By Benjamin Chambers, December 20 2010
Should Teen Girls Be Arrested for Prostitution? The median age for girls entering prostitution in the United States is 12 to 14; they often come from histories of abuse and are frequently coerced into prostituting themselves. Several states have moved to decriminalize the offense. What do you think? Leave a comment. (Hat tip to the Campaign for Youth Justice.)- New York Times: Close More Juvenile Prisons. After reforms have left 10 of New York state's 25 juvenile prisons half-empty, the Times called for Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo to shut more down for being wasteful and ineffective.
- Locking up Fewer Kids Keeps Connecticut Safer. A column in the Hartford Courant praises Connecticut's juvenile justice reforms that sweep fewer youth into lock-up and have -- despite fears to the contrary -- kept the state safer.
- The Kids Can't Help It. Adolescent brain development research makes it to the pages of Newsweek, along with some new research that indicates that teen experiences may have life-long effects.
- Britain Has Cut Child Poverty in Half -- Why not the United States? Follow the link to learn how the United Kingdom did it, and what lessons the U.S. can learn. (Hat tip to the SparkAction newsletter.)
- Juvenile Justice Policy - What We Can Learn from History. Check out this excellent paper reviewing the history of juvenile justice policy in Britain and how myths about past and present policies have led to punitive policies that are ineffective. One conclusion: "Lack of careful attention to real historical precedents has led not only to excessive criminalisation but also to political complacency about current poor standards of care." (Hat tip to @constantine_inm.)
- Gang Prevention Research - an Overview. A new publication from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). (Hat tip to JUVJUST.)
- International Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment. Held January 22-28, 2011 in San Diego by OJJDP, The Chadwick Center, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Updated: February 08 2018