In January 2022 the Maricopa County Juvenile Detention Center – Durango faced a perfect storm: The city of Phoenix’s second detention center had closed and the young people and staff were moved to the Durango facility, staff shortages caused by the pandemic remained and young people previously placed in an adult jail were now sent to Durango to await placement in an adult facility. Durango’s leadership knew there were heightened safety concerns and morale was low. When they saw their Center for Improving Youth Justice (CIYJ) Performance-based Standards data showing twice as many of their staff feared for their safety compared to other detention centers, they started a Facility Improvement Plan (FIP) to address helping staff feel safe, understanding that their sense of security impacts their work.
Durango’s leadership found two main sources for the fear: Staff misconceptions about the dangerousness of the young people previously housed in the adult jail and inconsistent safety practices resulting from staff moving from the closed facility. They used data to dispel the beliefs that the new population was more violent. They looked at incident and assault data, which showed the new population were not the young people involved in incidents and staff assaults. They provided opportunities for the staff to build relationships with the young people and encouraged them to share their interests. They created a guitar club, held recipe competitions and started seasonal sports competitions.
Leadership made sure staff voices were heard. They acknowledged and validated their fears, included them in discussions and regularly shared data. They created a Recruitment Team to enhance the hiring process, expanded their Safety and Community & Culture teams. Staff gained a sense of ownership and collaboration that helped overcome initial skepticism. The result of all these efforts was a reduction in the percent of staff fearing for their safety and reduced injuries to staff.
Congratulations to the entire team at Maricopa!
Watch the video to learn more about this year’s Barbara Allen-Hagen Award detention category winner.
The CIYJ Barbara Allen-Hagen Award, established in 2007, honors the legacy of Barbara Allen-Hagen, a dedicated advocate from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) who led the development of the Performance-based Standards project, now CIYJ’s signature program. This prestigious award recognizes facilities and programs that embody Barbara’s guiding principle: Treat all young people coming into facilities as one of our own. The awardees demonstrate the positive impact of adhering to research-based standards and the continuous improvement process championed by CIYJ.