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How juvenile offenders end up in detention or stay in the community


CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) -When some people think of juvenile justice, they think of a revolving door that allows kids to stay in the community after they've been arrested for breaking the law,"The juveniles are not being held accountable for their crimes is a major issue in Mecklenburg County," said Marcus Philemon of CharMeck Court Watch.But juvenile advocates say there's a system in place that holds kids accountable for their actions while getting help they need.

Restaurant has provided 12-month paid internships to 500 young peoplecoming out of juvenile detention

DALLAS — In 2007, Chad Houser bought into a popular bistro in Dallas, and his dream of being a top chef and restaurant owner was fulfilled....Houser began volunteering with the Dallas County Juvenile Department and, in 2011, started a culinary program to train young men caught up in the system. It started as a series of Sunday night pop-up dinners at a top eatery, where participants learned about restaurant management and trained to serve the evening meal.

Could $20 million Acadiana facility for juvenile offenders be left empty, unstaffed? (LA)

A long-awaited, 72-bed home for youthful offenders convicted of serious crimes is complete and ready to open in Avoyelles Parish. A key feature of Louisiana's 15-year-old effort to overhaul its juvenile justice system, the Acadiana Center for Youth is intended to provide a therapeutic environment for kids in southwest Louisiana. 

For the foreseeable future, though, the center is more likely to be used as an emergency shelter in a disaster, if anything at all, according to a spokesman for the Division of Administration. 

Let’s take a closer look at that civil justice reform Rick Scott signed into law

Much of the legislative action is a response to Fight Club, published by the Times/Herald last year. The six-part series examined pervasive violence within juvenile lockups and residential programs — some of it instigated by workers and rewarded with treats — widespread sexual misconduct, medical neglect and lax personnel practices that encouraged the hiring of unqualified workers with unsavory pasts.

'Stop locking up kids:' Protesters block construction traffic to new King Co. youth jail

SEATTLE - For more than seven hours Monday protesters opposed to King County’s new juvenile courthouse and jail chained themselves together outside the construction site and blocked the heavy equipment from coming and going.

They yelled, chanted and held up signs. It marked the second time in weeks that protesters have blocked traffic in an effort to stop the nearly $200 million facility from being built. The protest is in its sixth year.

Cuyahoga County looks to Dayton as model for rehabilitating youth, reducing juvenile crime

A Jan. 8 riot at the Juvenile Detention Center - coupled with a rise in violent crimes involving juveniles - has reignited calls for reform from O'Malley and city council members. The Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court's administrative judge said she would be open to a process to allow dangerous inmates to be held in a separate wing at the adult Cuyahoga County Jail. But that would require a change in state law, and advocates argue it would run counter to the juvenile court's core mission of rehabilitating young offenders.

O'Malley pointed to the Montgomery County Juvenile Court's Intervention Center as a possible inspiration for criminal justice reform in Cuyahoga County. The Intervention Center assesses young offenders in the hours after an arrest to determine if there are any underlying issues -- such mental health or behavioral issues, or problems at home or at school -- that could be addressed through specialized services.