Treatment Programs

One of the treatment programs I found interesting was the rehabilitation that could take place in a juvenile detention facility.   We would hope that these centers would make sure the youth keep up with their education, provide job training, give them the experience of living in a safe environment, and provide them with the assistance needed to break harmful habits.
    The information I found on the Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility (NCYF), was very enlightening.   This facility has been very successful in restoring delinquent youth.   The facility holds young adult offenders and juvenile delinquents who have been tried in adult court for committing violent crimes.   The ages range from 15 to 21.   It is a “maximum security institution”, that was designed to separate young offenders from adult offenders, and to provide the young inmates with help in changing their behavior.
    All inmates are required to participate in the educational opportunities provided.   Each inmate has the opportunity to earn a GED and to take community college classes.   They are given the chance to work as teacher assistants, gardeners, recreational leaders, and kitchen staff.   They have a very active recreation program, an annual 10K is held, in which inmates race with staff members. The health of it’s occupants is of great importance, they provide drug rehabilitation, counseling and weekly drug tests.
    A unique program they have is called “Pawsitive Outcomes”.   Prisoners who have met specified behavioral and educational requirements may train a dog.   These are dogs that have been deemed unfit for adoption because of behavioral problems.   The dogs are given a home in the prison yard and a qualified inmate is given a dog to take care of for a certain time period.   They may bring the dog with them to classes and to activities.   The youth is responsible for training the dog, after the training period, the dog is adopted out.   NCYF has had great success in rehabilitating the violent...