How Prison Stints Replaced Study Hall; News Roundup

Juvenile Justice Reform

• How Prison Stints Replaced Study Hall (Politico)
  In 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice filed suit to stop the “taxi service” in Meridian’s public schools, where 86 percent of the students are black. The DOJ suit, still unresolved, said children were being incarcerated so “arbitrarily and severely as to shock the conscience.”

• Crime & Delinquency Council selects S.D. for ‘Pay for Success’ (Times of San Diego)
  “NCCD strongly believes that Pay for Success creates a real possibility for sustained, positive change in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems,” said Kathy Park, acting president of NCCD. “We are proud to work with these three extremely dynamic programs to see if this innovative financing will work for them.

• New Bill Would Change How Minors are Tried as Adults (News 4 Jax)
  A bill making its way through the state legislature would cut down on how often State Attorneys can charge juveniles as adults. Under the proposal, it would take a grand jury to charge anyone under the age of 13 as an adult. Prosecutors would only be able to charge 14 and 15 year olds as adults in cases of murder, manslaughter, and sexual assault.

Jobs, Grants, Events and Webinars

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Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Mental Health

• Teens in Detention Centers Find Voice, Rehab in Youth Theater (Herald Media)
  On a small stage, seven local teens stood in scrubs -- their backs to an audience of about 75. One by one, they turned around, each somber or angry or both as they told stories of juvenile lockdown and the reasons that got them there. Drugs, truancy, rules, respect, depression and decisions … each story is laced with regret -- each author feels misunderstood -- and most tell of trouble at home. 
• Medical College awards $250,000 to reduce youth alcohol, drug abuse (BizTimes.com)
  The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin (AHW) Endowment awarded $250,000 over two years to reduce the prevalence of alcohol and other drug abuse among youth in northwest Wisconsin’s Rusk County. The Medical College of Wisconsin is the steward of the AHW Endowment as it works to catalyze health improvement within the state.

• New Data: Ind. Teens Trying Pot More Often Than Alcohol and Cigarettes (WNDU.com)
  Dr. Elmaadawi is concerned mainly for teen use. He says there is proven research marijuana can be healing to cancer patients and others suffering from chronic pain, but use for teens is dangerous. He says those who try the drug before age 18 are 67% more likely to continue using. The number drops to 27% for adults who try it for the first time.