Well, I guess you could say it was under the radar when I did some JJ detention mentoring, but after doing it twice, I gave a program proposal to the Juvenile Judge who had given me permission to talk to detention kids in the first place (I took several classes in undergrad from this particular judge who taught on the side). And since I was not an employee of the system, what I did was strictly voluntarily...I was just lucky know the right person at the right time.
The judge gave me the go ahead for the mentoring proposal and instructed her staff (primarily the probation dept.) to work with me and make it happen. Then, while in the midst of working out the details, along came law school. I had to move three hours away from home to attend, so it was impossible to continue the project. But I have not forgotten it and will revive it at the first opportunity I get, after graduation, the bar exam, and moving back home.
As far as the reception the idea received from those in the JJ system...mixed...I saw both enthusiam, total support, skepticism and out right rejection of the idea. The judge and the supervisory probation officers were the ones enthusiastic and supportive...while the "lower" probation officers/staff generally were pessimistic and very negative.
Another interesting thing....I notice the same combination of attitudes, positive and negative in the juvenile court where I externed last year. (I didnt get to propose that idea while there...at that time I was focused on abuse, neglect, and dependency). Both my home town and the place where I attend law school have what they call Model Courts (See, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges--
http://www.ncjfcj.org) Although by no means perfect, and while there are still plenty of problems with the JJ system, the Model Courts seem to have one thing with potential going for them...willingness to try new ideas and then share those ideas, both their successes and failures, with other juvenile courts around the country....In my opinion, these courts are the most ideal place in the JJ system for trying to get mentoring off the ground again. And the juvenile justice system may have the potential to influence private programs, especially because the juvenile courts routinely refer kids and parents to them.
One of the obstacles to getting mentoring off the ground is finding people that would be happy to spend hours on end with these kids. Because after hours of sifting through the anger, next comes all the emotions, if you can get a kid to that point, which then takes more endless hours with kids. And for mentoringing to work it does take time. The challenge is to convince people in the system that its worth every minute, that those kids desperately need the attention. If money were not an issue I would love to mentor full time, but gotta pay the astronomical school debt.
And you are right, it would take convincing a lot of people do steer away from what I call "bandaid solutions" that try to correct outward behavior, and do nothing to help kids through the cause of theirs actions....the pain, whatever the source of their pain may be. And convincing the JJ system that coercive tactics are inhumane, ineffective, and exaccerbate kids "issues"
....well, thats another challenge altogether. Then, trying to convince them all these kids really are not bad and have a lot of potential if given a real chance....well, yet another obstacle...
But then again, if enough people start shaking up the system, programs, etc. with new ideas that dont involve force, maybe they'll have to take notice! Who knows , its worth a shot. And I know there are at least some out there who would take notice.
BTW, there is at least some recognition within the JJ system that coercive programs are bad news, I just dont know how common that attitude is yet, but it is a ray of hope I guess you could say.