LSS-SW Community and Social Justice Services

Juvenile Justice services

Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (LSS-SW) Juvenile Justice Services are dedicated to serving youths and families involved with the court system by partnering with the probation department in diverting and intervening at crucial times to assist them in making better decisions that will keep them from further court involvement.

Girls Circle

Girls Circle is a gender-specific, structured group that is supportive. It is a safe place for girls ages 9-18 years of age that are court involved and is designed to bring about self-esteem, identify their capacity, self expression through sharing and to help them connect with their peers and positive women in the community. The circle accomplishes this through creative activities and other engaging exercises included in a comprehensive curriculum.

Girls Circle teaches the importance of positive decision-making, appropriate friendship, valuing oneself, identifying strengths, respecting others and ultimately respecting self.

The agency understands that this model is effective with juvenile justice populations from the early intervention level through the prevention level.

Pathways For Improvement (PFI)

Pathways For Improvement utilizes the Thinking for a Change (T4C) model provided by the National Institute for Corrections (NIC). This program is evidence-based and has proven to be an effective tool in decreasing re-offense behavior (recidivism) in youths engaging in delinquent activity. The T4C program focuses on cognitive restructuring, social skill development as well as problem solving and decision making skills.

Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (LSS-SW) understands that by becoming involved in the lives of youths and their families, a partnership is created where restorative justice can begin. Restorative justice focuses on reparation. The harm caused by crime is the piece targeted for repairing. The restorative justice model is unique in that it takes the offenders, victims of crimes and community members and has them work together. When this is accomplished, all involved are transformed.

__________________________________________________________________________

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest will make reasonable accommodations to all persons with a disability so that they may participate in program services or activities.