The Mission:

We are seeking to help them strive Educationally, Economically, Politically, to build Social Development Skills, Organizational Skills and Unity. And if we use these six (6) elements I just mentioned as a guiding light, we believe that they will grow and develop into our future leaders of tomorrow. In the visions of this program and through this programs’ vision they’ll become a reckoning force of power beyond boundaries and without measures. If they trust, look, listen, and learn to see everything placed before them in its entire form, and to that all they have to do is keep their eyes, ears, and mind open and they will learn. All they have to do is use everything they have learned from our program to gain an advantage in life. With the concept of the five (5) P’s, which is our motto and stands for: Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. Thus, meaning if we Properly Prepare them for the future we can Prevent Poor Performance in their lives--by giving them stepping stones instead of stumbling blocks--and that poor performance is being involved in drugs, guns, robberies, and several other crimes and mishaps and going in and out of jail. So, we are asking you, the parents and community, to lend a helping hand in making the J.I.T. Outreach Program a success and impact in giving our children a chance to live an auspicious, propitious, and fortunate future!!

Our main focus is helping these juveniles to seek a better path in life other than that of the streets; but in order to do so; we’ll need the help of those juveniles’ parents. If we show them Love, Life, Loyalty, Knowledge, Wisdom, and Understanding, we believe that we can capture their way of thinking at an early stage in life, we can help mold them into our future Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers, Police Officers, Fire Fighters, Governors, Senators, Contractors, etc. As we all know, it takes a village to raise child, and with the help of the parents and community, J.I.T Outreach Program will become that village. Even though I was once one of those juveniles involved in the street life, drugs and guns, I have made a major turn-around in my life and I am willing to help these juveniles make that same turn-around in life that I made through my experience. By being a positive role-model and being heavily involved with the children and their families to help keep them from making those same mistakes that I made or end up in one or two places that nobody wants to be: Jail or the Graveyard!!

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"What Do the People Have To Say?"

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Management Issues, part 2

Offender Profiles


Of the 20 youth housed in SMU II, more than half were sentenced to prison for violent crimes, including 7 sentenced for serious property offenses. The main reason for their placement in SMU II was typically a serious infraction of department rules involving an assault on staff or on other inmates or gang activity. Half of the residents were Hispanic, six were black, and four were white. Sixteen of the residents were 17 years old, three were 16 years old, and one was 15, the youngest resident ever housed at the facility. The longest period of commitment to SMU was 13 months, and the minimum stay was 6 months.

A review of a sample of the case files of unit residents confirmed that most had a history of violent offenses. The following cases are representative of the backgrounds of youth incarcerated at SMU:

  • Offender one was a 15-year-old serving a minimum of 5 years for assault and possession of a weapon for his involvement in a gang related, drive-by shooting. His background showed no prior juvenile or adult criminal record but indicated a history of alcohol and substance abuse. He had completed the ninth grade. His placement at SMU II was the result of an assault on staff.


  • Offender two was a 16-year-old serving a minimum of 8 years for armed robbery. At the time of this offense, he was on adult probation for other offenses. He has an extensive juvenile record, including several convictions for weapons-related charges. He was transferred to SMU II for multiple incidents, including inciting a riot, creating a work stoppage, and participating in an institutional disturbance.



  • Offender three was a 16-year-old serving a minimum of 5 years for aggravated assault. The offense occurred during his participation in a drive-by shooting. His background indicated a history of alcohol and drug abuse that began at age 12. Prior to his latest arrest, he had more than 20 arrests as a juvenile for a variety of offenses. He was transferred to SMU II for multiple episodes of misconduct, none of which involved violent behavior.


  • Offender four was a 16-year-old serving a minimum of 3.5 years for possession of a stolen vehicle, assault, and aggravated assault. His background indicated 10 prior juvenile arrests and 3 prior dispositions in adult court. He was transferred to SMU II for threatening an employee and other episodes of misconduct.


  • Offender five was a 16-year-old serving a minimum of 10 years for attempted murder committed during a gang-related, drive-by shooting. His background indicated no previous criminal record but showed extensive alcohol and drug abuse. He was transferred to SMU II for assault.


  • Offender six was a 16-year-old serving a minimum of 18 years for manslaughter. His record showed prior juvenile dispositions. He was transferred to SMU II for assaulting staff.


Arizona laws are flexible in their criteria for the transfer of a juvenile to adult court. Because of this flexibility, the youthful offender population has committed a wide range of offenses. Most of the offenses described in the case files are serious, but several would not qualify for transfer in other states. Four of the six offenders received a sentence for a lesser offense resulting from a plea bargain.

Alcohol and drug use as well as gang involvement were frequently noted in the offender’s background. Most surprising was the absence of any prior criminal record for two offenders. A variety of disciplinary infractions had resulted in placement at SMU II.

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