Teen summit on internet safety

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America’s Most Wanted host John Walsh will host the National Teen Summit on Internet Safety, June 15 in Washington D.C.  Atlanta social media expert James Andrews will join Walsh to meet with teens from across the country.  They’ll be talking about cyberbullying, sexting and the impact of social media on digital reputation. Cox Communications, based in Atlanta, sponsors the annual event with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  Cox will stream the Summit live online starting at 9:30am.  Here’s how to watch the event and join in the conversation:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/coxteensummit

Experts will field questions from twitter hash tag:  #cox4teensafety

A new survey shows 50 percent of teens have posted a fake age online and 38 percent have used social media to befriend people they don’t know. Click here for more information

James Andrews is co-founder of Everywhere, specializing in social media strategies.  Jane Fonda calls him her social media maestro. He orchestrated the live stream of World Fitness Day in May. John Walsh has hosted America's Most Wanted for 22 years.  He became a crime expert and child safety advocate after his own son, Adam Walsh, was kidnapped and murdered in Florida in 1981.  He lobbied for the  Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act in 2006, which created a national sex offender registry.

Child porn, sexting and online crimes

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On June 16, 2010, at 2 p.m. E.T., the Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) will host a Web Forum on preventing child victimization using high tech devices, including the internet and cell phones.  The session is expected to cover topics such as child pornography, sexting and cyber bullying. 

The 1-hour session, which is cosponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, will be led by Laurie Nathan, who manages national outreach and partnerships for the NetSmartz Workshop, an educational program of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.    For further information and instructions on how to participate, visit the OVC Web Forum

–Photo courtesy of  www.flickr.com/photos/angelshupe

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Detention education reform report

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Children in the juvenile justice system are more likely to have learning disabilities and behavior disorders, according to researchers at Georgetown University’s Center for Juvenile Justice Reform.  They reviewed state programs to educate these children and found that agencies often don’t work together. As a result, there is “duplication, fragmentation and the diffusion of responsibility” that prevents kids in the system from getting the education they need to be successful when they get out.   Some conclusions of their study:

Early education is essential. Quality education services are critical for successful
development of all youth. If outcomes matter, they must be measured. Support services are needed to help some youth
succeed.

Sentenced to Shakespeare

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Children who land in juvenile court in Berkshire County, Massachusetts may end up on stage, reciting Shakespeare.   Retired Judge Paul Perachi  worked with a theater company  to develop the program for teens convicted of violent crimes.  He thought working with theater professionals would help them develop self esteem, communication skills, and manager their anger better.  In the last 10 years, the program has graduated 200 kids with some success.   For some kids, it’s the first time they’ve been praised. 15 year old Tim, convicted of assault and battery, thought he’d be locked up.  “Assault and battery and you hand me a sword in Shakespeare? No, I didn't think that was going to happen at all”

Voice of America profiles the program, which won an award from the White House.

Helping teens with mental illness

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A growing number of states are looking for ways to assess and treat the mental health problems of children in the juvenile justice system.  The newest report comes from the Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice at the Berkeley School of Law in California.  An estimated 40 to 70 percent of teens in California’s juvenile justice system have mental health disorders and the numbers are rising.  Researchers recommend some practical strategies:

Better definitions of mental health problems linking diagnosis with treatment options across the system
Proven screening and assessment tools
Outcome-based treatment programs