By Cecilia Bianco, February 13 2015
Juvenile Justice Reform
- This Is How Black Girls End Up in the School-To-Prison Pipeline (The Nation)
According to a report released Wednesday, incidents such as these in which black girls are subject to harsh, apparently unwarranted school discipline and end up in the juvenile justice system are much more likely than the existing research and public conversation about the school-to-prison pipeline suggest.
- State decreases seclusion in youth prisons (The Columbus Dispatch)
After settling a federal lawsuit, the Ohio Department of Youth Services reduced seclusion of juvenile offenders by more than two-thirds last year, a state report shows.
- Federal Juvenile Justice Funding Declines Precipitously (JJIE.org)
When congressional lawmakers last reauthorized the landmark Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, in fiscal year 2002, they appropriated about $547 million for juvenile justice. Today, federal spending on juvenile justice totals less than half that amount — about $251 million.
- Christine Wolf: Restorative justice has unanticipated results (Chicago Tribune)
Our meeting consisted of 15 participants arranged in what was described as a peace circle: A trained facilitator from the police department's youth services division; two 14-year-old offenders who'd been arrested by (and admitted their guilt to) juvenile detectives; the offenders' parents; four community volunteers; and four members of the condominium's board. As we began, the kids looked scared and the board members looked irate. It wasn't hard to guess where things might go, but all my suspicions were incorrect.
Jobs, Grants, Events and Webinars
- Please share the Reclaiming Futures Opportunity Board with your colleagues in the juvenile justice, adolescent substance abuse and teen mental health areas. It's free to browse and post!
Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Mental Health
- Addressing the Mental Health Crisis: What Really Matters (Mad in America Blog)
Evidence increasingly suggests that psychological difficulties are on the rise. The Global Disease Burden Study, published in August of 2013, declared that “mental and substance use disorders are the leading cause of nonfatal illness worldwide, with a global disease burden that trumps that of HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, diabetes, or transport illnesses.” Depression is the number one cause of illness and disability in 10-19 year-olds worldwide.
- Jackson: Heroin’s hold grips region (East Valley Tribune)
Here at ICAN we focus on education. Our youth attend daily evidenced-based programs that include “Too Good for Drugs” where we provide age-appropriate information about the negative consequences of drug use and the benefits of a non-violent, drug-free lifestyle. Youth also participate in “Steps to Respect,” which promotes healthy decision-making skills to prevent negative behaviors.
- State Data Isn’t Specific About Legal Marijuana’s Impact on School Students (Rocky Mountain PBS News)
“Alcohol is by far and away the most used substance by middle schoolers, then it goes down for marijuana and tobacco is just below that,” said Dr. Christian Thurstone, attending physician for the Denver Health Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment program. “Prescription drug use is number four, and it’s increasing, so that’s been an alarming increase, as well, that we need to pay attention to.”
Updated: February 13 2015