Author of case study: Marcela Torres Molano

Geopolitical location of space:
1211 E Alder St
Seattle, WA

Extant? Yes

Architect:
Not specified

Timeframe of RJ/TJ process in this space:

Open: July 2016. Activities are ongoing.

Background information:

A specialised space inside of the King County Juvenile Court Youth Services Center where Family Intervention and Restorative Services (FIRS) are offered to youth arrested for family violence incidents.

The Center works when a youth is picked up by the police for alleged violence against a family member. FIRS social workers, trained in family violence, contact the harmed family member and ask if they and the youth involved are interested in receiving intervention services. If the family agrees, FIRS develop a restorative agreement and safety plan with the participants. Before FIRS, youth and families had to go through the formal court process before they could access services such as the Step-Up Program.

Is restorative justice actually taking place in this space?

Yes, this is a restorative service centre for youth offenders as an alternative to detention.
It is a non-secure facility that eliminates the need for detention bookings on the majority of family violence cases. This space provides restorative justices practices and non traditional approaches.

Is this space designed/arranged for safe listening?

The detention space was redesigned and decorated to create a more harmonious environment, where private and collective listening activities can be implemented. Listening between the youth and their affected family members is fundamental for the RJ process.

Who is the audience/the intended participants for this space?

Youth involved in domestic violence incidents who have been picked up by the police for alleged violence against a family member. Both the youth and their affected family members participate in the RJ process.

How or to what extent is this space public?

This is a juvenile Court Youth Services building, property of King County, Washington State.

What are the politics of this space, either in terms of its location, design, spatial, or visual aspects?

The section dedicated to FIRS is evidently different from the rest of the facility. While the entire centre has a traditional detention center architecture, the FIRS has been redesigned to become a less institutionalised and formal space, where youth can feel safe and have a symbolic distance from the formal judicial system.

Physical/factual description of space:

An area of 10,200 square-foot of the Children and Family Justice Center was converted to a non-detention youth program space. The King County converted an unused portion of juvenile detention, initially intended to hold 32 detention beds, to create the Youth Services Center.

The main room of the Center includes a TV, board games, books, and food.The space was renovated with a bright interior design concept. Furniture was replaced with more colourful and comfortable options. The design created a welcoming living room and homey atmosphere that included brightly patterned quilts, pillows and rugs outfitted for each unlocked dorm. The King County services were looking for “spaces that look more like a college dorm than a jail.”

The main room was painted by youth through paid “Urban ArtWorks” internships. A Seattle city and forest-themed mural created a more welcoming environment for visitors.

Analytical description of space:

The program provides an overnight rest center instead of secure detention. Youth involved in domestic violence incidents have the option to stay at the FIRS Center and be followed by mentoring and counselling services such as the Step-Up Program. The space was created to contribute to the County objective “in the Road Map to Zero Youth Detention.” The King court system has prioritised searching for racial equality to address the racial disproportionality in the juvenile legal system. This space was part of the strategy to identify and eliminate policies which contribute to racial inequities.

Youth Family Violence is the largest category of violent juvenile offences in King County. They represent 15% of all cases in juvenile court and 32% of all new bookings into juvenile detention. This space has provided services for the youth population in the following rate: 40% White, 37% Black, 12% Hispanic. Within a year of its start, the juvenile domestic violence cases dropped by 62%. Before the creation of the space, youth and families had to go through the formal court process before they could access services.

Step-Up Program:

– A skills based and restorative practice group intervention for youth and their parents/caretakers that focuses on non-violence and respect between family members.

– The program includes a youth group, parent group, and multi-family group with youth and parents together.

Note: Other RJ programs have been implemented in the Detention centre, following a trauma-informed approach to care. They started using Restorative Justice practices for youth that committed serious offences. In 2016, The King County Juvenile Court and the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office tried its first felony case through a peacemaking circle. During the circle, victim advocates, mentors, family members and community leaders participated in a transformative mediation.