A powerful memorial in Montgomery remembers the victims of lynching

A powerful memorial in Montgomery remembers the victims of lynching

Mike Langenright
National News

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, a somber, hilltop pergola of rusted steel overlooking the city that saw the birth of both the Confederacy and the civil rights movement, is one of the most powerful and effective new memorials created in a generation. When it opens on Thursday, this ambitious project will force America to confront not only its wretched history of lynching and racial terror, but also an ongoing legacy of fear and trauma that stretches unbroken from the days of slavery to the Black Lives Matter movement of today.

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

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

Mike Langenright
Ideas and Opinions, Juvenile Justice News, National News


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.

Arts in Detention: program unlocks creativity from the inside for GVRC youth

Arts in Detention: program unlocks creativity from the inside for GVRC youth

Mike Langenright
Facility News

“Arts in Detention” presents the work of kids ages 10 to 17 living in the Genesee Valley Regional Detention Center (GVRC), on Pasadena Avenue in Flint.  A short-term residential facility (capacity 60), GVRC currently houses 45 to 50 young people; their charges range from truancy to murder.  Three nights a week, girls and boys participate in writing and spoken word, visual arts, theatre, and dance workshops. The GVRC Share Art program partners with Buckham Gallery to bring art to youth in detention and then share their work with the public in this spring exhibit.

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

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

Kevin Barnwell
Juvenile Justice News, National News

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)

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

Mike Langenright
Juvenile Justice News, National News

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. 

Michigan lawmakers should lose no more time giving 17-year-olds access to juvenile court

Michigan lawmakers should lose no more time giving 17-year-olds access to juvenile court

Mike Langenright
Local News, Ideas and Opinions, Juvenile Justice News

Michigan is one of only five states that automatically prosecute all 17-year-old offenders as adults. Lawmakers introduced bills last year to raise the age of adult criminal liability to 18, but put the discussion on hold while a consulting firm conducted a cost study to determine the proposal’s financial impact. The study’s completion in early March has put the ball back in the legislature’s court. Although imperfect, the study can help policymakers with their efforts to enact the change, and Michigan should lose no time in joining the other states that have already done so.

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