MJDA

Research Topics

The same part of the brain that allows us to step into the shoes of others also helps us restrain ourselves.

Dec 8

Dec 8 Clash of Views on Treating Juvenile Offenders

Juvenile Justice News, Facility News

Local juvenile justice advocates opposed to incarceration of youth offenders attended a public meeting Wednesday to criticize Milwaukee County administrators who havE recommended building a state-financed 36-bed secure facility here as an alternative to the troubled Lincoln Hills boys prison in northern Wisconsin.

Dec 8

Dec 8 Task Force Recommending Six Ideas for Juvenile Justice System Reform

Criminal Justice News, Juvenile Justice News

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Next month, Tennessee lawmakers will consider changing the way juveniles are prosecuted. A juvenile justice task force has come up six tentative recommendations that would help rehabilitate juvenile offenders.

We got a copy of the suggestions from State Senator Mark Norris's office. He's the chairman of that task force.

Dec 8

Dec 8 Ed. Dept. Releases Resources for Young People Exiting the Juvenile-Justice System

In an effort to help young people transition from juvenile-justice back to their original schools or other educational settings, the U.S. Department of Education released various resources last week to help them, educators, and other navigate the process.

The new set of materials includes a guide for those leaving juvenile-justice facilities, a toolkit for administrators and other educators to assist youth in the juvenile-justice system, as well was

Dec 7

Dec 7 Why Try Level 1 Training being hosted by Calhoun County Juvenile Home in Marshall, MI

Tori Benden

MJDA Member News

The WhyTry Level 1 Training is a two-day course that will prepare you to use
the WhyTry Program in a real-world setting. The course includes a
discussion of WhyTry’s ten visual analogies, an introduction to WhyTry
music, a peek at several of WhyTry’s learning activities, opportunities to
practice teaching through role-play, as well as a discussion of how to apply
the program in your specific setting.

Dec 6

Dec 6 How States Are Making the Holidays Merry, Even for Prisoners

The “most wonderful time of the year” may be the hardest for tens of thousands of young people locked up for the holidays.

But many states try — within the confines of security rules, budgets and protocols — to make the season a little brighter for youthful offenders, who often are housed far from home

Dec 6

Dec 6 California Wraparound Program Reduces Juvenile Recidivism by Focusing on Mental Health

LOS ANGELES — Manuel Dircio, 20, a business administration student at Fullerton College boasts a 4.0 GPA.

He is also a recovering alcoholic with a history of arrest and incarceration in juvenile detention — not quite what you’d expect from a seemingly model college student with a stellar grade point.

Dec 6

Dec 6 Prop. 57 sends minors on new path through court system

Weeks after voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 57, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office and prosecutors across the state have initiated their own policies concerning juvenile offenders who face criminal charges as adults.

Under the Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act, which took effect the day after the Nov. 8 election, prosecutors no longer have the ability to directly file complaints in adult court involving felony crimes allegedly committed by minors. It also includes

Dec 6

Dec 6 Trump Taps Carson, Not Woodson, To Lead Housing and Urban Development

National News, Juvenile Justice News

In late November, Youth Services Insider reported on the possibility that Robert Woodson, Sr., president of the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, would lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development for President-Elect Donald Trump. Woodson has worked at HUD before, is an advisor on poverty issues for Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), and has overseen the development of a successful violence prevention model.

Dec 6

Dec 6 Reducing Recidivism for Justice-Involved Youth

The U.S. Department of Education has released new guides and resources to help justice-involved youth make a successful transition back to traditional school settings. These resources promote successful transitions by emphasizing the importance of early planning and working with family, mentors, facility staff, and school employees at every stage of the process.

The resources include a guide written for incarcerated youth; a newly updated transition toolkit and resource guide for practitioners in juvenile justice facilities; a document detailing education programs in juvenile justice facilities from the most recent Civil Rights Data Collection; and a website that provides technical assistance to support youth with disability as they transition out of juvenile justice facilities.

Dec 2

Dec 2 Report on the Evaluation of Judicially Led Responses to Eliminate School Pathways to the Juvenile Justice System

Many schools across the United States have enacted zero tolerance philosophy in response to perceived increases in violence and drugs in schools. It is believed that aggressive and unwavering punishment of many school infractions, including relatively minor infractions, will create safer schools. However, zero tolerance policy is said to have contributed to increased number of disciplinary actions and increased number of students who come in contact with the court system. Effects of the policy include the removal of students from the educational system, through disciplinary actions such as expulsions and suspensions. These disciplinary actions have negative unintended consequences for families and society.

Dec 2

Dec 2 Maryland juvenile justice task force recommends severely curtailing strip-searches

A task force recommended Thursday that Maryland lawmakers drastically curtail when the state's juvenile justice system can strip-search young people in its custody.

The panel voted 10-9 to ban strip searches unless there is an "articulated, reasonable belief" that a youth is concealing drugs, keys or anything that could be used as a weapon. Such searches could only be authorized by a juvenile detention facility's superintendent, administrator or a designee.

The Department of Juvenile Services oversees facilities that detain youths ages 11 to 20.

Dec 2

Dec 2 'They Call Us Monsters' Doc Trailer Spotlights Juveniles Behind Bars

Viewing Recommendations

The documentary They Call Us Monsters explores the juvenile justice system and the young men who become entangled in it.

Directed by Ben Lear, the son of Norman Lear, the doc has been acquired by Maston Films and The Orchard for release, and will open in theaters in January 2017.

Dec 2

Dec 2 Civil citations gain popularity as alternative to arresting minors

A policy encouraged by Gov. Rick Scott to not arrest non-violent juvenile offenders and instead give them alternative sanctions, for example, make them take part in teen court.

Dec 2

Dec 2 Advocates Want Juvenile Justice Overhaul, Clash Over Direction

When it comes to overhauling its juvenile justice system, Virginia has garnered a reputation as a model of teamwork and progress. Yet even in a state poised to set a national standard, it’s still bedeviled by some of the same problems seen in other states, thanks in part to an outdated national attitude that juvenile offenders only deserve punishment.

Dec 2

Dec 2 ACLU 'pleased' with charges against St. Charles youth home guards

The American Civil Liberties Union is applauding indictments announced this week against four guards at the Illinois Youth Center in St. Charles, where law enforcement officials say detainees were encouraged to attack others as a form of discipline.

Dec 2

Dec 2 Young Offenders Weigh in on Connecticut's Juvenile Justice Overhaul

Reading Recommendations

Connecticut is in the process of overhauling its juvenile justice system. Plans to close the state’s juvenile jail in Middletown are underway and legislators are looking to replace it with a more effective system. To help find solutions, a new report has been created from the perspective of delinquent youth.

Young people who’ve experienced the juvenile justice system know firsthand what doesn’t work. But the bigger question is, what do they need to succeed?

Dec 1

Dec 1 Lack of Behavioral Health Care for Young People Limiting State Progress

West Virginia is one of only a few states with rising levels of young people behind bars, and advocates say part of the issue is a lack of behavioral health care. (WV Virginia Center on Budget and Policy)

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Lack of behavioral health care for children may be undermining West Virginia's efforts to reduce truancy, cut juvenile incarceration and improve foster care, advocates say.

Nov 29

Nov 29 Juvenile justice system failing youth and communities

Rochester, N.Y. — (WHAM) - It is designed to help young men and women in trouble with the law, but many close to the juvenile justice system say it is failing them and putting the lives of others in the community in danger.

There is a push for reform to bring the juvenile justice system up to speed with crimes being committed by kids and teens today. Many say a local, high profile case is a prime example as to why change is needed.

Nov 23

Nov 23 'Upstate Purgatory' Is An Up-Close Look At Life Inside Albany County Jail (Mature content)