Diversion

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Autism and the Criminal Justice System: Policy Opportunities and Challenges

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From the introduction: “Preventing, reducing, and improving interactions between autistic individuals and the criminal justice system are urgent research and policy priorities. Research should guide evidence-based programs and policies that limit unnecessary interactions between autistic individuals and the criminal justice system and address documented high rates of victimization among autistic individuals. A diverse team of…

Juvenile Defender Advocate Amicus Brief, CYAP v. Wilson

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The Art and Science of Urban Gun Violence Reduction: Evidence from the Advance Peace Program in Sacramento, California

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This article from Urban Science offers findings from a successful gun crime reduction program called Advance Peace Sacramento and also provides information on a model program for urban public safety for other jurisdictions to adopt. Abstract: “Urban gun violence is a critical human health and social justice issue. Strategies to reduce urban gun violence are…

Smart, Safe and Fair II: Creating Effective Systems to Work with Youth Involved in Violent Behavior

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Young, Black, and Wrongfully Charged: A Cumulative Disadvantage Framework

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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…

DC’s Young Men Emerging Unit: A Story Reform and Lessons Learned from the Front Lines

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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…

 Rethinking the Role of the Juvenile Justice System: Improving Youth’s School Attendance and Educational Outcomes

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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…

Diversion Policy Brief

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Advocates in Maryland created a series of short policy briefs to educate community members about pressing issues. You can see the others in this series here under “Sample Legislative Advocacy Briefs” on the Policy Page of the Racial Justice Toolkit.

Motion to Appeal Rejection of Pre-Trial Intervention Program

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Smart, Safe, and Fair: Strategies to Prevent Youth Violence, Heal Victims of Crime, and Reduce Racial Inequality

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[Missouri] St. Louis County Family Court: Settlement Agreement 

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On December 14, 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice entered into a settlement agreement with the St. Louis County Family Court to remedy  constitutional violations. The settlement agreement covers policies and practices to ensure the due process and equal protection rights of all youth are upheld. This includes early appointment of youth defense counsel, prohibition…

Improving Approaches to Serving Young Adults in the Justice System

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[Mississippi] City of Meridian, County of Lauderdale, and State of Mississippi: State Settlement Agreement 

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On September 18, 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice entered into a settlement agreement with the state of Mississippi about their probation and diversion practices. The settlement agreement includes provisions on protecting a youth’s right against self-incrimination, requiring probation orders to be written in simple terms to prevent arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement, and ensuring the…

[Missouri] St. Louis County Family Court: Investigation 

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On July 31, 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice released its investigation findings into the St. Louis County Family Court, finding due process and equal protection violations. The findings include right to counsel violations by denying constitutionally adequate defense representation, privilege against self-incrimination violations by requiring a child to admit to allegations for diversion, inadequate…

[Mississippi] Lauderdale County Youth Courts, Meridian Police Department, and Mississippi Division of Youth Services: State Settlement Agreement

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A proposed settlement agreement between the United States and Lauderdale County in the State of Mississippi after an investigation of the substantive and procedural due process rights of youth who appear in Lauderdale County Youth Court. The Settle Agreement proposes several remedial measures the named parties must take including creating a probation process that complies…

Juvenile Justice Reform in Connecticut: How Collaboration and Commitment Have Improved Public Safety and Outcomes for Youth

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From the introduction: “This report will describe, dissect, and draw lessons from Connecticut’s striking success in juvenile justice reform for other states and communities seeking similar progress. The first section details the timeline and dimensions of change in Connecticut’s juvenile justice system over the past two decades. In 1992, Connecticut routinely locked up hundreds of…

[Mississippi] City of Meridian, County of Lauderdale, and State of Mississippi: Complaint

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On October 24, 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint in the United States District Court, Southern District of Mississippi asserting that the City of Meridian, County of Lauderdale, and State of Mississippi are engaging in a “pattern or practice of unlawful conduct through which they routinely and systematically arrest and incarcerate children,…

[Mississippi] City of Meridian, County of Lauderdale, and State of Mississippi: Investigation Findings  

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On August 10, 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice released a findings report regarding their investigation of Lauderdale County Youth Court, Meridian Police Department, and Mississippi Division of Youth Services.  The findings included the following violations: “(1) The City of Meridian Violates the Fourth Amendment by Arresting Children Without Assessing Probable Cause; (2) Lauderdale County…

Substance Abuse Treatment and Public Safety

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From the introduction: “This research brief will summarize findings on what is known about substance abuse treatment as it relates to public safety and the use of incarceration. Along with conducting a brief literature review, the Justice Policy Institute (JPI) has compared state data on drug treatment admissions to incarceration rates. While no single solution…

Models for Change- Building Momentum for Juvenile Justice Reform

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From the introduction: “This brief tells the story of how the four Models for Change states—Pennsylvania, Illinois, Louisiana, and Washington—are already moving to reform and reshape their own state juvenile justice systems. These states have demonstrated strong leadership in juvenile justice policy, value collaboration and engagement, and because of their efforts, have changed the political…

Addressing the Needs of Youth with Disabilities in the Juvenile Justice System: The Current State of Knowledge

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Reducing Racial Disparities in Juvenile Detention

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From the introduction: “In this Pathway we explore why youth of color are overrepresented in the juvenile detention system and review what has been done in some sites to reduce the number of minority youth in detention. Dealing with disparity in the use of detention has been one of the most challenging pieces of the…