Washington State Passes Law Sealing Juvenile Records; News Roundup

Juvenile Justice Reform

• Changes Sought in Parole Hearings For Ex-Juveniles (The Boston Globe)
  A dozen Massachusetts inmates sentenced as juveniles to life sentences for first-degree murder have received invitations to appear before the state Parole Board, the first time such offenders have had a chance to seek freedom. But just how these unprecedented parole hearings will be structured is causing its own challenges.
• Washington State Passes Law Sealing Juvenile Records (JJIE.org)
  A measure restricting access to juvenile records passed the Washington state Legislature Wednesday. As JJIE reported March 6, the bill, HB 1651, restricts access to all juvenile records except the worst felony offenses, such as violent crimes and sexual assaults.
• "Kids For Cash" Captures A Juvenile Justice Scandal From Two Sides (NPR)
  Kids for Cash chronicles the story of Judge Mark A. Chiavarella, who was convicted in 2011 for sending thousands of children to a juvenile detention facility from which he'd received a "finder's fee."

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

• United States Preventive Services Publishes Recommendations on Preventing Drug Abuse Among Children and Teens (Science Codex)
  Nearly one in 10 American adolescents use illegal drugs or prescription or over-the-counter drugs for nonmedical purposes, which can have serious health, educational, and social consequences. An estimated 150,000 emergency room visits in 2011 were attributed to illicit or nonmedical pharmaceutical drug use among adolescents.
• 6 Ways to Look at a Teen's Brain (Delaware Online)
  Drive, passion, curiosity, creativity, connection and emotional intensity are scientific hallmarks of a powerful and transformative time of life: adolescence, says renowned neuropsychiatrist Dan Siegel. Perhaps this isn’t how you see teens. You wouldn’t be alone. Our culture tends to peg adolescence and teenagers as emotionally reactive, impulsive, immature risk-takers.
  

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.