Increase in Homicides Unlikely to Derail Juvenile Justice Reforms Observers Say; News Roundup

Every week Reclaiming Futures rounds up the latest news on juvenile justice reform, adolescent substance use treatment, and teen mental health. 

Increase in Homicides Unlikely to Derail Juvenile Justice Reforms Observers Say (Juvenile Justice Information Exchange)
An increase in homicides in major cities across the country this year is unlikely to hamper juvenile justice reform efforts, say advocates and analysts. As cities grapple with the problem, observers say they have not seen teenagers scapegoated or a significant push for tough-on-crime policies that run counter to reforms that emphasize treatment and rehabilitation.

Deterrence Research is a Selling Point for Juvenile Justice Community Programs
(The Chronicle of Social Change)
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention recently published a report by several researchers on the groundbreaking “Pathways to Desistance” project, which tracked about 1,300 serious juvenile offenders from the Phoenix and Philadelphia areas for seven years after conviction. It is a study about deterrence among high-risk adolescents. The report barely acknowledges the existence of community-based juvenile justice programs. But in YSI’s humble opinion, it is all about those programs and their potential value.

Community Coalitions Are the Change Makers in Substance Abuse Prevention
(Bangor Daily News)
For over a decade, Drug Free Communities coalitions across Maine have been engaging with multiple community sectors to create a unified, community-driven approach to reducing youth substance abuse. Coalitions leverage local expertise and build capacity to engage in strategies that foster positive community environments where our youth are at less risk for experimenting with substances and becoming addicted.

How Arizona Teenagers Are Helping Other Teens in Crisis
(The Arizona Republic)
An astonishing one in three students in Arizona admitted to feeling sad or hopeless. One in five teens admitted to having seriously contemplated suicide. Teen Lifeline gives teens statewide a chance to talk to just one person who cares. And one person can make a difference.

Pilot Program Gives Youth in Brownsville a Second Chance
(Juvenile Justice Information Exchange)
Called Project Reset, these minors are now being given a chance to complete two counseling sessions that satisfy the DAT without stepping foot in court. The infant program is already changing the mindset of minors who feel they’re being given a second chance at a life without a criminal record.

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