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The Official Web Site of the State of South Carolina

Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI)

South Carolina is now the 40th state to launch JDAI, joining 39 other states to include: New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, Florida and New Mexico that have become JDAI State-Scale sites. DJJ is serving as the lead agency in building on the legacy to reduce overreliance on detention and improve outcomes for youth in the state.The South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice has partnered with the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) to become the 40th state to adopt their Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). For over 25 years, AECF has worked to create a system that locks up fewer youth and relies more on proven, family-focused interventions that create opportunities for positive youth development. Using a model rooted in eight core strategies, JDAI proves effective in helping participating jurisdictions - such as SCDJJ - create alternative programs for juvenile offenders, thus safely reducing their detention populations.

This initiative directly aligns with SCDJJ's mission of protecting the public and reclaiming youth by:

  • eliminating inappropriate/unnecessary use of detention.
  • minimizing failure to appear and incidences of delinquent behavior.
  • redirecting public finances to more effective reform strategies.
  • reducing racial/ethnic/gender/geographical/offense disparities and advancing equity.
  • improving conditions in secure detention facilities.

8 Core Strategies of JDAI

Teacher and student shaking handsJDAI is a system-wide change in philosophy, practice and policy that focuses on eight core strategies:

  1. Collaboration
  2. Data-Driven Decision Making
  3. Eliminating Disparities
  4. Objective Admissions Screening
  5. Alternatives to Detention
  6. Case Processing
  7. Special Detention Populations
  8. Conditions of Confinement