Detroit's Shakespeare in Prison to offer workshop for juveniles (Washtenaw County/YAA!)

Detroit Public Theatre's Shakespeare in Prison program has received a grant to expand to work with juveniles.

The program currently works with female prisoners at the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti. The $15,000 Michigan Humanities Council grant has in part allowed it to start a 12-week workshop with young people in treatment at the Washtenaw County Youth Center.

New Data Powers Progress for Teens, Also Creates Problems, Experts Say at Conference

WASHINGTON — Data from growing research have stormed into the juvenile justice and child welfare fields over the past two decades, providing more raw material to help troubled teens than ever before. But turning that information wave into better outcomes for children — and convincing practitioners within established systems to adopt new approaches — still requires some prodding and commitment to adopting these findings, according to judges, case workers, academics and advocates for children.

FAR-REACHING JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM ENACTED IN UTAH

A sweeping juvenile justice reform bill passed the Utah legislature this month and was enacted into law with broad support.

Sponsored by Representative Lowry Snow (R), House Bill 239 makes numerous changes to Utah’s juvenile code to keep lower-level delinquent youth out of costly detention and instead provide evidence-based, home-based counseling and supervision in the community.

Abuse survivors’ artwork to adorn Juvenile Justice Center (AZ)

Given a blank canvas and an opportunity to play with color, more than a dozen victims of child abuse recently discovered that art therapy heals hearts and empowers survivors.

Participants in a Building Bridges art therapy workshop at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County, the youth teamed up to create two dynamic acrylic paintings that depict both healing and hope in vibrant color.

"Culture of violence" in Colorado Youth Corrections includes physical restraints, solitary

Restraining adolescent offenders with shackles and full-body straitjackets, putting youth in isolation and striking their knees, thighs, buttocks and ribs has created "a culture of violence" at Colorado's juvenile detention centers that has reached a crisis level, according to a report released Thursday by the Colorado Child Safety Coalition.

WHAT TO TAKEAWAY FROM ORANGE COUNTY’S (FL) HIGH JUVENILE ARREST RATE

Orange County has the highest number of juvenile arrests in Florida, and black boys make up the majority of those arrests for crimes charged as felonies. As part of the final installment of Young & Arrested, 90.7’s Renata Sago discusses what’s next for juvenile justice in Orange County and what we can take away from the voices in the series.

A BOY IN PRISON BY AGE FOURTEEN

According to Florida’s Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), one sliver of Pine Hills has Florida’s highest volume of juvenile arrests. Though agency data show that juvenile arrests statewide are at a forty-year low, Orange County has maintained the highest number of juvenile arrests in Florida for the past three consecutive years. The majority of those arrests are for crimes charged as felonies. Demographically speaking, black boys between ages twelve and sixteen comprise the majority of those arrests.