Roundup: Fiery Editorials on Juvenile Justice Reform

 
 Juvenile Justice News

• It was a week of scathing editorials on juveniles in the justice system:
  • A Huffington Post column quotes a Maryland study that shows that 68% of the time, youth sent to adult court are sent back to juvenile court -- but only after time spent either mixed in with adult prisoners or in 23-hour/day lockdown. (Hat tip to the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance.)

• Meanwhile, a the Daily News in Pennsylvania -- a state that leads the nation in number of inmates serving life sentences for crimes committed as juveniles -- used fiery language to urge the passage of a bill allowing regular parole hearings for inmates 31 and older who've been imprisoned for 15 years or more. As the authors put it, " Not all juvenile lifers deserve a second chance outside prison walls, but they deserve a chance to make the case for one." 
• The New York Times called for the closure of more state juvenile prisons, which it called "wasteful" and "ineffective." 
• The federal government has an opportunity to do much more to address disproportionate minority contact, say Nancy Gannon Hornberger and Gina E. Wood of The Coalition for Juvenile Justice in a blog post.  
• The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) issued a second edition of its anti-gang model: "Best Practices to Address Community Gang Problems: OJJDP's Comprehensive Gang Model." In this edition, you can find information on an evaluation of OJJDP's Gang Reduction Program.
• OJJDP also sent out a link to last year's National Survey on Children's Exposure to Violence, which found that 60% of children had witnessed or been a victim of violence, crime, or abuse; and that 40% had been victims of two or more violent acts. Given what we now know about trauma and delinquency, those numbers should make everyone sit up and take notice.
• Here's a story about the power of restorative justice to erase the violent, predatory atmosphere inside an adult jail. Imagine trying this with youth in long-term placements -- what potential for positive change! (Hat tip to Mark Fulop.)

 
Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment News

• The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) set a goal of reducing youth drug use by 15% in five years (among other things) in its ambitious 2010 National Drug Control Strategy. Now, it's refining its strategy for 2011, and wants your input. Just follow the link and put in the username (2011StrategyInput) and password (4Strategy2011).  You have until October 27, 2010 to submit your comments.
• Our very own Emmitt Hayes, Jr., was recently appointed to the National Advisory Committe for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). His term will run through 2013. Prior to this, he served on the national advisory council that guided the launch of Reclaiming Futures, and has continued to serve as an advisor, site coach, and voice of wisdom for us. Congratulations, Emmitt! 
• The Partnership for a Drug-Free America -- well-known for "This is Your Brain on Drugs" -- has changed its name to The Partnership at Drugfree.org. The new name reflects the organization's role as a leading online resource for parents through its website, blog, and social media channels like Twitter and Facebook. It's a source of information not just on prevention topics, but on how to intervene with children who are actively using drugs and alcohol; connect youth to and support them in treatment; and support them in long-term recovery. 
• The workforce shortage in substance abuse treatment is likely to get worse as health care reform takes hold. To learn more about an innovative partnership in New York state designed to tackle this problem, check out this upcoming webinar, "Career Pathways in the Substance Disorder Field Partnering for Success" (Word doc), co-sponsored by SAMHSA and the Department of Labor. Scheduled for October 21, 2010, 12 pm PST / 3 pm EST; registration is required, but multiple viewers per connection are encouraged. (Hat tip to Paul Savery.) Please note: the webinar may last 60 or 90 minutes; the information I received conflicted.

 
Getting Your Public Health Message Across

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a great guide to using social media for communicating public health messages (see image at right) -- such as the need for more treatment, better treatment, and beyond treatment for youth in the juvenile justice system with alcohol and drug issues.  
• How do you get your message across to policymakers when you only have a few minutes? Maps and data visuals can be very powerful tools in communicating about public health issues. Learn more in this audio/web conference about mapping underage drinking, "Mapping the UAD Issue: Using Data Visuals, GIS, and Community Mapping to Enhance Environmental Strategies." It's scheduled for October 21, 2010 at noon PST / 3 pm EST, and will run for 75 minutes.