SLS 22RS-3087 ORIGINAL
2022 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 197
BY SENATOR CLOUD
JUVENILE JUSTICE. Requests the office of juvenile justice to develop a plan to provide
services and opportunities that encourage youth to become more engaged in their
rehabilitation, education, and job skills training and submit the plan to the legislature.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To urge and request the office of juvenile justice, youth services, Department of Public
3 Safety and Corrections to develop a plan to provide services and opportunities that
4 encourage youth to become more engaged in their rehabilitation, education, and job
5 skills training, through mentor programs, animal therapies, and business classes, and
6 submit a copy of the written plan, together with specific proposals for legislation, to
7 the Senate Committee on Judiciary B not later than February 1, 2023.
8 WHEREAS, Louisiana law requires that all youth in the custody of the office of
9 juvenile justice receive appropriate treatment, training, and education commensurate with
10 the needs and abilities of each youth; and
11 WHEREAS, research supports that evidence-based treatment is the most efficient
12 and effective means of protecting the public and reducing recidivism; and
13 WHEREAS, according to the office of juvenile justice's 2021 fourth quarter report,
14 there were 365 youth in secured custody, 351 youth in nonsecured custody, and 31 youth in
15 Families in Need of Service custody; and
16 WHEREAS, the office of juvenile justice uses treatment interventions, including
17 motivation interviewing, thinking for a change, functional family therapy, and
18 multi-systemic therapy, that help youth acknowledge accountability, teach pro-social
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SLS 22RS-3087 ORIGINAL
1 attitudes and behaviors, and avoid risky thinking and actions; and
2 WHEREAS, upon adjudication and placement of youth within the custody of the
3 office of juvenile justice, an assessment is conducted and an individualized plan is developed
4 for rehabilitation services with the knowledge that each youth in the custody of the office
5 will return to local communities throughout the state; and
6 WHEREAS, with recent challenges facing the office of juvenile justice, including
7 violent incidences at juvenile facilities, juveniles escaping secured care facilities, and
8 staffing shortage in the facilities, the office should develop ways to promote and encourage
9 participation in programs that offer resources and opportunities that rehabilitate, educate, and
10 equip youth with skills for reentry into the local communities; and
11 WHEREAS, because of the commitment and effort to stress the importance of
12 rehabilitation, education, and job skills training throughout the years, the office should
13 develop a plan to provide services and opportunities, including mentor programs with
14 business, religious, and civic leaders; animal therapies, including canine and equine;
15 business classes and programming that encourage financial literacy and offer youth an
16 opportunity to see their job training skills in action; and opportunities for community
17 interaction for low-risk youth and incentives that may encourage youth to positively engage
18 in the programs offered by the office that seek to rehabilitate, educate, and train youth for
19 a successful transition into the local communities.
20 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
21 does hereby request the office of juvenile justice, youth services, Department of Public
22 Safety and Corrections to develop a plan to provide services and opportunities that
23 encourage youth to become more engaged in their rehabilitation, education, and job skills
24 training, through mentor programs, animal therapies, and business classes, and submit a copy
25 of the written plan, together with specific proposals for legislation, to the Senate Committee
26 on Judiciary B not later than February 1, 2023.
27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
28 office of juvenile justice, youth services, Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
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SLS 22RS-3087 ORIGINAL
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Michelle Ridge.
DIGEST
SR 197 Original 2022 Regular Session Cloud
Requests the office of juvenile justice to develop a plan to provide services and opportunities
that encourage youth to become more engaged in their rehabilitation, education, and job
skills training, and submit the plan to the legislature.
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