Promoting Justice for All Youth Requires Transforming Systems of Injustice
Through systemic policy and reform efforts, The Gault Center seeks to disrupt the harmful impacts of the legal system on children, families, and communities; decriminalize adolescence, particularly where youth of color are treated disparately; and ensure the constitutional protections of counsel for all young people in court.
The Gault Center partners with defenders, governments, philanthropic foundations, and advocacy organizations at the local, state, and national levels in a variety of ways to effectuate reforms that strengthen youth defense systems and encourage developmentally appropriate practices.
The Gault Center’s Impact on Policy in Youth Defense
For nearly 30 years, the Gault Center has stood with youth defenders, young people, families and communities to ensure that every young person has a zealous advocate at their side. The Gault Center’s impact in shifting both state and national policy practices is evidenced below:
Do you have policy resources to share (testimony, sample letters of support, community education tools, op-eds, etc.)? Contact us here.
Do you have policy wins to share with us? Please share your commitments & celebrations with us here.
Ended the Juvenile Death Penalty
From it inception, the Gault Center imbued adolescent development research in its work. The science of adolescent development and the work of the youth defense community led to the elimination of the death penalty for children under 18.
“No entity has provided more advocacy, litigation support, and public policy over the last 25 years than the Gault Center. From the abolition of capital punishment for youth to the right to counsel, the Gault Center has fought for children’s rights.”
-Kameron J., Austin, TX
Establishing Youth Defense Specialization
The Gault Center’s training, state assessments, and advocacy have helped establish youth defense as a specialized practice that demands specialized training, knowledge, resources, and support to ensure young people’s constitutional rights.
“The Gault Center's assessment was the catalyst to create a statewide office dedicated solely to improving access to and quality of counsel in delinquency proceedings.”
-Eric Z. from North Carolina
Ending Indiscriminate Shackling
When the Gault Center launched a national campaign in 2014 to end the indiscriminate shackling of children in juvenile court, only 13 states prohibited the practice. Today, 40 states, DC, and Puerto Rico limit shackling in juvenile court, while just 10 states do not.
“The Gault Center inspired and supported me in a successful push for legislation to stop indiscriminate shackling of children in the courtroom in Virginia.”
-L.R.P., Public Defender, Virginia
What the Youth Defense Community has to say about The Gault Center’s policy efforts and support:
“The Gault Center is a critical voice in policy change through their uncompromising belief in the promise of youth and the power of the lawyers who represent those youth.”
Brooke Harris, Executive Director California Youth Defender Center
"No entity has provided more advocacy, litigation support, or policy leadership to our Office Puerto Rico Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Justice Program than the Gault Center. From ending the indiscriminate shackling of children to raising the minimum age of prosecution, the Gault Center has been a constant force bending the long arc of youth justice toward dignity and protection. Their partnership doesn’t just respond to the needs of the moment — it helps shape the policies and possibilities that safeguard young people for generations to come.”
Jessica Meléndez Dedós, Directora Regional Mayagüez y Coordinadora Programa Justicia Juvenil Sociedad para Asistencia Legal
The Gault Center’s Policy Advocacy Takes Many Forms
The Gault Center’s policy advocacy takes many forms, including educational campaigns, court rule reform, supporting legislative reform, writing letters, leading policy initiatives, and publishing guidance for the youth justice community. Successful policy actions require youth defenders to seek broad-based support and develop collaborations across political aisles and partnering with other organizations to support change.
Here are some examples of the policy advocacy the Gault Center is a part of:
Campaign against indiscriminate shackling of young people
Youth Defense Standards
Bench Cards
Teaming Up to Defend Children
The Gault Center is so grateful for the work of the Players Coalition, an organization that “exists to end social injustices and racial inequality so future generations have the opportunity to thrive without barriers.”
Watch Anquan Bolden’s Statement at our 2019 Youth Defender Leadership Summit on Player's Coalition Teaming Up with the Gault Center to give youth defenders around the country the tools and support to fight for our children.
Watch the Statement of Jamaal Bailey regarding New York’s Right2RemainSilent Act
Brandon Miller spoke about youth rights and opportunities at the 2023 Youth Defender Leadership Summit in Charlotte, NC
Executive Director Mary Ann Scali spoke about youth defense with Players Coalition members at Georgia World Congress Center in 2019
See below some of the amazing work that Players Coalition has done in the youth justice space:
- Malcolm Jenkins: Senate Bill would bring justice for many | Guest Columns | nola.com
- Our kids deserve better: vote NO on 3 | The Lens
- School sports: NC’s felony policy marginalizes kids. End it. | Charlotte Observer
- Michigan should ban mandatory life for juvenile offenders | by Players Coalition | Medium
- Police still arrest kids as young as 10 in Colorado. It's unnecessary and harmful.
- NFL players: Avoiding court debt gives kids the opportunity to succeed | Opinion | by Players Coalition | Medium
- Former Ravens player: To make schools safe, support kids, don’t criminalize them | COMMENTARY – Baltimore Sun
If you have a local or national policy issue that you think Players Coalition would be interested in becoming involved in, please contact us.
Policy Partnerships
