We have sought to address the fact that 80% of youth released from New York juvenile detention centers return in two years by making investments in juvenile justice programs that include a “Recidivism Prevention+” component. Exalt Youth serves youth at varying levels of justice system involvement and is one of the few voluntary programs in the City that strictly serves clients under 20. Exalt Youth focuses not only on recidivism but also on reintegration of youth into educational institutions. It achieves significant outcomes in reducing recidivism: tracking two years post-program, the average recidivism rate remains below 8%.
Programming begins with a six-week pre-internship training in which participants receive practical career/internship instruction that also builds critical thinking, communication, and social-emotional skills. This training is followed by a 9-week paid internship supplemented by Friday seminars at Exalt. At the conclusion of the internships, students return to part-time courses for a four-week post-internship training including academic and workforce skills.