90 Percent Of Kids In LA County’s Juvenile Halls Have “Open Mental Health Cases.” Supes Call Urgently For Rehabilitative Plan—For Youth & Adults

90 Percent Of Kids In LA County’s Juvenile Halls Have “Open Mental Health Cases.” Supes Call Urgently For Rehabilitative Plan—For Youth & Adults

Mike Langenright
Ideas and Opinions, National News

At Los Angeles County’s Central Juvenile Hall, the largest of the county’s three juvenile halls, 93 percent of its youth residents have open mental health cases.

At Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar, CA, the percentage of kids with open mental health cases is at 96 percent, according to the most recent report submitted to the board of LA County Supervisors in late April by Jonathan Sharin, MD, the head of the county’s Department of Mental Health.

Model Policy: Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Intersex Youth in Confinement Facilities

Model Policy: Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Intersex Youth in Confinement Facilities

Lisa Greco
Research Topics, Reading Recommendations

The Need for Policy Guidance

The vulnerability of transgender, gender nonconforming, and intersex (TGNCI) youth is well-documented. In a 2018 survey of 5,600 transgender and gender expansive youth, 84% of youth experienced verbal threats, 53% experienced bullying at school, 57% had been mocked or taunted by their families, and 16% had been sexually attacked or raped – all based on their actual or perceived gender identity. Because of pervasive stigma and discrimination, TGNC youth experience disproportionately high rates of psychological distress, homelessness, and bullying. TGNC youth of color, who experience discrimination at the intersections of race and gender identity, experience extraordinarily high rates of violence and mistreatment.

New recording studio at Ypsi's Parkridge Community Center aims to promote youth as cultural leaders

New recording studio at Ypsi's Parkridge Community Center aims to promote youth as cultural leaders

Lisa Greco
Local News

Staff at Ypsilanti's Parkridge Community Center have realized a years-long dream of creating a world-class music recording studio to host educational programming for area youth. Programming recently kicked off at the new studio, which arose from a partnership between the nonprofit Youth Arts Alliance (YAA), the community center, and other community organizations.

How Chicago Women Created The World’s First Juvenile Justice System

How Chicago Women Created The World’s First Juvenile Justice System

Mike Langenright
History of JJ

Today, if you’re under 18 and charged with a crime, your case will likely be decided, and punishment meted out, through a legal system designed for minors. But until the beginning of the 20th century, kids under the age of 18 were tried — and jailed or imprisoned — alongside adults. That is, until the world’s first juvenile court was established right here in Chicago in 1899.

Teenage suicide sheds light on lack of oversight for juveniles in county jails

Teenage suicide sheds light on lack of oversight for juveniles in county jails

Mike Langenright
National News, Juvenile Justice News, Criminal Justice News

OKLAHOMA CITY — Before his death, 16-year old John Leroy Daniel Applegate was secluded from other juveniles in a cell in the Oklahoma County Detention Center.

The teenager also was placed on suicide watch intermittently during his time at the detention center before jailers ultimately found him unresponsive in his cell in April, said County Commissioner Carrie Blumert.

Juvenile justice reform based on simple truth: ‘You can’t punish the bad out of kids’

Juvenile justice reform based on simple truth: ‘You can’t punish the bad out of kids’

Mike Langenright
Ideas and Opinions

Over the past decade or so, our county and our state have been in the forefront of a national movement to rethink what “juvenile justice” is. This movement is based on recent research on brain development, and how it is impaired by childhood traumatic experiences such as domestic violence, abuse, neglect, and poverty. It’s also based on evidence about what kinds of programs and services really help kids overcome adversity and develop the skills they need to lead meaningful, satisfying, and law-abiding lives.

Racial Disparity of Incarcerated Youth

Racial Disparity of Incarcerated Youth

Mike Langenright
Research Topics, Interactive Tools

This map includes rates of incarceration for each state broken out by race, ethnicity, and gender. Custody rates are calculated per 100,000 juveniles ages 10 through the upper age of original juvenile court jurisdiction in each State. Click on a state to see that state’s overall number of incarcerated youth, and breakdowns of incarcerated youth by race, ethnicity, and gender as compared to the general youth population in that state.

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