December 1, 2017
Categories: juvenile justice

The Boston Globe

By Linda Greenstein

Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian will open a new unit specially designed for young adult offenders, ages 18 to 24, at the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction in February with an initial focus on those from Merrimack Valley communities. Existing space at the Billerica jail will be repurposed to operate the unit because the Council of State Governments Justice Center found young inmates released from Massachusetts correctional facilities have higher recidivism rates than older offenders. “The approach we’ve taken historically with this population is not working,” said Koutoujian. “New approaches — based on scientific research and proven practices — are required for us to break the cycle of incarceration these young adults find themselves trapped in.”

Source: JusticeCenter