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Celebrating Comeback States: 6/19/2013; by David Kindler; Two Models for Change states, Illinois and Washington, are among nine states called out for their success in reducing the number of incarcerated youth in the Comeback States report released yesterday…
Putting So Many Kids in Jail Is Stupid and Expensive: 6/18/2013 by THE312 (Chicago Magazine's staff blog); by Whet Moser; A few years ago, Illinois—and Chicago in particular—realized it had a problem on its hands with both juvenile recidivism and juvenile incarceration. Despite the tremendous amounts of…
Louisiana Legislature Concludes 2013 Regular Legislative Session: 6/18/2013; by Louisiana Models for Change; The 2013 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session adjourned on Thursday, June 6, 2013 at 6p.m. Below is a brief description of each of the 2013 legislative bills related to juvenile justice, a summary…
Throwing children in prison turns out to be a really bad idea: 6/15/2013 by Wonkblog (Washington Post); by Brad Plummer; The United States still puts more children and teenagers in juvenile detention than any other developed nations in the world, with about 70,000 detained on any given day in 2010. And as it turns out,…
System Failure: Sexual Victimization in Illinois Juvenile Prisons: 6/13/2013 by HuffPost Chicago; by John Maki, Executive Director of the John Howard Association of Illinois; In a recently released national study, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) found that Illinois ranked among the four worst states in the country for rates of reported sexual victimization in…
My View: Juvenile justice system broken, needs oversight: 6/13/2013 by Freeport (IL) Journal-Standard; by Elizabeth Clarke, President of the Juvenile Justice Initiative; Too often, it takes a crisis — and victims — to bring about a change.
Experts say Illinois youth prisons need independent ombudsman: 6/11/2013 by WBEZ (Chicago Public Radio); by Patrick Smith; The chair of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission says Gov. Pat Quinn must act quickly to protect kids in the state’s youth prisons. Retired Judge George Timberlake says incarcerated youth…
Louisiana Association of Drug Court Professionals (LADCP) sponsors a Motivational Interviewing Training Seminar in partnership with Supreme Court Drug Court Office (SCDCO): 6/6/2013; by Kim Cusimano, Louisiana Models for Change; In 2009, with assistance from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Louisiana Models for Change initiative, the 4th Judicial District Court Juvenile Drug Court embarked on a pilot program…
Cruel, Unusual, and a Matter of Law in Illinois: 6/5/2013 by The Atlantic; by Paige Sutherland, Bryan Lowry, and Ananth Baliga; The one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision to outlaw juvenile mandatory life sentencing without parole is coming up fast, yet Illinois is no closer to being in compliance.
In Illinois, a Season of Restorative Justice: 6/5/2013 by JJIE Resource Hub; by Judge George Timberlake; It has been a good spring for juvenile justice in Illinois. In a year of great fiscal challenge, the General Assembly approved Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposal to double funding for Redeploy Illinois,…
Taking a More Standard Approach: 6/3/2013 by National Juvenile Defender Center; by Rey Cheatham Banks and Sarah Bergen; The practice of juvenile defense is often an ad hoc system of representation with no definable structure, guidelines, or standards. Some states have a statewide system of defense, while others rely…
Gov. Bobby Jindal signs first bills of 2013 legislative session into law: 5/24/2013; by Kim Cusimano, Louisiana Models for Change; Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal signed three bills relative to juvenile justice into law yesterday. The bills were the first pieces of legislation to make it to the governor's desk and be approved during…
A Public-Private Partnership that Works: 5/23/2013 by Juvenile Law Center; by Autumn Dickman; Public-private partnerships are a staple of good government initiatives. Rarely, however, has such a partnership existed in juvenile justice on the scale of MacArthur Foundation’s…
Prevent crime by giving children the right start: 5/23/2013 by St. Louis Post-Dispatch; by St. Clair County (IL) State's Attorney Brendan Kelly; There is a growing consensus among law enforcement that we need to be doing much more on the front end to prevent crime on the back end. That’s why my office has created a Children’s…
Editorial: Fighting crime the smart way: 5/22/2013 by Chicago Sun-Times; As recently as three years ago, more than 1,300 young people were locked up in juvenile prisons in Illinois, costing the state a small fortune, from $88,000 to $98,000 per inmate. Now, thanks in…
Voice of the Reader: Redeploy Illinois needs support: 5/21/2013 by Southern Illinoisan (Carbondale); by Union County (IL) State's Attorney Tyler Edmonds; My law enforcement colleagues do a good job addressing juvenile crime and making sure offending juveniles are taken off the streets. But we continually arrest and prosecute the same kids and send…
Violence in the streets can start in the home: 5/17/2013 by WBEZ-FM (Chicago Public Radio); by Adriana Cardona-Maguigad; CHICAGO -- Ubaldina is a mother of six, who works the night shift at a packing company so she can be there when her kids come home from school. She’s raising her kids alone now. She said her…
Juvenile Justice shows progress: 5/16/2013 by Illinois Times; by Patrick Yeagle; When the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice was created in 2006, the state’s youth prisons held 1,500 juvenile offenders. Today, there are fewer than 900 kids behind bars in Illinois…
Two Major Juvenile Justice Bills Passed in Illinois Senate: 5/15/2013 by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange; by James Swift; On Tuesday, Illinois state senators passed two bills with potentially profound implications on the state’s juvenile justice system.
‘Math tutoring on steroids’ aims to help troubled Chicago teens, muscle out crime: 5/12/2013 by Chicago Sun-Times; by Frank Main; Math kills crime. That’s the result researchers expect from a program that combines “math tutoring on steroids” with sports-based mentoring for troubled teens in Chicago.
One Case Makes the Case for Community Based Services: 5/8/2013 by Youth Today; by Judge George W. Timberlake, Ret.; CHICAGO -- The national debate continues over the issues of guns and violence, but attention to the subject of mental health services and funding must not be lost. We cannot miss the opportunity to…
Editorial: State can be a leader in juvenile justice: 5/7/2013 by Chicago Sun-Times; In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that juveniles should not be sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole. But the court didn’t address two issues. What about juveniles who…
Transforming the Justice System by Partnering with Families: 5/6/2013 by Campaign for Youth Justice; by Neelum Arya; Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 …
Tavis Smiley Spotlights Washington Models for Change Programs on National Stage: 5/2/2013 by PBS; by Washington Models for Change; Truancy is a major issue in Washington state and is at the forefront of Washington Models for Change efforts. These efforts now have more national recognition thanks to the recent Tavis Smiley…
Juvenile Law Center Named Best "Law" Website in the 17th Annual Webby Awards: 5/2/2013 by Juvenile Law Center Blog; by Models for Change; Reposted from: Juvenile Law Center Blog The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) announced today that Juvenile Law Center has been named the Best "Law" Website in the 17th…
Louisiana Models for Change Grantee Replicates Model: 5/1/2013; by Louisiana Models for Change; In March 2011, Louisiana Models for Change awarded a $150,000 grant to the Northshore Technical Community College-Florida Parishes Campus to implement a pilot career development model targeting…
Juvenile Justice: Program in Illinois leaves some wondering whether the concept of fairness is being served: 5/1/2013 by Illinois Issues magazine; by Jamey Dunn; If a 17-year-old were caught stealing an iPod in Illinois, he or she would likely end up in the juvenile justice system. However, if the same teenager were caught stealing the newest iPhone, he or…
After Years of Slow Progress, Illinois Finds Traction In Efforts to Meet Needs of Mentally Ill Youth: 5/1/2013 by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange; by Ed Finkel and Dick Mendel; Early in 2000, after a groundbreaking study revealed epidemic levels of mental illness among detained youth in Cook County – plus a severe lack of counseling and treatment – the Illinois…
Louisiana Juvenile Justice Champion Rep. Walt Leger Passes Resolution Commending the Foundation: 4/29/2013; by Louisiana Models for Change; Louisiana Speaker Pro Tem and Chairman of the Juvenile Justice Implementation Commission Rep. Walt Leger introduced House Concurrent Resolution 27 of the 2013 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session.…
A New Hub for Juvenile Justice Research: 4/24/2013 by Juvenile Justice Resource Hub; by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange and the National Juvenile Justice Network; Juvenile justice professionals take note: a new resource launches this week that will make it easier—and more engaging—than ever to get in-depth journalism stories together with key…
Illinois State House Signs off on Redirecting Most Youth Under 17 From Adult Court: 4/18/2013 by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange; by James Swift and Safiya Merchant; The Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission this week released a report urging state policymakers to reclassify 17-year-olds as juveniles in the legal system, lest Illinois become “a national…
Guest Editorial: Justice for all, including juveniles: 4/7/2013 by New Orleans Times Picayune; by Catherine 'Kitty' Kimball; I have spent the past two decades serving on the Louisiana Supreme Court. During that time, I have made juvenile justice reform a priority. For our youth to be properly served, we need to refocus…
A New Bill Can Keep Offending Youth with Mental Health Needs on the Right Path in Washington State: 4/4/2013; by Washington Models for Change; Research shows that almost 70 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system have at least one diagnosable mental health disorder. The Washington State Legislature is considering how to put those…
Raise the Age; Don't Split the Difference: 4/3/2013 by Youth Today; by Judge George W. Timberlake, Ret.; The MacArthur Foundation's new "Mistakes Kids Make" Internet-based campaign is a welcome and innovative way to educate the public of the wisdom of giving kids an opportunity to straighten out their…
Jefferson Parish Completes Probation Review and Converts Recommendations into Practice: 4/2/2013; by Kim Cusimano, Louisiana Models for Change; Louisiana Models for Change awarded a grant to the Jefferson Parish Department of Juvenile Services to conduct a comprehensive probation review and provide a list of recommendations to improve the…
Editorial: Raise age for charging youths as adults: 3/25/2013 by Chicago Sun-Times; In Illinois, a 17-year-old goof caught shoplifting a $150 iPod Touch, a misdemeanor theft, is charged as a juvenile. If the same 17-year-old goof steals a $400 iPhone, a felony theft, he is charged…
Louisiana poised to carry out detention standards and licensing: 3/19/2013; by Kim Cusimano, Louisiana Models for Change; The Calcasieu Parish Office of Juvenile Justice Services serves as the Louisiana Models for Change project lead developing standards, implementing licensing criteria and training for detention…
The Crucial Role of Prosecutors in Juvenile Justice: 3/13/2013 by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange; by Susan Broderick; Having spent my entire professional career involved in the criminal and juvenile justice systems, I have had the opportunity to see tremendous changes in the fields. I began working as an assistant…
Options for the future exist; but little money is available: 3/13/2013 by Tri-Parish Times; by John DeSantis; On a chilly morning just a few weeks ago local court officials, educators and others saddled with the task of keeping kids in trouble out of more trouble traveled in vans and cars to view first-hand…
We are the System: 3/6/2013 by Youth Today; by Judge George W. Timberlake, Ret.; Since the deadly shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School late last year, there has been an abundance of suggested policy changes to keep children safe. They include armed guards in every school…
Children and Family Justice Center awarded 2013 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions: 2/28/2013; by Northwestern University; Video: The Children and Family Justice Center The extraordinary accomplishments of the Children and Family Justice Center were recognized by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which…
Study Recommends Extending Illinois Juvenile Court Jurisdiction to Include 17-year-olds Charged with Felony Offenses: 2/26/2013 by Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 26, 2013 Recommendation: To promote a juvenile justice system focused on public safety, youth rehabilitation, fairness, and fiscal responsibility, Illinois should…
Truancy Needs Early and Innovative Intervention: 2/20/2013 by Youth Today; by Judge George W. Timberlake, Ret.; Skipping school – perhaps that makes you think of adventures with high school friends just to test your independence. Four of my high school pals skipped school one beautiful spring day and…
Clark County Creates Ease and Efficiency in Juvenile Justice System: 2/19/2013; by Washington Models for Change; Imagine you’re a case worker in the juvenile justice system and the de facto conduit among youths and their families, government agencies, court officials, schools, nonprofit programs, and…
Jindal seeks reforms for juvenile justice, prisons: 2/15/2013 by The Advertiser; by Mike Hasten; BATON ROUGE — The Legislature could improve young people's lives, lower the crime rate, reduce the number of nonviolent inmates held in state prisons and save money by passing a package of…
Though controversial, prison reform a necessity: 2/10/2013 by Chicago Sun-Times; by Esther Franco-Payne; Every discussion of state government today revolves around the public pension funds stalemate, a crisis that has sucked the air out of the State Capitol. Yet, the wheels of state government keep…
A Rational Approach to School Safety and Student Performance: 2/5/2013 by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange; by Judge George W. Timberlake, Ret.; Debate is raging in communities across the country about the role of police in our nation’s schools. While the discussion is long overdue, too often the debate centers on the role and presence…
Why is it so hard to expunge juvenile records in Cook County?: 2/4/2013 by Chicago Public Radio; by Linda Paul; Thousands of kids get arrested each year at school in Chicago, and that might not be news to you. But what might be surprising are what can be long-term consequences of juvenile arrests, even for…
How many Chicago juvenile arrests happen at school?: 2/4/2013 by Chicago Public Radio; by Linda Paul; Tens of thousands of young people get arrested each year in Chicago, and a lot of those arrests happen on the grounds of Chicago Public Schools. Of course, arrests at school happen all across the…
Advocates Cheer Listenbee as New Federal Head of Juvenile Justice: 2/2/2013 by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange; by Kaukab Jhumra Smith; Juvenile justice advocates hailed the Obama administration’s announcement Friday that Philadelphia defense attorney Robert Listenbee Jr., a long-time champion of limiting the detention and…
Juvenile offenders studied: Report links mental health issues, jail in Louisiana: 2/1/2013 by The Advocate; by Mark Ballard; Louisiana jails a higher percentage of youthful inmates with mental health needs than most other states, according to a study released Thursday. “We don’t do a very good job of keeping…
Report calls for increased funding for juvenile justice efforts: 2/1/2013 by The Times-Picayune; by Laura Maggi; To sustain and ramp up changes to Louisiana's juvenile justice system there needs to be adequate funding at both the state and local levels, experts recommended in a report released Thursday. At a…
LSUHSC School of Public Health Institute for Public Health and Justice Hosts Conference in Baton Rouge to Discuss Progress Thus Far and Next Steps in Reform: 1/30/2013; by Louisiana Models for Change and Institute for Public Health and Justice; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, January 31, 2013 Contact Information Jim Harris 225-344-0381 LSUHSC School of Public Health Institute for Public Health and Justice Hosts…
Screen to Save: Youth Assessment Conserves Resources and Improves Outcomes for Youth: 1/23/2013; by Gina Vincent and David Kindler; Screen to Save: Youth Assessment Conserves Resources and Improves Outcomes for Youth Youth “risk for re-offending” assessment tools can help juvenile justice systems to target resources…
Illinois Juvenile Justice Experts Discuss Solutions to Violence in Chicago: 1/18/2013; by Illinois Models for Change; CHICAGO -- Even before the world was shocked by the killing of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, murders of schoolchildren already had become a crisis in…
LSU Institute for Public Health and Justice Director to Speak at Regional Conference About Louisiana’s Success in Implementing Evidence-based Practices on a Statewide Level: 1/14/2013; by Louisiana Models for Change and Institute for Public Health and Justice; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 14, 2012 Contact Information Jim Harris 225-344-0381 LSU Institute for Public Health and Justice Director to Speak at Regional Conference About…
Illinois Juvenile Justice Experts Discuss Solutions to Violence in Chicago: 1/14/2013; by Illinois Models for Change; CHICAGO -- Even before the world was shocked by the killing of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, murders of schoolchildren already had become a crisis in…
Juvenile Justice Sees Progress: 12/27/2012 by The Advocate; by Justice Catherine Kimball; Juvenile justice sees progress Some good news about Louisiana’s success on the juvenile justice reform front was announced last week in the results of a nationwide study. While the news did…
Our View: In Louisiana, A Friend for Youth and a Model for Change: 12/23/2012 by The Town Talk, Alexandria; by Opinion; Louisiana knows only too well about the “school to prison” pipeline and the lifelong deleterious effects it has on young people who get run through it. Louisiana needs to know that…
New report touts Louisiana juvenile reform success, Speaker Pro Temp reacts: 12/18/2012 by Zachary Today; A watchdog organization on juvenile crime prevention has highlighted Louisiana for its efforts to reduce the rate at which juvenile offenders repeat criminal behavior. Speaker Pro Tempore Walt Leger…
Study recognizes Louisiana as leader in adopting evidence-based practices in dealing with delinquent or violet youth and their families: 12/17/2012; by Louisiana, Models for Change; The Institute for Public Health and Justice and the MacArthur Foundation’s Louisiana Models for Change Program was named as key to state’s success by report’s lead author Some good…
Benton-Franklin Counties Creates Additional Reengagement Program to Meet Dropout Needs: 12/13/2012; by Washington State, Models for Change; In 2013, Benton County is expected to see its highest graduation rate of reengaged students— those cited for truancy or at risk of dropping out. This success is the result of options like…
Foundation Strives to Create Legacy for Juvenile Justice Reform: 12/6/2012 by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange; by Kaukab Jhumra Smith; WASHINGTON, D.C. – The nonprofit MacArthur Foundation has spent more than $100 million since 2004 on developing blueprints for reform within the juvenile justice systems of 16 states. Earlier…
To Keep Kids Out of the System, We Need Community Involvement: 12/5/2012 by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange; by Judge George Timberlake; Most of the teenagers walking into my courtroom were 1st or 2nd time visitors. They didn’t want to return, and we worked with them and their parents to make that first visit their last one. …
MacArthur Foundation Program Honors Juvenile Justice Reform Achievements of Rutgers–Newark Law Professor: 12/4/2012 by Rutgers Today, Rutgers University News; by Janet Donohue; NEWARK, NJ – Laura Cohen, Clinical Professor of Law at Rutgers School of Law–Newark, has been recognized by the MacArthur Foundation Models for Change program for her zealous and…
Arthur D. Bishop, Director of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, Honored as Champion for Change: 12/3/2012 by Models for Change Illinois; by Jim Bray; For Immediate Release: Contact: Jim Bray December 3, 2012 217-793-8416 Arthur D. Bishop, Director of the Illinois Department of…
Northshore dean wins national award: 11/30/2012 by The Hammond Star; by Bridgette Bonner; HAMMOND--Sharon Hornsby, dean of the Northshore Technical Community College Florida Parishes campus, has been announced the recipient of a national award.  Recipients of the John D. and Catherine T.…
Redeploy Illinois Savings Pass $40 Million As State Officials Advocate Expansion: 11/8/2012; by Illinois Models for Change; SPRINGFIELD, IL – After seven successive years of experience reducing the number of youth committed to state incarceration, some state officials are convinced resources to support the Redeploy…
For the Newly-Elected Judge, a Different View of Juvenile Court: 11/7/2012 by Youth Today; by Judge George W. Timberlake, Ret.; Dozens of lawyers won their first elections as judges this month, and they will soon experience the sensation of viewing the courtroom from the other side of the bench and hearing the words…
Louisiana Models for Change Project Director Dr. Debra DePrato Receives Award from the State's Office of Juvenile Justice: 11/6/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; The Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice presented its 2012 Champion of Louisiana Juvenile Justice Award to Louisiana Models for Change Project Director Dr. Debra DePrato at the agency’s annual…
International Juvenile Justice Conference Told of Shift Away from Incarceration of Youth in USA: 11/6/2012; by Illinois Models for Change; Elizabeth Clarke, the leader of a juvenile justice reform coalition in Illinois, told an international audience Tuesday of a trend away from mass incarceration of youth in the United States. In…
After the Violence, the Rest of Their Lives: 11/4/2012 by New York Times; by Erica Goode; CHICAGO — Xavier McElrath-Bey drives past the dilapidated houses, liquor stores and vacant lots in his old neighborhood and sees the landmarks of his youth.
Lawsuit Seeks Changes in Youth Parole Revocation Hearings in Illinois: 11/1/2012; by Illinois Models for Change; CHICAGO – Comparing parole revocations hearings in for youth in Illinois to “kangaroo courts,” a class action lawsuit filed recently in federal court has charged that the hearings…
Don’t play politics: Close underused youth prisons: 10/28/2012 by Chicago Sun-Times; by Stephanie Kollmann; Voters are rightly disinclined to blame state workers for Illinois’ fiscal woes. Still, it’s hard to imagine the economic moment when taxpayers would be sympathetic to a union that…
Illinois Advocate Sues to Speed Juvenile Parole Reform: 10/25/2012 by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange; by Maggie Lee; Juveniles who appeared before the Illinois Prisoner Review Board (IPRB) for parole revocation hearings were denied due process, according to a state-commissioned report that’s almost a year…
Letter: Much done, much to do on juvenile justice: 10/23/2012 by The Advocate-Baton Rouge, La.; by Louisiana Models for Change; It has been a long road for juvenile justice reform in Louisiana. There has been some improvement, but much more needs to be done. In 2001, the Louisiana Legislature took steps to revitalize the…
MacArthur Foundation's Models for Change Initiative Announces its Knowledge Brief Series: 10/18/2012; by Models for Change; The Knowledge Brief Series describes new knowledge emerging from the Models for Change initiative, a multi-state juvenile justice initiative. Models for Change is accelerating movement toward a more…
National Youth Justice Awareness Month and Children's Health Month: 10/11/2012; October is National Youth Justice Awareness Month and Children’s Health Month. In recognition of both, we would like to remind you of two recent knowledge briefs that speak to children’s…
Campaign for Youth Justice Recognizes National Youth Justice Awareness Month: 10/1/2012; by Campaign for Youth Justice; During the month of October, thousands of people are participating in National Youth Justice Awareness Month (Y-JAM) activities throughout the country. The Campaign for Youth Justice (CFYJ) and…
Thousands to Participate in National Youth Justice Awareness Month Activities throughout the Country: 10/1/2012; by Campaign for Youth Justice; Thousands to Participate in National Youth Justice Awareness Month Activities throughout the Country Twenty-eight Events in 20 States are designed to Raise Awareness around the Issue of Youth…
Agreement Could Lead to Additional Improvements for Incarcerated Youth in Illinois: 9/12/2012; by Illinois Models for Change; CHICAGO – An agreement between the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) and the ACLU of Illinois may avert a potential expensive and lengthy court battle and lead to improvements in…
Jim Anderson Receives Presidents Award From Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges: 9/5/2012 by Juvenile Court Judges' Commission Newsletter; A surprised Jim Anderson, Executive Director of the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, received the 2012 Presidents Award from the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges at the Hotel…
Training to Enhance Family Involvement in Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice System Now Available: 9/5/2012 by Juvenile Court Judges' Commission Newsletter; The Center for Juvenile Justice Training and Research is launching a statewide effort to provide training for juvenile probation officers who desire to utilize strategies to expand family involvement…
llinois should close two juvenile prisons to save money: 9/3/2012 by St. Louis Post-Dispatch; by George W. Timberlake, Chair, Illinois Juvenle Justice Commission; With Gov. Pat Quinn and Illinois AFSCME locked in a protracted lawsuit over the governor's intention to close state prisons, the public debate often focuses on overcrowding in the state's adult…
Illinois Supreme Court: Even juveniles deserve strong legal defense: 8/31/2012 by Associated Press; by Christopher Will; SPRINGFIELD, IL -- Lawyers are supposed to win cases for their clients. Lawyers in the juvenile justice system want what's best for troubled children. And when the two impulses are in conflict, the…
Experts Say New Federal Rule Brings Hope for LGBTQ Youth in Custody: 8/29/2012 by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange; by Christie Thompson; Given the high rate of torment suffered by LGBT youth in custody, activists applauded last week’s finalizing of a landmark law that took nine years to get from adoption to implementation.
Washington Models for Change Toolkit Sees 100% Success Rate in Implementation: 8/28/2012; by Models for Change Washington; Washington Models for Change site coordinator Jennie Marshall in Spokane County recently released the site’s first toolkit, titled Spokane County Toolkit for Community Truancy Board…
LA Models for Change Grantees Participate in 2012 Louisiana Governor's Conference: 8/27/2012 by LaNewsLink.com; BATON ROUGE—The 32nd annual Louisiana Governor’s Conference on Juvenile Justice took place in Baton Rouge August 15-17. The conference served as a showcase platform for leading advocates…
Editorial: Justice for juveniles: 8/22/2012 by Chicago Sun-Times; Cook County’s juvenile justice center has made big strides in recent years. It’s cleaner and safer, its staff is more responsive and its school is more effective. But improvements…
Policy Experts Address the Challenges Facing LGBT Youth in Lockup: 8/22/2012 by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange; by James Swift; “Why are we focused on LGBTQI youth all of a sudden?” said Mykel Selph, director of the Office of Girls & Gender at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) in…
Juvenile detention center population keeps falling; But reform work not finished, officials say: 8/20/2012 by Chicago Tribune; by Hal Dardick; CHICAGO -- Cook County has been able to reduce the number of teens locked up in its juvenile detention center, but there's still much to be done before the mission to reform the long-troubled…
Louisiana Models for Change Grantee Receives Award from Louisiana Bar Association: 8/20/2012 by LaNewsLink.com; BATON ROUGE—A John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Louisiana Models for Change initiative grantee, the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center’s Juvenile…
Short Film Captures the Gravity of Truancy and the Need to Invest in Solutions that Work: 8/20/2012; by Models for Change Washington; Truancy is a major issue in Washington state, and has been at the forefront of Washington Models for Change work since the program’s inception. Programs developed by Models for Change partners…
Louisiana Models for Change Grantees Participate in 32nd Annual Governor's Conference: 8/20/2012; by LaNewslink.com; BATON ROUGE—The 32nd annual Louisiana Governor’s Conference on Juvenile Justice took place in Baton Rouge August 15-17. The conference served as a showcase platform for leading advocates…
Illinois Increases Efforts to Reduce Youth Recidivism: 8/18/2012 by NPR; by Illinois Models for Change; NPR's All Things Considered program recently reported on states reexamining how to "make sure kids who've committed a crime once don't end up in a juvenile facility again." Reporter Cheryl Corley's…
Program provides direction, diplomas, employment: 8/17/2012 by Hammond News Star; Northshore Technical Community College is the recipient of a $150,000 grant to support a pilot program aimed to prepare students for the workforce. The program, Louisiana Models for Change,…
Program Provides Direction, Diplomas and Employment: 8/17/2012; by Hammond News Star; Northshore Technical Community College is the recipient of a $150,000 grant to support a pilot program aimed to prepare students for the workforce. The program, Louisiana Models for Change,…
Report: Louisiana Juvenile Detention Population Down: 8/14/2012 by Associated Press; BATON ROUGE — A report by Louisiana State University on the current status of the juvenile justice system has concluded multiple parishes have seen a decline in the number of youths detained…
Gateway to Adult Court for Young Defendants Slowly Closing: 8/13/2012 by Juvenile Justice Exchange network; by Maggie Lee; In a Georgia courtroom last month, 11-year-old Dalton Archer plead guilty to murdering his father’s girlfriend near Christmastime last year, when he was 10. Archer automatically went through…
Illinois Summit Examines Ways to Help Youth Leaving Prison Succeed and End the Cycle of Prison Recidivism: 7/30/2012; by Illinois Models for Change; CHICAGO -- Nearly 100 youth service providers and justice reform advocates participated in a daylong summit discussing how to help move Illinois from a youth parole system that is punitive in nature…
Illinois Demonstration Project to Help Juvenile Offenders Make Successful Transition Back to Their Home Communities: 7/24/2012 by Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission; SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission on Tuesday announced the start of a demonstration project to reduce the recidivism and improve the outcomes of juvenile offenders. The…
Federal money to help Illinois to change troubling youth prison statistic: 7/24/2012 by WBEZ (Chicago Public Radio); by Rob Wildeboer; Illinois Governor Pat Quinn's Juvenile Justice Commission says 50 to 60 percent of the kids released from youth prisons end up going back within three years. It’s a troubling statistic, but the…
Louisiana Models for Change Grantee Receives Award from Louisiana Bar Association: 7/20/2012; by LaNewslink.com; Attorney Hector Linares presented with the 2012 Children’s Law Award BATON ROUGE—A John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Louisiana Models for Change initiative grantee,…
Experiencing Trauma: 6/20/2012 by Catalyst Chicago; by Illinois Models for Change; School district leaders understand that children who have witnessed violence or other traumatic events often have trouble in school. But without extra resources or staff, schools are hard-pressed to…
JJI Urges Congress to Ban Solitary Confinement of Juveniles: 6/19/2012 by Juvenile Justice Initiative; by Illinois Models for Change; JJI Urges Congress to Ban Solitary Confinement of Juveniles CHICAGO – The Juvenile Justice Initiative (JJI) of Illinois on Tuesday urged Congress to ban solitary confinement of…
STATE MUST CLOSE PRISONS AS NEED DECREASES: 6/10/2012 by Chicago Sun-Times; by Julie Biehl; Q. What happens when a state responds to non-violent juvenile delinquents with a justice system that holds them accountable for their actions and delivers family counseling, addiction treatment and…
Louisiana Legislature Passes Two Positive Reform Measures: 6/1/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; Background: Families in Need of Services or FINS is the approach designed to bring together various resources for the purpose of helping families (troubled youth and their parents) to remedy…
Nationally Recognized Expert in Juvenile Justice, Delinquency Prevention and Sentencing Touts Louisiana for Implementation of Family-based Interventions: 6/1/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Institute for Public Health and Justice and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation via funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur…
La. Among Leaders in Helping Juveniles: 5/23/2012 by The Baton Rouge Advocate; by Mark Ballard; Louisiana, which a short time ago was accused of running gladiator camps for young offenders, now is among the best states in the nation for setting up programs aimed at helping juveniles who find…
Models for Change Success: Redeploy Illinois: 5/20/2012; by Lauren Jones; In high poverty and high crime cities like East St. Louis, Illinois, teenagers have many opportunities to make bad decisions, and second chances with positive outcomes can be rare. One of those…
Closing 2 Adult, Juvenile Prisons is the Right Move: 5/7/2012 by Chicago Sun-Times; by Paula Wolff; Despite a drop in crime and the need to close a multibillion-dollar budget hole, politics again threaten to derail plans to cut spending on prisons. Bowing to pressure by those opposed to closing…
Redeploy Illinois Program Helps Juvenile Offenders Stay Out of Jail: 5/3/2012 by Belleville News-Democrat (Illinois); by Jennifer A. Bowen; EAST ST. LOUIS, IL -- A federal government official, state officials, judges and local leaders met in East St. Louis Wednesday to discuss and learn about Redeploy Illinois, a state program that works…
4th District Court a Model for Change: 4/30/2012 by The Monroe News Star; by Louisiana Models for Change; 4th District court a model for change Written by Sarah Eddington The 4th Judicial District Court has become the state's model for change in the juvenile justice system thanks to the efforts of…
Institute for Public Health and Justice Participates in 2012 Louisiana Families in Need of Services Association Conference: 4/30/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Institute for Public Health and Justice participated in the 2012 Louisiana Families in Need of Services Association Conference on April 26-27,…
Louisiana Models for Change Lead Entity Holds Juvenile Drug Court Conference and Training to Celebrate 4th JDC Juvenile Drug Court Model: 4/30/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Louisiana Models for Change lead entity—the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Institute for Public Health and…
Using Social Media to Advance Reform: 4/20/2012; by Zerline Hughes, Justice Policy Institute; The traditional ways to communicate about our work– word of mouth, newsletter mailings, and ask letters— still do, in fact, get the job done. But with advancements in social media –…
Sustaining Models for Change Initiatives Through Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy: 4/19/2012; by Pennsylvania Models for Change; Pennsylvania has a long history of working to improve its juvenile justice system through sustained leadership, strong partnerships at both the state and local levels, and cooperation with both…
Washington Native Communities Engaged for Juvenile Justice Reform – Cultural Enhancement Model Guides Work: 4/19/2012; by Washington Models for Change; A new, collaborative effort out of the University of Washington (UW) is bringing evidence-based juvenile justice reform practices to Native American communities. The University of Washington…
White House Honors Illinois Models for Change Participant: 4/17/2012; by Illinois Models for Change; "I have attended too many funerals where mothers bury their children because of gang violence. The painful, piercing cry of each mother is seared into my memory; each cry is similar and signifies the…
Even Youths Who Offend Deserve Chance to Grow Up: 4/12/2012 by Chicago Sun-Times; by Joshua Sohn and the Rev. David Kelly; America stands alone among industrialized nations in telling children as young as 13 that they are beyond hope or redemption. More countries around the world impose sentences of caning, amputation or…
Locked up Since 14, Adolfo Davis Makes Plea for Clemency: 4/11/2012 by WBEZ-FM; by Linda Paul; Adolfo Davis of Chicago was sentenced to life in prison with no chance for parole for a crime committed when he was 14. Tomorrow, in a process little known by the public, Adolfo's advocates will step…
Kids-for-cash laws signed at scene of crime: 4/10/2012 by Scranton Times Tribune; by Dave Janoski; WILKES-BARRE - Gov. Tom Corbett signed two bills Monday bolstering the rights of juvenile court defendants at the Luzerne County Courthouse, where two judges collected millions for sending juveniles…
Minority Youth Arrested at Disproportional Rate: 4/9/2012 by The News Tribune; by Eric Francavilla; Tri-City minority youth are being arrested at a disporportional rate, which is similar to a statewide trend that recently gained the attention of the Washington State Supreme Court. Last week,…
Justice Department Expands Youth Violence Prevention Program: 4/5/2012 by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange; by Nancy Lewis; U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced this week that the Justice Department will expand to 10 – from six – the number of cities participating in the National Forum on Youth Violence…
Commission Releases Recommendations to Improve Systems that Support Youth: 4/2/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; The Louisiana Legislature in the 2011 Regular Legislative Session passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 44 requesting the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court create a Families in Need of…
Career Development Program Influences Positive Change in Juvenile Justice Involved Youth: 3/21/2012 by St. Helena Echo; Northshore Technical Community College in Greensburg, La., started a career development program in the fall of 2011 for youth at risk of penetration into the Juvenile Justice System. This program has…
Don't put juveniles in jail for life: 3/19/2012 by CNN.com; by Laurence Steinberg; Laurence Steinberg is a professor of psychology at Temple University and former director of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice. He is the author…
Teens change, given a chance: 3/19/2012 by Philadelphia Inquirer; by Edwin Desamour; I pick up a call on the hotline. It's one of several services the organization I cofounded provides for at-risk youths in my Philadelphia neighborhood. The kid on the other end of the of the line…
Supreme Court sizes up teens who murder: 3/16/2012 by Christian Science Monitor; by Editorial; Two cases involving life sentences for 14-year-olds who murdered will test the Supreme Court's past rulings that teens are not small adults and must be given a chance for redemption. By the…
Giving jailed juveniles a second chance at life: 3/15/2012 by Washington Post; by Marian Wright Edelman; Edwin Desamour was driving with his 3-year-old son in their Philadelphia neighborhood recently when the little boy looked up and said, “Daddy, look at the moon! I want to go there!” So…
Preckwinkle: ‘Blow up’ Juvenile Jail and Put Kids in Smaller Regional Centers: 3/9/2012 by Chicago Sun-Times; by Lisa Donovan; CHICAGO -- Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said Friday she’d like to “blow ... up” the juvenile jail on the West Side and house troubled kids in smaller regional…
SAMHSA, MacArthur Collaborate to Improve How Juvenile System Responds to Youth with Behavioral Health Needs: 3/8/2012 by MacArthur Foundation; The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation are collaborating on a $1 million effort targeting the behavioral health…
Youth Advocates Applaud Quinn's Plan to Close 2 Juvenile Detention Centers: 2/25/2012 by Associated Press; by Karen Hawkins; Illinois houses juvenile offenders in eight detention centers across the state, including one in downstate Murphysboro that is only a third full, has little outdoor recreation space and costs $84,000…
Juvenile Shelter Now More Like Home: 2/24/2012 by Janesville Gazette; by Ann Marie Ames; It's still a long way from feeling like home. But recent renovations at the Rock County Youth Services Center are making things more comfortable for some kids court-ordered to stay in the center's…
National Juvenile Defender Center Receives Creative and Effective Institutions Award from MacArthur Foundation: 2/16/2012; by National Juvenile Defender Center; National Juvenile Defender Center Receives Creative and Effective Institutions Award from MacArthur Foundation NJDC Recognized as the “go-to” Resource for the Juvenile Defender…
Jail isn't the only option: Redeploy Illinois helps delinquent teens - and saves you money: 2/13/2012 by Belleville News-Democrat; by Jennifer A. Bowen; Things could have ended up much differently for 18-year-old Curtis Warner. A year ago he was staring down at time behind bars. "I was doing the wrong stuff and getting into a lot of trouble I…
Career Development Program Influences Positive Change in Adjudicated Youth: 2/6/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; Northshore Technical Community College in Greensburg, La., started a career development program in the fall of 2011 for adjudicated youth, youth found by a judge to have committed a violation of…
New Report Examines School-to-Prison Pipeline in Chicago and Recommends Alternatives: 1/31/2012; by Illinois Models for Change; CHICAGO – Because public schools in Chicago too often rely on police arrests to resolve discipline problems, the schools have become the gateway for thousands of youth to enter the juvenile and…
Profile for Change: Dr. Mick Moore: 1/27/2012; by Washington Models for Change; Dr. Mick Moore is a powerful voice for reform. He bridges the education and juvenile justice systems, leading interagency changes from the education side. As Assistant to the Superintendent for…
Landmark Study Offers Glimpse at Previously Ignored Youth Population: 1/27/2012; by Washington State Models for Change; Landmark Study Offers Glimpse at Previously Ignored Youth Population Youth with Both Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice History Studied A study out of King County is the first of its kind in…
Department of Justice, MacArthur Foundation Provide $2 Million to Support Juvenile Justice Reform: 1/26/2012; by Department of Justice, MacArthur Foundation; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Office of Justice Programs (OJP) January 26, 2012 …
Editorial: Non-Violent Juveniles Should not be Locked Up: 1/3/2012 by Chicago Sun-Times; Illinois has long been a pioneer in juvenile justice, creating the nation’s first juvenile court as long ago as 1899. But in recent years, Illinois hasn’t looked so much like a pioneer…
Change Makers 2012: James Bell, W. Haywood Burns Institute: 1/1/2012 by San Francisco Chronicle; by Jessica Lum; Founder and executive director of the W. Haywood Burns Institute, James Bell is dedicated to examining and addressing the ethnic disparity in institutions such as the juvenile justice system. Bell…
New Illinois Law Will Require Judges To Consider Sentencing Juvenile Offenders To Treatment In Their Communities: 12/20/2011 by Juvenile Justice Initiative; CHICAGO – Beginning January 1, Illinois judges considering committing juvenile offenders to incarceration in a state juvenile prison must first ensure that commitment to the Department of…
Latino Youth “Virtually Invisible” in the Illinois Juvenile Justice System Report Calls for Collecting Accurate Information: 12/16/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; CHICAGO -- Latino youth comprise one of the fastest growing segments of Illinois’ population, but accurate statistical information about Latino youth in the state’s juvenile justice…
Illinois Report Recommends Extensive Changes to Reverse Juvenile Recidivism Trend: 12/16/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; CHICAGO – While noting progress has been made on several reforms within the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), an Illinois state commission has issued a road map of additional…
Robert Listenbee - People on the Move: 12/15/2011 by Philadelphia Business Journal; Robert Listenbee Date added: December 15, 2011 Submission Type: Professional Recognition Current employer: Defender Association of Philadelphia Current title/position: Chief of the Juvenile…
'ILLINOIS IS FAILING' Shocking Problems Found In Youth Prison System: 12/14/2011 by Huffington Post Chicago; by Lizzie Schiffman; "One Commissioner observed a hearing in which there was 'no time for introduction or discussion. [The Prisoner Review Board hearing officer] was reading the wrong form and initially was going to deny…
Editorial: Time for an Intelligent Approach to Juvenile Justice: 12/14/2011 by The Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL); Imagine this line from a state report on young offenders and let it sink in for a moment:“The Illinois auditor general estimates that incarceration in (an Illinois Department of Juvenile…
Illinois Probe Finds Rushed, Unmeasured Process for Juvenile Release, Reentry and Parole: 12/13/2011 by Youth Today; by John Kelly; Illinois has seen significant changes to the front-end of its juvenile justice system, but its system of releasing and assisting incarcerated juveniles is a procedural mess, according to a report…
Preckwinkle's New Approach to Juvenile Detention Center: Clear It Out: 12/9/2011 by Chicago Tribune; by Erika Slife and Duaa Eldeib; For decades, Cook County's Juvenile Temporary Detention Center has been blasted as a depot for children who were locked up in violent, unsanitary, overcrowded conditions without much consideration…
West Valley Truancy Board a Model Program: 12/8/2011; by Jody Lawrence-Turner; Bored with his West Valley High School classes, Harrison Calligan thought skipping school with friends might be more challenging. The teen figured out how to block the school’s numbers from…
Joshua Dohan: A Constant and Driving Force for Indigent Youth: 12/6/2011; Joshua Dohan, Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network Champion for Change Director, Youth Advocacy Department– Committee for Public Counsel Services Colleagues describe Joshua Dohan as…
Catherine Foley Geib: No Drama, Big Results: 12/6/2011; Catherine Foley Geib, Mental Health and Juvenile Justice Action Network Champion for Change Manager of Clinical & Educational Services Court Support Services Division, Connecticut Judicial…
Mark Masterson: Team Justice is On the Job: 12/6/2011; Mark Masterson, Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Action Network Champion for Change Director, Sedgwick County Department of Corrections Mark Masterson knows that disproportionate…
Carl McCurley: A Passion for Analyzing and Improving Outcomes: 12/6/2011; Carl McCurley, Washington Champion for Change Director, Administrative Office of the Courts/Washington State Center for Court Research Outcome measures, data sources and data gaps aren’t…
Dane R. Bolin: Committed to Reform and Innovation: 12/6/2011; Passionate, committed, humble, progressive, visionary: That’s how his colleagues describe Dane Bolin. Dane R. Bolin, Louisiana Champion for Change Director, Calcasieu Parish…
Toni Irving: A Fierce Impatience for Change: 12/6/2011; Toni Irving, Illinois Champion for Change Deputy Chief of Staff, State of Illinois, Office of the Governor Toni Irving combines a strong intellectual grasp of juvenile justice issues with a…
Robert L. Listenbee: Juvenile Defenders Must Become the Change: 12/6/2011; Robert L. Listenbee, Pennsylvania Champion for Change Chief of the Juvenile Unit, Defender Association of Philadelphia One of Robert Listenbee’s favorite quotations is from Mahatma…
2011 Champions for Change: 12/6/2011; by Models for Change; Champions for Change are individuals working with Models for Change in their states who have positively affected the lives of justice-involved youth, their families, and communities in ways that…
Robert Listenbee Honored as Champion for Change in Juvenile Justice Reform: 12/6/2011; Dedication to Improving Juvenile Defense to be Recognized at National Meeting of MacArthur-Supported Juvenile Justice Reform Initiative Philadelphia – Robert Listenbee, Chief of the Juvenile…
Toni Irving, Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Honored as Champion for Change in Juvenile Justice Reform: 12/5/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; Irving’s “Dogged Determination” Recognized at National Meeting of MacArthur-Supported Juvenile Justice Reform Initiative CHICAGO – Toni Irving, deputy chief of staff to…
Making Major Strides in Juvenile Justice Reform: 12/5/2011; by Models for Change; For Immediate Release December 5, 2011 Contact: Zerline Hughes, zhughes@justicepolicy.org / 202-558-7974 ext. 308 Jason Fenster, jfenster@justicepolicy.org / 202-558-7974 ext 306 WASHINGTON,…
Youth Advocacy Department Director Joshua Dohan Named Champion for Change in Juvenile Justice Reform: 12/5/2011; by Rey Cheatham Banks; ROXBURY, MA – Joshua Dohan, Director of the Youth Advocacy Department of the Committee for Public Counsel Services was honored at a national conference of juvenile justice leaders in…
Sixth Annual National Working Conference: 12/5/2011; The 6th Annual Models for Change National Working Conference is in full swing! Visit www.modelsforchange.net/2011Conference for resources, articles, and useful information. If you are active on…
Collaboration for Reform: 12/1/2011; by Tracy Velázquez, Justice Policy Institute; As the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative began to get underway in four core states, participants in the Initiative and Foundation leadership recognized a significant need: to…
Watchdog Reports Some Progress in Reform of Illinois Juvenile Prison System and Identifies Additional Steps Needed: 11/28/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; In a year-end assessment of Illinois’ juvenile prison system, the state’s top independent prison watchdog reported the state has made some progress in making reforms inside the prisons…
Legislation is overdue to protect children's rights: 11/18/2011 by Patriot News; by Marsha Levick; Over the past 36 years, Juvenile Law Center has witnessed many horrific incidents involving children. Each time, the same questions arise – how could this happen and what can we do to make sure…
Report: State Should Rethink Youth Prisons: 11/17/2011 by Bloomington Pantagraph (IL); by Kurt Erickson; SPRINGFIELD, IL -- A new report says Illinois is locking up too many juveniles in youth prisons that are understaffed and lack effective programs. The Chicago-based John Howard Association, which…
Champion for Change Appointed to Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice: 10/31/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; WASHINGTON, DC -- John B. “Ben” Roe, an Illinois prosecutor and juvenile justice reform advocate, has been appointed to the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice (FACJJ), which…
Interesting journey for juvenile justice legislation: 10/30/2011 by Republican Herald; by Robert Swift; HARRISBURG - The two former judges at the heart of the Luzerne County courthouse scandal involving abuses in the sentencing of juvenile offenders are now in federal prison, but the business of…
Editorial: Teen Alternatives to Jail Good for All: 10/28/2011 by Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL); It's not every day that a state legislature working to trim the budget could be making life much better for those on whom we traditionally have spent a lot of money. But that seems to be the case…
Chicago Public Radio Makes the Connection Between Mental Illness and Juvenile Justice: 10/28/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; CHICAGO -- "Out of the Shadows" is a fitting title for Chicago Public Radio station WBEZ-FM's series of news stories and discussion programs exploring "the fractures in mental health care for…
Juvenile Law Center Launches Models for Change Podcast Series: 10/25/2011; by Autumn Dickman and Megan Bruce, Juvenile Law Center; Yowei Shaw is an independent audio producer, youth media educator, and journalist based in Philadelphia. She produces a podcast for Juvenile Law Center called Pursuing Justice and has contributed…
Editorial: Illinois Should Close at Least One Juvenile Prison: 10/25/2011 by The Pantagraph (Bloomington, IL); Unlike their adult counterparts, Illinois’ juvenile prisons — with one exception — are at or below capacity. The state has been successful in diverting young offenders to other…
Dropout Re-engagement Legislation Supports Statewide Replication of Washington Models for Change Project: 10/21/2011; by Washington State Models for Change; A Washington Models for Change partner has created a program for dropout reengagement that has been adopted as a model for statewide implementation. PathNet: A Networked Reengagement System, is a…
Seeking best in kids, officer named best in state: 10/15/2011 by Reading Eagle; by Holly Hermany; Berks County Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Robert N. Williams is humble about winning the 2011 Probation Officer of the Year Award. It's embarrassing," Williams said in his office on the 10th…
Editorial: Prison isn’t Best Option for Nonviolent Youths: 10/14/2011 by Chicago Sun-Times; A debate over closing the Illinois Youth Center in Downstate Murphysboro has focused on jobs and money and pitted Gov. Pat Quinn against legislators and organized labor. But here’s something…
Looking for Savings, (Illinois Gov. Pat) Quinn Has a Good Idea: 10/2/2011 by New York Times; by James Warren; Locking up juvenile offenders isn’t working. What is working, both here and nationally, are community-based rehabilitation alternatives to punishment and isolation, notably with nonviolent…
Profile for Change: Patty Potter: 9/27/2011; by Pennsylvania Models for Change; Since 2007, Patty Potter has performed the role of Mental Health Coordinator (MHC) in Erie County, one of the three Pennsylvania model counties selected to participate in the Models for Change Mental…
Through Music, Muti Brings Message of Hope to Incarcerated Youth: 9/26/2011 by Chicago Tribune; by John von Rhein, Classical music critic; One girl swayed with the rhythm of the music as the unfamiliar sounds of Mozart and Bellini washed over her. Another girl couldn’t wait to voice her verdict on the performance she had just…
Zero-Tolerance School-Discipline Policies are a Problem: 9/25/2011 by Seattle Times; by Jerry Large; People have a bad habit of overreacting to one problem and creating another in the process. Zero-tolerance school-discipline policies fall into that category. That's become increasingly clear in…
Editorial: State’s Lack of Efficiency is Costly: 9/18/2011 by Decatur Herald & Review; It makes sense to close at least one juvenile prison in Illinois, as Gov. Pat Quinn has recommended. That's unusual to hear, since there has been a lot of noise about how closing the seven…
Evidence Based Practice and Cultural Competency: 9/15/2011; by Zerline Hughes, Justice Policy Institute; As the juvenile justice field nationwide increasingly adopts the use of evidence-based practices, local practitioners are grappling with whether these programs are culturally appropriate for their…
Some Advocates Say State Doesn't Need All of its Juvenile Facilities: 9/14/2011 by Illinois Issues blog; by Jamey Dunn; Juvenile justice advocates say that if Gov. Pat Quinn plans to close state facilities, he should consider shuttering some of the state’s juvenile prisons, which they say are far below…
Closing Juvenile Prison Makes Sense: 9/12/2011 by Rockford Register Star (Rockford, Illinois); by Elizabeth Clarke, President of the Juvenile Justice Initiative; Gov. Pat Quinn’s plan to close some state facilities to address budget shortfalls will put pressure on legislators to find new money to avoid the cuts, but one of the cuts — the closing…
Sex Offender Legislation is Often More About Politics than Justice: 9/1/2011 by Illinois Issues; by Jamey Dunn; Unless you spend time in the state Capitol, you would likely never imagine that lawmakers spend a good portion of their time debating a single issue: sex offenders. A cursory search of the General…
There are Better Alternatives to Youth Detention: 8/28/2011 by Patriot News; by Daniel P. Elby, CEO of Alternative Rehabilitation Communities; The Pennsylvania juvenile justice system is based on the philosophy of balanced and restorative justice. Implementing this philosophy ensures that each county dedicates equal attention to the…
Fighting Gangs Together: 8/25/2011 by Renton Reporter; by Justice Bobbe Bridge; Gang violence seems to be everywhere today, even right here in our own suburban neighborhoods – and it’s mobile, moving across city borders. So, how can South and East King County…
Why Juvenile Offenders Need ‘Aftercare’: 8/25/2011 by Daily Herald; by George Timberlake; The heart-wrenching Daily Herald series recounting the 2008 attack on Elgin High School teacher Carolyn Gilbert has taken its readers to places few of us can imagine and where none of us want to…
We Lost the Fight, Not the Battle, to Address Truancy: 8/23/2011 by Shreveport Times; by Angie White, Member of the Volunteers for Youth Justice Board of Directors; The Volunteers for Youth Justice (VYJ) Board of Directors recently made the difficult decision to end the ACT-Now Truancy Program. The program provided direct services to Caddo public schools in…
King County’s Academic Awareness Awards Ceremony Recognizes Remarkable Turnarounds in Student Performance: 8/23/2011; by Washington State Models for Change; The remarkable transformations of select King County students, from chronic truancy and failing grades to regular attendance and high achievement, were recognized at this year’s Academic…
Watchdog Monitors Transition of Illinois Juvenile Prisons from Punitive to Rehabilitative: 8/19/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; SPRINGFIELD, IL -- Unless you work for the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice or you’ve been ordered to serve time as a juvenile, chances are you’ve never set foot inside any of the…
Editorial: Prison Not Only Choice for Justice: 8/17/2011 by The Alton Telegraph and The Jacksonville Courier-News (Illinois); The tough-love approach to juvenile justice undertaken in the 1980s and ‘90s was designed to send a message to frighten would-be young criminals. You get caught, you go to jail. To an extent…
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn Signs Legislation Requiring Consideration of Community Treatment Before Incarceration in All Juvenile Cases: 8/16/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; SPRINGFIELD, IL – Before sentencing a youth to time in a state prison, juvenile court judges in Illinois will soon be required to review several factors, including the youth’s mental…
Chief Weitzel appointed to international research committee on juveniles: 8/1/2011 by Brookfield Suburban Life; by Staff; Brookfield, IL — Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel has been appointed to the International Association of Chiefs of Police Research Committee for Juvenile Justice Issues. Both Weitzel and…
Taxing and Spending, in Balance: 7/24/2011 by New York Times; by Robert J. Shiller; Economic View Taxing and Spending, in Balance By ROBERT J. SHILLER Published: July 23, 2011 The very term “fiscal stimulus” has become tainted. John Boehner, the House speaker, refers…
Northwestern Prof Works to Give Convicted Teens Second Chances: 7/21/2011 by Chicago Tribune; by Melissa Harris; By the time Bernardine Dohrn drove more than 100 miles in her silver Buick with two lawyers to the Pontiac Correctional Center, a quarter-century had passed since Mark Clements began serving four…
Profile for Change: Mark D. Hassakis: 7/19/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; Mark D. Hassakis, attorney from Mt. Vernon, Illinois, and past president of the Illinois State Bar Association. CHICAGO -- When elected a year ago as President of the Illinois State Bar…
Quinn's Youth Prisons Proposal Fades Away: 7/14/2011 by WEBZ-FM; by Sam Hudzik; A major change for Illinois' youth prisons is on hold. Gov. Pat Quinn last year pushed to merge the Department of Juvenile Justice into another agency, the Department of Children and Family Services.…
Calcasieu Children and Youth Planning Board and Louisiana Models for Change launch innovative MARC center: 7/7/2011; by Louisiana Models for Change; Representatives from various juvenile justice agencies and statewide organizations were on hand in Lake Charles today as the ribbon was cut on the brand new Calcasieu Parish Multi-Agency Resource…
MacArthur Foundation director helps to unveil LSUHSC Institute for Public Health and Justice: 7/7/2011; by Louisiana Models for Change; Juvenile justice reform stakeholders from across the nation gathered at a recent John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation-sponsored meeting to hear the first public announcement regarding the…
Work Beats Prison: Redeploy Illinois Keeps Juveniles Out of Jail: 6/30/2011 by Illinois Times (Springfield, IL); by Holly Dillemuth; Three Decatur teens watch as a cloud of sawdust erupts from power tools operated by their wood shop instructor, Jim Taylor, in a warehouse used by Macon County Probation. For two hours on Tuesdays…
Save Truant Youth Before They Get to Court: 6/23/2011 by Seattle Times; by Bobbe Bridge; EARLIER this month, the Washington Supreme Court reversed an appeals court ruling that truant students must be represented by attorneys at the earliest stage of truancy hearings. Many of us from…
Profile for Change: Judge Arthur Grim: 6/17/2011; by Pennsylvania Models for Change; For more than 35 years, Judge Arthur Grim of Berks County Pennsylvania has been working hard to help kids find the path to successful adulthood. In 1975, Grim was a young graduate of Duquesne…
Senate Passes Baker Bills to Bring Reforms to Juvenile Justice System: 6/12/2011 by Wayne Independent; by Staff; Honesdale, Pa. — The state Senate today approved legislation sponsored by Senator Lisa Baker (R-20) to reform the juvenile justice system and protect the fundamental rights of kids entering the…
Senate approves corruption bills: 6/11/2011 by Standard Speaker; by Robert Swift; HARRISBURG - A slew of bills to address fallout from the courthouse scandal and other corruption probes in Luzerne County won approval Wednesday from state lawmakers. By unanimous votes, the Senate…
Juvenile Offender Service Program Saves State $9M: 6/9/2011 by Bloomington Pantagraph; by Kiera Manion-Fischer; SPRINGFIELD — The state saved about $9 million last year by sending 184 youth to community-based services as an alternative to incarceration, according to a report from the Illinois Department…
WA Praised for Efforts to Reduce School Dropout Rates: 6/8/2011 by Public News Services; by Chris Thomas; SEATTLE - While most students and parents are thinking about summer vacation, one nonprofit group already is looking ahead to the next school year - and how to keep more Washington youths from…
Redeploy Illinois Saving Millions and Changing Lives: 6/3/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; CHICAGO – By helping counties offer comprehensive services to delinquent youth, the state of Illinois was able to save more than $9 million in 2010 by diverting 184 juveniles away from…
Awards Presented to Chicago News Media For Coverage of Juvenile Justice System: 6/3/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; CHICAGO -- A Chicago radio station and magazine have received awards for news media excellence in recognition of their in-depth reporting about the Illinois juvenile justice system. The Chicago…
Funding, Implementing Evidence-Based Practices: 6/2/2011; by Zerline Hughes, Justice Policy Institute; Now more than ever, cash-strapped states are looking into ways to shave expenses. Nationally, there are 81,000 youth in juvenile facilities; 70 percent of these youth are held in state-funded,…
Juvenile Justice for Parents: 6/2/2011 by KPLU 88.5 NPR; by Paula Wissel; It’s late Saturday night and you get a phone call. Your teenage son has been arrested. You show up for court on Monday morning unsure what to do or say. Now there’s help for parents…
Patricia McFall Torbet named Pennsylvania Champion for Change: 6/1/2011 by Pitt Magazine; Patricia McFall Torbet SOC WK ’76 was named the Pennsylvania Champion for Change in December by Models for Change, a national initiative aimed at rehabilitating delinquent adolescents. She…
Juvie bills merit swift approval: 5/25/2011 by Times Leader; by Editorial; When adults make errors in juvenile court, the children don’t get a “do-over” of their most formative years. IT LOOKED LIKE a little thing in Tuesday’s Times Leader, literally…
Illinois Legislature Approves Bill Encouraging Local Treatment for Juveniles When in Best Interest of the Youth and Their Communities: 5/25/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; SPRINGFIELD, IL -- The Illinois General Assembly has approved legislation directing juvenile court judges to consider whether treatment in a youth's community would be a better option than sentencing…
Speaker in Tri-Cities to Talk About Gangs: 5/20/2011 by KNDU; KENNEWICK, Wash. -- A nationally recognized speaker stopped in the Tri-Cities Friday to talk about gangs. More than 200 community leaders, including police officers, educators, and mental health…
Profile for Change: Arthur D. Bishop: 5/18/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; Arthur D. Bishop Director, Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice For more than 35 years, social service has been a part of Arthur D. Bishop’s daily life. Bishop, the Director of the…
Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Catherine "Kitty" Kimball Addresses Joint Session of the Louisiana Legislature: 5/16/2011; by Louisiana Models for Change; Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Catherine “Kitty” Kimball addressed the legislative joint session of the House and Senate on Tuesday, May 3, 2011. During her remarks, Kimball…
All-Sites Meeting Highlights Successes, Ramps Up Energy for Next Phase of Work: 5/9/2011; by Washington State Models for Change; Twice yearly, the Center for Children & Youth Justice (CCYJ) hosts a Washington Models for Change (WA-MfC) All-Sites meeting, an all-day event wherein participants can share successes and ideas,…
Statistics Don't Tell Total Child Abuse Story: 5/8/2011 by The Patriot-News; by Jeanette Krebs; Recently the state released its annual report on child abuse. As Gov. Tom Corbett wrote in one of the first pages, the number of cases of substantiated child abuse reports declined to 14.9 percent…
Wilkes University names commencement speaker: 5/5/2011 by Citizens Voice; Attorney Robert Listenbee, who was appointed to the Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice investigated the Luzerne County Courthouse scandal, is the commencement speaker for Wilkes University's…
Without a Smoking Gun: 5/2/2011 by The Chicago Reporter; by Angela Caputo; Atreyu Spears fidgeted anxiously as he sat in the bullpen, a corner of the Cook County courthouse where detainees wait for the bailiff to walk them to the judge’s bench. The past 69 days had…
The importance of juvenile court: 4/30/2011 by The Daily News; by Tierra A. Busby; In a recent Daily News interview, Superior Court appointee Gary Bashor noted that some of a judge's most important work takes place in juvenile court. He advocated more funds for juvenile courts,…
Peer Jury Reduces Flow of Teens from School to Juvenile Justice System: 4/18/2011; by MacArthur Foundation; A peer jury at Manual High School in Peoria, Illinois, has helped to dramatically reduce the number of teens entering the juvenile justice system from school. It is one of a number of projects…
Illinois State Bar Association Provides New Guide to Help Communities Reduce Juvenile Delinquency: 4/5/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) is encouraging more citizens to get involved in juvenile justice reform in their communities and is offering a free booklet…
Louisiana Moves Full Steam Ahead in Coordinating Aid to At-Risk Youth: 3/30/2011; by Louisiana Models for Change; Four state agencies in Louisiana are collaborating to improve aid for children with emotional and mental needs, with the goal of keeping more youth with behavior problems in their homes, as well as…
Counties Trying to Find Juvenile Justice Money: 3/22/2011 by Tri-City Herald; by Kristi Pihl; Benton and Franklin county commissioners are searching for money to shut the "revolving door" for juvenile criminals at the bicounty juvenile justice center. But even finding $187,000 to increase…
Juvenile Justice Changes in Illinois Praised: 3/20/2011 by Associated Press; CHICAGO -- A national organization that advocates keeping youth younger than 18 out of the adult court system is applauding Illinois for recent legislative changes. The Campaign for Youth Justice…
Louisiana's High Incarceration and Dropout Rates Concern Youth Advocates: 3/18/2011 by The News Star; by Karina Vailes; Louisiana has the No. 1 spot in the number of adults incarcerated, 20 percent more young people incarcerated than the national average and a higher dropout rate than the national average. With …
New “Juvenile Justice 101” Program Provides Assistance to Washington Families: 3/8/2011; by Washington State Models for Change; It’s a call that is frightening for any parent to receive: a probation screener is on the line, informing a mother or father that a child is in police detention. But now in Washington…
Racing to Keep Children Out of Prison: 2/14/2011; by Louisiana Models for Change; Sibil Fox Richardson ran her first marathon in New Orleans on Sunday, February 13. However, Richardson had a far more important message to deliver during her run: As the world leader in…
Transforming Juvenile Justice: Lawyers Making A Difference: 2/1/2011 by Illinois Bar Journal; by Mark Hassikis, President of the Illinois State Bar Association, and Lisa Jacobs, Illinois Models for Change; A look at three lawyers who are helping to create a more fair, effective, and rational juvenile justice system in Illinois, often by starting in their own communities. Last month's President's Page…
Dually Involved Youth Require a Coordinated Effort: 1/25/2011; by Keith Wallington, Justice Policy Institute; Children that come into contact with both the juvenile justice and child welfare systems are classified in one of three ways depending on the jurisdiction, according to author John A. Tuell. These…
Models for Change Makes Progress: 1/18/2011 by Peoria Journal Star; by Jackson Adams; PEORIA — For the last few months, the Models for Change initiative has been making inroads with restorative justice, one victim and one perpetrator at a time. "We've made a lot of…
West Valley Community Truancy Board is Honored: 1/14/2011; by Washington State Models for Change; In December 2010, the West Valley Community Truancy Board received the Community Award from the Washington State Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. The received the honor for…
Pre-adjudication Diversion Efforts Improve Juvenile Justice Outcomes in Pennsylvania: 1/5/2011; by Amy Ruff, Lourdes Rosado, George Mosee and Michael Pennington; The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee (JJDPC) of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, which advises the Commission on the distribution of federal and state…
Louisiana's Top Juvenile Justice Official Sees Improvement at Youth Center: 1/5/2011; by Louisiana Models for Change; Mary Livers, Deputy Secretary of the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ), along with the director of Monroe's Swanson Center for Youth say conditions at the center continue to improve, despite…
New Laws in Illinois Reform Juvenile Justice System and Provide Added Protections for Juveniles: 1/4/2011; by Illinois Models for Change; Reforms aimed at improving the juvenile parole system and encouraging early delivery of mental health treatment and other services took effect in Illinois with the start of the new year, and the…
JJDPC Addresses Diversion: 1/1/2011 by The Newsletter of The Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission; The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee (JJDPC) of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, which advises the Commission on the distribution of federal and state…
What if it Were Your Child?: 1/1/2011 by Illinois Bar Journal; by By Mark Hassikis, President of the Illinois State Bar Association, and Lisa Jacobs, Illinois Models for Change; What would the juvenile justice system look like if we knew our sons, daughters, and grandchildren would go through it? Remember the really stupid things you did as a teenager? If pressed, virtually…
Judge Honored for Juvenile Justice Reform: 12/30/2010 by West Side Leader; DOWNTOWN AKRON — The MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative honored Summit County Juvenile Court Judge Linda Tucci Teodosio as a Champion for Change in juvenile justice…
Timberlake Honored for Work in Juvenile Justice System: 12/20/2010 by The Southern Illinoisan; George W. Timberlake of Mount Carmel, retired chief judge of the Second Judicial Circuit, has been honored for his dedication and accomplishments in improving the juvenile justice system in Illinois.…
Supporting Young People Out of the Justice System: 12/15/2010 by The Guardian (UK); by Randeep Ramesh; Clay Yeager spent two decades in America's criminal justice system getting more disillusioned every day as children who had been alienated, disturbed and living in households too poor to do anything…
Voice of Leadership Award Presented to Illinois Models for Change Leader: 12/15/2010; by Illinois Models for Change; Pictured from left to right: Pamela F. Rodriguez, president of Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC); George W. Timberlake, Chair of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission; and Colleen…
Jacksonville Journal: Assistant Public Defender Honored as Champion for Change: 12/13/2010 by Florida Times-Union; Assistant Public Defender Rob Mason, director of the juvenile unit for the 4th Judicial Circuit, was recently honored as a Champion for Change by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur…
Jeff Juvenile Services Director Named Champion of Change: 12/10/2010 by Times-Picayune; by Andrea Shaw; Jefferson Parish Juvenile Services director Roy Juncker has been named a "Champion for Change'' by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for his work in seeking to reform the juvenile…
Patricia Torbet Honored as Champion for Change in Juvenile Justice Reform: 12/8/2010; by Pennsylvania Models for Change; For Immediate Release Contact: Shannon Ensminger 717-699-2206 Patricia Torbet Honored as Champion for Change in Juvenile Justice Reform Pittsburgh, PA (December 8, 2010) – Patricia Torbet,…
Roy Juncker Honored as Champion for Change in Juvenile Justice Reform: 12/7/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; For Immediate Release Contact: Elliot Hutchinson (225) 344-0381 ehutchinson@hdaissues.com December 7, 2010 Roy Juncker Honored as Champion for Change in Juvenile Justice Reform Will Be…
Rick Velasquez, Veteran Chicago Youth Justice Advocate, Honored as Champion for Change in Juvenile Justice Reform: 12/6/2010; by Illinois Models for Change; CHICAGO – Rick Velasquez, executive director of Youth Outreach Services (YOS), is being honored by the MacArthur Foundation-supported Models for Change juvenile justice systems reform…
Jason Witt-Disproportionate Minority Contact Action Network Champion for Change: 12/1/2010; by DMC Action Network; Jason Witt Deputy Director Rock County, Wisconsin Human Services Department “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” So says Jason Witt, a true believer in…
Honorable Linda Tucci Teodosio-Mental Health and Juvenile Justice Action Network Champion for Change: 12/1/2010; by Mental Health and Juvenile Justice Action Network; Honorable Linda Tucci Teodosio Judge Summit County, Ohio Juvenile Court Judge Linda Tucci Teodosio is a compassionate leader, who understands the need for accountability but recognizes that the…
Robert W. Mason-Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network Champion for Change: 12/1/2010; by Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network; Robert W. Mason Director of Juvenile Court for the Fourth Judicial Circuit Public Defender Office, Florida Children in Florida once went before the court in shackles. Thanks to the efforts of Rob…
Susan N. Dreyfus-Washington Champion for Change: 12/1/2010; by Washington State Models for Change; Susan N. Dreyfus Secretary, State of Washington Department of Social and Health Services When she wasappointed Secretary of Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services, Susan…
Roy L. Juncker, Jr.-Louisiana Champion for Change: 12/1/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Roy L. Juncker, Jr. Director, Jefferson Parish. Louisiana Department of Juvenile Services Roy Juncker, once the Chief of Police in the small Jefferson Parish city of Westwego, is now one of…
Rick Velasquez-Illinois Champion for Change: 12/1/2010; by Illinois Models for Change; Rick Velasquez Director Youth Outreach Services Rick Velasquez has lived in the Chicago area his entire life. Velasquez became involved with Youth Outreach Services (YOS) in the early 1970s as a…
Patricia Torbet-Pennsylvania Champion for Change: 12/1/2010; by Pennsylvania Champion for Change; Patricia Torbet Senior Research Associate National Center for Juvenile Justice When a small group of juvenile justice leaders met to dream up Models for Change, Pat Torbet was at the table. When…
2010 Champions for Change: 12/1/2010; The Champions for Change recognizes one Models for Change leader or partner from each of the four core Models for Change states (Illinois, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Washington) and each of the Models…
Justice for Juveniles: 11/30/2010 by Carmi Times; Mt. Vernon, Ill. — The Illinois Association of Juvenile Justice Councils has been formed to help convene new juvenile justice councils and link them with others in the state in an effort to…
Jetson Center for Youth Shows Off Its Reformed Ways: 11/10/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Several years ago, a common sight at Jetson Center for Youth was shackled and handcuffed teenagers clad in orange jumpsuits shuffling across the prison campus under the watchful eyes of uniformed…
Expansion of Balanced and Restorative Justice Welcomed by Peoria, Illinois: 11/8/2010; by Illinois Models for Change; PEORIA, IL -- After establishing a successful track record of resolving behavior problems in Peoria schools through the use of Balanced and Restorative Justice principles, a similar approach is being…
Building Awareness, Preparing for Change: 11/5/2010; by Daveda Russell; Washington’s Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA) is committed to addressing disproportionate minority contact across Washington state. The Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) team,…
Berks County Evening Reporting Center Awarded Top State Honors: 11/4/2010; by Marie Yeager; Harrisburg, PA (November 4, 2010) – The Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission named the Children’s Home of Reading Evening Reporting Center as the Community-Based Program…
Faces in the News: Robert N. Williams, Berks County Chief Juvenile Probation Officer: 11/3/2010 by Reading Eagle; by Holly Herman; Why he's in the news: Williams said the slaying of 15-year-old Willy Tineo-Ferreira in September is a horrible tragedy, but not an indication that juvenile crime in Berks is on the rise. (The…
Damon Baldone: Models for Change Profile of the Month: 11/3/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Louisiana District 53 State Representative Damon Baldone from Houma, Louisiana As a Louisiana state representative, Baldone has garnered a reputation for handling tough issues related to crime…
Illinois Makes Progress But Has Not Achieved the Juvenile Justice System Envisioned by Jane Addams: 10/7/2010; by Illinois Models for Change; By the time the keynote speaker at the annual Jane Addams Symposium had finished explaining what is right and wrong about the juvenile justice system in America and in Illinois in particular, the…
Patricia Torbet-Models for Change Profile of the Month: 10/7/2010; Now that she is retired, Pat and her husband are looking forward to traveling and checking things off her bucket list! In her role as a Senior Researcher at the National Center for Juvenile…
Understanding the Long-Term Consequences of Juvenile Adjudication: 10/1/2010 by PA Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals Newsletter; Educators know better than anyone that many children and teens arrive at school each morning carrying some heavy baggage from home. For adolescents and teens, problems at home often lead to troubles…
Summit Addresses Juvenile Justice: 9/30/2010 by The News-Star; by Staci Parks; The goal to create a model juvenile drug court in the 4th District was a main topic of discussion Wednesday at the Joint Juvenile Justice Summit. District attorneys, judges, attorneys and probation…
Program for city targets families to stop youth violence: 9/23/2010 by Reading Eagle; by Holly Herman; It was only a decade ago that Reading's reputation as a crime-ridden city began to alarm the community and local, state and federal law enforcement. There were 38 murders in Berks County, including…
What “Sustainability” Means for Juvenile Justice Reform: 9/23/2010; by Jason Szanyi, Skadden Fellow, Center for Children's Law and Policy; What “Sustainability” Means for Juvenile Justice Reform Innovative Strategies to Make Reforms Last in the DMC Action Network When the MacArthur Foundation launched the Disproportionate…
Resolutions by Consensus: 9/21/2010 by Peoria Journal; by Pam Adams; PEORIA, IL — Community peace conferences have already had an effect on Peoria police Sgt. Shawn Wetzel, and the program hasn't officially started yet. "Being in law enforcement 17 years, we've…
Jobs and Future Stalled by Records Thought Secret: 9/16/2010 by WBEZ, Chicago Public Radio; by Linda Paul; (Illinois Models for Change note: Legislation enacted this year in Illinois improved the process for those 18 and older to clear their records of a first offense misdemeanor as a juvenile, and it…
Text of Julie L. Biehl's Keynote Address at the Jane Addams Hull House Association: 9/16/2010; by Julie L. Biehl; Jane Addams Hull House Association Jane Addams Symposium Chicago, Illinois September 16, 2010 Keynote Address by Julie L. Biehl Director, Children & Family Justice Center Northwestern…
Illinois Juvenile Justice Reform Leader to Address International Conference: 9/15/2010; by Illinois Models for Change; Elizabeth Clarke, founder and president of the Juvenile Justice Initiative (JJI) in Illinois, has accepted an invitation to address an international audience of juvenile justice reform advocates. In…
Norwegians Learn Discipline Strategies at Kiefer School: 9/15/2010 by Peoria Journal Star (Peoria, IL); by Pam Adams; Bodo, a town in Norway just north of the Arctic Circle, lies in a region of about 75,000 people where gun violence is so rare police officers keep their guns in their cars until needed. The region…
Juvenile Arrests Can Cast A Long Shadow: 9/15/2010 by WBEZ, Chicago Public Radio; by Linda Paul; (Illinois Models for Change note: Illinois enacted legislation, effective Jan. 1, 2010, prohibiting the transfer of confidential juvenile arrest records from the Department of State Police to the…
Stolen Futures - Seventeen: 8/31/2010 by The Chicago Reporter; by Angela Caputo; As police pinned Derrick Reed to the hood of a squad car, one thought raced through his mind: “Oh, man. I’m going to go away. I’m 17 now.” The East Garfield Park teen’s…
Calcasieu Sets Standards for Juvenile Justice: 8/29/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Calcasieu Parish has been asked to help develop standards for juvenile justice detention centers around the state. House Bill 1477, enacted this summer, outlines the development of “best…
Opinion: Young Offenders are Different: 8/27/2010 by The News-Star (Monroe, Louisiana); by Dana Kaplan; Currently in Louisiana there are 897 individuals behind bars for crimes committed as juveniles. Of these 897, almost half, 394, were prosecuted as adults, bypassing the juvenile justice system…
NCLR Highlights Juvenile Justice at its 2010 Annual Conference: 8/11/2010; by The National Council of La Raza; The National Council of La Raza (NCLR)—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—presented two juvenile justice workshops and held a…
Juvenile Detention Reform Helping to Ease Overcrowding: 8/6/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; In Shreveport, Louisiana, Caddo Juvenile Detention Center's small cell blocks are reserved mostly for teens charged with armed robbery, sex crimes and other violent felony offenses. Despite a…
Reforming Juvenile Justice in Pennsylvania: 8/3/2010; by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; An innovative new approach to juvenile justice reform in Berks County, Pennsylvania, is helping to improve community safety while reducing the number of young people in secure detention and…
Editorial: Recommit to Serving Troubled Teens: 8/3/2010 by The Daily Herald; It's been nearly a year since a 16-year-old boy took his own life inside a state youth prison in St. Charles. Nearly a year to look at what went wrong. Nearly a year for change to happen. We've…
Experts Recommend Improvements In Identifying and Treating Youth with Behavioral Health Needs in Illinois Youth Centers: 7/29/2010; by Illinois Models for Change; A team of independent experts reviewing programming at the request of the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) director Kurt Friedenauer reported Thursday that Illinois has made some progress in…
Journalists Briefed on Assessment of Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice Policies: 7/29/2010; by Illinois Models for Change; Journalists were briefed Thursday (July 29) on an independent assessment of Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) policies, practices and programs for youth with mental health and substance…
ISBA President Will Work on Juvenile Justice Reform: 7/22/2010 by Chicago Daily Law Bulletin; by Mark D. Hassakis; To the editor: The appointment last week of a new state juvenile justice chief — a veteran of the state's child welfare system — signals a new era in juvenile justice reform. Mr. Arthur…
Illinois Governor Quinn Signs “Sexting” Law: 7/19/2010 by Illinois Statehouse News; by Kevin Lee; (Illinois Models for Change note: The Juvenile Justice Initiative and other Illinois Models for Change partners helped educate lawmakers about the need to revise sex offender laws and provide…
Illinois Governor Quinn Names Acting Juvenile Justice Director: 7/16/2010 by Office of Illinois Governor Pat Quinn; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 16, 2010 Governor Quinn Names Acting Juvenile Justice Director Veteran Administrator, Child Welfare Expert Arthur Bishop to Lead Agency Merger with the Department of…
What Happens in Juvenile Court, Doesn't Always Stay in Juvenile Court - The Myths and Realities about Juvenile Records and Expungements: 7/15/2010 by The Jurisdiction - Allegheny County Probation; by Judge Kim Clark; Contrary to popular belief, what happens in juvenile court, doesn't always stay in juvenile court. A juvenile record can follow a person for the rest of their lives. This can include the record of…
Your Mail: Uniform Standards Coming: 7/14/2010 by The Alexandria Town Talk; by Louisiana State Representative Damon Baldone; During the recent session, the Legislature took a long-awaited -- and very necessary -- step toward juvenile justice reform. In collaboration with the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana and the…
Reform Helps Ease Overcrowding: 7/9/2010 by The Shreveport Times; by Loresha Wilson; SHREVEPORT, La. — Caddo Juvenile Detention Center's small cell blocks are reserved mostly for teens charged with armed robbery, sex crimes and other violent felony offenses. Despite a reported…
Latino Leaders Engaged: 6/29/2010; by Washington State Models for Change; Latino leaders in Benton and Franklin counties are aligning and strategizing for change. As a follow up to their initial meeting in late May, local Latino leaders have agreed to continue meeting to…
Fast Forward Call Center Funded: 6/29/2010; by Washington State Models for Change; Benton and Franklin counties received fantastic news in support of their truancy efforts. The Eastern Washington Models for Change site recently learned that United Way has awarded over 65% of the…
Law Enforcement-Based Diversion: Helping Youth at a Critical Stage: 6/28/2010; by Kathy Skowyra, Associate Director, Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network; Young people in the juvenile justice system are experiencing mental health disorders at a rate that is three times that of youth who are not in the system. Studies have shown that the majority of…
Juvenile Detention Standards Bill Hits Governor's Desk: 6/18/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; A major, long-awaited step in reform of Louisiana's juvenile justice system is now an imminent reality. The Senate voted unanimously in late June to pass Rep. Damon Baldone's House Bill 1477, which…
Legislation Would Set Standard for Juvenile Detention: 6/17/2010 by The News Star; by Matthew Hamilton; The Louisiana Legislature has passed a bill that would set standards for juvenile detention facilities, one of the long-deferred promises from the state's landmark juvenile justice reform…
Months After Killing, Chicago School Looks Ahead: 6/1/2010 by NPR; by Cheryl Corley; More than eight months after the horrific beating death of Chicago teenager Derrion Albert, students and officials at Fenger Academy say the climate at the high school has changed for the better.
Commission reveals truth, recommendations should be adopted: 5/30/2010 by Times Tribune; Former Judges Michael T. Conahan and Mark A. Ciavarella naturally have been the focus of public attention for the perversion of justice in the Luzerne County court system. Mr. Conahan has agreed to…
Commission casts a wide net of blame and suggests array of safeguards to protect youths: 5/28/2010 by Times Leader; by Terrie Morgan-Besecker and Mark Guydish; HARRISBURG – The commission investigating the Luzerne County juvenile justice scandal issued a final report Thursday that casts a wide net of blame and offers suggestions to ensure that such a…
Luzerne kids-for-cash scandal inspires recommendations for juvenile justice reform: 5/27/2010 by Juvenile Law Center; Question Remains: When Will Recommendations Become Law and Policy? Philadelphia, PA (May 27, 2010)—Juvenile Law Center applauds the Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice for its thorough…
Panel issues report on ways to overhaul juvenile justice system in Pa: 5/27/2010 by Philadelphia Inquirer; by AMY WORDEN AND TRISH WILSON; In a harsh and devastating report, a commission set up to investigate the "kids for cash" scandal in Pennsylvania's Luzerne County issued far-reaching recommendations Thursday aimed at overhauling…
Investigations into Suicides in Juvenile System Leave Families Wanting More: 5/27/2010 by Chicago Tribune; by Steve Mills and Louise Kiernan, Tribune reporters; On a cold, gray February morning, Cheryl Miller sat on a bus cradling the gym bag that held the box with her son's ashes. For five months, the ashes had sat in the embalming room of a Chicago…
Semi-Annual Juvenile Probation Manager Conference: 5/27/2010; by Washington State Models for Change; In order to create a body of support for probation managers from across the state, court officials in Washington State hold a semi-annual Juvenile Probation Manager Conference. The goal of the…
Suicides by Troubled Teens Expose Safety Breakdowns Behind Bars: 5/25/2010 by Chicago Tribune; by Steve Mills and Louise Kiernan, Tribune reporters; Sometime before 3:09 a.m. on Sept. 1, 2009, Jamal Miller began to tear the bedsheet in his room at the Illinois Youth Center in St. Charles. The stocky 16-year-old tied the sheet to a sock and tied…
National Juvenile Justice Network to present Jefferson Parish's Children and Youth Planning Board with Award for Leadership in Juvenile Justice Reform: 5/20/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; The National Juvenile Justice Network will present the Jefferson Parish Children and Youth Planning Board with its Award for Leadership in Juvenile Justice Reform. This is the inaugural year for the…
Supreme Court Decision Could Affect La. Inmates: 5/18/2010 by The Shreveport Times; by Gannett News Service; The U.S. Supreme Court's decision on juvenile life sentences will affect incarcerated youth in Louisiana, though the exact number remains uncertain. The court issued its decision Monday in Graham…
Bryan Stevenson on Juveniles Sentenced to Life Without Parole: 5/17/2010; by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on May 17, 2010, that juveniles may not be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for a non-homicide. Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of…
Ogle County Juvenile Diversion Programs See Success: 5/15/2010 by Freeport Journal-Standard; by Travis Morse; Oregon, Ill. — To Sherri Egan, Ogle County’s new emphasis on diversion programs for non-violent juvenile offenders, as opposed to incarceration, has had a positive impact on the community…
Juvenile Justice Program Working in Ogle County: 5/11/2010 by WREX-TV, Rockford, Illinois; by Bill Miston; Ogle County's States Attorney says an effort to keep kids out of court is working. In 2007, the county moved away from traditional punishment for youth offenders focusing more on community…
Juvenile Justice Reform Works, at Lower Cost: 4/30/2010 by Tri-Parish Times; by Donald Cravins Jr.; Far too often, the newspaper arrives bearing news of yet another state budget hole. During the current legislative session, lawmakers will have to make decisions about — and deep cuts to…
Kids in Prison: Fixing Illinois' Juvenile Justice System: 4/29/2010 by Illinois Times; by Patrick Yeagle; What do you do when you catch a criminal? Conventional wisdom says you lock them up and hope prison scares them straight. But what if that doesn’t work, and what if that criminal is only 13…
Our Kids: Our Business. A Unique Call to Action in Spokane County: 4/27/2010; by Washington State Models for Change; The symbol of Our Kids: Our Business is the pinwheel. To recognize this event, every April thousands of pinwheels are planted around the community and signs are posted as a reminder of the importance…
Spokane County Juvenile Court and West Valley School District Truancy Collaboration: 4/27/2010; by Washington State Models for Change; When students are not in school they cannot learn. Their futures are extremely limited. This is illustrated by the fact that 60% of the inmates in our jail system are dropouts. Juvenile Court placed…
The Hard Labor of Reform: Despite Progress, Juvenile Justice Overhaul Still Lags Original Vision: 4/26/2010 by The News Star; by Matthew Hamilton; Louisiana's juvenile justice reformers put the fate of children above all else in their founding document. "The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the children and families of Louisiana are…
Berks Program Gives Young Offenders a Shot at Redemption: 4/19/2010 by Reading Eagle; by Holly Herman; Wes Morris and his mother, Renee, dicuss Berks County's Community Youth Aid Panel program, which was so successful in putting Wes on a good path that Renee decided to get involved. When Wes Morris…
Jefferson Parish Department of Juvenile Services Director Roy Juncker Jr. Shines Light on a Dark Subject: 4/19/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Jefferson Parish Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) Director Roy L. Juncker Jr. received the Light of Hope Award for Outstanding Community Professional by the Court Appointed Special Advocates…
Young Offenders Need Help -- Not Handcuffs: 4/15/2010 by Chicago Sun-Times; More than a few young people caught up in crime, when you get right down to it, suffer from a mental illness or are drug abusers. They may become hardened criminals some day, but they are more lost…
Taking Responsibility for Youth Justice: 4/12/2010 by Chicago Tribune; by Elizabeth Clarke, President, Juvenile Justice Initiative; Tribune readers should have been shocked to learn that more than 10 percent of the youths in state prisons have served their sentences but remain locked up because the state agency responsible for…
Effective Strategy on Juvenile Crime Has Southern Illinois Roots: 4/8/2010 by The Southern Illinoisan, Carbondale, Illinois; by The Southern Illinoisan; Our View: New approach to juvenile justice in Illinois is neither "soft" nor "tough" on crime. It looks at the whole juvenile and is "smart" on crime. When Chief Circuit Judge George Timberlake…
Retired Judge Leads State's Juvenile Justice System: 4/5/2010 by The Southern Illinoisan; by Adam Testa; CARBONDALE - Retired Chief Circuit Court Judge George Timberlake believes Illinois has taken great strides in improving judicial treatment of youth in recent years and hopes to see further…
ULM Hosts Fourth Meeting of Juvenile Justice Summit: 4/1/2010 by The News-Star; by Stephen Largen; Louisiana juvenile justice stakeholders gathered at the University of Louisiana at Monroe on Wednesday for the fourth in a series of six meetings discussing alternative methods for handling troubled…
The 30th Annual Louisiana Governor’s Conference on Juvenile Justice Showcases the Best and Brightest of the Juvenile Justice Reform Movement: 3/29/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; The 30th Annual Louisiana Governor’s Conference on Juvenile Justice, held earlier this month in New Orleans, Louisiana, proved to be a defining moment in the state’s juvenile justice…
The Children of Transfer: 3/26/2010; by Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana; In Louisiana there are currently 897 people incarcerated for crimes committed before their 17th birthday. Of these 897, 394 are currently incarcerated in adult prisons. "The Children of Transfer"…
Helping Prisoners Can Cut Recidivism: 3/19/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change (Courtesy of Dane Bolin, Director of Calcasieu Parish Office of Juvenile Justice Services); Letter to the Editor For the Lake Charles American Press March 18, 2010 RE: Editorial – Helping prisoners can cut recidivism In a recent editorial, some statistics were presented…
Acadia Youth Council Hears Advice: 3/19/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change (Howell Dennis); Acadia Youth Council hears advice By Howell Dennis NEWS EDITOR, The Crowley Post Signal Members of the Acadia Youth Council gathered at the Sheriff’s Department Thursday afternoon…
New NCLR Fact Sheet Shows Young Latinos Overrepresented in Juvenile Justice System and Adult Prison Facilities: 3/18/2010; by NCLR (National Council of La Raza); FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 18, 2010 Contact: Sherria Cotton (202) 785-1670 NEW NCLR FACT SHEET SHOWS YOUNG LATINOS OVERREPRESENTED IN JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ADULT PRISON…
Kids Killing kids: 3/15/2010 by Chicago Tribune; The lost boys look crisp in T-shirts and desert-tan dungarees. The black letters that spill down one leg of each trousers, "IDOC," mark Bill Bigeck and Eddie Morfin as wards of the Illinois…
Behavior Strategists Help Students in Tough Times: 3/15/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change (courtesy of Karina Donica); From Alexandria, Louisiana newspaper The Town Talk: Diahn Fleury still remembers her days teaching a group of emotionally disturbed children 12 years ago at North Bayou Elementary School and…
Illinois Increases Juvenile Court Age Cutoff to 17: 3/12/2010 by Chicago Tribune; by Jeff Long; When a 17-year-old girl was caught stealing $300 worth of clothing at a mall a few weeks ago, she was charged with a misdemeanor in juvenile court. Before Jan. 1, she could have been in even bigger…
National Symposium Highlights Juvenile Indigent Defense: 3/9/2010; by Rey Banks, National Juvenile Defender Center; The juvenile defense agenda was squarely and resolutely placed on the indigent defense landscape at the 2010 National Symposium on Indigent Defense hosted by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the…
New Data on Sanctions and Services Supports the Use of Non-Institutional Alternatives: 3/9/2010; by LaWanda Johnson; Does placing youth who commit offenses in expensive, out-of-home placements improve their chances of not reoffending? New preliminary data from the Pathways to Desistance study reported by the…
Scandals Highlight the Need for Juvenile Justice Reform: 3/4/2010 by Illinois Issues; by Jamey Dunn; Just a few months ago, it looked as if the scandal surrounding the “Meritorious Good Time Push” prisoner-release program could cost Gov. Pat Quinn a win in the primary election. Under the…
Illinois Models for Change Leader Honored as Faculty Member of the Year at Loyola University Chicago: 3/1/2010; by Illinois Models for Change; Diane Geraghty, a leader of the Illinois Models for Change, has been recognized as the 2009 Faculty Member of the Year at Loyola University Chicago. Geraghty is founder and director of the Loyola…
Illinois Governor Taps Models for Change Leaders to Help Shape Juvenile Justice Policy: 2/24/2010; by Illinois Models for Change; Illinois Governor Pat Quinn recently reinvigorated the state’s Juvenile Justice Commission (IJJC) by naming 16 new members to the 25-member advisory group. Several of the new commission members…
New Chair of Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission Talks About Future of Reform in Illinois: 2/24/2010; by Illinois Models for Change; Retired Judge George W. Timberlake, who is a member of the Illinois Models for Change Coordinating Council, recently was named Chair of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission (IJJC). Timberlake…
Outreach Group Matches Homeless Teens With Adults: 2/24/2010 by WBBM-TV, Chicago; by Kristyn Hartman; CHICAGO -- It's tough enough growing up, but imagine having to find your way to adulthood homeless, and without a mom or dad. It happens to thousands of kids in Chicago each year. Would you be…
The 2010 CMHS National GAINS Center Conference: 2/22/2010; Every two years, the National GAINS Center organizes a conference for mental health and criminal justice professionals, policymakers, consumers, family members, administrators, and researchers. The…
Kids Should Never Be Tried As Adults: 2/18/2010 by CNN; by Bob Schwartz; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- About 20 years ago, 9-year-old Cameron Kocher fired a rifle out of a window of his home in upstate Pennsylvania and hit his 7-year-old neighbor, who was riding on…
New Law Helps Teeens Avoid Criminal Record: 2/12/2010 by WBBM-TV, Chicago; by Dorothy Tucker; CHICAGO -- You're arrested. You're charged. But thanks to a new law in Illinois, you won't have a criminal record. CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker reports on the new life-changing rules for thousands of…
Chicago Public Radio Tells the Story of Life "Inside and Out" of the Juvenile Justice System: 2/3/2010; by Illinois Models for Change; Chicago Public Radio station WBEZ-FM has begun a series of reports examining how young people get caught up in the juvenile justice system, their life inside juvenile prisons and what happens to them…
Champions for Change Award Winners: Video Clips from the 4th Annual Models for Change Working Conference: 2/2/2010; by David Kindler; Here are video clips of the 2009 Champions for Change Award winners: Patricia Koch, Keith Snyder, Annie Lee, Ben Roe.
Mental Health Court Keeps Children out of Jail: 2/2/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change (courtesy of Loresha Wilson); Taken from a report in the Shreveport Louisiana newspaper, The Shreveport Times: Wearing shorts and a T-shirt, the teenager sat on the sofa in his home in Shreveport's Caddo Heights neighborhood…
Reforming Juvenile Justice: 2/1/2010 by The New York Times; by Tracy Velázquez; To the Editor: Re “Seeking to Send Fewer Youths to Jail, City Shifts Strategy on Delinquency” (news article, Jan. 21): It’s past time for acknowledging that America’s…
Models for Change Forum Focuses on Aftercare for Juveniles: 1/28/2010; by Pennsylvania Models for Change; The fifth annual Aftercare Forum training was held December 3rd and 4th at the Days Inn at State College, PA. The forum, which was focused on highlighting the ongoing work of the Models for Change…
Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court Leads Way With Children and Youth Planning Board: 1/22/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; In October 2006, after being selected as one of the first MacArthur Foundation Louisiana grant sites, the Jefferson Parish Children and Youth Planning Board formed working committees designed to meet…
Rapides Parish - Structured Decision Making Tools for Better Alternatives: 1/22/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Judge Patricia Koch and other judges of the 9th Judicial District Court are active partners in communitywide reform made possible with the financial support of the MacArthur Foundation's Models for…
Protecting Children from Detention Abuses: 1/22/2010 by Philadelphia Inquirer; by Sandra Simkins; We have learned from the Luzerne County scandal that children need lawyers when they appear before a judge. A recently released Department of Justice report shows why they also need access to lawyers…
Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice - Testimony of Robert Schwartz, Executive Director, Juvenile Law Center: 1/21/2010; by Pennsylvania Models for Change; Judge Cleland and Members of the Commission: Thank you for inviting me to share Juvenile Law Center’s views on the Luzerne County juvenile court scandal and its implications for Pennsylvania…
Juvenile Justice Reform Initiatives Taking Place Across Louisiana: 1/15/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change (courtesy of Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Catherine D. Kimball); I applaud the member judges of the Louisiana Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges for their active support and ongoing efforts to improve and reform Louisiana’s juvenile justice…
Conference Highlights Successes in Models for Change States: 1/8/2010; by LaWanda Johnson; Hundreds of Models for Change representatives from sixteen states were on hand to highlight reform progress in their states and share experiences with peers during the 4th annual Models for Change…
Beyond the Classroom: Patricia Evans Koch, 9th District Court Judge: 1/4/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Taken from Alexandria, Louisiana newspaper The Town Talk: Beyond the Classroom: Patricia Evans Koch, 9th District Court judge Patricia Evans Koch Age: 49 Native of: Desoto…
SAMHSA Seeks Applicants for Juvenile Treatment Drug Courts Program: 1/4/2010; by National Juvenile Defender Center; SAMHSA Seeks Applicants for Juvenile Treatment Drug Courts Program The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting…
Citizens of the Year aided juveniles in Luzerne County: 1/3/2010 by Philadelphia Inquirer; by Editorial: Seeking justice; It began with a distraught mother's phone call to the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia. Laurene Transue reported that her 15-year-old daughter, Hillary, had been sentenced to a juvenile-detention…
Juvenile Law Center Strives for Justice Reform: 12/28/2009 by The Legal Intelligencer; by Robert Schwartz; The Juvenile Law Center's highly publicized work on behalf of thousands of Luzerne County teens is of obvious import. It also has its ironies. Since 2004, the Juvenile Law Center has been the "lead…
Best of 2009: Juvenile Law Center's persistence pays off: 12/27/2009 by Harrisburg Patriot News; by Patriot-News Editorial Board; In Pennsylvania, the end of 2009 can’t come soon enough. Good riddance. It’s been a year marked by scandals and stalled budgets that brings to mind nothing short of Charlie…
Illinois Laws Offer Youth New Opportunities in 2010: 12/23/2009; by Juvenile Justice Initiative; SPRINGFIELD, IL – Three new juvenile justice reform laws taking effect on January 1 will divert more low-level offenders from expensive incarceration, will reach more youths with counseling and…
Keith Snyder Honored for Mental Health Reform Efforts: 12/20/2009 by Juvenile Court Judges' Commission Newsletter; by Marie Yeager; Keith Snyder, Deputy Director of the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, was honored by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation as a Champion for Change in juvenile justice reform for…
Task Force on Transforming Juvenile Justice in New York State Releases Recommendations: 12/14/2009 by Vera Institute of Justice; Governor David A. Paterson’s Task Force on Transforming Juvenile Justice has released its plan—developed with support from Vera’s Center on Youth Justice—for reforming…
Rapides Parish Judge Nationally Honored: 12/13/2009; by Louisiana Models for Change (courtesy of Elliot A. Hutchinson)); Ninth Judicial District Judge Patricia Evans Koch will be honored as a 2009 Champion for Change in juvenile justice reform for her work locally and across the state. Koch will be recognized by…
Ogle County State’s Attorney John B. “Ben” Roe Honored as Champion for Change in Juvenile Justice Reform: 12/7/2009; by Models for Change Illinois; Will Be Recognized at National Meeting of MacArthur-Supported Models for Change Juvenile Justice Reform Initiative CHICAGO – Ogle County State’s Attorney John B. “Ben” Roe is…
The New Faces Of Leadership (The Forward 50: Marsha Levick): 12/4/2009 by The Jewish Daily Forward; by Jane Eisner; It has since been called the most serious incident of judicial corruption in the nation’s history. But when Marsha Levick, 58, and her colleagues from the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia…
Better Parenting: Home Visits Show Young Mom How to Break Her Family's Cycle of Violence; Mom Can Imprint Alternatives to Aggressive Behavior on Her 1-Year-Old Son -- But it Must Be Done Now, Research Shows: 12/3/2009 by Chicago Tribune; by Stephanie Banchero; Shantell Thomas stood in front of her son's strawberry-flavored birthday cake, jaw clenched, knuckles white from the ferocious grip she had on the 10-inch carving knife.
OJJDP Invites Comments on Proposed FY 2010 Program Plan: 12/2/2009 by The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has published a Notice of its Proposed Plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 …
Developmental Psychologist Says Teenagers Are Different: 12/1/2009 by The New York Times; by Claudia Dreifus; Laurence Steinberg, a developmental psychologist at Temple University in Philadelphia, is one of the leading experts in the United States on adolescent behavior and adolescent brain biology. Dr.…
Innovative Network Enacting Juvenile Indigent Defense Systemic Change, One State at a Time: 12/1/2009; by LaWanda Johnson; In 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court held in In re Gault, that all children have due process rights, most notably a constitutional right to be represented by counsel in delinquency court proceedings. …
James Rieland Honored for Exceptional Contributions to Juvenile Justice Reform in Pennsylvania: 11/23/2009; by Models for Change Pennsylvania; James J. Rieland, Director of Allegheny County Probation and critical fixture in Pennsylvania’s Models for Change initiative, has been awarded the Dennis M. Maloney Award for his exceptional…
SAMHSA Will Provide $39.6 Million To Support Juvenile and Adult Reentry and Recovery Services: 11/23/2009; The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is currently accepting applications for the Offender Reentry Program. The purpose of the program is to expand or enhance…
Re-Arrest Rate Lower for Illinois Juveniles Receiving Mental Health Treatment: 11/18/2009; by Juvenile Justice Initiative; According to a project funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, 66 percent of youth involved in the juvenile justice system had a diagnosable psychiatric condition. The Mental Health…
Temple Prof Wins $1 Million Research Prize: 11/11/2009 by The Philadelphia Inquirer; by Susan Snyder; Temple University professor Laurence Steinberg won a $1 million international award for his research on developmental adolescent psychology - which also has made him a leading scholar on national…
Models for Change Stakeholder and Latino Juvenile Justice Network Coordinator Edwin Desamour Featured on CNN: 11/9/2009 by CNN; by Bill Mears; Two cases may change the way teens are punished November 9, 2009 10:50 a.m. EST Allentown, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Sixty miles and the twin tragedies of young lives lost to violence link this…
New Approach Helps Ogle Youth Break Crime Cycle: 11/9/2009 by Rockford Register Star (Rockford, Illinois); The problem with incarceration is that it ends, Ogle County Associate Judge Kathleen Kauffmann rightly points out. Putting a person in jail starts a terrible cycle. The person gets out, can’t…
Juvenile Justice Reform Progress in Spokane County: 11/5/2009; by Washington State Models for Change; Models for Change staff in Washington is excited about the progress Spokane County is making with alternative options in juvenile justice. Through collaborated efforts, Spokane County has expanded…
Models for Change Mental Health Coordinator Named PA Juvenile Probation Supervisor of the Year: 11/4/2009 by Juvenile Court Judges' Commission; Mary Gaspari began her career with the Chester County Juvenile Probation Department in 1998 as a juvenile probation officer. From 2000 to 2003 she was the Balanced and Restorative Justice…
National Council of La Raza Hosts Latino Children and Youth Symposium: 11/3/2009; by National Council of La Raza; On October 22, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) brought together nearly 200 community leaders, academics, advocates, practitioners, and policymakers to discuss the well-being of Latino children…
Two Systems Come Together in Illinois with a Common Goal of Helping Juveniles in Trouble: 10/22/2009; by Illinois Models for Change; DuPage County, Illinois’ second largest county, is well known as an economic and political powerhouse. More recently, the county also is earning a reputation as a leader in the field of…
Saving young offenders is project's goal: 10/21/2009 by Sauk Valley Newspapers, Dixon and Sterling, Illinois; The criminal justice system in Ogle County is trying a new cooperative approach to discourage juvenile offenders from committing more crimes. The initiative is an effort by the Ogle County…
Report Highlights Hazards, Crumbling Infrastructure at Youth Center: 10/19/2009; by John Howard Association; The Illinois Youth Center at St. Charles, where 275 boys are confined, is replete with dangerous beds, toilets, air vent covers and other hazards that provide opportunities for self-harm, according…
Lt. Gov. Tours High-Security Juvenile Detention Center: 10/15/2009; by Louisiana Models for Change; Two of the six members of Louisiana's juvenile justice oversight panel took a tour Monday of a youth prison that has been hit with recent criticism that it's understaffed and overcrowded with…
Teen: Jetson changed his life: 10/15/2009; by Louisiana Models for Change (courtesy of SANDY DAVIS); A 16-year-old, Brodrick E., said Wednesday he would never have pictured himself singing in a choir. “I used to be thugging it out on the street,” he said. But his street life ended…
What is Working around Illinois: 10/14/2009; by Lisa Jacobs; Models for Change is a national initiative funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to accelerate reform of juvenile justice systems across the country (www.modelsforchange.net).…
Using Balanced & Restorative Justice Effectively: 10/14/2009; by Sally Wolf; Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) is being used as a tool to resolve conflicts and hold youths accountable for their actions in a growing number of communities in Illinois. Word of their…
Unprecedented Agreement Reached to Assist Juveniles: 10/13/2009; by Ogle County Juvenile Justice Council; OREGON, IL – Juveniles running into trouble with the law in Ogle County are finding law enforcement and probation officers coming to their assistance. Members of the Ogle County Juvenile…
Berks County Attorney Recognized for Innovative Leadership in Juvenile Justice: 10/9/2009; by Marie Roda; Joseph A. Guillama, Esq. recently received the Violence Prevention Roundtable of Berks County Distinguished Leadership Award for his work with minority youth in the criminal justice system. Mr.…
Council OKs New Therapeutic Facility: 10/2/2009; by Louisiana Models for Change; The St. Landry Parish Council voted 12-1 Thursday, October 1, to allow the parish to become home to a new therapeutic juvenile center. The $20 million facility will be constructed near Opelousas,…
Gang Forum Task Force Meeting Yields High Turn Out: 10/1/2009; by Washington Models for Change; The Models for Change staff in Benton/Franklin County in Washington State hosted a forum to address the local gang problem and the impact that this activity has on the community. The forum served as…
Ogle County State's Attorney Ben Roe Named to State Task Force: 9/29/2009; by Ogle County Juvenile Justice Council; Oregon, IL - Ogle County State’s Attorney John B. “Ben” Roe has been appointed to a new state task force to study whether 17-year-olds charged with felony offenses should be tried…
MH/JJ Action Network State of Texas Awarded One Million Dollar Grant: 9/17/2009; by The Texas Juvenile Justice TBI Partnership Project; The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently awarded the state of Texas with a 4-year, $1 million dollar multi-agency grant to help identify youth in the juvenile justice system who may…
Promising Models for Reforming Juvenile Justice Systems: 9/8/2009 by The Huffington Post; by Marian Wright Edelman; Nationally, one in three Black boys and one in six Latino boys born in 2001 are at risk of going to prison during their lifetimes. Although boys are more than five times as likely to be incarcerated…
New Jersey JIDAN Team Member Wins Award: 9/4/2009; by JIDAN; Yvonne Smith Segars, New Jersey’s Public Defender since 2002, is the recipient of the 2009 Mary Philbrook Public Interest Award. A member of the New Jersey JIDAN team, Segars oversees an…
ACLU Says Guidelines Needed for Police in Schools: 9/2/2009; by ACLU; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org NEW YORK - Allowing police officers to patrol school campuses without specific guidelines outlining their roles and responsibilities…
States Strategize to Keep Systemic Reform Efforts on Track: 9/1/2009; by LaWanda Johnson; Community-based programs reduce the number of youth in secure placement, increase public safety and save taxpayers money. States can promote these alternative programs by changing their fiscal…
California to close its largest juvenile prison: 8/28/2009 by Los Angeles Times; by Michael Rothfeld; The Heman G. Stark Youth Correctional Facility in Chino will be converted into an adult prison. The move is part of a plan to 'right-size' staff at the Division of Juvenile Justice. Reporting from…
Illinois Improves Process to Help Juveniles Become Successful Adults with a Clean Slate: 8/27/2009; by Juvenile Justice Initiative; SPRINGFIELD, IL – Governor Pat Quinn has signed legislation improving the process for juveniles with arrests for misdemeanor offenses to clear their records and maintaining safeguards to ensure…
Models for Change Leaders Honored for Contributions to Justice for Children: 8/20/2009; Diane Geraghty and Bernardine Dohrn Honored for Juvenile Justice Reform Contributions. Awards presented by Judge Patricia Macias of El Paso, TX, the 2008-2009 President of NCJFCJ. Two leaders in…
Reform Efforts Improving Mental Health Services and Coordination for Youth: 8/18/2009; by Joe Cocozza; Solomon Moore’s article New York Times article illustrates the problems with using juvenile justice systems to meet the mental health needs of youth. Fortunately, there are growing efforts to…
Young, Mentally Ill and Behind Bars: 8/17/2009 by New York Times; by Letters to the Editor; Re “Mentally Ill Offenders Stretch the Limits of Juvenile Justice” (front page, Aug. 10): Solitary confinement is among the harshest legal punishments that American society inflicts on…
Locking Up Fewer Children: 8/14/2009 by New York Times; by Editorial; In the 1990s, states and localities began sending more and more children to juvenile lockups, often for months, while they awaited trial for nonviolent offenses or even noncriminal behavior like…
Should Lawyers Be There When Cops Question Kids?: 8/13/2009 by WBEZ-FM, Chicago Public Radio; by WBEZ-FM, Chicago Public Radio; If you’ve lived around Chicago for more than ten years, and you hear someone talking about police interrogation of children, you probably think of the Ryan Harris case. Ryan Harris was 11 when…
Governor and General Assembly Recognize Need to Improve the Effectiveness of Reintegration of Youth Offenders: 8/12/2009; by Juvenile Justice Initiative; SPRINGFIELD, IL – Gov. Pat Quinn has approved with changes legislation aimed at reducing recidivism by young offenders and improving the safety of their home communities. Senate Bill 1725…
The New Jersey Supreme Court Agrees -Right to Counsel for a Juvenile Attaches Early: 8/10/2009; by Rey Cheatham Banks; The New Jersey Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network (NJ JIDAN) team scored a major victory with the decision in In re P.M.P., in which the New Jersey Supreme Court held that the right to counsel…
Mentally Ill Offenders Strain Juvenile Justice Systems: 8/9/2009 by New York Times; by Solomon Moore; FRANKLIN FURNACE, Ohio — The teenager in the padded smock sat in his solitary confinement cell here in this state’s most secure juvenile prison and screamed obscenities. The youth,…
National Initiative Keeping Youths Out of Jail, Report Says: 8/6/2009 by Washington Post; by Henri E. Cauvin; A national juvenile justice initiative is helping reduce the number of young offenders being jailed after arrest, according to a new report by the foundation that has backed the effort. But in the…
After getting degrees in prison, former Latino inmate turns advocate: 8/6/2009 by News21; by Kristen Minogue; After getting degrees in prison, former Latino inmate turns advocate Elias Elizondo relives his frustration after learning at 16 that he would probably die in prison. Graduating from high…
New Report Documents Dramatic Reductions in Youth Detention: 8/5/2009 by Salem-News; Reformers Gather in DC to Review Progress. (BALTIMORE, Md.) - A new report released by the Annie C. Casey Foundation shows that two decades of juvenile justice reform have reduced youth detention,…
What does 100 years in prison mean to a teenager?: 8/5/2009 by WBEZ-FM, Chicago Public Radio; by WBEZ-FM, Chicago Public Radio; CHICAGO -- Paula Wolff, a member of the Illinois Models for Change coordinating council, discusses appropriate sentences for juveniles, the value of rehabilitation and research about behaviors of…
N.J. juveniles need lawyers: 8/3/2009 by The Star-Ledger; by Star-Ledger Editorial Board; There aren't a lot of decisions that kids under the age of 18 are allowed to make on their own. We have laws that restrict when and where they can work and for how long, and when they can start…
12 and in Prison: 7/27/2009 by New York Times; by Editorial; The Supreme Court sent an important message when it ruled in Roper v. Simmons in 2005 that children under the age of 18 when their crimes were committed were not eligible for the death penalty.…
Berks County pioneers an alternative to detention for juvenile offenders: 7/25/2009 by Reading Eagle; by Holly Herman; A 16-year-old Reading boy misses a three-point shot but runs off the basketball court glowing nevertheless. "I turned my life around," the youth said proudly during a break in a basketball game…
Board of Supervisors Votes to Partially Restore Public Defender's Budget: 7/23/2009; by San Francisco Public Defender's Office; “I am very pleased that the Board voted to partially restore our budget,” Public Defender Jeff Adachi said. “In the end, we were able to make our case that equal justice for all San…
ULM awarded $385K grant: 7/20/2009 by The News-Star; by By Stephen Largen; ULM awarded $385K grant   Funds to help address teen substance abuse   By Stephen Largen  slargen@monroe.gannett.com The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has awarded a $385,000…
TeamChild’s Indigent Defense Project: Improving Legal Representation for Youth: 7/17/2009; by Washington Models for Change; The defense attorney plays a key role impacting the outcome of a youth’s court experience. The better trained an attorney is in juvenile proceedings, the stronger an advocate he or she will be…
Building Kids' Lives: 7/16/2009 by Berks Community Television; Berks Community Television presents "Building Kids' Lives" - a program presented by the Children's Home of Reading, featuring the efforts of the Berks County, PA Disproportionate Minority workgroup…
Survey shows issues with race, juvenile justice: 7/10/2009 by The West Virginia Record; by Steve Korris -Statehouse Bureau; CHARLESTON - Workers in West Virginia courts and sheriff's offices might need to reform their attitudes about blacks to preserve full federal funding for juvenile justice, according to a survey. Now…
Budget Cuts Eroding Progress in Juvenile Justice: 7/10/2009 by New York Times; by Peter S. Goodman; COLUMBIA, S.C. — Her first night inside the razor wire at the state juvenile prison came as a 14-year-old in the mid-1970s, when she was locked up for running away from home. Her next…
Winston Peters Receives American Bar Association Juvenile Justice Award: 7/6/2009; Winston Peters Winston A. Peters, a member of the Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network in California, is being honored by the American Bar Association (ABA) for his advocacy and commitment to…
Project Seeks Early Identification of Mental Health Needs of Youth in Contact with the Juvenile Justice System: 7/2/2009; Our country’s juvenile justice system was designed to hold young people accountable for their behavior and provide individualized treatment, supervision, and rehabilitation to prevent future…
Extraordinary Assessment Research Database supports juvenile justice reform and system improvements in Washington State: 7/2/2009; by Washington Models for Change; To further reform and improve the system of juvenile offender assessment, tracking, and treatment in Washington state; Washington Models for Change state partner, the Administrative Office of the…
50/50: The Odds of Graduating: 7/1/2009 by IL WBEZ; In Chicago Public Schools, only around half the freshmen who enter high school will earn their diploma. This Chicago Public Radio, which incorporates consultation from Models for Change grantees,…
Juvenile Justice Improvements Approved by Illinois General Assembly: 6/23/2009; by Illinois Models for Change; The Illinois General Assembly has approved two pieces of legislation aimed at improving the state’s juvenile justice system. Both bills are in line with the Models for Change core principles…
Focus on juvenile-justice reform: 6/19/2009 by Houman Today; by Catherine Kimball; The Louisiana Legislature is currently considering a number of measures that would change the way our juvenile justice system works. Some would change the way parole is addressed for juvenile…
Making a difference: New board to help tackle juvenile-offender problem: 6/10/2009 by Town Talk; by Karina Donica; They come from various walks of life, but a group of local residents is taking a step together in the hopes of making a difference in the lives of at-risk youths in Rapides Parish. The group of 10…
Judge Patricia Koch Sworn into Neighborhood Accountability Board (NAB): 6/9/2009 by NBC KALB; Local NBC news clip on the swearing in of Louisiana Ninth Judicial Court Judge Patricia Koch in the Neighborhood Accountability Board (NAB). The NAB receives funding from the MacArthur Foundation,…
Delivering evenhanded justice to teens: 6/4/2009 by Peoria Journal Star; by Pam Adams; (Peoria County is one of five Models for Change demonstration sites in Illinois, and the juvenile justice council has helped local schools implement peacekeeping circles and peer juries, which…
Governor gets bill on procedures for expunction of juvenile arrest records: 6/2/2009 by Chicago Daily Law Bulletin; by Bethany Krajelis; (Note: Need to subscribe to the journal to see the article.) SPRINGFIELD — It may not provide for the automatic expunction of juvenile records, but a measure headed to the governor's desk…
Health reform will help young people avoid brushes with the law: 6/2/2009 by The Seattle Times; by Police Chiefs Kevin Milosevich, Scott Kimerer and James Kelly; Youth crime and access to health care and mental-health treatment are intertwined, argue the police chiefs of Renton, Auburn and Burien. They make a case for reform that will help young people stay…
Visits to new Models for Change website increase threefold: 5/28/2009; Since its launch in March, the new modelsforchange.net website has exposed greater numbers of viewers to the work of the initiative. More people are visiting the site, spending more time on it,…
Federal commitment offers welcomed support to local initiatives to promote racial and ethnic fairness: 5/28/2009; by LaWanda Johnson; Acting Administrator of the OJJDP, Jeff Slowikowski, addresses DMC Action Network As local Models for Change demonstration sites show how juvenile justice systems can be more just for all youth,…
An early intervention success story: 5/26/2009; by 16th Judicial District; Ms. Jennifer Smith* is a case manager for the school-based Prosecutor's Early Intervention Program (PEIP) in Louisiana's 16th Judicial District. The 16th JD has been working with the Models for…
Director of Juvenile Justice for Calcasieu Parish Receives State Award: 5/26/2009 by Southwest Daily News; Baton Rouge, La. - Dane Bolin, Director of the Calcasieu Parish Office of Juvenile Justice Services in Lake Charles, has been named the 11th recipient of the prestigious Don E. Wydra Memorial Award…
Reducing the incarceration of youth of color in Berks County: 5/13/2009; Reducing the incarceration of youth of color in Berks County through structured decision-making and community-based alternatives Models for Change support has assisted Berks County’s juvenile…
New Models for Change Web Site Features Washington Juvenile Justice Reform Programs: 5/11/2009; by Vicki Hanna; New site serves as national online resource, offers current information on the issue of juvenile justice reform For Immediate Release: May 11, 2009 Vicki Hanna, 206-343-0250,…
Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice Reform Progress Featured on New Models for Change Web Site: 5/6/2009; by Marie Roda; New site provides historical background, current progress, new initiatives For Immediate Release: May 6, 2009 Contact: Marie Roda 717-699-2206 or marie@rodacreative.com Philadelphia, PA –…
Models for Change Website Provides Access to Latest Advances in Juvenile Justice Reform: 5/6/2009; by Jim Bray; New site shines spotlight on juvenile justice reforms in Illinois For Immediate Release: May 6, 2009 Contact: Jim Bray, 217-793-8416 CHICAGO – Recent accomplishments in juvenile justice…
Models for Change Launches New Online Resource Featuring Louisiana Juvenile Justice Reforms: 5/6/2009; by Beth Touchet-Morgan; For Immediate Release: May 6, 2009 Contact: Beth Touchet-Morgan (225) 342-4253 Beth.Touchet-Morgan@la.gov Baton Rouge, LA – The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s…
Jacqueline van Wormer–Advocacy for juveniles: 5/4/2009 by Washington State Magazine; by Hannelore Sudermann; One morning this winter, the Benton County Juvenile Justice Center is quiet since most of the residents are in classrooms and only one teen waits in lock-up. A couple of the guards are having an…
Illinois Gov. Quinn makes pilot Redeploy Illinois juvenile justice reform permanent program: 5/4/2009; by Jim Bray; Redeploy Illinois, a pilot program to divert youths from incarceration in state facilities, will become a permanent state program and will have the ability to expand to counties throughout the…
Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Kitty Kimball Address to the Louisiana Legislature: 4/28/2009; To watch a video of the remarks below follow this link, then scroll down to April 28, 2009 and click on "Chief Justice Address to the Legislature" "I’d like to now turn to a subject…
Money saved, safer streets: 4/25/2009 by Chicago Tribune; by Editorial; Illinois taxpayers shelled out $70,827 on average to house each kid in a state-run juvenile correction facility in 2004-2005. We didn't get much for our money -- about half of the kids who were…
Plug The Budget Gap With Juvenile Justice Reform: 4/16/2009 by The Huffington Post; by Paula Wolff; Newly minted Gov. Pat Quinn and all the rest of us in Illinois have a big budget hole to fill. Various "experts" estimate the budget gap at $9 billion, $11 billion and $12.5 billion. Take your pick. …
Letter: For Youth, Second Chances: 4/15/2009 by New York Times; by Jonathan Fanton; To the Editor: “Missouri System Treats Juvenile Offenders With Lighter Hand” (news article, March 27) highlights the Missouri Model, which is just one of many promising reforms under way…
Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency Pilots Two DMC Curricula in March: 4/1/2009 by Juvenile Court Judges' Commission Newsletter; Contributing Authors: Nicole Scott, Supervisor; Dauphin County Juvenile Probation; Rhonda McKitten, Esq.; Defender Association of Philadelphia The Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC)…
Juvenile Law Center Prepares Statement for Senator Lisa Baker's (PA) Press Conference on Juvenile Justice Reforms and Remedies: 4/1/2009 by State Senator Lisa Baker's Website; by Lourdes M. Rosado, Esq. Associate Director, Juvenile Law Center; Statement of Lourdes M. Rosado, Esq., Associate Director, Juvenile Law Center Prepared for Senator Lisa Baker's (PA) April 1, 2009 Press Conference On behalf of Juvenile Law Center, I want to…
Essay: "Second Century" by Jonathan Fanton: 4/1/2009 by Illinois Issues; by Jonathan Fanton, President, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Illinois is in the vanguard of a national move to reform juvenile justice. This summer, the new Department of Juvenile Justice took charge of juvenile corrections in Illinois. This reform rested on…
Goodwill gets grant to help troubled teens: 3/25/2009 by The Altoona Mirror; by Phil Ray; HOLLIDAYSBURG, PA - Blair County juvenile authorities are teaming with Goodwill Industries in Cambria County to begin a Learn to Work program that will teach good work habits to teenagers in trouble…
Getting the Juvenile-Justice System to Grow Up: 3/24/2009 by Time; by Ken Stier; Article features quotes on juvenile justice reform from Models for Change grantees including Campaign for Youth Justice, Center for Children's Law and Policy and Georgetown University's Center for…
Break in 'school-to-prison pipeline' urged: 3/10/2009 by Alexandria Town Talk; by Karina Donica; Rapides Parish has a long way to go to reduce its rate of blacks and other minorities in the criminal justice system and to improve those groups' performance at school, officials said Monday. The…
New Pennsylvania project strives to break cycle of youth crime: 3/10/2009; by Models for Change Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania has long been recognized as a progressive leader in juvenile justice reform, a reputation that led the John D. and Catharine T. MacArthur Foundation to select Pennsylvania as a flagship…
Functional Family Therapy services showing promising results in Pierce County, WA: 3/10/2009; by Models for Change Washington; Research has shown that Functional Family Therapy (FFT) reduces felony crime. The Pierce County Juvenile Court, in partnership with the Pierce County Models for Change DMC Committee, has implemented…
New Illinois law: 17-year olds charged with misdemeanors stay in juvenile court: 3/6/2009; For decades in Illinois, 17-year-olds have not been considered old enough to vote, sign contracts or buy cigarettes, but they have been considered old enough to be sent to adult court. That is going…
Letter to the Editor: Juvenile justice changes needed: 3/2/2009 by Baton Rouge Advocate; by D.A. Schexnayder, child and adolescent psychiatrist; The juvenile justice system is getting well-deserved attention. In my 28 years as a child and adolescent psychiatrist, I have served as an expert witness, a member/chairman of the Jefferson Parish…
Neighborhood board diverts minors from court system: 2/24/2009 by Alexandria Town Talk; by David Dinsmore; Area residents on Monday got an early look at a plan to renovate juvenile justice in Rapides Parish. Rapides Parish Assistant District Attorney Daphne Robinson and Deputy Juvenile Officer Tamara…
Meetings to focus on new concept in fighting crime: 2/21/2009 by Alexandria Town Talk; by Town Talk Staff; Rapides Parish District Attorney's Office will host two meetings Monday on a new concept to battle crime. The Neighborhood Accountability Board concept meetings will be held at 10 a.m. and at 1 p.m.…
Analysis: Some innovation in La. juvenile justice: 2/19/2009 by USA Today, New Orleans Times-Picayne; by Doug Simpson, Associated Press; BATON ROUGE, La. — Some innovation is happening in Louisiana's derided system of handling delinquent children. Rapides and Jefferson parishes are trying to fix what's considered the key…
New Illinois Law Offers 17 Year-Olds Charged With Misdemeanor Chance in Juvenile Court: 2/10/2009 by Juvenile Justice Initiative/Models for Change Illinois; The following press release is available for download from the Juvenile Justice Initiative website, it has been provided in full below for reference. The Juvenile Justice Initiative has also prepared…
Clinic offers justice by and for the young: 2/4/2009; by Cynthia Henry; Dozens of juveniles line the second-floor hallway in Camden's Hall of Justice, awaiting court appearances. Anxious parents and grandparents scan faces to find their children. Briefcases in hand,…
Column: Old before their time; Why it is counterproductive to try juveniles as adults: 2/3/2009 by New Orleans Times-Picayne; by Dana Kaplan, Director of the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana; It is a mistake of thinking that treating children as though they are adults will help, not hinder, efforts to improve public safety. Evidence demonstrates that monitoring and support services that…
Catherine Kimball named Chief Justice of Louisiana Supreme Court: 2/2/2009; by Louisiana Models for Change; Justice Catherine “Kitty” Kimball recently became the chief justice of the high court in Louisiana. Kimball became the first female justice of the state Supreme Court in 1992. Justice…
Juncker honored for juvenile justice reform work in Louisiana: 1/29/2009; by Models for Change Louisiana; Increasing use of evidence-based treatment in Jefferson Parish Roy Juncker, Director of the Jefferson Parish Department of Juvenile Services, was recognized Wednesday, January 28, 2009 by the…
Illinois expands community-based program for juvenile offenders: 1/27/2009; by Juvenile Justice Initiative/Models for Change Illinois; Based on efforts of a broad coalition including Models for Change grantees and partners, the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation to expand a state program that supports community-based…
Group talks about juvenile justice needs in Benton & Franklin Co.: 1/27/2009 by MSNBC (Tri-Cities, WA) KNDU-TV; by Written by Publisher; Monday night a group met to hear the results of the Juvenile Justice Assessment. It's part of the Models for Change initiative that is focused on helping to reform the juvenile justice…
Providing Immediate Services to Families in Crisis: The New Paradigm for Status Offender Systems: 1/22/2009 by Progressive States Network (NY); by Christian Smith; The Vera Institute of Justice recently released a report, Making Court the Last Resort: A New Focus for Supporting Families in Crisis, that outlines the significant improvements some states are…
Changing model for juvenile justice: 1/11/2009 by Tri-City Herald; by Kristin M. Kraemer, Herald staff writer; Summary: Jacque van Wormer selected in December by her Washington colleagues to receive one of the inaugural Champions for Change awards. Article text: Jacque van Wormer has seen too many kids cycle…
Juvenile justice program gets nearly $350,000 grant: 1/7/2009 by The Southern (Southern Illinois Homepage); by Becky Malkovich; MOUNT VERNON, IL - A newly awarded foundation grant will help southeastern Illinois serve as a model for change of the juvenile justice system. The $349,500 grant from the John D. and Catherine T.…
Untreated Mental Health Needs Fuels School to Jail Pipeline: 1/5/2009 by New York Times; by Joseph J. Cocozza, Ph.D.; Letter to the Editor NY Times RE: The Principal's Office First To The Editor: Thank you for drawing attention to the issue of increasing school arrests. Frequently, arrested youth have untreated…
Third Models for Change working conference gathers forces and champions juvenile justice reform: 1/1/2009; The Third Annual Models for Change Working Conference, in December 2008, provided a unique opportunity for representatives from all areas of the initiative to come together and share knowledge, tools…
Bouquets & Brickbats: Paul J. Frick named a Champion for Change: 12/22/2008 by Best of New Orleans.com; by Written by Publisher; Paul J. Frick, a psychology professor at UNO, has been named a Champion for Change in juvenile justice reform by the Louisiana Models for Change initiative. He received the honor for collecting data…
Anderson Honored for Juvenile Justice Reform Work: 12/15/2008 by The Daily Press, St. Marys, PA; by Written by Publisher; James E. Anderson, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission (JCJC), is being honored by Models for Change Pennsylvania for his work on policy and legislation…
She was a teenager heading the wrong way: 12/14/2008 by Williamsport Sun Gazette; by Mark Maroney; She was a teenager heading in the wrong direction. Not a career criminal. Just a rebellious kid. At 14, she committed a retail theft, taking an item valued at less than $25, then lied to police…
New Jersey Chosen for National Effort to Improve Legal Defense for Indigent Youth: State Joins National Juvenile Justice Reform Initiative, Models for Change: 12/9/2008 by Rutgers; by Cathy K. Donovan; Issue(s): Juvenile Indigent Defense State(s): NJ Action Network(s): Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network
Foundation Selects Four States for Action Network to Improve Legal Representation for Indigent Youth: 12/9/2008 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; (Washington, DC) — Four states have been selected in a competitive process by the MacArthur Foundation to participate in the new Models for Change Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network…
New Jersey Chosen for National Effort to Improve Legal Defense for Indigent Youth: 12/9/2008 by Rutgers University; State Joins National Juvenile Justice Reform Initiative, Models for Change Contacts: Laura Cohen Rutgers School of Law, Newark 123 Washington Street Newark, NJ 07102 973-353-3187…
Jacqueline van Wormer honored as Champion for Change: 12/8/2008 by WSU Today Online: Washington State University; KENNEWICK - Jacqueline van Wormer, a former WSU graduate is being honored as a Champion for Change in juvenile justice reform for her work in Benton and Franklin Counties to improve the lives of…
MacArthur Foundation taps Barry Law to lead state's juvenile justice initiative; awards $100K grant for its juvenile justice efforts: 12/8/2008; by Jeremy Jones; The Juvenile Justice Center (JJC) at the Barry University Dwayne O. Andres School of Law in Orlando has been awarded a $100,000 grant by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to…
Racial, ethnic disparities addressed in Berks County, PA: 12/8/2008; by National Center for Juvenile Justice; Significant and imaginative work addressing racial and ethnic disparities at the local level Models for Change funding, coordination and expert assistance have enabled a coalition of juvenile…
2008 Update: Gathering Force: 12/8/2008; by National Center for Juvenile Justice; Models for Change states and action networks are contributing to the gathering forces of significant juvenile justice reforms based in shared values, growing knowledge of what works, and a deep well…
Champions for Change: 12/8/2008; by Models for Change; James Anderson, PA Elizabeth Clarke, IL Paul Frick, LA Jacqueline van Wormer, WA Four inaugural award recipients honored at Models for Change annual meeting Models for…
Law schools collaborating with state on juvenile justice improvements: 12/4/2008 by Rutgers University; by Carla Capizzi; Rutgers School of Law in Camden and Rutgers School of Law in Newark are now part of a team helping New Jersey work to strengthen juvenile indigent legal defense systems. New Jersey was selected to…
New detention screening method in Rapides Parish, LA: 12/1/2008; by DMC Action Network eNews; In early 2008, representatives from Rapides Parish (Alexandria, LA) Juvenile Court, the Assistant District Attorney, Indigent Defense Counsel, all law enforcement agencies, and juvenile probation…
Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius announced a new state initiative to address disproportionality in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems: 11/25/2008 by Kansas Office of the Governor; by Nicole Corcoran, Press Secretary; State looks at new ways to ensure equal treatment for Kansas children Governor Kathleen Sebelius today announced a new effort, under the direction of her Health and Human Services Subcabinet…
Ogle County Gets Juvenile Justice Grant: 10/28/2008 by WREX Roxford News; by Marissa Sherer; OGLE COUNTY - The MacArthur Foundation is giving Ogle County $300,000 over the next two years to help expand its juvenile justice program. Back in 2006 the foundation chose Ogle County as one of…
Keeping Youth Out of Adult Courts Better for Children, Safer for Communities, According to New Study: 6/26/2008 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; by Juvenile Justice Initiative; (Chicago, IL) — The 2005 repeal of a state law that once forced children accused of drug offenses into adult criminal courts has not compromised public safety and, instead, has provided…
Op-Ed: Illinois a national leader in juvenile justice reforms: 5/14/2008 by Peoria Star Journal; by Jonathan Fanton, President, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; In 1899, Illinois established the nation's first juvenile court. The court was created with the enlightened goal of providing individual attention to young people in trouble with the law. The…
New MacArthur Action Network to Address Legal Representation for Indigent Juveniles: 4/4/2008 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Chicago, April 4, 2008 – The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which is investing $100 million in Models for Change, an initiative to support and accelerate promising models of…
Meetings to focus on new concept in fighting crime: 2/21/2008 by Alexandria Town Talk; Rapides Parish District Attorney's Office will host two meetings Monday on a new concept to battle crime. The Neighborhood Accountability Board concept meetings will be held at 10 a.m. and at 1 p.m.…
Public Willing to Pay More for Rehabilitation of Juvenile Offenders: 12/11/2007 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Washington, DC –Two new surveys supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation show strong public backing for the rehabilitation of youthful offenders and a greater willingness…
Op-Ed: Better Models for Juvenile Justice: 8/22/2007 by The Christian Science Monitor; by Rod R. Blagojevich, Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Edward G. Rendell and Chris Gregoire; Springfield, Ill.; Baton Rouge, La.; Harrisburg, Pa.; and Olympia, Wash. Amid news stories that raise the specter of increasing juvenile crime, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that crime rates…
MacArthur Action Networks to Address Racial and Ethnic Disparities and Mental Health in Juvenile Justice: 6/19/2007 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Chicago, IL (June 19, 2007) – The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which is investing $100 million to support and accelerate promising models of juvenile justice reform, is…
Six Counties Selected for Juvenile Justice Reform Funding Under $10 Million MacArthur Foundation Initiative: 6/1/2007 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Olympia, WA – Governor Chris Gregoire today announced that six counties will receive funding and technical support to improve juvenile justice systems, part of a five-year, $10 million…
MacArthur Awards $4.2 Million to Accelerate Juvenile Justice Reform in Illinois, 3 Other States: 6/15/2006 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; CHICAGO, IL—The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation today announced six grants totaling nearly $4.2 million to help accelerate promising models for juvenile justice reform as part of…
MacArthur Foundation Selects Illinois as "Model" State for National Juvenile Justice Reform Initiative: 2/2/2006 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Chicago, IL--The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced today that it has selected Illinois as one of four states to participate in its national initiative to accelerate promising…
MacArthur Foundation Selects Washington as "Model" State for National Juvenile Justice Initiative: 11/16/2005 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Download a PDF of the Release CHRISTINE O. GREGOIRE Governor STATE OF WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR P.O. Box 40002 Olympia, Washington 98504-0002 For Release: Immediate Date: Friday, June…
MacArthur Foundation Selects Pennsylvania as "Model" State for National Juvenile Justice Reform Initiative: 11/3/2005 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; HARRISBURG, PA – The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has selected Pennsylvania as one of four states to participate in Models for Change, a national initiative to accelerate…
MacArthur Foundation Awards More Than $1.5 Million For Juvenile Justice Reform: 7/18/2003 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 18, 2003 Media Contact Jennifer Humke Communications Officer Phone (312) 726-8000 Email: jhumke at macfound dot org Chicago, IL - The John D. and Catherine T.…
$3.2 Million In Grants Made To Help Improve Juvenile Justice System: 2/6/2003 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 6, 2003 Media Contact Jennifer Humke Communications Officer Phone (312) 726-8000 Email: jhumke at macfound dot org Chicago, IL-The John D. and Catherine T.…

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