Jefferson County Juvenile Gun Court

The Jefferson County Juvenile Gun Court in Birmingham, Alabama, addresses the problem of youth gun violence comprehensively, intensively, and over the long term. The program is part of the county’s family court system, which handles all civil and criminal cases involving youth and aims to provide comprehensive wraparound services to young offenders and their families. First-time, nonviolent gun offenders up to age 17 are eligible to participate in the intensive supervision component of the program. After arrest, offenders are taken to detention and undergo extensive intake screening. Those who are considered low risk for violent behavior are referred to the gun court intensive supervision caseload. Probation officers develop treatment plans and serve as the central conduit for social services and other program referrals for the youths and their families.

The program’s goals are to provide early intervention and greater accountability for juveniles charged with weapons offenses, help juveniles recognize and use nonviolent means to promote their safety and preserve their self-esteem, and effectively deliver the message that gun violence hurts victims, families, and communities.

The evaluation demonstrated promising results:

- Youths in the intensive supervision group spent significantly less time on probation (an average of 10 months) than youth in the nonintensive supervision group (12 months) and the comparison group (16 months). However, while on probation, 98 percent of the youths in the intensive group were placed on strict curfews, compared with only 9 percent of the nonintensive group and 18 percent of the comparison group.
- The intensive supervision group had significantly lower levels of recidivism (17 percent) than the nonintensive supervision group (37 percent) and the comparison group (40 percent). Having a prior gun offense (common to youth in the nonintensive and comparison groups) increased the odds of recidivism.