In the last few weeks of the 115th Congress, H.R. 6964, the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2018 (JJRA), which reauthorized the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) was finally passed. Several states have proactively introduced and passed legislation that will hopefully put them in compliance with the updated law. 

On November 5, 2019,  the United States held numerous state and local elections throughout the country, encompassing a variety of governor and prosecutor positions. According to the political report, The Appeal, approximately 500 prosecutors and sheriffs will be elected in 2019, which will be instrumental in shaping criminal justice reforms.

The Campaign for Youth Justice (CFYJ) joins our allies in honoring Native American Heritage Month.  The waiver of Native youth into the adult system has been dramatically increasing in recent years. According to OJJDP, in 2016, the rate for Native youth waived into the adult system was 2.6 times greater than that of white youth, for the same charges. This is alarming and unjust. Stay tuned for ways local justice programs can improve, not harm, Native youth who are justice involved. 

During Youth Justice Action Month (YJAM) this October, groups, organizations, and individuals across the country engaged in discussions about youth justice, and about the racism inherent in the youth and criminal justice systems. 

We are happy to report that YJAM was a great success!

Kat Crawford & Christina Campbell from the Center for Educational Excellence in Alternative Settings discuss how students in secure schools across America are exploring the issues that surround youth justice for Youth Justice Action Month.

We have a winner!  The Travis Hill Students at JJIC in New Orleans, LA  won our Holiday card contest! We would like to thank the many young people who submitted artwork, as all of the designs merit special recognition. The messages of hope, love, justice, and peace resonated throughout the submissions, making the selection difficult for the CFYJ Spokespeople. Thank you for helping make #YJAM a success!

CFYJ would like to introduce our Weekly Legislative Update. The update provides a look at the most recent legislation that has been introduced in states across the country concerning youth prosecuted as adults.