Judge Who Beat Daughter Says He Did Nothing Wrong

A Texas judge who was caught on video beating his daughter says he was simply disciplining his then 17-year-old. "In my mind, I haven't done anything wrong other than discipline my child after she was caught stealing," Judge William Adams told a Corpus Christi television station. "And I did lose my temper, but I've since apologized." The video of Adams, 51, appeared on the Internet after the daughter, Hillary Adams, uploaded it. Hillary Adams, now 23, told the Associated Press that she has since had mixed feelings about making the video public.

The Ish (Preview)

Next week we're launching a new weekly video called the Ish. No plans, no format. Just exploring youth culture. For the next 6 weeks we'll also be drawing a name at the end of each episode from people who entered a sweepstakes on our Facebook page. Go enter and you could win $100.

Two Teens Charged With Hate Crimes in McDonald’s Transgender Beating

A Maryland grand jury has handed down hate-crime charges in the beating of a transgender woman at a McDonald’s outside Baltimore. The April 24 incident has gotten national attention, in part because an employee shot a video of the incident and posted it online. From the Associated Press: 

Teonna Brown, 18, was indicted Monday on assault and hate crime charges in the attack on Chrissy Lee Polis at the restaurant last month. She is also charged with assaulting a customer and a McDonald’s employee who tried to intervene. A 14-year-old girl is facing the same charges in juvenile court.

April 15, 2011

Read up:

Bullying May Cause Long-term Social Anxiety, Study Finds:
http://bit.ly/dontBULLYmice

Celebrities Leverage Online Video to Combat Child Sex Trafficking:
http://bit.ly/realMENreadJJIE

Georgia's Failure to Enter Interstate Compact for Juveniles a "Serious Problem," Judge Says:
http://bit.ly/judge2gov

Host: Ryan Schill
Multimedia: Clay Duda

Celebrities Leverage Online Video to Combat Child Sex Trafficking

The Demi and Ashton (DNA) Foundation recently launched a high-profile online video initiative to fight child sex trafficking. The series "Real Men Don't Buy Girls" features major celebrity appearances by names like Bruce Willis, Justin Timberlake, and even Pete Cashmore - founder of the social media news site Mashable.com. The interactive campaign encourages users to submit their own "Real Man" video - using the slogans "I am a Real Man" or "I prefer a Real Man" - and upload them to the DNA Foundation's Facebook fanpage. In the video above, Isaiah Mustafa (commonly known as "The Old Spice Guy") and Mashable founder Pete Cashmore tip their hat to the cause. According to the DNA Foundation, the videos - and the organization itself - aim "to raise awareness about child sex slavery, change the cultural stereotypes that facilitate this horrific problem, and rehabilitate innocent victims."

Juvenile Justice | Week in Review | April 8, 2011

April 8, 2011

Read up:

FBI Probing Possible Civil Rights Violation of Teen:
http://bit.ly/Amerson

New Comcast 'On Demand' Show Seeks To Find Missing Children:
http://bit.ly/comcastkids

Juvenile Justice Journeys (series launching Monday, April 18):
http://bit.ly/JJjourneys

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Host:
Ryan Schill, JJIE Reporter

Multimedia team:
Clay Duda, Social Media Strategist

Update: Federal Civil Rights suit aimed at Alabama Sheriff who ran Scared Straight-like Program

The Anniston Star is reporting that a federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed against a Calhoun County, Ala., Sheriff who is accused of running a program that put juveniles into close contact with hardened criminals in a manner that is similar to the "scared straight" programs.

The Star quotes experts as saying the way Sheriff Larry Amerson operated the program runs contrary to federal and state law. The suit was brought by the father of a juvenile identified as J.B. It alleges that at one point during a recent visit by J.B., a deputy and an inmate verbally and physically abused him, pushing him and hurling racial slurs at him. The suit says that Amerson later came to speak to the boy. The Star obtained a copy of a video of part of that conversation, showing Amerson  "grabbing and holding down a boy dressed in an orange-striped inmate jumpsuit. The boy, whom the suit identifies as J.B., is shackled and has his hands cuffed behind his back during the incident," wrote The Star's Cameron Steele.