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LA Gang Conference and Initiative A three day gang summit led by Police Chief William Bratton opened in Los Angeles on February 7. Bratton welcomes his counterparts from Mexico, Central America and Canada. For the first time, they are sharing intelligence on violent street gangs. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and police officials launched a new counteroffensive against gangs by identifying the city’s 11 worst gangs. Below are two articles, one from NPR on the 11 gangs and the conference held last week. The second looks at LA's response to gang violence historically and how well it's worked. L.A. Police List Most Dangerous Gangs Will LA's strategy to battle gangs work?
++++++++++ Remembering Dennis Maloney Dennis Maloney, a national expert on restorative justice and an eloquent advocate on behalf of kids in the juvenile justice system, died Tuesday evening, February 6 when his car crashed into an object on the side of the road, apparently as a result of a medical condition. He was 55. Maloney was one of three authors of Juvenile Probation: The Balanced Approach, which was published by NCJFCJ in 1988. The Balanced Approach has today become Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) and has been adopted by communities across the nation and several countries. ++++++++++ And Justice for Some This report is an update to And Justice for Some: Differential Treatment of Minority Youth in the Justice System. Both reports are from NCCD. From the report, these statistics: - Black youths are detained at 4.5 times the rate of white youths.
- Black youths are more likely than their white counterparts to be charged and sentenced to custody, even when referred for the same offense.
- Although African American youth are 16% of the adolescent population in the United States, they are 38% of the almost 100,000 youth confined in local detention and state correctional systems.
- They were overrepresented in all offense categories.
32 page pdf file. ++++++++++ Attitudes of US Voters Toward Youth Crime and the Justice System
Another new report from NCCD, this one is primarily statistics. From the report: - Of those polled, 9 out of 10 agree that youth crime is a major problem in our communities.
- By more than a 15 to 1 margin (92% to 6%), the US voting public believes that decisions to transfer youth to the adult court should be made on a case-by-case basis and not be governed by a blanket policy.
- A majority of 9 to 1 (92%) believes that rehabilitative services and treatment for incarcerated youth can help prevent future crimes.
- More than 80% of respondents think that spending on rehabilitative services and treatment for youth will save tax dollars in the long run.
If you’re looking for supportive data for a grant application, giving a speech, writing a report, take a look at this document and download a copy. 8 page pdf file. ++++++++++ 100 Best Communities for Young People, 2007 The Children’s Promise Alliance, a children’s advocacy group founded a decade ago has announced its list of 100 best communities for youth for 2007. The winners in this year’s competition are rural and urban communities in 38 states. Their programs are geared toward the five resources the group says society must make available to children: - caring adults,
- a safe environment,
- a healthy start,
- an effective education, and
- opportunities to help others.
++++++++++ Juvenile Court Statistics 2001-2002 This 150 page report draws on data from more than 2,000 courts with jurisdiction over 75% of the juvenile population in 2002 and profiles 1.6 million delinquency cases. The report reviews trends since 1985 and provides county- and state-level statistics for 2001 and 2002. ++++++++++ State Juvenile Justice Legislation Review This new review from the National Juvenile Defender Center examines juvenile justice legislation by issue and state and enables users to analyze changes in the law and trends in legislative activity at the national and state levels. 378 page pdf file. ++++++++++ DelinquencyCWLA’s THE LINK – Online Juvenile Justice/Child Welfare Newsletter This issue’s lead article is on agency-driven cultural competence. A second major article, “On the Ethical Care of Gay and Lesbian Youth in Corrections,” examines the consequences of institutional discrimination. Sixteen page pdf file. This issue is Vol. 5 #3 - Winter 2007 ++++++++++ Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative HELP DESK The Casey Foundation’s JDAI Help Desk is designed to be an effective tool for those interested in juvenile detention issues, policies and practices. An online library, supported by help desk staff, provides access to a wide range of documents, monographs, publications and training DVDs related to JDAI and detention reform in general. ++++++++++ Dismantling the Bomb The Dallas News presents an interactive video on graffiti and street art, the artists who create it, and their impact on today’s popular culture. Makes the distinction between street art and graffiti. ++++++++++ Child Abuse/ Foster CareSisters in Foster Care Separated by the State A 12-year-old girl, who has been a responsible caretaker when no adults were available to care for her 3-year-old sister, is profiled in the Anchorage Daily News. In the article Kursti Adkins talks about her life: what happens when your father is dead, your mother can’t take care of you and the state takes over. ++++++++++ Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care MTFC is an alternative to regular foster care, group or residential treatment, and incarceration for youth who have problems with chronic disruptive behavior. More information at the site on program effectiveness, cost effectiveness, and other details. See also the OJJDP Bulletin, Treatment Foster Care.
++++++++++ Child Neglect: A Guide for Prevention, Assessment, and Intervention The Child Neglect manual describes the root causes, symptoms, and consequences of neglect, as well as the interdisciplinary ways to prevent both the occurrence and recurrence. The guide is a 112 page pdf file. Alcohol and Other DrugsCrystal Darkness A locally produced anti-methamphetamine documentary showed on all local TV stations simultaneously in Reno, Nevada in early January. You can watch the 30 minute video at the link above. ++++++++++ The ADDICTION Project One in four Americans has a family member who is struggling with addiction. Over 80% of people with substance abuse or dependence disorder starting using before age 18. Addiction affects 22.2 million Americans. Only 9% are receiving the treatment they need. On Thursday, March, 15 HBO will air the first of its 14 part series on addiction. ADDICTION brings together leading thinkers and organizations at the threshold of new treatments. Advances in brain imaging science are ushering in many advances in medical treatment. Treatment for addiction is now as effective as treatment for other chronic relapsing diseases such as diabetes, hypertension or asthma. Family LawFlorida Case Raises Fundamental Questions About the Nature of Fatherhood and Legal Responsibilities Sixteen months after his divorce Richard Parker discovered his 3-year-old son had been fathered by someone else. Parker filed a lawsuit claiming fraud by his apparently unfaithful ex-wife. Last week the justices of the Florida Supreme Court ruled against him. Mental HealthBright Futures Developmental Tools for Families and Providers Four developmental tools offer a framework for providers and families to begin a conversation together about how best to support healthy social and emotional development of children and teens. May be used in a range of settings including health, education, child care and family services. Single copies are available for download at the link above. ++++++++++ National Center for Learning Disabilities Resources and information for individuals with learning disabilities and their families. For parents there is a Parent Advocacy Center and a section to learn how to navigate the special education process with your child’s school. Educators who have students with learning disabilities in their classrooms can get suggestions and strategies for kindergarten through eighth-grade. NCJFCJ NewsDifferent Roles Common Goals – 34th National Conference on Juvenile Justice
March 4-7, 2007 – San Diego, California Join NCJFCJ and NDAA in San Diego for this event and see such speakers as Dr. Lisa Boesky, the author of “Juvenile Offenders with Mental Health Disorders: Who Are They and What Do We Do with Them?” Five pre-conference workshops are offered on Sunday, March 4. They include: - Methamphetamine: A Community Response
- Juvenile Offenders with Mental Health Disorders: What you NEED to Know
- Using Performance Measures to Improve Performance
- Prosecution Standards and Juvenile Delinquency Guidelines
- What Works with Juvenile Offenders: Characteristics of Effective Programs
Click on the link above for all the details ++++++++++ NCJJ White Paper on Accountability Advancing Accountability: Moving Toward Victim Restoration takes the position that true accountability requires juvenile offenders to repair the harm caused by their offending behavior and to understand and acknowledge the wrongfulness of their actions. The White Paper was the result of debate among focus group participants under the auspices of Pennsylvania’s State Advisory Group. Downloadable 32 page pdf file New from OJJDP and SAMHSANational Mentor Recruitment Training February 26-28, 2007 in Los Angeles OJJDP will host this training which will equip mentoring programs to explore new avenues for finding and recruiting mentors, particularly through faith- and community-based collaborations. Registration deadline is February 16. Click on the link above for more information and/or to register online. ++++++++++ Tribal Youth Training and Technical Assistance Solicitation OJJDP is seeking applicants to provide training and technical assistance to OJJDP Tribal Youth Program grantees, American Indian tribes, and Alaska Native communities. Eligible applicants are public and private agencies, organizations, institutions, and individuals experienced in training and technical assistance efforts in Indian country. Application deadline is March 7. ++++++++++ SAMHSA Science to Service Awards SAMHSA has issued a call for applications for its Science to Service awards, a national program that will recognize community-based organizations and coalitions that have shown exemplary implementation of evidence-based mental health and substance abuse interventions. Application deadline is February 28, 2007. ++++++++++ Girls and Violence - Is It on the Rise? Two articles examine the violence attributed to girls and come up with different answers. The Downside of Girl Power? It only looks like the girls have gone wild
Join Us! ! Membership in NCJFCJ offers judges and juvenile court professionals the opportunity to get information about innovations and ideas, issues and news in juvenile justice and family law. Members receive the Juvenile & Family Court Journal and TODAY Magazine quarterly, and the Juvenile & Family Law Digest every month. For a sample package of all three publications and information on how to become a member, send your name and USPO mailing address and we'll send you an information packet . ++++++++++ To Subscribe, follow the instructions below: - click on this email address,
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If you want to get in touch with me,
contact Cheryl Lyngar and she will forward your message to me.
Joey Binard, for the Juvenile & Family Law Department, NCJFCJ
Brevity is supported by Grant No.2005-JL-FX-0065 from the
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice . |
