Juvenile Justice

  2007 Summary of Juvenile Justice Legislation (February 2008)

  2007 Juvenile Justice State Enactments (February 2008)

Mental Health Needs of Juvenile Offenders:  This is the first of a series of four briefing papers under NCSL's partnership with the MacArthur Foundation. This first paper discusses the mental health needs of juvenile offenders, describing state approaches to help and treat youth in the justice system -- including mental health assessments, screenings and evaluations and collaborations with the mental health community and other child-serving organizations. (June 2007)

 Delinquency Detour: Treating mental illness in young people can keep them from a future of crime and delinquency.  (State Legislatures Magazine - April 2007)

NCSL Partners with MacArthur Foundation

The National Conference of State Legislatures announces a partnership project with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation headquartered in Chicago, Ill., to inform and assist state legislatures on juvenile justice issues. Over the next two years, NCSL's Criminal Justice Program expects to prepare briefing papers and convene site visits that respond to state legislative interests and build leadership capacity for review and reform of juvenile justice.

The MacArthur Foundation supports research, model programs, policy analysis, and public education to promote more effective juvenile justice systems across the country. The Foundation currently is working in four states to establish models for successful reform as part of its national juvenile justice initiative.

The MacArthur Foundation has created three national action networks to help to improve the nation's juvenile justice system.  The Networks are part of MacArthur's overall Models for Change initiative.   One Network focuses on reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system - participants include Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina and Wisconsin.  The second Network addresses the mental health needs of juvenile justice involved youth - participants include Colorado, Connecticut, Ohio and Texas.  And the newest Network addresses legal representation for indigent juveniles.  It will work to build the capacity of the juvenile defense bar and improve access to counsel and quality of representation for youth.  Participating sites in the new Juvenile Indigent Action Network will be selected in June through an open application process.

• Events and Publications

  • Lawmakers visit Philadelphia, PA for second Juvenile Justice System Model Site Visit:  16 legislators from 12 states took part in the second Juvenile Justice System Model site visit September 23-25, 2007 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  They  had the opportunity to meet with elected, agency and judicial officials in Pennsylvania and learn about state and local collaborations that have resulted in successful juvenile justice reforms.

  • A pre-conference session "Adolescent Development and Mental Health" was held in April at NCSL's 2007 Spring Forum in Washington, D.C.
    • Presentation by Laurence Steinberg, Ph.D., director, Temple University, and network chair of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice.
       
  • Lawmakers Visit King County, Washington, Juvenile Justice System: Through a partnership project of NCSL's Criminal Justice Program and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, a group of 18 state legislators from 12 states took part in a "juvenile justice system model site visit". (December 11, 2006)
    
• Our Washington D.C. office also has a partnership with the MacArthur Foundation focusing on mental health issues.
  
• MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice provides analysis of juvenile justice policies and practices and is a great resource.
  
• Other Mac Arthur Juvenile Justice Initiative Partners and Resources
  • Campaign for Youth Justice
  • Center for Children's Law and Policy
  • Center for Children & Youth Justice
  • Coalition for Juvenile Justice
  • National Juvenile Defender Center
  • Urban Institute
  • Annie E. Casey Foundation, Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative
  • National Academy for State Health Policy

  
  

• Other Juvenile Justice News and Publications
  • 2006 Summary of Juvenile Justice Legislation
  • 2006 Juvenile Justice State Enactments
  • 2005 Juvenile Justice State Enactments (February 2006)
  • Juvenile Justice State Legislation in 2004 - pdf version (February 2005)
  • 2003 Summary of Juvenile Justice Legislation (March 2004)
  • 2003 Juvenile Justice State Enactments (March 2004)
  • 2002 Juvenile Justice State Enactments (January 2003)
  • Executing Juveniles: The Supreme Court Wrestles with the Execution of Young Criminals. (November 1, 2005)
  • Death Penalty for Juveniles Struck Down: The United States Supreme Court on March 1, 2005 abolished the death penalty for juveniles, ruling that the Constitution forbids the execution of individuals who were under the age of 18 at the time of their crime. (March 1, 2005)
  • Downsizing Helps Delinquents: Missouri has discovered that showering troubled teens with warmth, respect and concern works well in turning them around. (State Legislatures Magazine - December 2004)
  • Out of Lock-Up: Now What? A large number of youthful offenders released from confinement end up back in the system. Helping kids re-enter the community can help them stay out of trouble and save states money. (State Legislatures Magazine - December 2003)
  • Addressing Truancy, Preventing Delinquency: Truancy is a warning sign that a student could be headed toward educational failure. Students who are chronically truant fall behind in their school work and eventually drop out. (June/July 2003)
  • Juvenile Confinement Conditions and Services (January 2003)
  • Juvenile Justice: Overview for New Legislators - Audio: Want to learn more about juvenile justice issues? Lawmakers discuss comprehensive juvenile justice and the process of crafting and moving related legislation. Listen to this new online audio. (December 16, 2002)

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Contact

For more information on this topic, please contact Sarah Hammond, 303-364-7700 or mailto:cj-info@ncsl.org?subject=[Juvenile Justice].