or activities

Far away from my house/Access/Transportation (7)

Financial issues (5)

Health center is real good

Hours open (2)

I did not find any service available in my neighborhood

Lack of services for specific age groups (3)

Language, no after school programs close by, tutoring not available

Layers of bureaucracy

Long waiting periods to get into programs

No bonding between my child and the service providers - don't stick around

No mentoring programs

Non-resident have to sign up last and pay quite a bit more for recreation

The city

They fill up fast and there are not enough available

They have been very helpful to our family

Too costly for single parents

Trying to find who to call for help

The respondents listed the following additional services/activities they would like to have for their family in the community? (Example: Childcare, healthcare, tutoring, after school program, other)

Additional Services/Activities
A place to gather nearby	Holiday camp
Affordable organized sports	Mentoring (4)
Affordable tutoring and after school programs	More community recreation teams for high schoolers
After school art programs	More help for troubled teens
After school programs (10)	More structured programs for teen
All of the above (2)	More tutoring in different times
Before school programs	More youth NA/AA meetings
Camping	Parent support groups
Cheerleading	Sports (3)
Childcare	Summer program (2)
Community outreach	Swim lessons
Dances	Teen activities
Divorce groups	Tutoring (12)
Family entertainment	Tutoring for higher Math
Health-care (8)	Creative art weekend programs
Help with fees	Youth groups

Problems and Attitudes

From the survey 66 of 70 individuals responded to the questions regarding problems and attitudes.

It is important for teens to belong to a group where adults and youth create and live by the same rules and get along well together (n = 68).

There is a problem with drugs/alcohol abuse in the community (n = 69)

There is a problem with domestic violence in the community (n = 66)

There is a problem with lack of male role models in the community (n = 68)

There is a problem of bullying/fighting (both yelling and hitting) by kids and/or adults (n = 69)

The respondents listed the following types of problems that they see in their schools/neighborhoods that need to be addressed (Example: drugs, under-age smoking, fighting, stealing, gangs, youth having sex?):

Problems
Alcohol	Kids skipping school (4)
All of the above (9)	Lack of non-athletic school programs
Bullies, Sex, Drinking	Lack of parental involvement (2)
Depression	Lack of respect
Discipline issues	Middle school kids talking about sex
Disruptive children in the classroom	No after school programs
Dress code	No role models
Drinking	Racial prejudice
Drugs (33)	Respect for authority
Education opportunities, Job preparation	Respect for others
Fighting (10)	Stealing
Gang Violence (3)	Stealing and breaking into cars
Head lice	Under age smoking (15)
How to deal with teenager's anger	Youth having sex (16)
Kids hanging out with nothing to do (4)

The respondents listed the following issues they felt needed to be discussed that were not covered in the survey:

Needs To Be Discussed

Activities that teach kids about different cultural backgrounds

Clean up the drug activity

Curfew for children

Curfews for minors to stop wandering the streets

Funding for enrichment activities for the youth and educational programs

Handling teen pressure from peers

Lack of role models

Making surveys available in other languages

More seminars about respecting old people, parents, etc.

Outreach programs

Parents afraid of disciplining their children for fear their children will turn them in

Vision Statement

Mission Statement

Ø Linking youth and their families to a full range of supportive services

Introduction

Background Information

Description of Geographic Boundaries

Risk Factors

Under the Sphere of Influence SCHOOL, specific issues that stand out:

Lifetime Use

Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center (PJAC)2004 Annual Report

Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center (PJAC) 2003 Annual Report

Protective Factors

GAPS

Organization of the Plan

1. Administrative Component

2. Annual Plan Compliance Report

3. Local Guidelines for Distribution of Prevention Funds

4. Partnership Activities

Service Component:

1. Teen Age Use of Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs

2. Family Support

3. Gender-Specific Services

4. Youth Violence (Home, School and Community)

5. Need for relevant activities in which young people can participate.

6. Need for appropriate suicide prevention programs for Pinellas County youth.

7. Need to address Minority Overrepresentation among Pinellas County youth.

8. Implications surrounding Zero Tolerance:

References

Appendix A: Pinellas County Community Needs Gap Analysis Report October 2004

Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council

Community Needs Gap Analysis Report

October 2004

Findings