Juvenile & Young Adult Programs

Juvenile Program

Located at the Northwest Correctional Complex (NWCX), the Juvenile Program is an open-ended cognitive behavioral program designed for juveniles 16 and 17 years of age to help them recognize, acknowledge, and understand the destructive behaviors and faulty thinking patterns that contributed to their criminal behavior.

During their time in the program, juvenile offenders participate in the Adult Basic Education program, which assists them in obtaining their High School Equivalency Diploma.  Upon reaching 18, they transition to the Young Adult Program as a preparatory step before integrating into the general population. 

Young Adult Offender Program

The Young Adult Offender Program (YAOP), offered at the Northwest Correctional Complex and the Turney Center Industrial Complex, is a modified therapeutic community targeting first-time offenders between the ages of 18 and 26.

This intensive program takes approximately 18 to 24 months to complete and consists of three phases designed to assist younger offenders in cultivating cognitive, educational, and life skills.  Through evidence-based programming, offenders in the YAOP develop a better understanding of their emotions, learn how to commuicate their needs, and prepare to maintain a successful lifestyle upon release.

The program uses a positive peer culture approach, housing all YAOP participants in the same unit alongside mentors who exemplify the core rules of the program and act as role models for the younger, newly incarcerated men.

Upon completion of the YAOP, an offender will have received their high school equivalency diploma or certification in a vocational program and mapped out their re-entry goals for the future.  More importantly, they will have a more forward-thinking mindset, the skills for day-to-day life management, and are equipped to contribute to their community in a positive way.