recreational therapy: young girl paints a picture using palette

Recreational Therapy Is Lifesaver for Kids in Juvenile Detention

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Bill Dorsey works as a shift supervisor at the Ada County Juvenile Justice Detention Center in Boise, Idaho. Outside of his daily duties, Dorsey also provides a valuable service to the youths held in detention — he teaches music. By providing guitar, mandolin and drumming lessons, Dorsey creates a space for kids to learn skills and find their passion by engaging in healthy, communal activities. Since Dorsey began his informal musical instruction, the detention center now incorporates a “healthy hobbies” program that includes gardening and fly fishing.

Massachusetts: Massachusetts US state law, code, legal system and justice concept with a 3d render of a gavel on the Massachusetts flag on background.

How Our Coalition Helped Push Big Reforms in Massachusetts

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Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, signed into law a criminal justice reform package representing significant progress for our state, including many progressive youth justice reforms, in April. Here’s how we helped engineer that.

InsideOUT Writers: Close-up top view of young people putting their hands together, friends with stack of hands showing unity and teamwork.

InsideOUT Writers: Community, Compassion, Multitudes

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The Youth Today/InsideOUT Writers series these past two years has been a critical reflection on the impact of the American justice system on our youth, how these youth learn to navigate through that system and the ways in which many of these youth nevertheless find ways to humanize themselves into healthy young adults.

Young tattooed man in ball cap break dancing, on his toes, hands on knees, on wall background.

Writing Raps Helps Reduce Recidivism in Youth of Color

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While our nation’s steadily declining rates of juvenile incarceration are encouraging, widening racial disparities are a pressing call for concern. Racial disparities often begin in the school system and persist at each stage of juvenile justice contact, affecting the lives of youth before and far beyond incarceration.