Forging Partnerships with Law Enforcement: An Essential Partner in Serving Unaccompanied Youth

Joe Lagana, CEO and Founder, Homeless Children’s Education FundJeffrey Shook, Associate Professor of Social Work, Law and Sociology, University of Pittsburgh

Building For a Better Future for Children and YouthCreation and work of HCEF and HENKathy McCauley’s Report - “I’ll Never

Get Used to It: Young People Living on the Street”◦Awareness and Recommendations

Summit V – “Stuck in Survival: Building Support for Street Kids, Couch Surfers, and Other Unaccompanied Homeless Youth”◦Solidifying the support of key stakeholders

Working to Develop Community NetworkRole of the Pittsburgh Child Guidance

Foundation◦Pam Golden as a key partner

Building relationships with “academics”◦Jeff Shook as a key partner

Decision to focus on law enforcement◦Point of contact with the “system” for

many youth◦New focus in Pittsburgh on reforming law

enforcement practices

Initial Steps – What do youth and law enforcement folks think?Series of focus

groups/discussions with young people and with police◦Spring and summer 2014

Goal was to gain a better understanding of issues and problems◦Met with approximately 20 officers

and commanders◦Met with approximately 20 youth

Challenges Faced by YouthSubstantial housing instability and desire for

more permanent arrangements.Trajectories of instability in housing,

education, and with regard to their parents/caregivers that extend throughout much of their lives.

Lack of supportive relationships outside of peer networks, and, at times, program staff.

Difficulties in finding jobs and/or jobs that pay a decent wage.

A range of mental health and substance use issues that are often co-occurring.

Challenges Faced by YouthExperiences of trauma at a variety of points

in their lives.The reality that they are, as one youth put it,

“bouncing around” trying to survive instead of pursuing their goals and aspirations.

A limited range of available services for youth in the 16-24 year old range. ◦ Young people spoke about services being

targeted toward younger youth and that available services were not targeted toward their needs or interests. They also spoke to the need for young people to be involved in program design.

Youth Views of the PoliceDid not trust police officers to help them.Would avoid officers instead of seeing them

as potential help, even when in significant need.

Felt harassed by police and presented many instances where they felt targeted by police officers even when they were not doing anything wrong.

Felt that police did not respect or value them as human beings, pointed to instances where police officers treated them with disrespect.

Youth Views of PoliceFelt that police officers did not understand

what they were going through. ◦ Young people pointed to instances where some

of their problematic behaviors were manifestations of the issues they were experiencing and police officers only reacted to the problems.

Noted that they were not “angels.” ◦ Acknowledged that they did cause problems

and engage in delinquent or criminal behavior but that police officers and other actors were only addressing these behaviors not helping them deal with what caused them.

Perspectives of Law EnforcementWillingness among leadership to address problems

regarding how homeless youth are handled by police officers.

Interest by some officers for training and assistance to better identify youth on the streets and to find appropriate services.

Need to better understand the categories or groups of homeless youth and the realities and experiences of these young people. Sentiment was expressed that different strategies were needed to deal with these different groups. Discussion centered around 3 groups:◦ Couch surfers who want to be free and unencumbered.◦ Transient youth who move often.◦ Youth who are on the street and not involved in services.

Perspectives of Law EnforcementFrustration with the fragmented system that

exists:◦ Limited options for services for youth.

◦ Lack of full knowledge of what options do exist.

◦ Substantial time spent dealing with youth who run from group homes for short periods of time.

◦ Coordination between police and service providers.

Acknowledgement that youth do not trust them and that they may not be able to reach them and address existing problems but officers expressed the sentiment that they do not know who to contact to play this role.

Perspectives of Law EnforcementExpressed need for better

understanding and training.Police are often the first contact with

these youth but there is also a need to engage actors at other points in the justice system such as judges, jail administrators, probation, etc.

Law enforcement needs to be involved in thinking about the service and system development.

Summit VI – Panel Discussion: Where are we going?Need to listen to/understand young

people’s stories – humanize, represent dignity, not just their behaviors/behaviors illustrative of struggles

Understanding power and authorityDialogue and building relationships –

not enough communication between law enforcement, courts, jail, human services and community

Summit VI – Panel Discussion: Where are we going?Understanding what resources are

available and where they are locatedContinue to bring others to the tableNot just one sector’s responsibility –

community responsibility and need to create an empathetic community

Peer support – expand opportunities and continue to conceptualize

What About Action?Development of an app for police officers412 Youth Zone – Drop-in Center for child

welfare involved and homeless youth being created in downtown Pittsburgh

Working with law enforcement and the Department of Human Services to address issues of youth running from group homes

Continuing to build relationships and engage different stakeholders in discussions about how to address fragmentation in the system

Development of training program for police officers