Library Outreach to Juvenile Offenders in Intensive Supervision Probation Programs (Community Centered House Arrest)

services to people in jails and detention centers, but there is little research that shows exactly how many libraries do so. Research shows that 54 % of juveniles arrested are not sent to residential facilities but instead receive court ordered probation into an Intensive Supervision program, a type of community house arrest. These centers provide meaningful community based support programs and services to meet the needs of the young offenders and to assist them in a successful community reintegration. The Intensive Supervision Programs need libraries to provide instructional programs to high-risk juvenile offenders, yet few libraries do so. Research shows that offenders who participated in activities sponsored by educational institutions collaborating with Intensive Supervision Programs have lower recidivism rates. Libraries can take part in the efforts of community organizations to assist young offenders in making changes that lead to a fulfilling life instead of a life of crime. This article discusses juvenile offenders and the efforts of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Job Career Education Center, and the Community Intensive Supervision Project in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A model program is presented that can b