Drugs, Child Pornography and Hit Men: 10 Minutes in the ‘Deep Web’

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At 14 I stood chest-deep in a cold swimming pool with a scuba tank strapped to my back. The mask covering most of my face, I plunged my head below the surface in an effort to learn what it feels like to be able to breathe under water, step one in training for scuba diving certification. I looked around the pool, seeing only the legs of the instructor before I lunged upward for air. As I wiped the chlorine from my eyes the instructor asked, "what happened? Why didn't you just breathe?"

May 27, 2011

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This Week's Stories:

In Tennessee, If You Can't Say Gay, Try George Takei
http://bit.ly/ioiSde

Is Ronald McDonald a "Deep Fried Joe Camel" or Just Plain Creepy? http://bit.ly/jxzbuS

Delinquency Prevention is Latest Area to Face Big Cuts
http://bit.ly/kQ2Usd

Get the Most out of JJIE.org

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As I am sure you've discovered  JJIE.org is the best source for daily coverage of juvenile justice issues not just in Georgia, but around the United States. Every week thousands of people are logging on to find out what is happening in the lives of young people and in the issues they face. But did you know that many of the conversations taking place around our stories aren't happening on our website? The JJIE community is a lively bunch, chiming in on issues from all corners of the web. Below are some ways you can connect with JJIE outside of this website:

 

Facebook.

April 22, 2011

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Read up:

Oxycontin Abuse Plagues Ohio:
http://bit.ly/NYToxy

Prescribed Addiction:

Kyle

Father Furious at Police for Charging Son:
http://bit.ly/eUKrno

Georgia Race Statistic

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Black teenagers who get arrested are 5.5 times more likely than white teenagers to end up in adult courts in Georgia. They are also 2.3 times more likely to be arrested. These numbers are compiled by the Governor’s Office for Children and Families which monitors disproportionate minority contact. The latest statistics available are from 2007. www.children.georgia.gov

Seclusion and Restraint Hearing June 9th

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The State Board of Education is holding a Public Hearing on June 9 from 1pm – 2pm to generate public discussion around the proposed Rule 160-5-1-.35 that would limit the practices of restraint and seclusion in public schools. A 2009 report by the National Disability Rights Network stated that 41 percent of states and territories have no laws, policies or guidelines concerning restraint or seclusion use in schools.  Currently, students in Georgia can be restrained or placed into seclusion for any reason. The proposed rule follows the tragic death of 13-year old Jonathan King who hung himself while secluded in a Gainesville, GA school. Concerned citizens, in conjunction with the Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO), Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), Center for Leadership in Disability at Georgia State University, Institute on Human Development and Disability at the University of Georgia and Parent to Parent of Georgia, are pressing for a tougher revised rule that also addresses accountability and data collection.

Gang prevalence in South

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In May, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention released a report in its National Gang Center Bulletin entitled: History of Street Gangs in the United States. Here is an interesting fact about Georgia and the South:
The states with the largest number of gang counties in 1998 were Texas (82), Georgia (61), California (50), Illinois (42), and Florida (40), with the South replacing the Northeast as the region with the most top-ranking states. Hence, the Southern region appeared to catch up with other regions in the prevalence of gang activity just before the turn of the century. --Photo courtesy of Mike Burns' photostream

Sexual Abuse in Juvenile Facilities

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Some alarming numbers about children who are sexually abused while in custody are contained in a letter sent to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder on May 10, 2010 from seven national advocacy groups.  The Children’s Defense Fund,  Campaign for Youth Justice,  Youth Law Center  and other groups created a report called Preventing the Sexual Abuse of Youth in Correctional Settings. Some of their recommendations:

Training in adolescent development for people who work or volunteer in youth facilities. More direct supervision by trained adults instead of video surveillance. Assessment standards and safety plans to keep vulnerable children safe. Limiting harsh responses to consensual sex between residents, where it may not be abusive

The report contains current federal laws, plus information about the new Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act currently under review in Congress.  It also features research, questionnaires, and resolutions from the PTA, the American Bar Association, the NAACP and other organizations concerned about the risks of placing juveniles under 18 in adult prisons. See more numbers here.

Girls in Detention: HPV Vaccinations

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The FDA recommends that all teenaged girls get vaccinated against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a common STD that can lead to cervical cancer.  Researchers at Brown University say the juvenile justice setting provides a unique opportunity to administer the HPV vaccine to a high-risk, medically underserved population. They surveyed youth detention facilities in all 50 states.  They found 39 state offer the HPV vaccine to teen girls in juvenile justice facilities.  But in Georgia facilities the practice is inconsistent. ScienceDirect summarizes this study to be published in the Journal of Adolescent Health