Juvenile Justice Information Exchange (https://jjie.org/series/evidence-based-practices-2/)
The adolescent development research that underlies the latest wave of juvenile justice reform should remain the foundation for future improvements, says a new report from the MacArthur Foundation.
Over the last 15 years, juvenile justice advocates fought hard to convince policymakers and government officials that the best way to help youth succeed and improve public safety is to keep them out of secure confinement.
Why the evidence behind even the most highly-regarded treatment models for court-involved youth isn't nearly as strong as advertised.
A riveting new PBS documentary, "15 to Life: Kenneth's Story," traces one young man's quest for release from prison after he was sentenced to four consecutive life terms without parole. JJIE speaks with the documentary's director, Nadine Pequeneza, about the making of the film, Kenneth Young's case and how his experience is emblematic of a juvenile justice system struggling to find a balance among rehabilitation, modern behavioral science and the United States' "tough-on-crime" culture. Young is just one of the more than 2,500 people convicted as a juvenile that are now serving life sentences in the United States.
Social scientist Robert Martinson famously concluded in 1974 that “nothing works” to change the behavior of people encountering the justice system. Fortunately, we’ve come a long way since then. Policymakers and system stakeholders now have an ever-growing set of policies, practices and programs that help youth in trouble with the law change their behavior and make communities safer. And far-sighted policymakers have invested heavily in evidence-based practices in a number of states. Examples include Connecticut and Nebraska (where advocates like the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance and Voices for Children in Nebraska, along with their allies, played a role in the adoption of evidence-based practices).
Violent protests and looting erupted Sunday night in a St. Louis suburb following a candlelight vigil honoring an unarmed black teenager who was shot and killed Saturday by a police officer.