The Campaign for Youth Justice will be closing in December. We could not be more proud of the success we have had along the way, especially in our campaign states. Check out the first in our series of blogs by CFYJ's State Campaigns Director, Brian Evans on our 15 years of progress and why it's important to get ready to #VoteYouthJustice on National Voter Registration Day.

This October, Youth Justice Action Month (YJAM) provides an opportunity to grow our movement for youth justice. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, masking, social distancing, and prohibitions on large gatherings are likely to still be the rule in October, but that does not mean there should not be a large number of virtual  YJAM events this year. 

Racism is not a new phenomenon. The very founding of the United States happened on the backs of enslaved Africans, brought to this stolen-land to build the wealth of white land-owners. From slavery to the Jim Crow Era, to Mass Incarceration and police brutality, Black people in the United States have always been treated as less-than

The air felt hot, full of smoke, people were running from either tear gas being sprayed by the police, smoke bombs, or their batons. If you looked at the scene you would think it was the 60s or 70s. 100s of men in full military armor, guns loaded and pointed at a crowd full of people, a public outcry of grief, anger, and desperation for a change, for our humanity to be recognized…

The team at the Campaign for Youth Justice has compiled a list of 13 books that will expand your knowledge of the Criminal Justice System, Juvenile Justice, and the Black experience in America. Happy reading!

A new report from the Campaign for Youth Justice and the Justice Policy Institute explores how transfer laws have failed our youth by worsening racial disparities, subjecting youth to the harmful conditions of confinement, and contributing to recidivism.

Today is the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, which commemorates the effective end of slavery in the U.S. In 1865, nearly two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, federal troops arrived in Texas and told enslaved people that they were finally actually free.

Quamir Hodges is author of the new book, “The Life I’ve Lived” in which he shares his deeply personal story about his life and his experiences while being incarcerated. We were also joined by Kathy Wright, Executive Director of the New Jersey Parents Caucus. 

This week, communities across the country are taking action against the brutal deaths of black men and women by law enforcement.  The Campaign for Youth Justice stands in solidarity with the calls to end these brutal killings, dismantle the structures that uphold racism, and redefine our country’s values based on justice, fairness, and love.

Please read this very important message from Campaign for Youth Justice CEO, Marcy Mistrett on what's next for CFYJ.