Overview
The Youth Assistance Program is specifically designed to provide positive guidance and direction to at-risk youth in the surrounding community from becoming involved in illegal activities or committing crimes which may lead to the criminal justice system.
The program includes presentations by selected facilitators who are incarcerated. They discuss the circumstances and behaviors that led to their incarceration and the consequences of life in prison. Youth Assistance Programs are supervised by designated facility staff and held in an area of the facility as directed by the Superintendent.
Youth participating in this program are selected at the recommendation of an appropriate community agency or representative. Incarcerated individuals participating are screened and selected for assignment based upon personal interview with designated facility staff.
Goals
The goals of the program is to teach and show young people how to develop positive attitudes that will help them realize they have choices in their lifestyles and making right choices help avoid incarceration.
Designated offenders speak to youth who are interested in this specific type of initiative or those who are referred to this type of program by Social Services, Family Court, school districts, or other community based entities.