Pulaski County officials are giving an update on the Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative. JDAI Coordinator Dr. Natalie Daily-Federer says in a press release that the program has been in Pulaski County for almost five years now and is administered through Circuit Court.
It’s designed not only to support kids on probation, but also to prevent them from coming into the justice system in the first place. JDAI’s truancy reduction and at-risk youth mentor programs have supported more than 100 youth and their families over the past three years. Additionally, over 30 police officers, jail staff, probation officers and others have taken the Policing the Teen Brain training.
Now, Daily-Federer says the county is applying for $58,000 in JDAI funding in the current grant cycle. She adds that JDAI has led to a big cost savings when it comes to holding youth in juvenile justice centers, from $25,000 to $30,000 before the program started down to less than $500 in 2019.
In the press release, Circuit Court Judge Mary Welker notes that the JDAI programs aim for equal treatment of all juveniles and allow them to remain in their homes and communities, when appropriate.
