YES: Youth Environmental Service Initiative. by Kristen Kracke Jointly operated by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Youth Environmental Service (YES) initiative is designed to increase the capacity of States and communities to treat and rehabilitate delinquent youth and to prevent at-risk youth from entering the juvenile justice system. History In response to a growing need for innovative and effective programs for at-risk and delinquent youth, Senator Bob Graham introduced legislation for the development of a nationwide network of local programs to provide youth with environmental work and education opportunities on Federal land. The bill expressed the sense of the Senate that such programs should provide personal development to youth, public security from seriously delinquent youth, environmental land development, and a solution to such barriers as siting and zoning restrictions commonly faced by programs serving at-risk and delinquent youth. Senator GrahamÕs bill, while not enacted, influenced the creation of a landmark partnership agreement between DOJ and DOI. In February 1994 Attorney General Janet Reno and Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt signed a memorandum of understanding committing the Departments to work in partnership with States and localities to establish the YES initiative on Federal lands across the Nation. Program Characteristics Under the YES program, partnerships are formed between Federal, State, local, and private agencies to develop work programs on environmentally sensitive lands. States and communities are given broad flexibility to design programs tailored to their specific needs. YES sites may choose to provide onsite residential programs, offsite residential programs, and day programs. Because many Federal lands are in isolated areas, accessibility must be considered in the programmatic development of a site. Additionally, some areas, such as Washington, D.C., have Federal lands in urban settings that can provide numerous program options. Target populations for YES programs range from at-risk youth who live in underserved communities to serious and violent juvenile offenders in nonsecure and secure confinement programs. Some sites have worked with local employment programs to provide stipends to juveniles. Others have used work reimbursement for juveniles to pay victim restitution, child support, and other obligations. Six pilot sites have been established in Florida, Utah, and the District of Columbia. These sites reflect the diversity and flexibility of the YES initiative. In Florida, Big Cypress National Wilderness Institute targets serious male offenders ages 15 to 17 who have been referred by the criminal court. Currently, the Institute operates an offsite residential program, but plans are underway to establish a residence on park land. Banyan Halfway House Work Release Program in West Palm Beach operates a 4- to 6-month nonsecure residential program for juvenile offenders. To meet vocational training goals and fulfill restitution obligations, youth work on the Loxahatchee Environmental Project, gaining landscape labor experience such as exotic plant eradication, which is essential for maintaining the health of the Loxahatchee ecosystem. In Utah, the Genesis Youth Center of Salt Lake City operates a 72-bed community-based work program that holds youth accountable for their actions and enables them to make restitution to their victims. The program works with males ages 14 to 18 serving 30- to 120-day sentences. Services are available to juvenile probationers, youth who receive regular commitments to the Division of Youth Corrections (DYC), and youth in transition from DYC secure care. DOIÕs Bureau of Land Management (BLM) provides work projects for the youth in the Wild Horse and Burro Center. In Cedar City, the Southwest Youth Center Work Release Program maintains a 10-bed detention facility serving as an alternative to secure detention that provides youth with an opportunity to develop skills, make restitution, and avoid the negative effects of confinement. The program serves males and females ages 12 to 17 sentenced by the court to up to 30 days detention. Youth are assigned work projects such as trail maintenance, reseeding burn areas, and construction with five partner agenciesÑthe BLM, the U.S. Department of AgricultureÕs (USDA) Forest Service, Southern Utah University, Cedar City Corporation, and Iron County. In the District of Columbia, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington look to the YES initiative to provide inner-city children with a valuable set of opportunities, including a chance to contribute something to their community, develop a work ethic, and learn about nature and the environment. The ClubsÕ urban members have little experience with woodlands and wildlife. Club members range in age from 8 to 14 and come from low-income families, often residing in public housing. Youth work with the National Park Service at Rock Creek Park, attend educational workshops, and assist with trail cleanup and park maintenance. Youth also engage in recreational activities in the park. The City Lights Park Program is a nonresidential program providing part-time work experience to court-involved youth 16 and older referred by their Youth Services Administration aftercare worker. The program works with the National Park Service at the Brentwood maintenance facility, which provides carpentry, metal craft, and painting experience. Program Support YES programs are locally funded. For States and communities that have identified funds for a YES program, DOJ and DOI work to locate Federal lands and facilities suitable for the program. While no direct Federal funding is awarded to support program operations, the Federal partners facilitate, support, and provide expertise in developing YES sites through training and technical assistance and by providing such resources as lands, facilities, and environmental work projects. In turn, these labor-intensive work projects assist Federal land management agencies to reduce their maintenance backlog and improve public parks and recreation areas. DOI and DOJ jointly facilitate and coordinate State and local partnership agreements between youth-oriented programs and local Federal land managers. DOI provides access to Federal lands, development of work and education projects for youth, and other locally negotiated resources, such as facilities, tools, and supervision. USDA works with DOI and DOJ to provide assistance through the use of its Forest Service land. DOJ provides direct technical assistance to sites as needed. Whenever YES sites request technical assistance, DOJ works to meet these needs through existing Justice sources and through brokering resources from other Departments across the Federal Government. DOJ is also available to assist sites with communication, information-sharing, and cross-program coordination. Summary YES provides a unique alternative for youth-serving organizations and States to provide youth with necessary skills, services, and opportunities. DOJ and DOI are seeking to expand the YES program across the country. Interested State and local programs, organizations, and agencies are encouraged to consult with DOJ and DOI in developing preliminary concepts for a YES partnership. Resources DOJ and DOI have prepared two major sources of information about the YES initiative. YES in Action, an OJJDP Program Summary, describes the initiative, the pilot sites, and the lessons learned. YES Technical Assistance Package provides operational guidance on how to start a YES program. These resources are available by calling the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse, toll free, at 800-638-8736, or e-mail askncjrs@aspensys.com. For further information, please contact: Kristen Kracke Bob Buechner Office of Juvenile Justice Office of National Service and Delinquency Prevention and Educational Partnerships U.S. Department of Justice U.S. Department of the Interior 633 Indiana Avenue NW. 1849 C Street NW., Room 5204 Washington, DC 20531 Washington, DC 20240 Phone: 202Ð307Ð5914 Phone: 202Ð208Ð4753 FAX: 202Ð514Ð6382 FAX: 202Ð208Ð3620 krackek@ojp.usdoj.gov robert_buechner@ios.doi.gov FSÐ9530 (R)