To Cut Crime, District Attorney Urges Congress To Invest in Programs to Rehabilitate Young Offenders

Jul 12th 2007

Washington, D.C., July 12-Cumberland County District Attorney David J. Freed told members of Congress today that Congress must invest in programs proven to help young offenders avoid committing further crimes once they become adults.

Freed testified at a hearing on the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, held jointly by the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities, and the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security.

Freed said that simply arresting violent young criminal offenders will not solve the crime problem, saying the vast majority of these kids will be released back into the community with their "prime crime years" ahead of them.

Freed asked the subcommittees' members to ensure that the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act reauthorization bill includes substantially increased funding levels. The funds would be used to help local and state communities with their juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention programs.

"My years of experience on the front lines in the fight against crime -as well as the research-show that there are proven prevention and intervention approaches that help kids get a good start in life and redirect offending juveniles away from further crime," Freed said.

Freed cited the importance of teaching kids how to change their anti-social beliefs and behaviors through effective interventions. Research shows that programs like Functional Family Therapy (FFT) and Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST) cut later crime.

An evaluation of FFT, for example, found that youth whose families received FFT were half as likely to be re-arrested as youth whose families did not receive the family therapy.

Freed also urged Congress to add a provision to the reauthorization bill- the Education Begins at Home Act-which would provide federal funding for home visiting programs.

These programs send trained professionals into the homes of at-risk parents who want assistance. During these visits, parents are taught about the health, nutritional, developmental and safety needs of their children.

"If we do not invest in research-proven crime-prevention and intervention programs for America's most vulnerable kids, many of them will grow up to become America's most wanted adults," Freed said. "Congress can help reduce crime and make us all safer by investing in effective juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention programs."

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