All of these youths face the likelihood of up to twenty years of incarceration and therefore, prior to placement at Plymouth, had posed a significant risk of escape while residing in less secure settings. While secure facilities and group homes are crucial public safety resources, they alone will not effectively attack the root causes of youth crime. To reduce the likelihood of youth reoffending, a much broader, community-wide approach is required. Currently, the Department is working in collaboration with local police, health centers, district attorneys, schools and community organizations to develop new crime prevention and community partnership strategies. The Program works with at-risk youths from the Boston neighborhoods and DYS clients.
Services provided include day reporting tracking, tutoring, mentoring, and cultural activities.
These officers work with local police to apprehend youth who are AWOL or have escaped from DYS custody. They also assist in the training of juvenile police officers and work with the ATF and the FBI on special projects such as gun and gang interdiction. The facility is also being used by the police as a juvenile overnight arrest holding center. DYS collaborates with other state agencies to serve juveniles with multiple needs. No one agency can provide a panacea to youth violence.