US Supreme Court to rule on life sentences for juveniles

Juvenile Justice Reform

• U.S. Supreme Court ruling on life sentences for juveniles could overturn law
  The U.S. Supreme Court will soon decide whether juveniles age 14 or younger can be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for homicide. A ruling that such sentences are categorically unconstitutional could upend laws in 36 states, including Wisconsin.
• Amnesty International calls on U.S. to stop jailing minors for life
  In a new report, Amnesty says sentencing juveniles to life in prison without parole is incompatible with the basic principles of juvenile justice. Currently, more than 2,500 adults are in U.S. jails for crimes committed as a child and under current rules they will never be freed.
• Bullying behind bars: Pennsylvania's juvenile detention centers fail to protect LGBT youth
  National statistics show lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth in juvenile detention facilities fare worse than their heterosexual peers.
• Attorney General Holder Convenes First Hearing on Children’s Exposure to Violence
  Attorney General Eric Holder recently convened the first of four public hearings of the National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence, a part of the Defending Childhood Initiative, which is gathering expert and community testimony on children’s exposure to violence.

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment

• Participants Sought for Survey on Mentoring Services for High-Risk Youth

The National Mentoring Partnership, Global Youth Justice, and the National Partnership for Juvenile Services are conducting a survey to improve the design and delivery of mentoring services for youth at risk for delinquency, alcohol and drug abuse, truancy, and other problem behaviors.
• Dramatic rise in substance abuse treatment admission rates from 1999-2009
  A new SAMHSA report shows that while the overall rate of substance abuse treatment admissions among those aged 12 and older in the United States has remained nearly the same from 1999 to 2009, there has been a dramatic rise (430 %) in the rate of treatment admissions for the abuse of prescription pain relievers during this period.

• PODCAST: Understanding the Developing Teen Brain
  This podcast, presented by CIGNA and The Partnership at Drugfree.org, will explain why the developing teen brain is more vulnerable to drugs and alcohol, and what you can do to help your child make healthy decisions.
   
  Events + Webinars
  • National Mentoring Summit
    The second annual National Mentoring Summit will convene major youth mentoring organizations—along with government, civic, research and corporate leaders—to evaluate best practices, review new research, chart the field’s future, and ensure that more youth receive quality mentoring.
    When: January 24-25, 2012
    Where: Washington, DC
    Register online
  • Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America National Leadership Forum Co-sponsored by the OJJDP and CADCA, this conference will bring together more than 2,500 representatives of community anti-drug coalitions, government leaders, youth, addiction treatment professionals, researchers, law enforcement officials, and faith-based leaders to learn about the latest strategies for substance abuse prevention.
    When: February 6-9, 2012
    Where: National Harbor, MD.
    Register online

   

  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.