Restorative Practice Behavior Model Within Secure Juvenile Detention Facility: King County Juvenile Detention Center

Abstract

A policy shift in King County, Washington to ban the use of solitary confinement has required restructuring of the way in which King County Juvenile Detention Center responds to unsafe, problem behaviors. The new restorative behavior management system introduced harm reduction practices to teach new positive behaviors, while also utilizing sanctions to reinforce accountability. This study utilizes behavior response data from King County Juvenile Detention Center, as part as their behavior management procedures. Data for this study included youth who have received more than one behavioral infraction (behavior response) (N)=106. Youth’s initial and subsequent behavioral infractions within thirty days post behavior intervention (i.e., sanction, restorative or combination of both) were analyzed to examine a change in subsequent problem behavior post behavior intervention. The study found subsequent problem behaviors increased after behavior intervention for the lowest level behavioral infractions and reduced severity of high level behavioral infractions. Additionally, this study assessed which behavior interventions (i.e., sanctions, restorative, or combination of sanctions and restorative) were most effective in reducing the severity of subsequent behaviors. No differences were found between the behavior intervention practices in reducing youth’s subsequent behaviors. Future studies should examine a longer period of time to examine if repeated exposure to behavior interventions reduce severity of problem behaviors by examining more than initial behaviors and subsequent behaviors.