This report, researched and presented by the 2014-15 Youth Justice Board, focuses on how teenagers with prior arrests can benefit from meaningful interventions and avoid further justice system involvement. It also provides recommendations to strengthen police-youth relationships in New York City.
In order to address the high prevalence of children’s exposure to violence, in 2010, eight sites around the country were selected by the U.S. Department of Justice for the Defending Childhood Demonstration Program. This national initiative aims: 1) to prevent children’s exposure to violence; 2) to mitigate the negative impact of such exposure when it does occur; and 3) to develop knowledge and spread awareness about children’s exposure to violence, both within and beyond the chosen pilot sites. The eight demonstration sites are:
Schools are increasingly using youth courts in place of detention and suspension, diverting students who commit school infractions from standard punishment. In this study of two New York City high school youth courts, youth court participants, teachers, and administrators expressed positive perceptions of the capacity of the youth court to serve as a meaningful alternative to the use of traditional discipline, although student surveys showed that the youth court did not have a quantifiable impact on school climate.
