As a three-year(2017-2019) research project, the purpose of the study is to provide policy implication for successful reentry of youth through (1) collecting and analyzing data of youth lifestyles after being released, recidivism, perception of reentry system and programs, and (2) developing and uating a reentry program. To achieve this goal Korean Institute of Criminology collaborates with diverse juvenile institutions including Crime Prevention Policy Bureau-Juvenile Division in the Ministry of Justice and Korea Juvenile Protection Association.
As the first-year report, we focused on collecting information of the current juvenile reentry system and programs and people’s perception on attitude and opinions toward the system. More specifically, we conducted in-depth interview, workshop, and survey with juvenile inmates at, juvenile offenders released from, and officers working for juvenile training schools and experts in this field.
According to the results, most juvenile inmates were assigned to job related training programs without full consideration of their aptitude and needs due to lack of resources and facilities. Also, the fact that these programs are limited by not being connected with programs outside makes the youth not able to use or continue vocational skills developed in the institutions after they were released. Moreover, the inmates tend to have negative opinions on programs rooted in humanities, and the centers need more specialized programs and experts to help the youth change their attitude toward life and behavior to stop being involved in crime. In relation to community-based programs, a program named “Hope Supporters”, which has been initiated and run for 5 years need to be revised to be more practical and effective, and another program, YES(Youth Education Service) Center run by Korea Juvenile Protection Association has difficulties with recruiting juvenile offenders for advanced vocational programs. The released youth also did not want to work for companies, affiliated with the juvenile institutions due to unfavorable working conditions. In addition, the companies and other juvenile reentry facilities also have difficulties in terms of recruitment, turnover, workload, and working conditions. Finally, public and private agencies involved in juvenile reentry system do not receive enough financial support for human resources and facilities required for smooth transition from the training schools to society, leading to lack of cooperation among agencies.
To solve the problems aforementioned, the most important issue to be considered is to develop network system between juvenile institutions and agencies in society. It is also required for the juvenile institutions to reestablish their roles in the juvenile reentry system as a mediator and overseer between juvenile offenders and service providers.
Based on the results from the field research addressed above as well as literature review on theoretical and practical research, we have developed a new reentry program focusing on the transition from the institutions to society. The program is mainly composed of activities which are useful for juvenile inmates when they are released.