The average cost to incarcerate one juvenile offender is $148,767 per
year.  Conversely, community-based programming offered for youth
involved in juvenile diversion programs, who are able to remain at home,
can cost as little as $75 per day (_Shaena M. Fazal, Safely Home:
Reducing Youth Incarceration and Achieving Positive Outcomes for High
and Complex Need Youth Through Effective Community-Based Programs,
Washington DC:  Youth Advocate Programs Policy and Advocacy Center,
2014_).  With the high cost of juvenile detention, and the greater toll
it takes on our communities, states like Alabama, California, Georgia,
Illinois, Ohio, New York, and Texas are turning to alternatives which
focus more on early interventions.  These states are finding that, in
addition to being more cost effective, programs that address the needs
of the child, including character education, are reducing the numbers of
youth confined without a negative impact on public safety.
Extended Family works in four Alabama counties, including Calhoun,
Cherokee, DeKalb, and Etowah, to provide programs and support to youth
in juvenile diversion programs to help them make better choices and
reduce the rate of recidivism among adjudicated juveniles.  Both
programs, Extended Family for Kids (EFK) and Extended Family Leadership
Academy (EFLA) are led by Extended Family staff at no cost to the
participants.
As another level of prevention, Extended Family also offers EFK and EFLA
to children in kindergarten through 12th grades who have any loved one
who is incarcerated.  Both programs are designed to lead students toward
success in their homes, schools, and communities.  The lessons help
children develop mentally, physically, emotionally, and morally.  By
offering EFK and EFLA to children with an incarcerated loved one, we are
working to provide services to ensure that the children do not become
involved with the juvenile justice system, with the goal of breaking the
cycle of incarceration in families.
Extended Family wants to make our programs available to every child who
needs them.  We welcome the support and partnership of anyone who wants
to see children succeed and thrive. For more information about Extended
Family and our programs, visit our website at
www.extendedfamilyhelp.org [1].  Strong children grow up to create
strong families and communities, making our world a better place.