Partnership with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Southeastern PA
Statistics show that children who have positive role models are more likely to succeed academically and avoid law enforcement contact than children who do not have such role models. In July 2013, BBBS received a state grant and the Back on Track Program began. Through this program, the Public Defender Policy Director and delinquency attorneys review every new juvenile justice case to identify children from 10 to 17 years old who reside in Montgomery County and have been charged with low level offenses for referral to the program. BBBS provides extensive recruitment efforts to train qualified volunteer mentors throughout Montgomery County. This program is considered the very first of its kind in the United States, so data collection is critical to measuring success of the program. It is anticipated that juvenile clients matched with Bigs will have lower recidivism rates than similarly situated clients who do not participate. Both organizations are compiling statistics.