In Today's Paper:

Idaho seeing hike in mental health diagnoses among juvenile offenders

By RUTH BROWN rbrown@postregister.com

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Once is enough for most kids who end up in the Bonneville County judicial system.
Deputy Prosecutor James Murdock handles juvenile cases for the county. Most of the cases he sees are first-time offenders convicted of minor offenses, he said.
A majority of children caught breaking the law come into court "terrified," Murdock said. As a result, the first offense usually is the last.
There are exceptions.
Between 2009 and 2010, 19-year-old Dylan Rummler of Idaho Falls was arrested seven times as a juvenile, Bonneville County Sheriff's Sgt. Jeff Edwards said.
Since his 18th birthday, Rummler has been arrested an additional 17 times as an adult. That totals out at 24 arrests, six warrants and 76 encounters with law enforcement officers in his lifetime, Edwards said.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Daniel Clark said that's not the usual experience in Bonneville County.
"I enjoy trying to deal with impressionable children ... because with juveniles, you can see the success in their actions," Clark said.
Murdock said working with juvenile offenders is rewarding.
"In helping these kids, we're also helping protect society," Murdock said.
On any given day, an estimated 5,500 Idaho juveniles are on probation at the county level. As of March 2, the number of incarcerated juveniles statewide was 342.
Of that number, 248 were held at state juvenile corrections centers at St. Anthony, Nampa and Lewiston, said Sharon Harrigfeld, director of the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections.
The remaining 74 offenders are in the custody of contract providers, who offer specialty care such as sex-offender treatment.
Twelve juveniles are held at out-of-state facilities, receiving care for unique developmental disabilities and/or severe mental health issues not treatable in Idaho facilities.
Juvenile Corrections reports a 74 percent increase in the past four years in the number of mental health diagnoses among Idaho juvenile offenders.
Many of them are struggling with depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, Harrigfeld said.
One reason for the increase, Harrigfeld said, is that more juveniles have seen or experienced abuse and other trauma in their lives.
In 2011, the state's recidivism rate for incarcerated juveniles was 27 percent.
While incarcerated, Idaho juvenile offenders are offered a variety of programs to help them change their ways, including cognitive behavioral therapy, substance abuse treatment, anger management and educational services.
Juvenile Corrections has its own school district, Juniper Hills, with certified teachers heading the classes. The program focuses on improving reading and math.
Many of the juveniles in the program are seeking a GED certificate or high school diploma, Harrigfeld said.
About 38 percent of juvenile offenders require special education classes.
In 2011, most juvenile offenders were between 16 and 17 years old. So, Juvenile Corrections takes an individualized approach with the incarcerated offenders.
"With adults, you punish them because of the crime," Harrigfeld said. "With kids, you need to determine why it is they committed the crime."
The majority of crimes committed by juveniles are nonviolent, Harrigfeld said. Among juvenile offenders, 34 percent committed a property crime such as burglary. Another 30 percent have been convicted of assault and battery, and 26 percent have been convicted of sex offenses.
Murdock agreed that dealing with juvenile offenders is much more individualized than with adult offenders. Prosecutors spend very little time with adult offenders. So little time, in fact, that they don't always remember what adult offenders look like until seeing them in court.
Many juvenile offenders are assigned to the diversion program rather than formal probation, Clark said. Those assigned to diversion usually are first-time offenders convicted of nonviolent crimes.
The diversion program has requirements similar to probation, such as community service or mandatory classes related to their crime. But under the program, juvenile offenders are not formally charged and the offense does not go on their public criminal records.
Major felonies and violent crimes -- such as murder, rape and robbery -- can result in a juvenile being charged as an adult. If convicted, the juvenile would face adult penalties, such as a prison sentence.
"With the juvenile court system, we have a wide latitude to try to do what's right for them," Clark said. "You can change the behavior of a 13-year-old much easier than you can a 33-year-old."