In final days of the 115th Congress, lawmakers reauthorize the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act, updating key provisions that strengthen protections for justice- involved youth and improve public safety.

According to a new report released by the Campaign for Youth Justice in partnership with the University of Iowa, College of Law Community Empowerment Law Project, if Iowa’s laws do not change, thousands of youth under 18 will continue to receive adult court convictions mostly for simple misdemeanors.

December 10 marks the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the foundational document of the post-World War II human rights system. Coming in December, it represents a chance to reflect on how human rights were respected (or not) during the course of the year.

This year, it is safe to say, has not been a good one for human rights, either in the United States or worldwide. For children and youth in particular, it has been a rough year.

The Washington Post held a live discussion event where key elected officials and advocates came to discuss the future of the First Step Act. The widely discussed bipartisan criminal justice reform bill, with its future in question.was discussed by heavy-hitters trying to get a vote on this bill before the end of session.  Key speakers at this event included: Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Mike Lee (R-UT), Gov. Tom Wolf (D-PA); Larry Leiser, President of the National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys; Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections John Wetzel; and Rep. Sheryl Delozier, a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Jenna Tomasello from the American Youth Policy Forum discusses the dirty word of today’s education reform, "accountability", and how the Every Student Succeeds Act is giving states a new opportunity to improve education and workforce outcomes for youth in juvenile justice facilities.  

For Youth Justice Action Month, CFYJ released its report, “Is it Enough: Implementation of PREA’s Youthful Inmate Standard” in recognition of the 15th Anniversary of the Prison Rape Elimination Act .

By Kelbie Kennedy, Policy Counsel, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, National Congress of American Indians

During Native American Heritage Month we recognize the diverse cultures, languages, histories, and traditions of all 573 American Indian and Alaska Native governments in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2017 over 6.8 million people identified as American Indian or Alaska Native and one in every three is under the age of 18. With such a young population, federal laws surrounding juvenile justice have a large impact on tribal youth who are disproportionally represented in the system. 

The 2018 midterm elections have come to an end, and, while the outcomes of some races remain unknown, it is safe to say that the outcome for young people across the country was overwhelmingly positive. Check out or latest blog by CFYJ's Federal Policy Counsel Rachel Marshall.

This week as families gather to break bread, give thanks, and count their blessings—there are 45,000 children locked in secure facilities across this country who will be absent from their families’ tables. 4000 of them will be in adult jails; at least one as young as the tender age of ten.