Adolescent Development
This resource was created as part of the 2022 Racial Justice Training Series, co-hosted with the Georgetown Juvenile Justice Clinic & Initiative. Advocates and experts gathered each month to discuss a chapter of Prof. Kristin Henning’s Book The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth. Watch recordings of the monthly webinars and see other…
From the introduction: “In the 2020 survey, an overwhelming majority of judges and probation administrators responded that efforts to promote probation practice changes should be grounded in research and be data-driven. In addition, most indicated that support for probation transformation would grow if reforms helped to address the challenge of improving racial/ethnic equity. More specifically,…
This report, written by Youth Thrive (an initiative of the Center for the Study of Social Policy), is a research-informed framework on young people and well-being, designed to “support healthy development and improved life outcomes for youth ages 9-26 across the country.” This framework identifies five protective and promotive factors by incorporating positive youth development,…
The words we choose have a significant impact on the young people we serve. We may inadvertently use language laden with bias, disapproval, and negative judgment that can impact youths’ perceptions of themselves. Our language can also impact our own thinking and decision-making. In Part I of this guide, we hope to break down some…
From the abstract: “The term wrongful conviction typically refers to the conviction or adjudication of individuals who are factually innocent. Decades of research has rightfully focused on uncovering contributing factors of convictions of factually innocent people to inform policy and practice. However, in this paper we expand our conceptualization of wrongful conviction. Specifically, we propose…
From the introduction: “This project, which started in fall 2020, was initially intended to be significantly smaller than it turned out to be. Our coalition of authors intended to outline ways juvenile defenders could streamline their representation of youth charged with sex offenses. As the project gained momentum, this team of trial attorneys, social workers,…
From the introduction: “This paper shares the story behind the successful launch of a specialized correctional unit for emerging adults by three of the people closest and most integral to the experience. It is offered as a guide for jurisdictions that are interested in developing similar programs. It is important to note that this report…
From the conclusion: “Washington, DC has severe racial disparities in its justice-involved population. That should alarm local leadership and its residents. These disparities are rooted in policing practices that target communities of color, a lack of investment and opportunity in historically disadvantaged neighborhoods, and an overly punitive sentencing, parole, and corrections system. The current system…
From the introduction: “This brief summarizes key findings from an unprecedented research study conducted by The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center on the impact of juvenile justice system involvement—particularly probation— on school attendance in South Carolina and challenges jurisdictions across the country—as well as the broader field—to reconsider whether system involvement is the…
This resource is part of the Youth Defender Advocacy Program (YDAP) curriculum, a specialized trial advocacy training program for youth defenders.
From the introduction: “This brief presents the research case for eliminating the use of correctional confinement or detention in response to technical violations of juvenile probation.”
From the Introduction: “Currently, there is an overrepresentation of youth with communication disorders in the juvenile justice system (JJS) compared to the general population (Anderson et al., 2016; LaVigne & Rybroek, 2011). Current research also suggests that once a youth offender has entered the JJS, their odds of having further involvement in the JJS increases,…
From the introduction: “This manual was originally created in 2005 to provide defense attorneys in juvenile court with a general guide to appropriate and zealous advocacy on behalf of young people in juvenile court. Since that time, much has changed in juvenile defense, both nationally and here in Georgia. Nationally, the U.S. Supreme Court has…
From the conclusion: “Maryland has the most extreme racial disparities for those incarcerated for long terms in the United States. That should alarm Maryland leadership and its residents. These disparities are rooted in policing practices that target communities of color, a lack of investment and opportunity in historically disadvantaged neighborhoods, and an overly punitive sentencing,…
