Reducing the unnecessary confinement of youth in our country.

The Normile Juvenile Justice Center was honored to become a recognized Juvenile Detention Alternative site in October 2009.

The Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) was designed to support the Casey Foundation’s vision that all youth involved in the juvenile justice system have opportunities to develop into healthy, productive adults.

After more than 15 years of innovation and replication, JDAI is one of the nation’s most effective, influential, and widespread juvenile justice system reform initiatives.

The objectives of JDAI are to:

  • Eliminate the inappropriate or unnecessary use of secure detention;
  • Minimize re-arrest and failure-to-appear rates pending adjudication;
  • Ensure appropriate conditions of confinement in secure facilities;
  • Redirect public finances to sustain successful reforms; and
  • Reduce racial and ethnic disparities.

Since its inception in 1992, JDAI has repeatedly demonstrated that jurisdictions can safely reduce reliance on secure detention. There are now approximately 100 JDAI sites in 24 states and the District of Columbia.

To learn more about the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative please contact the Bruce Normile Juvenile Justice Center at 660.665.4224.