Talking Raise the Age, A Day of Conversations…

I had the pleasure of speaking about the issues surrounding raising the age of criminal responsibility in New York State with Angelo Pinto (Campaign Manager for the Juvenile Justice Project at the Correctional Association), Gabrielle Prisco (Director of the Juvenile Justice Project at the Correctional Association), and Kyung-Ji Kate Rhee (Director Institute for Juvenile Justice Reform & Alternatives at the Center for NuLeadership on Urban Solutions).

Below are some highlights from the discussions. Stay tuned for a more detailed report on the issues surrounding Raise the Age.

  • Efforts need to be made to continue to bring awareness to what 16 and 17 year olds experience in adult prisons.

  • Angelo Pinto and Gabrielle Prisco shared these facts from Growing Up Locked Down, a report from the Human Rights Watch and the ACLU:

–Disciplinary data reported by the New York City Department of Corrections suggests that 14.4 percent of adolescents between the ages of 16 and 18 spend part of their pre-trial detention in solitary confinement.

-The New York City Department of Corrections reported that a typical period of punitive solitary confinement for fighting adolescents between the ages of 16 and 18 is 20 days.

-The median period of punitive solitary confinement for adolescents, overall, is 29 days; the average period of punitive solitary confinement is 43.1 days.

  • Kyung-Ji Kate Rhee cited the documentary film, JUVIES, as a film that provides invaluable insight into the experience of incarcerated youth and a must see for all those thinking critically about the juvenile justice system.

  • The Correctional Association is leading a “Raise the Age College Tour”, a public education campaign on college campuses. Below are the colleges and the dates of the tour thus far.

  1. Vassar College, April 4th at 3:15pm
  2. Columbia University, April 5th at 4pm
  3. St. Josephs College, April 17th at 5pm
  4. SUNY New Paltz, April 29th at 6pm
  5. Queens College, May 1st at 1pm
  6. Brooklyn College, May 7th at 6:30pm
  7. Berkley College, May 9th at 2pm

  • In New York City, the issues surrounding incarceration that are most prominent are “Stop and Frisk” and the “School to Prison Pipeline”. Thus, an interesting question to consider is: How does the Raise the Age movement connect with those other movements, but also be clear that raising the age of criminal responsibility is unique with regards to legislation?

  • What’s needed from the funding community? Due diligence, and critical awareness on the issues at hand. Here’s a brief video to help us to continue to gain information and/or begin:

NEWS:

Juvenile Detention Alternatives Gain Ground…READ HERE

With Police in Schools, More Children in Court…READ HERE

Justice For Families releases a Family Bill of Rights, “a set of five recommendations resulting from the contributions of a thousand families across the country to the “Families Unlocking Futures” report. The most successful efforts to keep children out of the justice system and on the path to safe opportunity, development, and growth include a multitude of changes along the school-to-prison pipeline…”Learn More HERE

President Obama’s Budget Proposes Spending on Youth Programs, Services…“The president’s justice programs proposals focus on efforts to support evidence-based practices and to increase awareness of what works….The proposal includes $332 million for juvenile justice programs, including $25 million to fund the Community-Based Violence initiative and $30 million for Juvenile Accountability Block Grants, meaning each program remains at its funding level from the President’s 2013 budget.  The budget also includes $20 million for Juvenile Justice Realignment Incentive grants, which aim to assist states that are pursuing evidence-based reforms that foster better outcomes for youth. And $23 million is also made available for research and pilot projects aimed on developing responses to youth exposed to violence…” READ MORE HERE

UPCOMING EVENTS:

JUVENILE JUSTICE WORKING GROUP Spring Meeting in Boston. Tuesday, April 23 from 11:30AM-4:30PM EST. RSVP to jempeterson@verizon.net

YTFG Spring Action Meeting in Boston. Wednesday, April 24 from 8:30AM-5PM EST  “Understanding Our Impact in Philanthropy, Defining Next Steps.” For more information or to register, contact Lisa McGill at lmcgill@ytfg.org

May 1, 2013 1-4pm: Shirley Chisholm Residence, East New York, Brooklyn. The Community Provider Experience with the Close-to-Home Initiative. An Open House Celebration and Panel Discussion About:

  • The Missouri Approach

  • Infusing the Sanctuary Model for Trauma-Informed Care

  • Specialized Non-Secure Placement for the LGBTQ Population

  • Solution-Based Casework and Aftercare

  • The Youth Experience

  • Lunch will be served in the garden and transportation from Manhattan will be provided


RSVP: matthewagoodman@gmail.com