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A day to expunge criminal records is hugely popular in Philly

Jane M. Von Bergen

November 11, 2016 |

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, people with certain types of misdemeanors can ask the courts to seal their records from public view. When this law was passed, a team of 175 lawyers, paralegals, and law students volunteered to help eligible people start the process of sealing their records. The event was a big hit with 1,853 people signing up for help, so many that registration had to close. Of the applicants, 1,200 will likely get their records sealed.

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

Tim Summers, Jr.

November 09, 2016 |

Jackson Free Press |

Text |

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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Don't Lock 'Em Up. Give 'Em a Chance to Quit Drugs

Caroline Preston

October 25, 2016 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

In Seattle, the over-policing of drug users has been extensive and frequently racially biased. Looking for a new solution, the LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion) program, driven by a harm reduction philosophy, is connecting users with key social services rather than punishment.

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New Program to Stem Chicago's Violence Epidemic Starts in Jail

Brandis Friedman

October 20, 2016 |

WTTW-PBS |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Chicago's Cook County Jail seeks to short-circuit the cycle of violence by involving young men from the city's most violent zip codes in a program that includes counseling, conflict resolution and anger management. The Sheriff's Anti-Violence Effort, or SAVE, then connects them with services once they're released to find housing and employment. Results are preliminary, but so far more than 80 have gone through the program and 20 were released, with just two ending up back in jail.

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

Claudia Rowe

October 15, 2016 |

The Seattle Times |

Text |

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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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 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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Replacing Military-Style Detention

Arielle Dreher

October 05, 2016 |

Jackson Free Press |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Jackson, Mississippi

Mississippians who receive earned probation for crimes that do not carry a death sentence or involve deadly weapons will now have access to high-school equivalency education, alcohol and drug counseling, re-entry and employment services—and perhaps, most importantly, "Thinking for a Change," an evidence-based cognitive behavioral-therapy program.

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How Dress for Success Has Outfitted Women for Two Decades

Chavie Lieber

September 27, 2016 |

Racked |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Business clothes are expensive, and this can often be a barrier to low-income professionals. Dress for Success in New York City is a non-profit that collects second-hand business clothing and has high-end stylists on hand to help with fashion choices for clients. The clothes not only help low-income clients get better jobs, but also help improve self-esteem and confidence.

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