It has been 127 years since the creation of the first juvenile court, based on the straightforward concept that youth are not miniature adults and have a capable growth mindset. While the ideals of the juvenile system are simple, the implementation requires specialized training and commitment. We are not where we need to be. The juvenile justice system must now truly become a standalone profession—choosing to standardize youth-specific training and policies.
The children of Washington, D.C., deserve better from their president. The same goes for Chicago’s children. And Los Angeles’. And Baltimore’s. And beyond.
President Donald Trump’s claim that the National Guard is needed to control “roving mobs of wild youth” undermines decades of progress in juvenile justice, putting young people and their families at risk.
Massachusetts has long been recognized as a leader in juvenile justice reform. Yet, the latest findings from the Juvenile Justice Policy and Data (JJPAD) Board’s 2024 Annual Report paint a troubling picture: We are backsliding.
Interacting with police can be scary — even for adults. For children, particularly Black, Brown and Native youth and those with disabilities, these fears are justifiably heightened, according to a new report released in January by the California Racial Identity Profiling Act Advisory Board. The report emphasizes the longstanding, stark racial disparities in law enforcement stops of youth and sounds the alarm for much-needed reform.
As a law enforcement executive, I’ve focused on engaging young people, especially those influenced by the aftermath of George Floyd’s death and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests. My visits to community organizations serving youth impacted by violence, poverty and numerous challenges revealed a troubling perspective – many of these young individuals view the police as an occupying force, worsening the struggles in their lives.
Shelley Jackson and Lisa Thurau wrote an article in Washington Monthly called, “Police need to do a better job with young people.” Lisa Thurau joins us to talk about what can be done on both sides of the equation to make these interactions better.
On May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis, Darnella Frazier, then 17, bravely recorded Derek Chauvin’s murder of George Floyd. Her shocking images circulated the globe and helped lead to the police officer’s conviction and, most recently, a Justice Department report examining the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) and its record of civil rights violations.?
The first time I led Juvenile Justice Jeopardy (JJJ), an educational game designed to teach young people about the law and how to safely interact with law enforcement, a young man, no older than 16, pulled out a fake gun and shot me.
Want to understand how structural racism works? How race robs Black youth of the American dream? If so, then The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth by Kristin Henning is necessary reading.
Two states are leading the way in training and accountability guidance and policies aiming to prevent tragedy and trauma. Arrest should be viewed as the least desirable outcome.