1 / 19

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT. Case Study: Juvenile Justice Reform. Campaign for Youth Justice (CFYJ). 250,000 youth prosecuted in adult court every year 10,000 youth in adult jails and prisons on any day 60,000 youth in juvenile prisons on any day $88,000 average cost of incarcerating a youth per/year

morwen
Télécharger la présentation

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. YOUTH ENGAGEMENT Case Study: Juvenile Justice Reform

  2. Campaign for Youth Justice (CFYJ) • 250,000 youth prosecuted in adult court every year • 10,000 youth in adult jails and prisons on any day • 60,000 youth in juvenile prisons on any day • $88,000 average cost of incarcerating a youth per/year • $6 billion annually to incarcerate youth Dedicated to ending the practice of trying, sentencing and incarcerating youth (under 18) in the adult criminal justice system CFYJ works with youth, parents and their families who are directly affected, as well as grassroots organizations, state-based advocates, policymakers and the media.

  3. Principles of Youth EngagementFrom the Forum for Youth Investment Opportunity: Youth need authentic access to change-makers, as well as connections to the broader youth community. Capacity: Youth need the training, tools and teams to be prepared to engage in change efforts. Motivation: Youth need the time to learn about community issues and the chance to decide what issues they want to address. Foundation: Youth need to be connected to a solid organization or group that is able to foster membership, continuity and a supportive work environment.

  4. OPPORTUNITY: Youth Voice Identify opportunities Provide an honorarium Assist with prep/follow up Public presentations Policy discussions Hearings before legislative bodies Meetings with elected officials Conferences Active participation Networking Identify opportunities

  5. Did you know that the public ranked former youth offenders as the #1 most credible messengers on juvenile justice issues?

  6. Youth leading policy discussions on juvenile justice reform in the District

  7. CAPACITY: Training Spokesperson Training Fellow orientation On-the-job training Tools Computer access (+ training) Teams Assigned supervisor Collaboration with CFYJ team & alllies Mentoring Direct Services Business attire Housing Job referrals Contacts Wrap-around services

  8. MOTIVATION: Fellowships Paid position/stipend Written job description Goals & specific projects Assigned supervisor Job Shadowing Work with specific staff person Shadow staff/ED

  9. FOUNDATION: Connection to CFYJ Spokesperson Paid fellowship Partnerships Free Minds Book Club Mentoring Today See Forever DC DYRS

  10. CONSIDERATIONS: • Is this an authentic youth voice or the view of the advocates? • Tradeoffs between youth empowerment and protecting youth from negative repercussions of visible involvement in advocacy • How do we resolve the fact that JJ advocates have been disseminating negative messages on adolescent brain development? • Is this meaningful youth involvement or is it tokenism? • Are we respecting the youth’s confidentiality? • What are our motivations? Is this exploitation or is this a positive, tangible opportunity for the youth? • What are the mental health impact of sharing traumatic experiences? • Have we considered the potential long-term impact on the youth’s employment and educational opportunities? • Consider the potential for retaliation inside juvenile detention, corrections, jails and prisons • Consider the potential for negative repercussions on youth’s family if identity in advocacy efforts disclosed • Consistency is crucial and must be maintained by the staff Before undertaking a project to engage youth in policy and advocacy efforts, it is crucial to take into consideration these kinds of questions & issues:

  11. State Juvenile Justice Reforms on Reducing Transfer, Jails & Prisons CFYJ National Spokesperson Dwayne Betts Started speaking at university classes in 2005 just after release from prison Honorarium for speaking engagements Presenter at national policymaker conferences National book tour & speaking with incarcerated youth Advising youth spokespersons OSI Fellowship Outcome: Informed policymakers at the federal, state, local level

  12. Dwayne Betts book tour

  13. Local DC reforms: Youth in adult criminal court Partnered with Free Minds Book Club Youth and Parents testifying before D.C. Council on status of youth in adult criminal court Paid honorariums, prep & follow up Identified issues with treatment of youth in adult court Organized family visit to North Dakota Families and youth reunion, call for bringing youth closer to home Outcome: BOP changed policy, youth no longer in ND, now in DC

  14. DC Family Reunion in North Dakota

  15. The Washington Post In Prison at the 'End of the Earth‘ D.C. Youths Are Jailed Across the U.S., Making Family Connections DifficultBy Robert E. PierreWashington Post Staff WriterSaturday, December 27, 2008 DEVILS LAKE, N.D. -- The 15 travelers from the District were exhausted after a 1,500- mile journey. It was not yet dawn. They had been on the road for 24 hours, and sub-zero temperatures smacked them in the face like needles, stinging cheeks and tearing up eyes. But the weariness and discomfort were nothing compared with the ache of lying awake nights wondering whether a teenage son behind bars halfway across the country was eating right or getting health care or being abused. Now, only minutes, and the brick walls of the Lake Region Law Enforcement Center, separated them from the eight D.C. teenagers incarcerated here. "This is my Christmas," said Frances Williams of Southeast Washington, whose 17-year-old son, Marquis Hicks, is a year into a three-year sentence for armed robbery.

  16. Baltimore advocacy: Stopping the Youth Jail State of Maryland to invest $100 million + in a new youth jail for youth Youth wanted to stop the jail Youth and adults work together to organize a rally, contact media, launch a campaign on the web Youth leading the effort: Baltimore Algebra Project, Community Law in Action and others NCCD reports on why jail not needed Outcome: Jail halted (for now!)

  17. Federal advocacy: Informing the U.S. Depts. of Education & Justice Invited CFYJ ED to attend a meeting / listening session about re-entry policies Asked to extend invitation to one of our youth Michael Kemp asked to speak, share his perspectives Very well received Outcome: More informed federal policymakers

  18. Lessons Learned: Youth are Part of the Solution On-going learning process Difficult work: Not all efforts will be successful. Don’t let that deter you from taking this on Advocates need to change the way we do business: Power Sharing Intensive support: Direct services, after hours, beyond the job description, transportation, justice system coordination Funding position(s) for youth spokespersons and organizers is needed Tremendous positive impact for youth and the community

  19. Contact: Campaign for Youth Justice 202-558-3580 Jointhemovement@cfyj.org www.campaignforyouthjustice.org Find us on Facebook & Twitter!

More Related