What is CISP? Aftercare In 1990 the Allegheny County Juvenile Court created the CISP is both an alternative for placement and a re-entry program Community Intensive Supervision Program (CISP) to serve as a for youth returning from institutional placements. Court ordered, community-based alternative to residential placement. The program is designed for juveniles that need Research shows that the juveniles returning home from more structure and supervision than traditional probation. residential placement are at risk to re-offend. CISP provides the Juveniles who are being stepped up from probation or stepped necessary structure and supervision to assist youth in this down from residential placement are appropriate for the difficult and challenging re-entry phase. CISP helps youth as they program. put newly developed skills to use at home and in the community.
The program now includes six integral neighborhood Centers Unlike any other program, CISP operates during peak juvenile (Garfield, Hill, Homewood, McKeesport, North Side, and crime hours. The CISP is open seven days a week from 9 am to Wilkinsburg ) that provide intensive supervision, structure, and 11:30 pm. Program hours provide a deterrent and offer programming for delinquent juveniles residing in those constructive activities to youth who might otherwise engage in neighborhoods. Throughout its history, CISP has been successful delinquent behavior. The aftercare component helps youth in engaging the local community to enhance public safety, hold reconnect to their families, communities, and schools when they juveniles accountable, and help them become law-abiding and return from placement. Real life skills offer youth tools they can productive citizens. use to stay out of trouble.
Restoring victims is also a key component of the CISP. The Court Community Service routinely orders juveniles to repay victims out-of-pocket The primary purpose of community service is to hold offenders expenses incurred as a result of the crime. Juveniles committed accountable for their actions by requiring them to perform work to the CISP are expected to repay victims in full, restoring them that is valued by the community. Community service projects to their pre-crime status. Juveniles committed to the various most often occur in the youth's neighborhood and the projects CISP Centers pay tens of thousands of dollars in restitution to are identified by community organizations. their victims. The CISP through its community service effort, helps to preserve Enhancing public safety is the most important goal of the CISP. and maintain the local environment and gives needed assistance Through a combination of surveillance and intervention, the CISP to those public, private, nonprofit and community-based closely monitors juveniles in their home communities while agencies, which depend on volunteer help. Offenders gain helping them develop competency skills that contribute to law- positive work experience and by "volunteering" they can gain abiding and productive lifestyles. Juveniles participate in various some inner satisfaction from knowing their work is appreciated cognitive-behavioral programs to help them make better by the community. By youth performing community service in decisions in challenging situations. In 2010, CISP began the public’s view, the activity has been a powerful method for implementing Aggression Replacement Training, an evidence youth to regain community acceptance as a valued member of based curriculum proven to help juveniles reduce aggressive the neighborhood. behavior and develop social and moral reasoning skills. Juveniles in the program routinely perform community service CISP Objectives projects such as painting homes, removing snow, cleaning To operate an intensive supervision program for repeat streets and lots, cutting grass, and working at food banks. They offenders in the community, which provides balanced have also visited nursing homes and assisted senior citizens in attention to offender, community and victim; getting out to vote on Election Day. Many of these community service projects improve conditions for the less fortunate in their To reduce recidivism of and decrease the number of youth communities. requiring institutionalization; School/Work To provide a real world learning experience in the Youth placed in the CISP are permitted to continue attending community, rather than an artificial or sterile institutional school and are also permitted to work. All youth in this phase of environment. the program are held accountable for daily attendance and performance. Who is Eligible? Males, ages 11 – 21 In collaboration with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU) a tutor provides educational services daily in each center.
*Youth in the CISP Program can attend The Academy Charter School.
Role Modeling What is the Level System? Every aspect of the CISP is designed to change negative The purpose of the level system is to help promote and provide behaviors through education and positive role models. daily routine structure and have youth commit themselves to standards and expectations. All programmatic aspects of CISP, while necessary and purposeful, are not as important as the day to day behavior that The level system is designed to hold youth accountable and CISP staff exhibit in the presence of the youth. Observing responsible for day to day behaviors, while at the same time positive role models from within their own community, many of allowing staff and parents the ability to gage the effectiveness of whom have experienced the same life experiences, places CISP the program’s interventions. staff in a position to strongly influence attitudes, values, and behaviors of the youth we serve in a real world setting. Level One Level Two Level Three
The role modeling aspect of the program supports and guides Community Safety Competency Accountability youth in changing old habits into new norms while in the Development community. Observation/ Counseling/ Aftercare Planning Assessment Remediation Services Offered Drug and Alcohol Drug and Alcohol Drug and Alcohol
24-Hour Supervision Behavior Behavior Behavior
Aftercare Transition Family Family Family
Aggression Replacement Training (ART) School School School
Black Chronicle (a history based African-American Establish Norms Establish Establish curriculum) Compliance Leadership
Community Service (100/50 hours) Male Boyhood Man Cultural and Recreational Activities Biological Sex Dependent Independent Domestic Violence Curriculum (The Women’s Shelter) Undisciplined Disciplined Drug and Alcohol Education/Support Behaviors Behaviors Education/GED/Tutoring Passion Driven Control of Father’s Program (Support) Thoughts Goodwill Learn to Earn Program Senses/Actions Individualized Treatment Job Readiness Remain in Center Paid Activities Parent Permission Keep Yourself Alive Curriculum Activities Meal Provided Daily Victim Education Victim Awareness Victim Sensitivity/ Maleness to Manhood Mediation Mental Health Support - Behavior Checklist Community Service Work/Restitution Restitution/ Mentoring Targeted Monthly Progress Letter to Parent Community Service Narcotics/ Alcohol Anonymous Youth Group Parent/Family Support Group/Involvement What Areas are Serviced by CISP? Self -Assessment Group Garfield CISP – Bloomfield, East Liberty, Etna, Friendship, Garfield, Study for Driver License Highland Park, Larimer, Lawrenceville, Shadyside, Stanton Heights Teen Sexuality Awareness Curriculum Hill CISP – Allentown, Arlington, Bedford Dwellings, Beltzhoover, Thinking Errors-Cognitive-Behavioral Curriculum Bluff, Crawford-Roberts, Glen Hazel, Greenfield, Hazelwood, Hayes, Victim Awareness Curriculum Hill, Mt. Oliver, Oakland, Polish Hill, South Side, Squirrel Hill, Terrace Village, Uptown Drug and Alcohol Support Homewood CISP – Aspinwall, Homewood, Lincoln-Lemington, Within 10 days of a youth entering the program all youth will Monroeville, Oakmont, Pitcairn, Point Breeze, Penn Hills, Plum, receive a drug and alcohol assessment. The CISP operates on a Verona McKeesport CISP – Clairton, Dravosburg, Duquesne, East philosophy of support and concern for the youth and his family. McKeesport, Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln Boro, McKeesport, N. The youth will be held accountable for his actions and behavior Versailles, Port Vue, S. Versailles, Versailles, West Mifflin, Whitaker, using consequences. All youth under supervision of the CISP White Oak will be randomly subjected to urinalysis for cocaine, marijuana, North Side CISP – Allegheny Center, Allegheny West, Bellevue, alcohol, and morphine. Brighton Heights, Charles/Wilson, Chateau, Deutschtown, East Allegheny, Elliott, Manchester, Marshall-Shadeland, Northview CISP Substance Abuse Intervention provides two levels of Heights, Mexican War Streets, North Shore, North Side, services. They include Education/Assessment and Outpatient Perry/Fineview, Spring Garden, Spring Hill, Troy Hill Intervention for those CISP youth who exhibit issues related to Wilkinsburg CISP – Braddock, Chalfant, Churchill, East Hills, East substance abuse. Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Forest Hills, Homestead, North Braddock, Rankin, Regent Square, Swisshelm Park, Swissvale, Turtle Creek, Wall, Wilkins Twp., Wilkinsburg, Wilmerding