Content area
Full Text
Some days Trish Brockman feels like she is raising dozens of teenage boys, instead of just the two that she has at home. In many ways she is. Brockman is the assistant warden of the Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility (NCYF) in Omaha, a maximumcustody facility that houses juvenile offenders with violent behavior. Managing this population is a challenge, but Brockman will tell you that it's worth it.
NCYF was one of the first facilities of its kind in the nation to house juvenile offenders who were adjudicated into the adult corrections system. Almost 75 percent of the population has ties to a criminal threat group, which presents additional challenges for the staff. These young men don't have a true understanding of what respect is and how it's gained or demonstrated. In their circles, respect comes from violence and intimidation. Brockman said that part of the goal at NCYF is to break their habit of acting out violently to settle a problem, and to instill society's expectations of behavior, values and conflict resolution. Many of these offenders are also dealing with substance abuse issues. Brockman said it...