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Russ believed in change – the ability for failing systems to transform and evolve, the power of leadership to make a difference and especially in the strength of disadvantaged young people to turn their lives around. In 2011, after decades of public service in Kansas as deputy sheriff, director of the Southwest Kansas Regional Detention Center, district magistrate judge and com ...

Meet Stephen, former recipient of the PbS Education and Employment Foundation Scholarship and Employment Matching Awards. He describes the PbS Scholarship as a "bridge," one that allowed him to become the first young person in the Oregon Youth Authority to pursue his master's degree: "I definitely think the scholarships are that first catalyst. The first step in my success was ...

Unlike many juvenile justice professionals, my role as Program Assistant at the Performance-based Standards Learning Institute (PbS) has very little direct interaction with the young people entangled in the system. Compared to the folks with the privilege of developing personal and meaningful relationships with the youths whom we serve, I am probably more detached from the huma ...

On Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021, more than 50 of our juvenile justice colleagues from across the country met in Nashville, Tennessee to kick off the annual three-day PbS Agency Coordinators Training (ACT). PbS Executive Director Kim Godfrey-Lovett and PbS Deputy Director Akin Fadeyi were delighted to greet guests at the door of the Welcome Reception at the Omni Hotel, before surrendering the microphone to Davidson County’s own Mr. Antonio Bratcher. The Facility Director at Youth Opportunity Investments, LLC, Mr. Bratcher hosted the event with authentic Southern hospitality. While the chicken-and-waffle bar was a close runner-up, the best part of the night was witnessing old friends and new faces come together in-person for the first time since the 2019 PbS ACT in Boston, Massachusetts.

Performance-based Standards (PbS) is proud to announce Naselle Youth Camp (NYC) in Naselle, WA as the 2021 PbS Barbara Allen-Hagen Award winner in the correction category. Naselle was selected for their work in reducing confinement and shifting to a culture where youths are rarely in their rooms and never sent there as punishment.

Performance-based Standards (PbS) is proud to announce Illinois Youth Center- Warrenville Reception in Naperville, IL as the 2021 PbS Barbara Allen-Hagen Award winner in the detention and assessment category. Warrenville was selected for their comprehensive work to implement best practices to ensure the facility is a safe and healthy environment for youths and staff.

PbS shares the results of 2,623 surveys of family members of youths leaving more than 150 correction facilities and conducted from April 2019 to April 2021. Family members shared how the pandemic impacted their engagement with their child. 

There were some positive changes during the pandemic that we want to learn more about: There were fewer uses of restraints in facilities and more youths reported positively about their relationships with the staff.

Nashville, TN — Performance-based Standards (PbS) held their annual PbS Awards Night on Aug. 13, 2021, honoring and celebrating the many efforts of our juvenile justice partners to improve the lives and opportunities of young people in their care.

2021 PbS Kids Got Talent Contest Finalist Spotlight: Green Hill School PbS is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2021 PbS Kids Got Talent Contest from Green Hill School: two original songs, a group original performance and a moving spoken word performance. Congratulations on becoming finalists and thank you for sharing your talents! View the “Explicame” video here.Vie ...