The old saying goes that information is power. It’s certainly vital for making informed decisions.
With that in mind today I’d like to present a round-up of online resources for those wishing to become more well informed about the vital issue of juvenile justice. It seems like each day brings more data, and the majority of that data points toward a desperate need for us to change our approach from incarceration to actual rehabilitation.
So, without further ado, here are seven virtual fonts of information on the topic. If you have others that you think should be listed here, let us know in the comments.
The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown Universitys Public Policy Institute‘ – This one is geared more towards those of you who work in juvenile justice. The Center seeks to amplify upon good work being done across the country in the field of juvenile justice reform by providing a multi-systems perspective and set of resources in support of this work.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Juvenile Justice Page – The Casey Foundation’s juvenile justice reform agenda is designed to improve the odds that delinquent youth can make successful transitions to adulthood, primarily by reforming juvenile justice system so that they lock up fewer youth, rely more on proven, family-focused interventions, and create opportunities for positive youth development. You might be familiar with my recent posts about their new report, No Place for Kids: The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration , which is particularly worthwhile reading.
The Child Welfare League of America – “Our vision is that every child will grow up in a safe, loving, and stable family.” CWLA leads and engages its network of public and private agencies and partners to advance policies, best practices and collaborative strategies that result in better outcomes for vulnerable children, youth and families.
The National Criminal Justice Reference Service – Established in 1972, the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) is a federally funded resource offering justice and drug-related information to support research, policy, and program development worldwide. It’s a great place for finding numbers and statistics on topics such as juvenile recidivism.
PBS Frontline: Juvenile Justice – “Four kids, four crimes. Two were sent to adult court, two treated as juveniles. Read their stories. How would you decide?” This is one of my personal favorites. This website is jammed full of facts and commentary as well as an extensive history of American juvenile justice and an extensive array of relevant reports. Frontline did a great job with putting it together!
But, in the end, I had to remind myself that I was dealing with children. – Alex Kotlowitz, End Note, There are No Children Here
Image Source: Rick Harris on Flickr, used under it’s Creative Commons license
