Study Looks at Kids Who Do Time For Offenses That Aren’t Crimes; News Roundup

Juvenile Justice Reform

• Study Looks at Kids Who Do Time For Offenses That Aren’t Crimes (The Washington Post)
  The Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) has an interesting report out on the detainment and incarceration of juveniles for “status offenses,” or offenses that wouldn’t be crimes if the juveniles were adults.
• Florida Law, Used in Jacksonville, 'Violates International Human Rights Obligations,' Rights Group Declares (The Florida Times-Union)
  Nearly 40 percent of juveniles prosecuted as adults in Florida in the past five years were charged with property crimes rather than violent offenses, according to a report released Thursday by the international rights group Human Rights Watch.
• A House Divided No More: Common Cause for Juvenile Justice Advocates, Victim Advocates, and Communities (NJJN.org)
  Our juvenile justice system fails everyone—it fails youth because it rarely holds them accountable with age-appropriate responses known to be effective at changing behavior, and it fails to provide victims of crime with adequate support services that can help them return to healthy, productive lives.
• Fed Gov’t Sues Ohio Juvenile System (Sandusky Register)
  The U.S. Department of Justice and Ohio officials have reached an agreement that will reduce the amount of time spent in isolation by young people in state juvenile correctional facilities.

Jobs, Grants, Events and Webinars

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Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Mental Health

• Girls’ Mental Health Suffers When Romances Unfold Differently Than They Imagined (American Sociological Association)
  A new study reveals that for adolescent girls, having a romantic relationship play out differently than they imagined it would has negative implications for their mental health.
• Mental Health Issues in Indiana Youth: Not the Typical Teen Angst (Public News Service)
  Hoosier children are facing a health crisis, experts say, with almost 20 percent experiencing mental health challenges.
• Teen Substance Abuse is the New 'Normal,' School Counselor Says (San Jose Mercury News)
  Citing statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse -- which annually surveys students in grades 8, 10 and 12 -- Jason Lechner, a support counselor at College Park High, said alcohol use has decreased 10 to 15 percent since 2003, while marijuana use has increased 200 percent.

Ashley Heinonen writes the Friday news roundup, opportunity board roundup, and contributes articles featuring information about juvenile justice reform to ReclaimingFutures.org. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University and is currently an assistant account executive for Prichard Communications.