Frequent Questions
Juvenile Aftercare
What is aftercare for juveniles?
Aftercare is the period of supervision of juveniles once they complete their out-of-home programming and treatment they are returned to the community.
What happens when a juvenile goes on aftercare?
The Juvenile Corrections Agent (JCA) develops the aftercare plan, in cooperation with the youth and family, based on the needs of the individual juvenile to ensure sure success while in the community.
The plan will include conditions that outline the expectations for the juvenile while on aftercare in the community. The terms of the contract may include but are not limited to:
- Indicating the location of residence
- Agreeing to get approval from the JCA prior to leaving the city, county or state
- Abiding by all federal and state laws
- Attending school daily with no unexcused absences
- Not using or possessing controlled substances, marijuana or alcohol
- Submitting to drug testing when directed
- Employment
- Maintaining satisfactory work performances in all programs
- Complying with all instructions in matters affecting supervision
- Curfew
- Community Service
- Agreeing to a warrant less search of your person, residence, locker, vehicle, or any personal property
The JCA works with the juvenile and their family to identify resources to be accessed during aftercare. Aftercare Services may include a variety of community services, to include, counseling and monitoring by the Juvenile Corrections Agent, individual and family counseling, chemical dependency continued group care, mental health treatment, self-help programs and mentors along with a mix of supervision and surveillance techniques.
Who makes sure a youth follows these conditions?
The JCA maintains regular contact with the youth to ensure aftercare conditions are met. The contact may take place at home, in school, at the workplace or anywhere in the community.
There are four levels of aftercare supervision:
- Intensive; this level is the most restrictive and requires the most contact with a JCA
- Medium; emphasizes therapeutic intervention and focuses on family issues
- Minimum; allows juveniles and families to more input on privileges and consequences with ongoing JCA support
- Administrative; least restrictive, designed for final phases of aftercare supervision
What happens if a youth violates these conditions of aftercare?
The JCA responds to every violation. The response is proportionate to the violation. Depending on the situation, conditions of aftercare may be changed (modify curfew, loss of driving privileges, increased contact with the JCA, etc.), the youth may be put on house arrest or electronic monitoring, or aftercare can be revoked and a youth can be returned to a DOC facility or another program. The department is committed to serving youth in the community whenever possible.
The most common reasons for revocation are technical violations and chemical dependency violations.
How long is a youth on aftercare?
Youth remain on aftercare until they are discharged from DOC supervision. When youth are first committed to the DOC, they are committed until the age of 21.