Executive defends youth homes

When 13-year-old Mike Spencer arrived at a West Haven group home for at-risk youths, he broke things and punched people when he was mad. A year and a half later, Spencer is now getting ready to leave the home run by Futures Through Choices and start life in a foster home.

"I've done a lot better on my anger and talking a little more to people," said Spencer, whose name has been changed. "I kind of struggled at first and then I got back in gear and changed it around."

Spencer is one of 140 residents at Futures Through Choices group homes, which provide rehabilitation to children and young adults in custody of the state through the Division of Juvenile Justice, the Division of Child and Family Services and Services for People with Disabilities.

Jerry Jefferies, chief executive officer of Futures Through Choices, said Spencer is typical of most residents in the homes because he has an IQ lower than 80 and has explosive behavior problems that often lead to criminal activity.

"Crimes tend to mount for these kids. They're reactive. They're impulsive," Jefferies said.

Those reactive personalities and criminal backgrounds are why many Holladay residents are fiercely contesting a proposal by Futures Through Choices to start a group home in their community that is similar to the one in West Haven.

The key difference in the homes is that the Holladay home will serve five boys sent from the Division of Juvenile Justice who are adjudicated felons between the ages of 16 and 21. The 10 residents at the West Haven home are between 12 and 18 and are generally referred from DCFS because of unmanageable behavior that has led to crimes like property destruction and assault.

Brandon Baker, who lives five houses down from the proposed group home at 2180 E. Sunnybrook Way, said he does not want a facility with felons in the middle of his quiet, residential Holladay neighborhood.

"I feel like my responsibility is to protect my family, and this is just insane," Baker said. "It doesn't make any sense to put a non-secure facility in the midst of a neighborhood."

The group home does not have any security personnel but is required to have 24-hour supervision of the residents and maintains a 3-1 resident to staff ratio. There are also two staff members awake at night.