This system of Progressive Sanctions gave us a framework to analyze how we handle delinquents, and to fund services for them. There was the realization that the biggest bang for the buck comes in helping first-time offenders. At the least, someone will call the child's parents. Before, there was no certainty of that. Before, stories were rampant of kids who were referred to juvenile probation 15 or 16 times before they were held accountable by the courts.
Early intervention is crucial in working with children.
Research has proven the effectiveness. The Communities In Schools program, for instance, coordinates community resources within a school setting to help youth ages 13-18. Children need to know that there are consequences when they do wrong, and those consequences need to be reasonable - in response to the offense. Progressive Sanctions provide kids with expectations of what's ahead for them if they continue to break the law. We made the guidelines non-mandatory on the counties.