Indiana justice recognized for work with children

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Indiana Justice Steven David has received the Annie E. Casey Foundation Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Distinguished System Leadership Award. The award recognizes his work with children in court.

The Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative aims to move low-risk youth from secure detention into community-based alternative programs. The Supreme Court partners with the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, Department of Correction, and Department of Child Services on the project.

The award is the highest one given by the Casey Foundation Juvenile Justice Strategy group to a system stakeholder.

“My role is easy when you have the talented team that we have in Indiana,” David said when accepting the award on behalf of the court family. He credits the success of JDAI to the courts’ collaboration with executive and legislative leaders.

“Hoosiers are dedicated to helping children. A special thank you goes to my colleagues on the Court, DCS Director Mary Beth Bonaventura, the DOC’s Mike Dempsey, and ICJI’s David Murtaugh. The Legislature and Governor Mike Pence are integral to our success,” he continued.

Indiana has 19 counties participating in JDAI. During the first quarter of 2015, commitments to the DOC declined in all Indiana JDAI counties and secure detention admission dropped from 3,376 to 1,747, according to a release from the Indiana Supreme Court. Re-offense rates were just 8 percent.

Data shows alternatives to detention can provide positive outcomes for youth, enhance public safety and save taxpayer money.

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