OP-ED: Separating the Sheep and the Wolves
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A veteran school police officer once told me, “If the only tool is a cop, than every problem becomes a crime.”
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Zero Tolerance
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I shudder to think of all the instances of out-of-control teenage anger that nearly killed another, when those same angry kids never really intended to seriously hurt anyone in the first place.
OP-ED: Setting Fire to the Pine Forest, and Other Tales of Adolescent Stupidity
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It was once said, “Never attribute to malice, that which can be reasonably explained by stupidity.”
OP-ED: It’s Time to Re-Wire Some Adults
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It's time for a new law that begins with the foundation that juvenile justice targets the kids who scare us—not those that make us mad.
OP-ED: When the Stupidity of Adults Hurts Kids
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No one should be allowed to possess the authority to act as a parent, but wield a sword of abuse and neglect on those in their charge.
OP-ED: Transforming the ‘Bench Box’ Judge
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I am a reformist who happens to be a judge. I came to this realization when introduced as a "reformer" at a recent Houston gathering of politicians, judges, clergy and juvenile justice stakeholders. I was invited to share some insights into the collaborative process of building effective juvenile justice systems at the local level -- a judicially led process. The number of judicially led reforms at the local level is growing, but many judges still resist this trend despite the successful outcomes. The key to their success is inherent in the role of the judge.
OP-ED: Is a Perfect Storm Heading Your Way?
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Handcuffs, jails, and courts are not good places to hard-wire a kid.
OP-ED: Are We Still In Abilene?
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The Abilene Paradox and "groupthink" -- decisions reached in a group based on social conformity that can lead to ineffective programs and practices in juvenile justice.
Nothing Cloudy About Sexual Abuse in the Georgia System
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A recent JJIE article titled "In Georgia, Sex Abuse Allegations Cloud Progress of Juvenile Justice Reform" is a story of contradictions -- in the midst of juvenile justice reform comes the federal report showing that Georgia has among the nation’s highest rates of sexual assaults in its secure juvenile facilities. The Atlanta Journal Constitution quoted my response -- "distressing." Although "distressing," these allegations do not "cloud" the progress of juvenile justice reform -- they underscore the reasons for reform. These stories aptly report "what" and provide some insight into "why" this distressing problem is occurring, but there is much more to the "why.” There is an elephant in the room -- the misuse and overuse of secure detention facilities. George Bernard Shaw wrote that "All great truths begin as blasphemies," and so, this is my blasphemy: We are making communities less safe by sending too many of the wrong kids to youth prison that turns them from the aggravating sort into the scary sort.
OP-ED: Breaking the Cycle of Hyper-Recidivism
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Is reform a means to cut the budget or is cutting the budget a means to reform? It's like which came first--the chicken or the egg? For Georgia, I think money is part of the equation, and ultimately becomes part of the outcome, but it's definitely not the primary objective despite it's appearance. In times of economic woe, one does not increase those woes with added fiscal burdens. A financial crisis is an easy out for any governor or lawmaker to avoid unwanted legislation.