RAISE THE AGE PILOT PROGRAM
Following a class taught by Alisa Del Tufo in Fall 2019 (Restoring Juvenile Justice: Improved Outcomes for Emerging Adult Offenders in Vermont), Bailey spent her 2020 Field Work Term researching other restorative programs for this age group who commit moderate to severe crimes. With the help of Alisa Del Tufo, Bailey developed a restorative program for 18-21 year olds who commit crimes that have victims (as opposed to victimless crimes, such as shoplifting from large corporations). During the process, Bailey met with key community stakeholders to ensure that the program developed would be beneficial to the specific community of Bennington. She identified topics and questions to add to the YASI (Youth Assessment and Screening Instrument), a screening tool to suggest a risk level for youths. Bailey created multiple sample evaluation tools specific to the program: it was essential to her that data be collected from everyone participating in the program, including the person who caused harm, the person who has been harmed, the facilitator, and any other stakeholder. With this, she recognized that there needed to be some questions that were adapted based on who would be filling out the evaluation. She also included pre/post evaluations, so more internalized feelings and attitudes could be considered.
Unfortunately, while the program was supposed to be piloted with 4-6 juveniles in the Spring of 2020, Covid disrupted the implementation. By the time students were back on campus and conversation about this program was restarted, the state had begun implementing their own diversion program for this age bracket.
Unfortunately, while the program was supposed to be piloted with 4-6 juveniles in the Spring of 2020, Covid disrupted the implementation. By the time students were back on campus and conversation about this program was restarted, the state had begun implementing their own diversion program for this age bracket.