In response to declining youth arrests and research demonstrating the detrimental effects of youth incarceration, states and localities have begun to fundamentally shift their youth justice approach towards community-based strategies to both prevent and respond to harmful and illegal behaviors. Although this new approach offers financial savings over the outdated and expensive institutional confinement model, building an array of comprehensive, actionable alternatives will require substantial investment. This report identifies proven, promising, and innovative strategies for identifying funds and using those resources to invest in a robust continuum of care and opportunity, particularly in historically disenfranchised communities in which youth and families may be particularly susceptible to justice system involvement. The strategies put forth in this brief cover four areas: capturing and redirecting savings from reduced youth incarceration and facility closure; repurposing youth facilities and leveraging land value; maximizing existing state and federal funding opportunities; and implementing innovative strategies to fund community investment.
Fact Sheets