What strategies can be used in the juvenile justice system to help youth with disabilities succeed?
Possibly the most important strategies for success in the juvenile justice system include ensuring that youth with disabilities have access to appropriate special education services during incarceration, and designing effective and appropriate transition plans for their re-entry into the community. School programs inside correctional facilities should include a range of options for students, particularly those with disabilities, and these options should be written into youths’ IEPs. Correctional facilities should design education programs that include: • Comprehensive assessment and evaluation; • Vocational and independent living skills; • Classes resulting in Carnegie course units for students planning to complete high school; • GED planning, preparation, and testing; • Literacy skills for students with significant learning disabilities; • Behavioral and emotional support services In developing appropriate IEPs during a youth’s placement in a correctional facility, it is extremely imp
