Types of Strategies for Reducing DMC 

A local DMC initiative may include a number of different programs, services, or activities directed at several juvenile justice decision points and DMC contributing mechanisms. This large and varied universe of prospective DMC strategies can be organized into three categories based on the target audience:

• Direct service strategies address the needs of youth. These strategies decrease overall crime and delinquency, particularly among minority youth, in order to reduce the potential for DMC. They are sometimes thought of as demand-side strategies.

• Training and technical assistance strategies focus primarily on the needs of law enforcement and juvenile justice personnel. These strategies strive to equip juvenile justice service providers with the necessary skills and resources to reduce DMC. They can be viewed as supply-side strategies.

• System change strategies involve altering aspects of the juvenile justice system that may contribute to DMC. These strategies create wide-ranging and long-lasting modifications in policies, procedures, and/or laws that will decrease and prevent DMC. They can also be viewed as supply-side strategies.