Blog: News

SAMHSA Releases 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health Results

samhsaThe Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently released the results of the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). NSDUH, the Nation’s largest survey of drug use and drug-related attitudes, perceptions and consequences, interviews approximately 70,000 Americans who are 12 and older.

The resulting report displays national estimates on rates of use, numbers of users, and other measures related to illicit drugs, alcohol and tobacco products, with a focus on trends between 2012 and 2013 and from 2002 to 2013.

Key findings of the 2013 NSDUH are as follows:

  • In 2013, an estimated 24.6 million Americans aged 12 or older were current (past month) illicit drug users, representing 9.4 percent of this population.
  • Current illicit drug use in 2013 was statistically unchanged from 2012 (9.2 percent) but continues a gradual increase since 2002.
  • Almost 20 million (4 out of 5 current illicit drug users) used marijuana alone or in combination with other drugs.
  • Among current marijuana users, 8 million (2 out of 5) were daily or almost daily users, who used marijuana on 20 or more days in the past month.
  • An estimated 2.8 million persons aged 12 or older used an illicit drug for the first time within the past 12 months – an average of about 7,800 new users per day.
  • Most of the above new users (7 out of 10) reported that their first drug was marijuana. About 1 in 5 initiated with non-medical use of prescription drugs.

For complete findings, view 2013 NSDUH: Summary of National Findings.

Note: NSDUH national estimates related to mental health and NSDUH State-level estimates related to both substance use and mental health will be published in separate releases in the fall of 2014.

Marijuana Studies Reveal Some Risks Not Known Before; News Roundup

News-oldTV-smlJuvenile Justice Reform

  • New Web-Based Expungement Tools Launched by IL, MD, LA (National Juvenile Justice Network)
    Having a record—even from youth court—can drastically affect a young person’s life chances, including their prospects of education, employment, and housing. Expunging that record is one way to address this issue, but the requirements for expungement are often opaque to many who are eligible.
  • Critics Point to Problems in Louisiana’s Reformed Juvenile Justice System (JJIE)
    Reports of gladiator-style fighting, guards molesting children and a lack of basic education for kids as young as 14 once gave Louisiana’s juvenile justice system the reputation of one of the worst in the country. In 2003, the Louisiana Legislature passed sweeping reforms. Over time, those efforts helped whittle down the number of kids locked in sprawling, prison-like facilities from more than 2,000 to about 350 today.
  • No Country for Young Men (The Marshall Project)
    On Feb. 27, 2013, 17-year-old Junior Smith was summoned to the front office of his Philippi, West Virginia, high school. It was eighth period, just a few minutes before everyone would start streaming out of the building for dismissal. When Junior got to the office, a police officer was there, waiting for him. The officer handcuffed Junior and led him past his staring classmates to a waiting patrol car.

Jobs, Grants, Events and Webinars

  • Please share the Reclaiming Futures Opportunity Board with your colleagues in the juvenile justice, adolescent substance abuse and teen mental health areas. It’s free to browse and post!

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Mental Health

  • Children’s Mental Health Changes Aimed at Addressing ER Crisis (CT Mirror)
    Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is expected to announce a plan Wednesday to expand the services available for children and teens with significant mental health needs, a response to concerns about the growing number of young people going to -- and often stuck in -- emergency rooms in psychiatric crisis.
  • Butte Lands Big Grant for Suicide Prevention (Montana Standard)
    Butte public schools have landed a massive grant aimed at preventing suicide. The district will split the $1.2 million grant with Kalispell and Browning public schools, part of a series of grants announced this week by Superintendent Denise Juneau of the Montana Office of Public Instruction.
  • Marijuana Studies Reveal Some Risks Not Known Before (The Wichita Eagle)
    With clever names like Peace of Mind, Girl Scout Cookies, Train Wreck and Tsunami, it’s a good bet that the marketers of legal marijuana finished high school. That’s less certain for their younger customers. New research shows daily marijuana use before the age of 17 cuts your chances of graduating from high school or getting a college degree by 60 percent.

Topics: News

The White House Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Recovery Month

whitehouseThe Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) honored 25 years of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month with a special event at the White House on September 17, 2014. More than 175 advocates, recovery community leaders, persons in long-term recovery, and others who have been impacted by substance use and its consequences came together to commemorate the 25th anniversary.

The highlight of the night was a panel discussion composed of five prominent public figures in long-term recovery from substance use disorders:

  • Cris Carter, a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee and ESPN Analyst who has been in recovery for 25 years;
  • Ruben Castañeda, a former Washington Post Journalist and author of the book “S Street Rising,” a memoir of his own descent into a serious crack addiction;
  • Tim Willson, Mayor of Brooklyn Center, MN, who lost his daughter to an opioid overdose;
  • Christina Huffington, daughter of publisher Arianna Huffington and advocate for her fellow youth in recovery;
  • and Laurie Dhue, a former Fox News anchor, who moderated the panel.

Each panelist shared their personal story of recovery and answered viewer questions, which were submitted via Twitter.

The event also featured messages from former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy and Steve Ford, son of former President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford.

ONDCP encourages all to continue the spotlight on recovery by:

  • Continuing the discussion! Tweet your thoughts to ONDCP Acting Director Michael Botticelli, @Botticelli44, using the hashtag #RecoveryatWH.
  • Viewing the live-stream! If you missed it (or want to enjoy the experience again), the full archived video can be seen here.
  • Connecting with the ONDCP on Social Media! Like the ONDCP on Facebook for news and updates on policies to support persons in recovery from substance use disorders.

Topics: News

Oklahoma Sees New Push to Allow Juvenile Competency Hearings; News Roundup

News-oldTV-smlJuvenile Justice Reform

  • Oklahoma Sees New Push to Allow Juvenile Competency Hearings (JJIE)
    In Oklahoma, competency determinations are allowed in cases where a juvenile is tried as an adult and in “youthful offender” cases, in which a teenager is adjudicated for a serious crime but with limited punishment and probation. A person found incompetent can be sent to a clinic or medical professional who will try to establish competency within a certain time. If he or she remains incompetent, the charges are dismissed and the person is ordered to undergo community- or facility-based treatment.
  • The Legislation that has the Potential to Reduce Youth Recidivism in California(Nation Swell)
    Nationwide, 80 percent of incarcerated juvenile offenders end up behind bars again. For California — the state with the highest rate of incarcerated youth — this has to stop. But now, a new bipartisan-approved bill (currently waiting Gov. Jerry Brown’s signature) could change this troubling statistic, VoiceWaves reports.
  • New Juvenile Court Diversion Program Gets Off Ground in ICCSD (Press-Citizen)
    A new juvenile justice diversion program for students in the Iowa City Community School District is up and running, though it has only been put to use once in the month since it was introduced.
  • Michigan Considering Changes in Juvenile Justice System (WLNS.com)
    Michigan's juvenile justice director is meeting with directors from three other states to discuss changes to their juvenile corrections system. Michigan has been selected to take part in the six month program. 6 News Nick Perreault talked with Michigan's Department of Human Services on what they want to look at and present to the governor in the months ahead.

Jobs, Grants, Events and Webinars

  • Please share the Reclaiming Futures Opportunity Board with your colleagues in the juvenile justice, adolescent substance abuse and teen mental health areas. It’s free to browse and post!

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Mental Health

  • Federal Grant to Help Region Battle Youth Drug Abuse (Leader-Telegram)
    DFC is a federal grant program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy that provides funding to community-based coalitions that organize to prevent youth substance use. Since the passage of the DFC Act in 1997, the DFC program has funded more than 2,000 coalitions and currently mobilizes nearly 9,000 community volunteers across the country.
  • Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Opens for Adolescents (The Philadelphia Tribune)
    “At PHMC, we believe physical space and innovative design help drive program delivery. This new facility gives us additional opportunities to fulfill our mission to improve the health of our communities and the lives of the individuals and families we serve through this phenomenal program,” said Richard J. Cohen, president and CEO of PHMC.

Topics: News

Opportunity Board Roundup: Juvenile Justice Grants, Jobs, Webinars and Events

opportunityBelow you’ll find a selection of the latest grants, jobs, webinars and events posted to our Opportunity Board. Please share the Reclaiming Futures Opportunity Board with your colleagues in the juvenile justice, adolescent substance abuse and teen mental health areas. It’s free to browse and post!

Webinars

Jobs

Events

 

Topics: News

Top 10 Newsletters to Sign Up for Juvenile Justice News

Screen Shot 2014-09-26 at 2.38.41 PMTo stay up to date on the latest in juvenile justice news, sign up for these top 10 newsletters:

1. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: News @ a Glance

OJJDP's award winning bimonthly electronic newsletter OJJDP News @ a Glance highlights agency activities, publications, funding opportunities, and upcoming events.

2. Juvenile Justice Information Exchange

The Juvenile Justice Information Exchange (JJIE) is the only publication covering juvenile justice and related issues nationally on a consistent, daily basis.

3.Coalition for Juvenile Justice: Juvenile Justice Monitor

Each month, the Juvenile Justice Monitor offers state and national juvenile justice news from CJJ. A typical monthly issue includes federal policy updates and alerts, news about CJJ conferences and events, news from the SAGs and SAG regional coalitions, CJJ Board of Directors and committee news, National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) news, and other events and resources.

4.National Association of Drug Court Professionals

Sign up for regular email updates from NADCP and stay up to date on the latest Drug Court, Veterans Treatment Court, DWI Court and other problem-solving court news.

5.Center for Public Integrity: Watchdog email

Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email and get the news you want from the Center when you want it. Select the Juvenile Justice option for alerts related to the “burgeoning debate over proposed new approaches to handling young people at risk.”

6.Justice Policy Institute Newsletter

Receiveperiodic emails including a quarterly newsletter, updates with groundbreaking research reports, and analysis and information about special events or topics related to JPI.

7.National Institute of Mental Health

Sign up for the latest mental health news, research advances, upcoming events, publications, clinical trials, meeting summaries, and more.

8.Spark Action Newsletter

Spark Action sends out a weekly newsletter tobring together and make sense of highlights across a range of issues you care about.”

9.National Conference of State Legislatures: Juvenile Justice Quarterly

The Juvenile Justice Quarterly is an NCSL electronic newsletter for state legislators, legislative staff, and others interested in state juvenile justice policy. This newsletter provides quarterly updates on state juvenile justice legislation and budgets; highlights innovative policies and programs; and connects you with reports and news of upcoming NCSL events.

10.Reclaiming Futures Weekly Newsletter

Get our e-newsletter on juvenile justice reform, adolescent substance abuse treatment, grants, and learning opportunities!

Topics: News

PSU Youth Program Receives $2M Conrad Hilton Foundation Grant; News Roundup

News-oldTV-smlJuvenile Justice Reform

  • $2 Million OJJDP-MacArthur Partnership Focuses on Juvenile Justice Reform (JJIE)
    “Every youth who enters the juvenile justice system deserves to be treated fairly and to receive the help he or she needs,” OJJDP Administrator Robert L. Listenbee said Tuesday in a news release announcing the renewal of the partnership. “Together, our office and the MacArthur Foundation are working with states and communities to build a better future for youth."
  • Committee Hears Alternatives for Juvenile Justice(The Indy Channel)
    A parade of witnesses who testified before the Interim Study Committee on Corrections and the Criminal Code touted alternatives to juvenile detention, with some saying locking children up with worse offenders can even make the problem worse.
  • Juvenile Safe Surrender Gets Underway--Slowly--at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court (Cleveland.com)
    Cuyahoga County Public Defender Robert Tobik said the event is an opportunity for juveniles to address their cases "without fear of being shot or beaten" during an arrest. Tobik said it also increases safety for law enforcement personnel who don't have to worry about being injured or killed while arresting someone on a warrant.

Jobs, Grants, Events and Webinars

  • Please share the Reclaiming Futures Opportunity Board with your colleagues in the juvenile justice, adolescent substance abuse and teen mental health areas. It’s free to browse and post!

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Mental Health

  • PSU Youth Program Receives $2M Conrad Hilton Foundation Grant (Portland Business Journal)
    The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation awarded PSU’s Reclaiming Futures program the grant to advance its public health approach to juvenile justice reform. The three-year investment allows Reclaiming Futures to pilot and adapt its “Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment” program (known as SBIRT).
  • Grants to Help Youth with Mental Health (Defender Network)
    Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell recently announced that $99 million has been allocated nationwide to train new mental health providers, help teachers recognize mental health issues in youth, and increase access to mental health services for young people.

Topics: News

Speak Up! Share Your Story of Recovery from Addiction in an Important Video Contest

Do you know somebody who has an inspiring message of recovery to share? In a special 25th anniversary celebration of National Recovery Month, the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network (ATTC) invites people in recovery from addiction or mental illness to share their stories in 60-second segments.

The “In My Own Words...” Video Message Contest aims to spread a message of hope by recognizing the accomplishments of recovering Americans, and those who have been instrumental in others’ recoveries. By collecting and sharing video stories of those who have succeeded in recovery, we can stifle the negative stigma of addiction and encourage others to speak out and ask for help.

The contest asks participants to address one of the following two prompts in a 60-second video message:
I’m speaking up about my recovery because…
I’m reaching out about my recovery to…
The “In My Own Words...” Video Message Contest, sponsored in conjunction with Faces & Voices of Recovery and Young People in Recovery, closes October 15, 2014.

Head to the ATTC Network for complete instructions on submitting a “In My Own Words...” video.

The Case for Abolishing Juvenile Prisons; News Roundup

News-oldTV-smlJuvenile Justice Reform

  • Juvenile Justice 40 Years On: Unfinished Business (The Crime Report)
    A report by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency released in April found that racial disparities have increased despite the overall drop in youth incarceration. “While the total number of incarcerated youth has declined in many states, the proportion of youth of color among all youth receiving court dispositions grew substantially” the report states.
  • The Case for Abolishing Juvenile Prisons (The Awl)
    Last month, archaeologists identified the first of the fifty-five human bodies recently exhumed at Florida’s Dozier School for Boys—a now-shuttered juvenile prison where, for decades, guards abused children, sometimes to death, despite cyclical scandals and calls for reform spanning almost a hundred years. Dozier represents an atrocious extreme, but the failures of America’s juvenile justice system are widespread.

Jobs, Grants, Events and Webinars

  • Please share the Reclaiming Futures Opportunity Board with your colleagues in the juvenile justice, adolescent substance abuse and teen mental health areas. It’s free to browse and post!

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Mental Health

Topics: News

Webinar: Increasing Family Voice in the Juvenile Justice System

Why is a family voice significant in the juvenile justice system? I’m addressing this question in aOlivia September 19 webinar, along with Sandra Spencer of the National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health.

We’ll discuss why family voice is crucial to the success of and support of youth involved in the juvenile justice system. As an advocate for substance abuse and mental health treatment for teens, Reclaiming Futures helps families connect to the community support resources needed for adolescents to stay clean and sober, and become a productive member of society.

Here are three takeaways you’ll gain from attending this webinar:

  • Understand and discuss why family and youth voice is critical
  • How to incorporate family voice into practice in the juvenile justice system
  • Learn how Reclaiming Futures sites have successfully integrated family voice

Details:

  • What: Webinar—Increasing Family Voice in the Juvenile Justice System
  • When: Friday, September 19, 3-4 p.m. EDT
  • Presenters: Sandra Spencer, Executive Director, National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health; Susan Richardson, National Executive Director, Reclaiming Futures;
  • Register: Register here
  • Cost: Free
  • Contact: If you are unable to listen from your computer and need to call in, please email theinstitute@ssw.umaryland.edu

Media for a Just Society 2014 Award Winners Announced: Spotlight on Juvenile Justice Media

National Council on Crime and Delinquency’s (NCCD) announced the winners of its 2014 Media for a Just Society Awards. These awards are the only national recognition of media whose work furthers public understanding of criminal justice, juvenile justice, and child welfare issues.

More than 150 entries from 50 different outlets contended to win the categories of book, film, magazine, newspaper, radio, TV/video, web, and youth media. Each of the winning entries was recognized for “[telling] the stories we need to hear to help us create social change and right injustice.”

The winners are as follows:

Book: Men We Reaped: A Memoir, Jesmyn Ward, Bloomsbury USA

Film: Gideon’s Army, Dawn Porter, Trilogy Films

Magazine: “With 2.3 Million People Incarcerated in the US, Prisons Are Big Business,” Liliana Segura, The Nation

Newspaper: “Split the Baby: Two Sides of an Adoption Battle,” Olivia LaVecchia, City Pages

Radio: “Going to Rikers Island,” Maria Hinojosa, Latino USA (NPR)

TV/Video: “Our Turn to Dream,” Brittany Washington, Jordan Melograna, and Jesse Lava, Brave New Films

Web: “The Fight for Black Men,” Joshua DuBois, The Daily Beast/Newsweek

Youth Media: “Life Under Suspicion: Youth Perspectives on NYPD’s Stop-and-Frisk Policy,” Raelene Holmes-Andrews, Educational Video Center

Distinguished Achievement Award in Film: Fruitvale Station, written and directed by Ryan Coogler

Leading up to the Oct. 15 awards ceremony, the NCCD will publish blog posts going behind the scenes with this year’s finalists and winners. For more information on this year’s Media for a Just Society Awards, visit the NCCD website.

Watch the youth media submission in full here.

 
Life Under Suspicion full documentary from JODML on Vimeo.

Celebrate Recovery Month: Tune Into the White House Special Event September 17

You’re invited to tune into a live broadcast of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) on September 17 at 2-4pm ET. This White House special event celebrates the 25th anniversary of the National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

The event will celebrate the millions of individuals who have reclaimed their lives by overcoming addiction, and those who have persevered with them to aid their success.

You can help recognize these individuals at the event by tweeting questions and comments to @Botticelli44 using the hashtag #RecoveryatWH at any time prior to or during the event. Questions will be selected and posed to the panelists in recovery at the event.

Visit the live broadcast on September 17, or host a viewing party and register here.

With your help, we can take an important pause to highlight stories of recovery, uplift the negative stigma of addiction and take the next step toward a national commitment to recovery.

  • Who: You, your stakeholders, members and affiliates, and ONDCP
  • What: A ONDCP White House special event viewing party
  • Where: Your venue of choice + www.whitehouse.gov/live
  • When: September 17th | 2 – 4pm EST
  • Contact: Nataki MacMurray at RecoveryRSVP@ondcp.eop.gov or (202) 395-5510

 

Arlington Mural is an Outlet for At-Risk Teens; News Roundup

News-oldTV-smlJuvenile Justice Reform

  • REDEEM Act Aims to Fix Criminal Justice System (StopTheDrugWar.org)
    "The REDEEM Act will ensure that our tax dollars are being used in smarter, more productive ways. It will also establish much-needed sensible reforms that keep kids out of the adult correctional system, protect their privacy so a youthful mistake can remain a youthful mistake, and help make it less likely that low-level adult offenders re-offend," said Sens. Cory Booker.
  • L.A. Schools Program Aims to Keep Kids out of Courts (JIE)
    The nation’s second-largest school district — Los Angeles Unified — is unveiled a sweeping new agreement to curb police involvement in minor school discipline and campus problems.
  • D.C. Defense Attorneys Want Juveniles Released From Shackles in Court (The Washington Post)
    “They have been shackling kids who have no violent past. It’s a horrible thing. A lot of these kids are nonviolent offenders. We don’t want to send them down the wrong path by shackling somebody who doesn’t need to be shackled,” D.C. Council member David Grosso said.

Jobs, Grants, Events and Webinars

  • Please share the Reclaiming Futures Opportunity Board with your colleagues in the juvenile justice, adolescent substance abuse and teen mental health areas. It’s free to browse and post!

Topics: News

"Raise the Age" Victory in New Hampshire: More Kids Treated as Kids; News Roundup

News-oldTV-smlJuvenile Justice Reform

  • Why Evidence-Based? New Resource Hub Covers All  (Reclaiming Futures)
    Moving toward the next step in determining reliable practices that reduce youth crime, the National Juvenile Justice Network and the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange launched a new Evidence-Based Practices section of the Juvenile Justice Resource Hub.
  • "Raise the Age" Victory in New Hampshire: More Kids Treated as Kids (Campaign for Youth Justice) 
    Are 17 year olds really old enough to be sent to adult prisons? In NH, since 1995, the answer has been YES. Over the past decade, as states across the US have recognized that 17 year olds are still children, NH was unwilling to change. Since 2000, Representative David Bickford (R ) attempted to “Raise the Age” without much support, that is until this year.

 

Jobs, Grants, Events and Webinars

  • Please share the Reclaiming Futures Opportunity Board with your colleagues in the juvenile justice, adolescent substance abuse and teen mental health areas. It’s free to browse and post!

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Mental Health

Topics: News

Mental Health Funding Cuts are Leaving Young People Abandoned; News Roundup

News-oldTV-smlJuvenile Justice Reform

  • Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Bill 2014 Introduced in the Lok Sabha (India TV)
    After years of wait, the government has finally introduced the Juvenile Justice Care and protection Bill 2014 in the Lok Sabha today. This Act will give power to the Juvenile Justice Board to decide if juveniles between the ages of 16 – 18 should be tried as adults for crimes like murder and rape.
  • House members Appointed to Juvenile Justice Task Force (West Virginia Record)
    “West Virginia has the highest rate of 16-19 year-olds who are neither in school, nor in the labor force, while 30 percent of children under the age of six are living in poverty – the odds are stacked against them,” Delegate Stephen Skinner said. “We must provide effective case management, and expose at-risk youth to instruction and reinforcement for proactive, acceptable social behaviors."

Jobs, Grants, Events and Webinars

  • Please share the Reclaiming Futures Opportunity Board with your colleagues in the juvenile justice, adolescent substance abuse and teen mental health areas. It’s free to browse and post!

Topics: News

Core Principles for Reducing Recidivism and Improving Other Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System; and more - News Roundup

News-oldTV-smlJuvenile Justice Reform

  • Juvenile Justice White Paper: Core Principles for Reducing Recidivism and Improving Other Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System (The Council of State Governments Justice Center)

    This white paper was written to guide leaders across all branches of government; juvenile justice system administrators, managers, and front-line staff; and researchers, advocates, and other stakeholders on how to better leverage existing research and resources to facilitate system improvements that reduce recidivism and improve other outcomes for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The focus of the white paper is to promote what works to support successful reentry for youth who are under juvenile justice system supervision. To help advance this goal, this white paper does the following:

    Part One distills and synthesizes the research on what works to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for youth in the juvenile justice system into four core principles. The discussion of each principle includes the latest research supporting the importance of the principle accompanied by specific policy, practice, and resource-allocation recommendations, which when taken together, offers the potential for significant recidivism reductions and improvements in other youth outcomes. It also provides examples illustrating how state and local juvenile justice officials have established particular policies and system interventions to implement these principles.
    Recognizing that improved outcomes are possible only when research on what works is implemented with fidelity, Part Two details lessons learned from research and practice on how to implement the principles effectively, and provides examples of how state and local juvenile justice systems have operationalized the principles in practice.

  • Double Charged: The True Cost of Juvenile Justice (Youth Radio)  An interactive resource exploring the true cost of the juvenile justice system. Each year, almost 1.5 million teens, many of them low-income, are arrested in the United States. Compared to ten years ago, fewer of these young people end up incarcerated due to cost-saving measures at the county level, but what impact do those measures have on minors and their families? In a yearlong investigation, Youth Radio tracked two new trends – teen GPS ankle monitoring and making parents pay for their kids’ jail time and probation.

Jobs, Grants, Events and Webinars

  • Please share the Reclaiming Futures Opportunity Board with your colleagues in the juvenile justice, adolescent substance abuse and teen mental health areas. It’s free to browse and post!

Topics: News

There’s Still Time to Upgrade Your Juvenile Drug Court; News Roundup

News-oldTV-smlJuvenile Justice Reform

  • From Prison to Politics: Prophet Walker’s Journey (JJIE)
    “When I walked in to Ironwood and they called my name to go up to speak, the entire place erupted with people screaming and cheering,” former inmate--and now candidate for state office--Prophet Walker recounts. “When I walked away, people were saying that I had inspired them. These are people who have life sentences and to have them say I inspired them was great. It was really moving.”

Topics: News

Team Sports Help Lower Stress and Depression Among Teens; News Roundup

News-oldTV-smlJuvenile Justice Reform

  • Juvenile Justice Reforms Prominent in New Bill by U.S. Senators Booker and Paul (JJIE)
    Two first-term senators from opposite sides of the aisle introduced legislation Tuesday banning the use of juvenile solitary confinement in federal facilities, along with several other reforms that would impact juveniles offenders.
  • Natalie Kato: Reform for Juvenile Sentencing (Tallahassee Democrat)
    By requiring that most kids under 18 sentenced to 25 years or longer for murder receive a review of their sentences, the bill effectively halts one of the state of Florida's ugliest criminal justice practices: the sentencing of children to spend the rest of their lives in prison with no hope of release.
  • Counseling Should Be a Part of Any Juvenile Crime Reforms (Chicago Sun-Times)
    "If poor people don’t have opportunity, don’t have hope, don’t have a future, they are going to lash out. If they only have baseball bats, they would be using those. This is about racism, classism and oppression and oppressed people boil over,” said William Sampson, chairperson of the Public Policy Studies Department at DePaul University.

Topics: News

States Tackle Juvenile Justice Reform; News Roundup

Juvenile Justice Reform

Topics: News, No bio box

Concerns Grow About Medical Marijuana's Impact on Teens; News Roundup

Juvenile Justice Reform

  • Baltimore’s Newly Approved Youth Curfew Among Strictest in Nation (JJIE)
    Baltimore’s newly approved youth curfew will provide an effective way to keep kids off the streets late at night, making them less likely to become victims or perpetrators of violence. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said: "I am not willing to gamble on the lives of our children. ... This is about taking them out of harm's way."
  • Webinar Next Thursday: PDSA - The AAA Method for Change (Reclaiming Futures)
    Next Thursday's webinar will address process improvement when implementing a new evidenced based practice, improving staff retention, engaging meaningful family and youth participation, or improving interagency communications.
  • Juvenile Recidivism Measurement Inconsistent Across States (JJIE)
    “You get what you measure. If you’re not measuring something or if you’re unable to measure it, you don't know if your policies, programs and practices are having the intended impact,” said Adam Gelb, director of the Public Safety Performance Project at the Pew Charitable Trusts.
  • West Virginia to Study Juvenile Justice System (WTRF.com)
    West Virginia is joining the Pew Charitable Trusts to study its juvenile justice system and find better ways to keep youthful offenders out of detention centers.

Topics: News, No bio box

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