More Than a Name: The Gault Center and the Future of Youth Defense

The Gault Center’s Executive Director Mary Ann Scali joined Executive Director John A. Tuell from the National Resource Center for the Transformation of Youth Justice in their podcast, “Youth Justice Transformation in Action.” Mary Ann shared the Gault Center’s vision for the 60th Anniversary of the In re Gault decision, what it means to be a youth defender, and how youth defenders and advocates can continue to support young people by serving as bridges outside of the harmful juvenile legal system to communities of care.

Click here to access the podcast!

Description: What does it actually mean to defend a young person’s rights? In this episode, the RFK National Resource Center Executive Director John Tuell speaks with Mary Ann Scali, Executive Director at The Gault Center to explore nearly 30 years of evolution in the fight for youth justice. We talk about the 1967 Supreme Court ruling that gave the organization its name, why In re Gault remains as relevant as ever as we mark its 60th anniversary, and what it looks like when youth defenders are doing this work at its best; meeting young people where they are, strengthening connections to community, and pushing back against a system that too often pulls youth deeper in rather than offering a way out. From the tools and resources TGC provides to defenders on the ground, to the bold reforms on the horizon like reimagining probation, this conversation is a window into what genuine, rights-based youth defense looks like in practice, and why it matters now more than ever.