Juvenile Justice / Public News Service

About 970 juveniles are confined in Alabama, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

Youth diversion programs crucial for Alabama juvenile justice reform

Alabama has the eighth-highest youth incarceration rate in the nation and juvenile justice advocates said more diversion programs could be key to chan…

About 1,500 juveniles are confined in Georgia, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

Youth diversion programs could improve Georgia juvenile justice

Juvenile justice advocates say more diversion programs could be key to keeping Georgia's young offenders out of the criminal justice system. A …

At the end of 2023 there were more than 1,000 people older than 60 that had been incarcerated for longer than 15 years. (Adobe Stock)

MO lawmakers push for prison reform to address overcrowding, safety concerns

Some Missouri lawmakers want to lower the jail population, especially for older incarcerated people, because of safety concerns and staffing …

The median length of stay in juvenile detention has increased in Pennsylvania. The average and median lengths of stay have increased, from 17 and 11 days in 2018 to 27 and 14 days in 2022. (Seventyfour/Adobe Stock)

Report: PA in 'crisis' with shortage of juvenile detention beds

A new report is sounding the alarm on Pennsylvania's juvenile-detention capacity challenges, citing understaffing and long wait times for the young …

Families say they agreed to the settlement with Uvalde because they did not want to bankrupt the city. (Pixel-Shot/Adobe Stock)

Remembering the Uvalde mass shooting; two years ago today

Two years ago today, a teenager killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. The families of those shot and killed have …

In 2023, more than a third of Colorado high schoolers with major depression received no treatment, according to a recent Mental Health America report. (Adobe Stock)

More residential care coming for children with acute mental health needs

Colorado lawmakers are investing more than $15 million to ensure children experiencing complex behavioral challenges, including trauma, major …

TX group works to soften trauma for sexual assault survivors

A north Texas nonprofit organization is working to reduce stress for trauma survivors creates "soft" police station interview rooms. They paint the …

Between 2000 and 2020, the number of young people held in juvenile justice facilities fell from 109,000 to 25,000, a 77% decline. But racial disparities persist, according to The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Justice Department launches investigation into KY youth detention centers

The U.S. Justice Department is launching an investigation into reports of physical and sexual abuse at Kentucky's eight youth detention centers - …

A U.S. Department of Justice report noted 20% of the staff sexual misconduct occurred in a correction facility's cell, its commissary, cafeteria, or workshop. (Adobe Stock)

IL juvenile justice group says lawsuit addresses years of abuse

A lawsuit filed this month against the Illinois Departments of Corrections and Juvenile Justice might help tip the scales for legislation pending in S…

Restorative justice programs have increased the justice system's capacity to meet the needs of those harmed by adolescent misbehavior. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Diverting youth away from the justice system is working

Efforts to keep young people out of the criminal justice system are working, according to a new Sentencing Project report. Elie Zwiebel, attorney …

Across the country, states and counties are advancing reforms to expand and improve youth diversion programs, according to a report from The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Youth detention on the decline in Kentucky

A new report showed a decade after being passed, Kentucky's juvenile justice reform law is getting results. It found 60% of juvenile cases were …

White youths are put in juvenile crime diversion programs at far higher rates than comparable Black, Latino and Tribal youth, according to a new report by The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa focuses on 'restorative justice' for young offenders

A new report by national researchers says Iowa is making progress in reforming its juvenile justice system, and finding ways to steer kids away from …

Youth diverted from incarceration have shown a smaller likelihood of re-arrest. (Delphotostock/Adobe Stock)

Report: WA, other states expand diversion of youth from incarceration

A new report found states are making progress in diverting more youth from incarceration, including in Washington state. However, The Sentencing …

The Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform, formed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and led by Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, took a comprehensive look at the state's system and released its report in July 2022 with 32 recommendations for improving Michigan's juvenile justice system. (Oleg Kozlovskiy/Adobe Stock)

Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

Mental-health treatment is rare in jails and prisons, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (lagano/Adobe Stock)

Care, Not Criminalization: alternative to MI incarceration for mental health

March is National Criminal Justice Month, and advocates say people with mental illness are over-represented in jails and prisons. According to the …

An Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission year-end report said 388 youths, male and female, were admitted into juvenile detention centers as of December 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Digital court hearings cause uneasiness for young offenders

Online conferencing was a lifeline for school lessons and business meetings during the pandemic. However, there is concern about the effects of …

The now scrapped House Bill 1708 passed out of the House Rules Committee on Jan. 29. The National Rifle Association describes the bill as

Missouri Dems attempt new legislation following parade shooting

Missouri Democrats have filed legislation which would prompt a vote to return gun possession rules to local governments. The move was prompted by a …

In a 2024 report, the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Foundation pointed to the importance of legal immigrants for improving Nebraska's ongoing workforce shortage. (Moab Republic/Adobe Stock)

ACLU: Due process rights violated in Omaha immigration courts

Immigrants whose cases are heard in Omaha's Immigration Court are often denied their due process rights, according to a report from the ACLU of …

The group Everytown For Gun Safety ranks Missouri as the seventh-highest state for all gun-related deaths. (JJ Gouin/Adobe Stock)

Deadly shooting after Chiefs' victory parade renews calls for reform

Wednesday's Kansas City Chiefs' victory parade turned fatal, prompting gun-law activists to call for reform. One person died and three people are in …

Eight objectives in a report by European juvenile-justice groups include encouraging the adoption of age-appropriate alternatives to isolation and preventing tensions between peers and detention center staff. (Adobe Stock)

A push to end solitary confinement in IL for young offenders

There is growing concern over what happens to young offenders in Illinois as they await their first court hearing. A report by European juvenile-…

The idea of vital documents being made ready in time for a person's re-entry to society began as a pilot program launched in September 2020 across four state prisons and has expanded across the entire Michigan Department of Corrections. (wolfhound911/Adobe Stock)

Vital document release to prevent Michigan recidivism

Most legally free Michiganders possess their vital records, but some people recently coming back to society after incarceration do not. A package of …

The Education Data Initiative predicts the average yearly cost of law school tuition between 2024 and 2025 will be nearly $52,000. (Adobe Stock)

A lack of attorneys creates 'legal deserts' in rural IL counties

Labor shortages exist across the country in the medical and teaching professions but not as much is said about the lack of attorneys in some states…

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, North Carolina has an incarceration rate of 617 per 100,000 people in prisons, jails, immigration detention and juvenile justice facilities. (Jessica Leigh/Adobe Stock)

Report has remedies for racial disparities in NC criminal-justice system

Sixty percent of those incarcerated in North Carolina are people of color, one of the highest rates in the country. A new report from The Sentencing …

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, Alabama has an incarceration rate of 938 per 100,000 people in prisons, jails, immigration detention, and juvenile justice facilities.(Tracy King/Adobe Stock)

Report addresses disparities in imprisonment, explores paths to reform in AL

More than 50% of those incarcerated in Alabama are people of color. A new report from The Sentencing Project highlights some of the disparities that …

Georgia has an incarceration rate of 968 per 100,000 people in prisons, jails, immigration detention and juvenile justice facilities. (Adobe Stock)

Can GA overcome racial disparities in its criminal-justice system?

About 60% of those incarcerated in Georgia are people of color. A new report from The Sentencing Project highlights some of the disparities that …

Youth.gov defines the primary goals of the juvenile justice system as:

ACLU: Excessive youth 'room confinement' non-rehabilitative, violates NE law

A 2020 Nebraska law restricted the use of solitary confinement, also known as "juvenile room confinement," for Nebraska youths in detention. But a …

Research by The Sentencing Project shows the 2021 Black/White Youth Placement rates per 100,000 young people was 278 for Black youth and 93 for white youth. (Adobe Stock)

Juvenile detention rates show big racial disparities in IN, US

Youth incarceration rates have declined in Indiana and nationwide since 2014. But a new study shows young people of color are more likely to be …

Nationally, Black youths are almost five times as likely as their white peers to be held in juvenile facilities, an equivalent ratio to 10 years ago. (Adobe Stock)

Despite drop in youth incarceration, racial disparities continue in AZ, nation

New data released by The Sentencing Project found youths of color continue to face disproportionate incarceration rates compared with their white peer…

Around 42% of incarcerated youths are Black, even though Black Americans are only 15% of all youths across the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Expert: Racial disparities persist in youth incarceration

New data released by The Sentencing Project reveals youths of color continue to face disproportionate incarceration rates compared with their white pe…

The number of children who were victims of labor trafficking in Maryland and served by state workers grew from 26 in 2019 to 72 in 2021, according to a new survey. (Adobe Stock)

Study calls for changes to address child labor trafficking in MD

A new study recommends state agencies change their methods to address child labor trafficking. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of …

A 2019 report by the Cook County Advisory Board called for the end of punitive room confinement but Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice officials found in 2022, the disciplinary measure is still used. (Adobe Stock)

Summit paints grim picture of IL juvenile detention centers

At a Wednesday summit, advocates for juvenile justice reform took up the most recent slate of complaints about Illinois' juvenile detention centers…

The latest Crime in Connecticut report showed investments for prevention and services for system-involved youth helped bring the crime rate down in 2022. More than $37 million went to prevention and intervention programs along with juvenile review boards. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Crime drops in Connecticut; more work needed

Good news for Connecticut residents: The state saw a 4% overall decrease in crime in 2022. The latest "Crime in Connecticut" annual report shows a 13…

Since 2005, Supreme Court rulings have accepted adolescent brain science and banned the use of capital punishment for juveniles, limited life-without-parole sentences to homicide offenses, banned the use of mandatory life without parole and applied the decision retroactively. (Adobe Stock)

NC advocates push for end to juvenile life sentences

More than half of U.S. states have already banned life sentences without the possibility of parole for juveniles. North Carolina isn't one of them - …

This year Illinois lawmakers passed a bill ending life sentences without parole for people in Illinois who were under 21 when they were arrested. (Adobe Stock)

More work needed on juvenile justice reform

Advocates for juvenile justice reform recently gathered in Chicago to find ways to keep young people out of the criminal justice system. Herschella …

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, approximately one in five youths held in juvenile facilities are awaiting trial and have not been found guilty or delinquent. (Adobe Stock)

Fewer juveniles locked up in WV; recommendations to continue the trend

The number of children behind bars in West Virginia has declined significantly in recent years, but their advocates said more work could be done to …

Nationwide, nearly 12% of delinquent youth in secure correctional custody have been incarcerated for violating probation or after-care rules, not for committing new criminal offenses. <br />(Miguel Aguirre/Adobe Stock)

A call to action to see fewer children incarcerated in MS

The number of children behind bars in Mississippi has declined significantly in recent years, but their advocates say more work could be done to …

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, about one in five of the young people held in juvenile facilities is awaiting trial and has not been found guilty or delinquent. (Adobe Stock)

AL sees fewer kids incarcerated; their advocates say more could be done

The number of children locked behind bars in Alabama has declined, but their advocates said more needs to be done to create alternatives to …

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, about one in five young people held in juvenile facilities is awaiting trial and has not been found guilty or delinquent. (Adobe Stock)

A call for greater focus on youth justice in Kentucky

The number of children behind bars in Kentucky has declined significantly in recent years, but their advocates said more work could be done to create …

Fewer NC youths locked up, but more juvenile justice reforms needed

The number of children behind bars in North Carolina has declined significantly in recent years, but their advocates said more work could be done to …

In 2019, Black youths were 4.4 times as likely to be incarcerated in the juvenile-justice system<br />as were their white peers. (Jeffrey Zalesny/Adobe Stock)

Report Offers Ways to Reduce Jail, Prison Populations in NC

The U.S. prison population has grown nearly 500% since the start of mass incarceration 50 years ago and now, reform advocates are calling for its end …

In 2019, Black youths were 4.4 times as likely to be incarcerated in the juvenile-justice system<br />as were their white peers. (Christian Colista/Adobe Stock)

Report Explores Ways to End Mass Incarceration in AL

After 50 years of mass incarceration, the U.S. prison population has grown nearly 500% and now advocates are calling for its end in Alabama and …

The data shows that victims of youth crime rarely receive full financial restitution. The Edwards family holds photos of lost loved ones at a picnic for crime survivors in Los Angeles last weekend. (LaNaisha Edwards)

Hearing Friday on Bill to Halt Restitution Fines for Juvenile Crime

A bill will be heard in the State Senate Appropriations Committee tomorrow that would stop requiring youths convicted of a crime to pay restitution…

According to the Sentencing Project, Between 2000 and 2020, the number of youths held in juvenile justice facilities fell from 109,000 to 25,000 - a 77% decline. (Adobe Stock)

Mounting Evidence Finds Youth Incarceration Ineffective

A wealth of research shows youth incarceration doesn't increase public safety or work for youth well-being, according to a recent report from the …

The New York Times reports six of the nine deadliest mass shootings in the United States since 2018 were by people who were 21 or younger, a shift from earlier decades. (Adobe Stock)

IL Works to Take Youth into Account in Life Sentences

It's only been a few months since Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill ending life sentences without parole for people in Illinois who were under 21 when …

Juvenile=justice reform advocates say as the nation deals with a mental-health crisis among teenagers, still allowing solitary confinement at detention centers can only make those situations worse. Minnesota recently took steps to limit that practice. (Adobe Stock)

Limiting Solitary Confinement Part of MN Juvenile Justice Overhaul

Minnesota is about to implement several juvenile justice system reforms that are being cheered by advocates. The public-safety omnibus bill approved …

Young people who are adjudicated as delinquent may be placed in multiple types of facilities, from youth prisons and detention centers, to residential treatment facilities or group homes. (Jan H. Andersen/Adobe Stock)

IL Sees Significant Long-Term Decline in Youth Incarcerations

Illinois is seeing a steady drop in youth arrests and therefore, fewer adolescents locked up in juvenile and adult detention facilities. Josh Rovner…

Illinois had almost 1,000 juveniles incarcerated in adult correctional facilities in 2021, at an annual cost of almost $33 million, according to a Human Rights for Kids report. (napatacha/Adobe Stock)

IL Lawmakers Pass Bill to Prevent Unfair Youth Sentencing

Illinois could soon be the fourth state to pass a law to prevent unfair youth sentencing. The legislation encourages criminal courts to recognize …

At the end of 2022, there were 4,524 Arkansas children in foster care, a decrease of 7% from the previous year, according to the State of Arkansas House of Representatives.<br />(Valerii Honcharuk/Adobe Stock)

Helping Arkansas Foster Youth Succeed as Adults

May is National Foster Care Month and in Arkansas, the number of foster youths near adulthood has dropped slightly, according to a new report…

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