Leonard Witt: 5,250 Unique Visitors – You Are Not Alone

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Yesterday was a milestone for the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange (JJIE.org); you helped us top the 5,000 unique visitors a month threshold. We saw it coming from the first day of the New Year. Each day together you are piling up hundreds of page views and more and more of you are signing up for the JJIE.org newsletter. So if you are interested in juvenile justice issues, you are not alone. We are convinced that somewhere among the 5,250 of you, there are core groups who want to connect with other like-minded people.

Pete Colbenson: Counting Kids on the Streets

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In the season of warm fuzzy sweaters and family get-togethers, many young people in Georgia have but one New Year’s resolution – a safe place to sleep at night.  An unknown number of teenagers and young adults are alone and homeless in Georgia. Who they are and where they are – no one knows much about them. For the first time Georgia is undertaking an ambitious project to count a representative sample of these homeless youth statewide, and develop a uniform reporting system. Funded by the Governor’s Office for Families and Children, the project takes place during the last week of January. The Homeless Youth Count Project is part of a bi-annual census of homeless people of all ages, mandated by HUD.  As part of this initiative The State Department of Community Affairs is sending out a questionnaire to service providers in 152 counties, which for the first time, will ask for specific information about homeless young people, 24 and younger.

Reporter's Notebook: Beverage Buzz – I Had No Idea Alcoholic Energy Drinks Were Such A Big Deal

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I remember the very first time I tasted an energy drink. As a long-suffering veteran of media jobs that came with odd hours, I thought anything that could potentially carry me through a dreaded overnight shift was certainly worth a try. When I finally took a sip of the product that was all the rage at the time, I thought it tasted like a flat cream soda and, quite frankly, I never went back for more. Now many moons later I’m shocked and, well, appalled to learn that the accusations abound that the makers of these sugary caffeinated concoctions have now added alcohol to their mix and have allegedly set their sights on young people as their target market. My story about the Cobb Alcohol Taskforce’s efforts to stop these potent drinks from getting in the hands of young people was a real eye opener for me personally.

Judicial Insight

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When a writer comes along who touches your conscience, you want to tell people.  So we are pleased to tell you that Judge Steven Teske of Clayton County Juvenile Court is now writing for the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange at JJIE.org.  He is currently sharing stories from his childhood and his life that are filled with surprise and insight. His stories are sometimes funny, often poignant, and always make you think. In “The Good Shepherd,” we hear about the dare that almost got him arrested, and the middle school principal who saved his bacon. In “Making Adults Mad –When Did That Become a Crime?” he reveals what happened when he got his first BB gun for Christmas. In “The Silent Majority” he talks about the unsung heroes who help “crossover” kids.

Chicken Sandwiches and Children

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When Truett Cathy was honored by the Council of Juvenile Court Judges of Georgia, he told reporter Chandra Thomas what inspires him to work with children.  The interview brings back memories of chicken sandwiches and children for Pete Colbenson, our community organizer at JJIE.org.  Pete first met the founder of Chick-fil-A more than 30 years ago, when Cathy responded to a call for help. Pete was the director of the Clayton County Regional Youth Development Center in Jonesboro in 1987.  At the time, it was one of the oldest and most decrepit facilities in the state.  One morning he got to work and found out both kitchen stoves were broken down.  He had to find a way to feed the children– about 60 hungry kids needed lunch.  So he called The Chick-fil-A Dwarf House in Jonesboro and found a sympathetic ear. What happened next was a surprise Pete will never forget:

“An hour later an older gentleman in a beat up pickup truck arrived at the back gate. I went to open the gate and introduce myself.  I was stunned to learn it was Truett Cathy.

New Look for JJIE.org

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We are redesigning the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange to make your experience more useful and enjoyable. Some highlights of our new and improved site:

More content
Easier navigation tools
Navigation bar with drop-down categories so you can find stories faster
New section for parents and kids
Expanding legislation section so we can keep you informed about new bills and progress on the proposed new Juvenile Code. Events calendar for training, conferences, forums, hearings and happenings in the community
News release section where we will post your releases with links back to your website
Media gallery for pictures and videos from events we cover. You can also send us your photos and videos with a line or two about your event. Submit your news and story ideas.  We want your input so we can cover what matters most to you. Your story tips will be reviewed confidentially. We’ll contact you before anything is posted.