Written by Billy Harris, CFYJ Board Member

Being incarcerated at the age of sixteen has many inherent nightmarish realities of its own. Also being a gay youth struggling with self-identity issues made it a living nightmare that I often felt would crush me.  

It’s finally June, which means our summer fellows have joined us here in Washington, D.C. from all over the country to help advance justice for young people. Learn more about their backgrounds and aspirations.

By Benedict Roemer, Public Interest Communications and State Campaigns Fellow

Youth justice is all about looking at the bigger picture. We understand that children thrive when they are raised in the context of their families and communities. Yet, more than 1.5 million children lack access to their fathers, due to the mass incarceration of, particularly, men of color.  This is especially damaging to children of color, as recent research by the National Center for Health Statistics has shown that Black fathers, regardless of their marital status, are more involved in their children’s lives than any other demographic.  So, as Father’s Day approaches, let’s remember all the reasons the world needs dads at home with their children, not in prison.

By Marcy Mistrett, CEO

In the five decades since Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, U.S. families, advocates, and youth continue his legacy for justice, specifically targeting criminal justice reform.

By Aprill O. Turner, Communications Director

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, which aims to increase public awareness of the needs and potential of those with developmental disabilities.

By Aprill O. Turner, Communications Director

March is a time to reflect on the great contributions of women to our society, but we will be remiss if we didn't take some time to think about those voiceless young women and girls that are incarcerated.

At a recent event, someone commented to me that youth who are tried in adult criminal courts have to contend with a “life sentence” of consequences that result from a conviction and completely negates the prospect of positive change for most youth.

As a youth justice advocate for the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth I often speak out against the practice of sentencing children to life without the possibility of parole, but this was the first time I had ever heard the term “life sentence” used in reference to the lifelong consequences that children face when they receive an adult criminal conviction. Such a conviction can limit access to financial aid for school, housing in many rental units, employment, voting and in myriad other ways. In that moment of clarity, I felt a sudden rush of energy and knew that what he just stated was absolutely true and unfair.

This week, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the REDEEM Act (The Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment Act) which addresses several problematic areas of America’s current criminal justice system.

A new report shows that Latino voters support less incarceration and more rehabilitation. This week the Californians for Safety and Justice released a report, Latino Voices: The Impacts of Crime and Criminal Justice Policies on Latinos. The new report reveals that Latinos have surpassed whites to now make up the largest share of California’s population, yet are faced with unequal treatment at every stage of the justice system.

On May 15th, states were required to certify compliance, or provide assurances that it would eventually come into compliance, with the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). This week, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ), only two states have certified full compliance with PREA: New Hampshire and New Jersey. Forty-six states provided assurances that they will continue to work on full implementation and seven state Governors completely rebuked the federal statute and stated they would absolutely NOT comply. These states include: Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Nebraska, Texas, Utah, and Florida.