Juvenile Justice

Silver handcuffs on black asphalt
Shani Saxon  Mar 27, 2019 11:13AM EDT

New Report Highlights Need, Strategies for Juvenile Justice Reform

The Urban Institute and the Youth First Initiative want to help America move away from youth incarceration in favor of community-based solutions.
Cyntoia Brown
Ayana Byrd  Dec 10, 2018 1:21PM EST

How to Support Cyntoia Brown

Sentenced to life in prison at 16 for killing her would-be rapist, Brown is not eligible for parole until she is 67.
Black boy with brown skin looks at camera while standing in front of high blue walls laced with barbed wire
Kenrya Rankin  Mar 19, 2018 2:28PM EDT

WATCH: Video Takes Viewers Inside Only Remaining Juvenile Detention Facility in Virginia

Even the director of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice wants to close Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center.
Illustration of Black child with black hair in red shirt while seated on white outline of stool in front of white outline of government building on navy background
Sameer Rao  Mar 12, 2018 5:24PM EDT

New Podcast Tells Stories of Children 'Caught' in Mass Incarceration

WNYC Studios explores how the criminal justice system traumatizes children of color in “Caught: The Lives of Juvenile Justice.”
Juvenile prisons
Alfonso Serrano  Feb 28, 2018 12:33PM EST

Juvenile Injustice: Racial Disparities in Incarceration Start Early

A new report shows that, just like its adult counterpart, the juvenile justice system is engulfed with overcrowding and racial imbalances.
Black and white photo of young Black boys in striped shirts and pants, working in a field
Kenrya Rankin  Feb 8, 2018 10:21AM EST

WATCH: Short Documentary Explores History—and Present—of the Juvenile Justice System

Youth First Initiative: “Youth justice is racial justice—and that’s why this system of oppression needs to change.”
Black person's eyes are visible through a small window in a lavender door
Kenrya Rankin  Mar 2, 2017 12:16PM EST

WATCH: This Video Breaks Down Why Incarcerating Kids Doesn't Work

Anti-prison campaign Youth First explains that, sometimes, systems need to be dismantled—not reformed.
Kenrya Rankin  Feb 1, 2016 2:03PM EST

Teen Dies in Kentucky Detention Center, Staff Waits 11 Minutes to Perform CPR

The preliminary coroner’s report says 16-year-old Gynnya McMillen likely died in her sleep.
Kenrya Rankin  Oct 13, 2015 1:45PM EDT

SCOTUS Could Shorten Sentences for Juveniles in Prison for Life

The Supreme Court could retroactively reduce the sentences of juveniles who are serving life with no possibility of parole.
Kenrya Rankin  Oct 5, 2015 1:42PM EDT

WATCH: ‘Prison Kids’ Documentary Explores Juvenile Justice System

The hour-long doc examines how kids end up behind bars and how it forever impacts their lives.
Kenrya Rankin  Aug 3, 2015 1:47PM EDT

Report: Juvenile Justice System Is Failing Native Youth

Native American teens are significantly more likely to be referred to state court systems for crimes such as truancy and underage drinking than their white counterparts. 
Julianne Hing  Jan 12, 2015 4:30PM EST

More Police in Schools Means More Student Arrests [Infographic]

That, and other facts about the school-to-prison pipeline.
Julianne Hing  Dec 18, 2014 1:44PM EST

U.S. Sues New York City Over Rikers Island's Treatment of Teen Inmates

Rikers’ youngest inmates were routinely abused and put in solitary confinement.
Julianne Hing  Nov 14, 2014 10:00AM EST

States Offer Varying Protection for Youth to Put Juvenile Records Behind Them

An expunged record is elusive, but key, for many young people looking to put their pasts behind them.
Jamilah King  Nov 12, 2014 1:18PM EST

Remembering the 'Ungovernable' Ella Fitzgerald's Time in a Youth Prison

She took a long road to stardom.
Julianne Hing  Jul 25, 2014 3:29PM EDT

'Hogtying' of Inmates Raises Alarm About Nevada Juvenile Detention Conditions

More than one in four incarcerated youth say they’ve been physically restrained before.
Julianne Hing  Jul 24, 2014 1:58PM EDT

Study: One in 10 Juvenile Detainees Have Contemplated Suicide

Youth in juvenile detention are at much greater risk for suicide than young people in the general population.
Carla Murphy  May 21, 2014 10:42AM EDT

NYPD Smashes 14-Year-Old Boy Through Store Window

Reporting raises questions about how the incident occurred and whether it was officially reported
Julianne Hing  May 14, 2014 3:24PM EDT

Contra Costa County Drops Costly Juvenile Record-Sealing Fee

The county used to charge $150 for adults to apply to see if they were eligible to seal their juvenile records.
Julianne Hing  May 9, 2014 5:28PM EDT

Paying to Get Locked Up: The High Fees of Juvenile Detention

Parents are charged $25 a day every day that their child is locked up, and that’s just one of many fees assessed for kids in the juvenile justice system.