The Guam Department of Youth Affairs (DYA) was created in 1978 and has continued to make self-improvements throughout the years.  Prior to 1995, DYA was best known by the Guam community as the place where juvenile offenders were incarcerated.  A dramatic change in direction and emphasis was made in 1996 when the department's main focus subsequently shifted towards juvenile delinquency prevention, treatment and aftercare. 

Based on the new philosophy at DYA and through the development and implementation of many new programs and services, we can see a clear change in the patterns of juvenile delinquency on Guam.  Our main emphasis over the past several years therefore, has been to expand our services into the community, and this has been done by opening three strategically located youth resource centers throughout Guam.  We have also brought specialized treatment and other services into the client's home through the Jumpstart and Aftercare Program.

Other programs were later developed such as the SCORE and CHANSA programs designed to divert at-risk and troubled youth from entering Guam's Juvenile Justice System, and to divert those already in the system through additional programs. 

In addition to the above named programs, Youth Service Workers also administered the GED Preparation classes in the Resource Centers, to augment the overflow of GED participants enrolled at GCC. 

DYA's use of the Comprehensive Strategy approach, involving prevention and graduated sanctions (from confinement to release) has shown to be very successful in assisting at-risk youths and families with the community-based outreach programs that they deserve.

Children and adolescents can either be in a non-secured facility at Cottage Homes for non-offenders and status offenders, a secured facility at the Youth Correctional Facility for delinquent offenders, or be out in their homes, schools and communities.