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Jane M. Von Bergen

November 19, 2016 |

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A law in Philadelphia allows people with certain misdemeanor convictions to ask a court to seal their records. This means job seekers could honestly tell prospective employers they have no criminal record and schools and landlords would not see the records either. However, law enforcement and district attorneys would still have access to the records so if a person is rearrested their history could be taken into account in setting bail or in sentencing.

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‘We Failed Him': Caught in the Revolving Door of Juvenile Detention

Tim Summers, Jr.

November 09, 2016 |

Jackson Free Press |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Jackson, Mississippi

If juveniles in the Hinds County youth-court system, whose families tend to have limited resources, cannot get sustained, meaningful help at the center, they do not have many other options. But, thanks to a lawsuit on behalf of the juveniles in the facility, the county is starting to address the lack of mental-health services - whether in facilities or starting at home with the family.

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Can Española Valley High School crack down on truancy?

Andrew Martinez

October 15, 2016 |

Rio Grande Sun |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Española, New Mexico

To improve its consistently high truancy rates, last academic year Española Valley High School implemented a new truancy and dropout prevention program aimed at shaping up poor attendance. The results are yet to be determined — but debate still rages within the school about the best method for battling truancy.

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King County tries counseling, self-reflection instead of jail for teens

Claudia Rowe

October 15, 2016 |

The Seattle Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

Restorative justice, a process that originated in New Zealand, aims to repair damaged relationships rather than merely meting out punishment. It can be far more demanding than a traditional route through court, but for juvenile offenders like those in King County, who are statistically likely to get stuck in a cycle of crime after a first prison sentence, the alternative to incarceration may provide a constructive path forward.

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Court Innovations' Matterhorn Allows People to Handle Court Cases Online

Stephen St.Vincent

October 12, 2016 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Low-income people often miss out on court dates because they cannot afford to miss work or leave their children. Michigan and Ohio courts have incorporated the Matterhorn “online adjudication system” to handle simple cases so individuals can participate through the Internet. The system also offers the advantage of having “less bias” than in-person trials, because the race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status of the individual is protected online.

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Getting Tried as an Adult Means a Longer Sentence

Sarah Gonzalez

October 10, 2016 |

WNYC |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Germany, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

In the U.S., some people who are convicted as minors can spend their whole lives in prison. German prisons offer a solution: shorter sentences and a focus on reducing crime once people reenter society.

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Guards with Helmets vs the Jolly Lumberjack

Sarah Gonzalez

October 10, 2016 |

WNYC |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Germany, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Germany's system of shorter sentences for minors and correctional officer training focused on rehabilitating prisoners could become a model for juvenile detention in the U.S., where guards are currently trained in firearms and self-defense.

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Germany has a different approach, better results

Sarah Gonzalez

October 10, 2016 |

WNYC |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Germany, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

In the United States, minors are often tried and sentenced as adults, leading to traumatizing circumstances and high recidivism. In Germany, minors cannot be tried as adults and are put in prisons that double as farms, aiming to mirror the outside world.

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Getting Tried as an Adult Depends on Skin Color

Sarah Gonzalez

October 10, 2016 |

WNYC |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, New Jersey

Many minors, especially those who are black or hispanic, are tried and sentenced as adults. A new New Jersey law requires minors to at least begin their sentence in juvenile facilities, but there are still problems.

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Highline district struggles with fallout after limiting student suspensions

Claudia Rowe

September 10, 2016 |

The Seattle Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

The Highline school district in Washington implemented a radical new strategy to break the school-to-prison pipeline based on mounting data that suspending students pushed them into a vicious cycle of violence and delinquency. However, theories of replacing punitive measures with counseling and academic triage have proven difficult to translate from theory to practice, and many teachers have resigned over fear for their safety. But one teacher at Pacific Middle School has found a way to make the approach work, and the district is promising to scale his model, invest more in teacher training, and expand resources, determined to meet their original objectives and reach the kids that need the most help.

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