By Benjamin Chambers, March 11 2011
Is the Juvenile Justice System "Improving Lives or Devastating Them?" U.S. Attorney General Asks
Attorney General Eric Holder wants to see the juvenile justice system shift from prosecution and punishment to prevention and intervention, as he made clear in a March 7th speech to the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference. Among other things, he pointed to the evidence showing that "scared straight programs" are ineffective, and the high rate of sexual victimization of detained youth.
- States Try Fewer Youth in Adult Court
Only a few states -- New York and North Carolina among them -- continue to treat 16-year-olds as adults when it comes to the justice system. Money's an issue, because it's more expensive to try them in the juvenile justice system. However, a new analysis from the Vera Institute of Justice finds that the fiscal benefits outweigh the costs. - States Back Away From Punitive Drug Laws
The high cost of imprisoning low-level drug offenders is adding momentum to efforts to reform punitive drug laws that incarcerate people without addressing their underlying treatment problem.
- Chicago's Juvenile Detention Reform in Jeopardy
The temporary juvenile detention center in Cook County, IL has long been the center of lawsuits over what The New York Times calls "patronage, overcrowding and unhealthy and unsafe conditions." Earl Dunlap, who was brought in as transitional administrator in 2007, has been working hard to improve conditions and change the culture there. Now, however, a federal court order may undo all his work. - Paid Mentoring Program in the Spotlight
Friends of the Children, which provides paid mentors for at-risk kids from elementary throug high school in six cities, was profiled on National Public Radio recently. - Health Reform May Not Bring More Clients into Treatment
Fears that public dollars for addiction treatment could disappear -- as seems to be happening in Illinois and Maine -- have made addiction treatment professionals skeptical that health care reform will result in more clients getting treatment, at least in the short run. (I wrote the summary linked to above.) - Still Time to Apply to the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare: Multi-System Integration Certificate Program for Public Sector Leaders
The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform's 2011 Certificate Program for Public Sector Leaders will be held from July 15 to July 21, 2011 in Washington, DC. Director Shay Bilchik describes it this way: "This program increases participants’ ability to undertake multi-system reform efforts to improve outcomes for youth known to multiple systems of care (particularly child welfare and juvenile justice), provides an opportunity for the development of collaborative leadership skills and creates a mutually supportive network of individuals across the country committed to systems reform." Apply by March 31, 2011. Follow the link for more info, or email Kristina Rosinsky at phone her at 202-687-7657. - Ready by 21 Webinar Series: Setting Bigger Goals 101
From the press release: "In communities across the country, competing priorities, fragmented services, unstable funding and low expectations combine to create a sense of complacency. Establishing a common 'big picture,' action-oriented vision that conveys compelling goals for children and youth is a critical step toward aligning efforts. Why? Because common definitions and shared goals challenge leaders to work together more effectively to make a difference. And because metrics matter: What gets measured gets done (or at least prioritized). We'll explore these concepts further in this webinar." Tune in on Tuesday, March 29, 2011, 12 pm PST / 3 pm EST. - Conference: Prevention & Treatment Interventions with the Hispanic/Latino Family
The conference will be held May 19-20, 2011, in New York City. Topics will include:- Substance Use Among Hispanic Adolescents
- Family Therapy in Treating Hispanic Adolescents
- Hispanic Women and Substance Use
- Cultural Elements in Treating Hispanic Populations
- Growing up in a Hispanic Community
Follow the link above for more information and to register. (Hat tip to ATTC Network.)
Topics: Juvenile Justice Reform, No bio box, Positive Youth Development, Public Policy, Resources, Scared Straight, Youth Engagement
Updated: February 08 2018