Art Therapy: The Lawrence Arts Center classes are taught for both youth in detention and youth in Day School. These classes are funded by USD 497.

Music Therapy: Music Therapy is taught by under graduate and graduate students from the University of Kansas, and are supervised by a board-certified music therapist. Music is used to teach detention youth non-musical goals, such as social skills, team work and leadership skills.

For more information, see the KU Music Therapy website.

Social Skills Program: The Social Skills program is a nine week class taught by students participating as Interns in the KU/DCYS  Truancy Program. During the program, interns are supervised by Teaching Assistants from the KU Department of Applied Behavioral Science. The Interns help the students practice new skills throughout the nine weeks, such as resisting peer pressure, accepting negative feedback and problem solving. At the end of the nine weeks, there is a pizza party for the social skills group as a reward for participating.

Religious Services: A Pastor volunteers once a week or by request to offer detention residents the opportunity to attend services on Sundays. Juveniles also have the option to request their own religious figure to represent their individual beliefs. The staff will also make it possible to have religious services on days other than Sunday if the differing belief should require that.

Volunteering Opportunities: If you would like to Volunteer at Douglas County Youth Services, please contact Casey Crane, Detention Operations Manager at 785-331-1300 for more information. You can also email Casey at ccrane@dgcoks.gov .

The One Heart Project: Providing incarcerated and at-risk youth a second chance. We have a volunteer that comes in once a week to meet with incarcerated juveniles to offer them guidance and be a positive mentor. One Heart Project pilot programs have produced significant attitudinal and behavioral change, and dramatically reduced recidivism rates. http://www.oneheart.com/kcmi/

Meditation: A volunteer that specializes in meditation comes in at least once a week to meet with any detained juveniles that would like to participate. Our volunteer works with them on meditation techniques and healthy meditation habits.

Bicycles may be available to offenders that need transportation. Please see your supervising officer for further information.

Cognitive skills classes are provided by Community Corrections of Douglas County, Kansas.

• Cognitive Skills classes are designed to help offenders develop a personal plan to achieve their potential and become positive, law abiding, and contributing citizens in society.
• In addition, the classes allow participants to learn and practice life-skills, by increasing their self-confidence, and by identifying and cultivating lifetime patterns for self-improvement resulting in law-abiding behaviors.
• Lastly, the classes help offenders realize that their values, attitudes, and behaviors can affect other citizens and help them think through the choices they make turning them into positives.

Douglas County is Providing leadership, making decisions and taking actions to serve Douglas County by integrating a healthy environment, vibrant economy, and livable society to benefit current and future generations. Improving the sustainability of our operations for the future can have immediate benefits for County residents today. Many measures that help us achieve sustainability can also reduce costs, improve the health of our residents, create jobs, and protect the Douglas County landscapes we call home.

Success Stories

• Installed Solar Thermal Panels producing a more efficient hot water supply
• Expanded recycling – offered to staff
• 2 Hybrid administrative vehicles
• Retrofitted all fluorescent lighting to T8s
• Eliminated personal printers, all of the departments printing needs are done using centralized multi-functioning copiers.
• Installed water conservation controllers in cells to reduce water waste and limit the ability of detainees to cause damage by flooding rooms.
• Gardens for 4-H projects, small fruit production projects, shares excess produce with jail.