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.
