Juvenile Reentry in Nebraska

Omaha – On any given day, hundreds of youth are detained in a correctional setting in Nebraska. Annually about 200 youth will be released from a Nebraska Youth Rehabilitation & Treatment Center. YRTCs are the highest level of care for delinquent youth in the state. Under current law, a youth is sent to a YRTC when all levels of probation supervision and community-based services have been exhausted or for the protection of the juvenile, or for the protection of another person or property or if it appears the juvenile is likely to flee (Nebraska Revised Statute 43-286). Traditional, community-based mentoring programs are generally not able to serve this population.

For the past seven years, the Juvenile Justice Institute has worked with University students to mentor youth coming out of the YRTCs. It is called the Juvenile Reentry Mentoring Project.

According to Anne Hobbs, Ph.D., the director of the Institute, “When we started this project in 2011, it was a pilot, and we fully anticipated it would be a short-lived course! Undergraduate students have relatively little real life experience and they are matched with high-risk youth."

Instead, the JJI found a mentoring model that is surprisingly effective. Students tend to be more tolerant of adolescent behaviors and emotions and missed appointments. Students roll with bouts of adolescent angst and attitude, and relate to the youth extremely well. Students seem quite motivated to develop a successful, long-term mentoring relationship."

Although JJI supervises the project, the course is offered on all three University of Nebraska campuses as well as Doane University. Wesleyan University is planned to join next year. The project is currently funded through the Sherwood Foundation.

To participate, student mentors enroll in a two-semester course, which meets once a week. Prior to registering for the course, students are required to meet with the course instructor, who conducts an in-depth interview to determine the student mentor’s juvenile justice philosophy and temperament.

Once the course begins, student mentors are taught about the juvenile justice system, juvenile delinquency, mentoring techniques and strategies, and current legislative issues related to juvenile justice in Nebraska.

Student mentors then travel to either YRTC-Geneva (young women) or YRTC-Kearney (young men) to meet with a group of youth. At each facility, YRTC staff identify youth they believe will most benefit from a mentor. Student mentors and youth are given a chance to meet as a group and one on one. To facilitate the process, student mentors and youth fill out biography sheets with information such as goals, hobbies, and favorite movies. Student mentors also receive training from staff at the YRTC facilities.

To date, the Juvenile Reentry Mentoring Project has matched 180 youth to mentors. Although the project started in Lincoln and Lancaster County, by partnering with other universities, it now matches youth returning to Scottsbluff, Beatrice, Omaha, Columbus, and Lincoln and other location throughout Nebraska.

Comments from students in the class reflect benefits of the project.

“When I first started my criminal justice courses, I aspired to be a police officer. As a result of taking this course, I want to pursue a career that works with the juvenile population.” Bern

“This course has also kept me on my toes, with due dates and plenty of scheduled visits to mentees. Those are some things that are needed in this field, because some case workers have trouble with it. I’ll utilize those skills and be sure to keep in touch with my clients while I am in the field.” Evan

“I wanted to become an FBI special agent, although; now I have a strong passion to work with youth. I enjoy connecting, and relating to youth.” Manuel