Should juvenile hearings be opened to news media? and more: news roundup

Juvenile Justice Reform

• California activists calling for changes to state’s juvenile justice system
  Juvenile Justice Information Exchange:
  Last month, California’s Center on Juvenile & Criminal Justice(CJCJ) released a policy brief recommending phased juvenile justice realignment beginning later this year.
• Judge Daley retires after helping transform juvenile court
  MyCentralJersey.com:
  New Brunswick Judge Roger Daley exited his courtroom for the last time in his 15-year tenure on the bench last week. He took off his black robe and took a seat behind an ample desk smothered with items including a “Thank You” from a grandmother of a teen, who appreciated his work to rehabilitate her grandson.
• Bill would raise high-school dropout age to 18
  The Arizona Republic:
  State Rep. Daniel Patterson, D-Tucson, has introduced a bill that would increase the age at which high-school students could legally drop out from 16 to 18.
• Should Orange County’s juvenile hearings be opened to news media?
  OC Register:
  Last week, the presiding judge of Los Angeles County's Juvenile Court ordered dependency proceedings there to be opened to the media, saying secrecy had allowed problems to fester, but is that the best way to protect children?
• Budget cuts would lead to closure of several juvenile justice facilities
  The Salt Lake Tribune:
  Budget cuts could lead to the closure of several juvenile justice centers across the state, making it harder for youth offenders to be treated in their own communities or earn back the money they need to pay restitution to their victims.
• Editorial: Well-deserved honors
  The Commercial Appeal:
  The efforts by the leadership team at Shelby County Juvenile Court to change the face of juvenile justice in Memphis and Shelby County continues to garner national recognition.
• MacArthur Foundation, OJJDP announce private-public partnership
  Philanthropy News Digest:
  The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) have announced a private-public partnership that includes a $2 million commitment to support innovative reforms in treatment and services for youth involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems.

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment

• Drug use among florida youth drops
  Miami Herald:
  The 2011 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey showed less than 10 percent of students tried drugs other than marijuana within 30 days of the survey. Twelve percent of students reported using marijuana, a decline from 2010.

• DUI marijuana raises motor vehicle crash risk, study finds
  Join Together from The Partnership at DrugFree.org:
  Driving under the influence of marijuana is associated with an increased risk of a motor vehicle crash, especially for fatal collisions, an analysis of nine studies concludes.
• Is drinking alcohol at kids’ events acceptable?
  OnMilwaukee.com:
  Whether or not alcoholic beverages and children's events are an acceptable mix is a controversial topic. Some say it's social, fun and shows kids how to drink responsibly, others say it suggests to kids the only way to have fun is to include alcohol. And there are a lot of opinions in between.
• Childhood depression: Sometimes the “help” is just letting the family know that they have support
  Mansfield News Journal:
  Bullying remains a key trigger for adolescent depression, but a local psychiatrist said it is not the biggest problem she deals with among those 13 and older. The number one issue is kids witnessing trauma.
• Pot legalization efforts forge ahead in key states
  Reuters:
  Efforts to legalize marijuana for recreational use are gaining momentum in Washington state and Colorado, despite fierce opposition from the federal government and a decades-long cultural battle over America's most commonly used illicit drug.
• Destructive teens: The key to teaching them not to drink and do drugs may lie in the car ignition
  NY Daily News:
  Dr. Dave encourages parents to ensure a young adult has "parental approval" access to a car up to their 18th birthday and beyond.
• Demi’s drug: What is nitrous oxide?
  TIME:
  A former nitrous addict and expert on addiction explains why laughing gas is no joke.
• Liability laws make parents responsible for underage drinking in their home 
  Parents who allow their teens to have friends over to drink, thinking it’s a safe way to keep them off the roads, may be surprised to find they are subject to liability laws that make them vulnerable to lawsuits, fines and jail time.

Events

• WEBINAR: Improving outcomes for children and youth through collective impact
  Join Jeff Kutash and Emily Gorin of FSG, the nonprofit strategy consulting and research firm, to explore how municipal leaders, staff, and partners can utilize the compelling Collective Impact framework for children and youth initiatives. FSG proposes Collective Impact as a way for a group of cross-sectoral actors to maximize their results by better coordinating and aligning their efforts to address a complex social problem. When: February 15, 2012 at 2:30 (EST)
• EVENT: School discipline, pathway to the juvenile justice system or an opportunity for effective intervention? 
  The Barbara Jordan Freedom Foundation, in collaboration with the Center for Health and Social Policy (CHASP) at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, is hosting a free symposium on the issues of school discipline and the juvenile justice system. Texas State Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferon is keynoting. When: February 20, 2012 Where: Austin, Texas
• EVENT: Juvenile justice and mental health policy luncheon 
  Learn about the development of the Juvenile Mental Health Docket recently established in Dallas County and the impact its formation has had on the community, the challenges it has faced and continues to face, its successes and its projected outcomes from issue experts and stakeholders. When: February 29, 2012 Where: Dallas, Texas
• WEBINAR: Integrated assessment treatment for adolescents with co-occuring disorders 
  It’s been estimated 75% of adolescents with Substance Use Disorders have a co-occurring mental health disorder most commonly anxiety disorders, mood disorders, attention-deficit disorders, and conduct disorder. This webinar will focus on the components of a comprehensive evaluation which is considered necessary for effective treatment as the challenges and obstacles confront practitioners. When: March 14, 2012 at 1 pm (EST)

Lori Howell is a Senior Associate at Prichard Communications. She is a seasoned public affairs practitioner with a background in public policy, fundraising, and education. Lori helps clients with online editorial services, media relations, and publications. Before joining Prichard Communications, she served as chief of staff for Greg Macpherson, a former Oregon state legislator, an account executive for the Northwest Evaluation Association, a nonprofit educational testing consortium, and once taught English in Choshi, Japan.