Patrick McCarthy, president and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, challenged states across the country to close all youth prisons. McCarthy issued his call to governors and legislators in the TEDxPennsylvaniaAvenue session recorded on June 24th at the Newseum in Washington, DC., stating that youth prisons undermine the development of young people who get into trouble with the law and expose them to grave dangers while failing to improve public safety. See the full press release here.

In the nearly four years since No Place for Kids was published, new revelations have emerged in America’s juvenile corrections facilities noting continued widespread physical abuse and excessive use of force by facility staff; an epidemic of sexual abuse; rampant overreliance on isolation and restraints; unchecked youth-on-youth violence; and frequent violence against staff. A newly released report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Maltreatment of Youth in U.S. Juvenile Corrections Facilities, documents systemic abuse and widespread maltreatment of youth in 29 states since 2000.

A new report released by the Muskie School of Public Service documents the rate of disproportionate minority contact (DMC) for youth involved in Maine’s juvenile justice system. "Disproportionate Contact: Youth of Color in Maine's Juvenile Justice System" examines racial disparities in the system and provides recommendations on how to move toward racial equity. See the report on the JDAI Helpdesk. 

An article by Jay D. Blitzman, in the American Bar Association’s Criminal Justice Magazine, examines the unintended consequences of policies and practices that recriminalize status offenses for youth in the juvenile and child welfare system. See the article on the JDAI Helpdesk here. 

JDAI Model Site, Bernalillo County has made available through the Helpdesk a PREA Youth Educational Video series and Facilitator Guide. The resources are the product of a multiple county collaboration with the NM Association of Counties and the Center for Children’s Law and Policy to provide a consistent, high quality, youth-friendly, sexual misconduct education curriculum in response to the PREA standards.  
Click here to see the video series or here to view the Facilitator guide. 

JDAI Model Site, Multnomah County has recently published an article in The Police Chief. The article outlines activities the county has taken to address racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system. Read the article here. 

Local newsletters are innovative ways to connect, share progress and build enthusiasm for the JDAI work. We encourage your jurisdiction to share your newsletters with the JDAI Helpdesk. Thanks to JDAI Massachusetts, Monmouth County NJ, Spokane County WA, and Dakota County for sharing the following newsletters:

 

South Dakota and West Virginia both recently passed comprehensive juvenile justice reform legislation expected to improve youth outcomes and save the states millions of dollars. Both states will reinvest millions into effective community-based practices. 

The Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare: Multi-System Integration Certificate Program is a week-long period of intensive study designed for those who want to improve outcomes for crossover youth by improving multi-systems integration and collaboration. Click here for more information on the program. 

The Center for Children’s Law and Policy(CCLP) is seeking a new staff member with extensive experience in juvenile justice system advocacy and reform. Click here for more information about the position.

Thank you to those who have recently submitted resources to the JDAI Helpdesk. Please submit additional resources or publications by emailing jdaihelpdesk@pretrial.org. Feel free to contact us anytime with questions or suggestions.