Share Your Story / Testimonials
Share Your Story
The Campaign for Youth Justice is deeply committed to cultivating spokespersons to tell the story why children should not be treated the same as adults are in the criminal justice system. If interested in learning more about CFYJ or interested in joining our Spokesperson Bureau, you can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (202) 558-3580.
Read CFYJ’s Publication on Sharing Your Personal Story.
We would like to invite your participation in the Campaign for Youth Justice Case Profiles Project. The project gathers personal stories from youth prosecuted in the adult criminal justice system as well as their parents and families. In order to understand first hand and support recommendations for change, we need to hear about the experiences of those affected by the current system. Case profiles are particularly integral to our awareness work in which we highlight youth, parent, and family voices in our reports, policy briefs, publications, newsletters, and the CFYJ website.
If you or a member of your family has been impacted by juvenile and criminal justice polices, please tell us your story using the toolkits below. These toolkits contain everything you need to effectively tell your story, including consent forms, writing tips and topics to address, and example stories.
Case Profile Toolkit for Parents and Family Members (PDF 100KB)
For parents and family members of youth who are currently or have previously been prosecuted or incarcerated as adults.
Case Profile Toolkit for Incarcerated or Jailed Youth (PDF 93 KB)
For youth, under age 18, who are currently being prosecuted or incarcerated as adults or for individuals who were prosecuted or incarcerated as adults when under age 18 and are either back in the community or serving sentences.
Parent Testimony
When a youth is placed into the adult criminal justice system, they are taken from their community, their friends, and most importantly, their families. Families often feel helpless, as though the system has taken their kid permanently and unfairly, and they feel like there’s nothing they can do about it. In their own words, families tell what it’s like to have a child in the adult criminal justice system.
Youth Testimony
We feel it’s important that those most directly affected by the practice of trying youth as adults have a voice in our reform efforts. Juveniles tried as adults have had the closest contact with the system. Therefore, they are in the best position to describe what it is truly like and outline recommendations for reform. Nobody can speak to the harsh realities of the issue in the way our youth can. Below, you’ll find testimonials delivered before policy-makers from incarcerated individuals who have been through the adult system as children.
Other Testimony
Here is testimony given by researchers, attorneys and advocates