Reintegration for youth in corrections
When he toured the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections' Adobe Mountain School in August of 2019, Gov. Doug Ducey noted that the lack of an official form of identification can be a barrier to successful community reintegration after youth are released from the corrections system. Lack of identification can prevent youth from enrolling in school and gaining employment.
A process map was created and potential roadblocks were identified, including lack of an appropriate funding source and lack of a process to acquire a certified copy of a birth certificate for youth who do not already have an original or certified copy. The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections and the Arizona Department of Transportation began working together closely to establish an interagency service agreement until determining that ADJC should instead purchase pre-paid vouchers. The Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Family awarded ADJC a grant to fund 250 pre-paid vouchers and certified copies of the birth certificates of youth born outside of Arizona. In June 2021, ADJC began transporting youth to the Motor Vehicle Division to get their ID cards.
The partnership between the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections, the Arizona Department of Transportation and the Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Family has resulted in a total of 21 youth receiving state-issued ID cards since June 2021. The ultimate goal is for every eligible youth to receive a state-issued ID card prior to their release. After the pilot was completed, the team reviewed the processes needed, including requesting a certified copy of the youth’s birth certificate, scheduling furloughs and transporting youth offsite. Longer-term, the Department of Juvenile Corrections hopes to see an increase in the percentage of youth enrolled in education or employed within 30 days of release to community supervision.
"Lack of identification can prevent youth from enrolling in school and gaining employment."