Group Homes

Nonsecure Confinement

Group homes provide nonsecure alternatives to incarceration. There is limited direct supervision within the houses, and residents are free to move around them as well as to participate in a variety of activities in the community. Although the residents enjoy a significant amount of liberty, group homes are not without structure. There are numerous rules governing the conduct of the residents that must be obeyed. Typically, such rules entail respect for staff and other residents, a curfew, and active participation in a variety of rehabilitative programs, such as school, work, and counseling. Residents are also frequently required to submit to random urine tests for detection of alcohol and drug use, while staff members constantly monitor their general behavior.

Judges usually place juveniles in group homes for a designated period of time. During their time at the facilities, these juveniles remain under the dispositional control of the judge and program staff are routinely required to report the progress of the juveniles to the judge. The length of time that the juvenile must remain in the home can be extended if he or she is shown not to progress.

It should be noted that group homes are only one form of nonsecure confinement options available for juvenile offenders. Several other nonsecure facilities, such as foster homes, camps, ranches, halfway houses, farms, boarding schools, wilderness programs, and independent living programs, also exist.

Key Components of Group Homes

The central component of many group homes is their attempt to replicate a noninstitutional, home-based atmosphere. Generally, group homes are characterized by a family-based setting. They use counselors who serve as model parents for the residents on a daily basis. In an effort to maintain the family atmosphere, juveniles are usually housed in groups ranging in size from 10 to 15.

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