Progress in Juvenile Justice: 2017

Like many of the challenges facing the nation’s collective corrections system, such as overcrowding and sentencing disparities, these issues arose mostly in response to the “get tough on crime” political environment that emerged in the 1980s in response to rising crime rates and spreading drug-related violence. The pendulum has begun to swing back toward moderation, and in 2017 several state legislatures passed significant reforms to their juvenile justice systems. 

Juvenile Facility Data Added to Statistical Briefing Book

OJJDP has updated its Statistical Briefing Book to include national and state data from the 2016 Juvenile Residential Facility Census.

Resources include:

Developed for OJJDP by the National Center for Juvenile Justice, the research division of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the Statistical Briefing Book offers easy online access to statistics on a variety of juvenile justice topics.

Illinois House weighs bill to allow young adult misdemeanor cases to be heard in juvenile court

ROCKFORD — Young adults charged with misdemeanor crimes could have their cases transferred to juvenile court under legislation being considered by the Illinois House.

A bill co-sponsored by state Rep. Litesa Wallace, D-Rockford, would give judges the authority to decide whether 18-, 19- and 20-year-old defendants should have their misdemeanor cases heard in juvenile court.

Schools resolve conflicts by getting kids to talk things out

Schools across the country are moving away from an era of zero-tolerance policies and shifting toward methods that involve restorative justice, encouraging students to resolve their differences by talking to each other rather than resorting to violence. In New York City, five schools that have implemented this system are already seeing results. NewsHour Weekend's Megan Thompson reports.

Transforming Juvenile Justice Systems to Improve Public Safety and Youth Outcomes

Juvenile justice systems have undoubtedly made extraordinary improvements over the past two decades—incarceration rates have been cut in half nationwide; juvenile arrest rates remain at historical lows; and, in alignment with what research shows works to improve outcomes for youth, the majority of states have adopted data-driven tools and evidence-based programming. But other measures tell a more complex story: in spite of recent gains, most juvenile justice systems are still not operating as effectively as possible.

The Edge of 17: For Ahkeem Is a Coming-of-Age Story in the Age of Ferguson

For Ahkeem began as an exploration of St. Louis’ Innovative Concept Academy, whose website states that it is “the only school in America overseen by a court system dedicated to the education and rehabilitation of delinquent teens.” Founded in 2009 by St. Louis Circuit Judge Jimmie M. Edwards, the school provides a second chance to students vulnerable to the school-to-prison pipeline, providing structure and a sympathetic staff to hopefully guide them to graduation.

Massachusetts Pols Like German Justice Approach To Young Adults

BOSTON — The day after state lawmakers unveiled a compromise criminal justice bill in late March, the architects of that reform package joined Massachusetts court and corrections officials for a trip to Germany to study youth prisons there.

Last week, trip participants gathered to reflect on their experiences — including observing a trial and touring prisons — and what lessons Germany might have for criminal justice policy here.

The rise of restorative justice in California schools brings promise, controversy

Teachers and administrators have come to realize that a student’s range of experiences — their home life, their neighborhood and the overall atmosphere of the school — has an outsized impact on their behavior in class. Research shows that by gaining insight into these experiences and building stronger relationships with students, educators can address a number of behaviors without having to resort to suspensions and other punitive methods of discipline.

Transforming Juvenile Probation

The Annie E. Casey Foundation presents its vision for transforming juvenile probation into a focused intervention that promotes personal growth, positive behavior change and long-term success for youth who pose significant risks for serious offending. Nearly a half-million young people are given some form of probation annually and it serves as a critical gatekeeper to determine whether young people are placed in residential institutions. Probation plays a significant role in perpetuating the vast overrepresentation of African-American, Latino and other youth of color in our nation’s justice systems.