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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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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 …
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 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"…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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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