The high price of detaining youth goes far beyond the monetary costs to state and local jurisdictions. Detention disrupts normal adolescent development by disconnecting youth from their families, positive social supports, and interfering with their education. The disconnect between the youth and the community often leads to an increased...
Incarceration is a painful experience and a difficult adjustment, particularly for juvenile offenders. Research on incarcerated adults has shown they have a much less tumultuous transition when they have a strong relationship with their families. Adults with “pro-social supports” from family like letter writing, phone calls, and...
Research on juvenile crime continues to reveal the immense capacity of juveniles to rebuild their lives and move forward as productive members of society. The results of a comprehensive study of youth who have committed sex offenses in Illinois showed that these youth are highly responsive to treatment and unlikely to recidivate. The...
Imagine being locked in a small, minimally furnished room with little or no natural light. There is limited human interaction, sometimes not even a book or school work to pass the time. In some places, this can last for hours, days, or weeks, even in Wisconsin. Local detention centers often use isolation as some version of a “time...
This week (April 6-12) is National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, a week to highlight the impact that crime has on victims and our community and to advocate for more resources to help serve those affected by crime. The National Juvenile Justice Network has just released A House Divided No More: Common Cause for Juvenile Justice Advocates,...
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