Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • In Philly courts, whether they'll die in prison comes down to their birthday

    A 2016 U.S. Supreme Court decision allows those sentenced to life for crimes committed as juveniles to seek parole. These people make up more than half of lifers in Pennsylvania, which is considering numerous appeals, but now those sentenced when they were slightly older are arguing the impulsivity and immaturity that makes juveniles less culpable are also present in the brains of those in their 20s. They are seeking to ensure the same legal rulings also apply to them and the legal system is trying to reconcile legal definitions of adulthood with evolving brain science.

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  • Pennsylvania offers a new 'smart on crime' approach. But does it actually work?

    In an effort to reduce prison populations, some U.S. cities are enacting reforms that emphasize short, swift, and certain punishments for minor violations. Despite the hype, such reforms may be no better than existing practices.

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  • Nueces County ditches juvenile boot camp for new approach

    In Nueces County, Texas, military-style boot camp was the norm for troubled juveniles, who were forced to complete drills that simulate ROTC with instructors. The newly named Robert N. Barnes Region Juvenile Facility began replacing this antiquated method with therapeutic support and yoga relaxation techniques focus on the psycho-social health of troubled juveniles. The facility serves as a model of what boot camps could become.

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  • How Prisoners' Family Members Can Assist Overworked Public Defenders

    Public defenders' caseloads are too large for them to be able to provide the details that a loved one of an offender can provide in court. Participatory Defense programs train loved ones of the offender to be able to provide a testimony, often resulting in less severe sentences.

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  • When Your Child Is a Psychopath

    Children are typically diagnosed with callous and unemotional traits rather than psychopathy, so they are rarely treated properly for the mental condition even though most of these children grow into adult psychopaths. A juvenile treatment facility in Madison, Wisconsin, called Mendota takes in young men who have committed violent crimes and attempts to rehabilitate them in a non-traditional prison system. They have lower rates of re-offending than regular prisons and some of their inmates are able to function normally in society upon release.

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  • Criminalizing Homelessness

    In Eugene, Oregon, the city – much like the rest of the United States – has often practiced ticketing, citing, and/or arresting individuals as a response to homelessness. The practice, often referred to as the criminalization of homelessness, is now being called into question by groups across the city. Since the police are often the initial responders to people experiencing housing insecurity, the city is trying responses like community outreach to better address the needs of these individuals instead of writing them a ticket or sending them to jail.

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  • Philadelphia Treatment Court gives a 'second chance'

    In Philadelphia, people facing felony drug charges can opt for a yearlong program in a treatment court where their progress is monitored to ensure they avoid substance use, get treatment and stay in contact with their case managers. Judges presiding over the court work with those who miss those goals to help them reflect on how they can graduate, even if there are stumbles along the way. Those who successfully complete the program can work to get the felonies expunged from their records.

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  • STARS Program Helps Drug Court, Families Align

    Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services arose from the need to improve the outcomes of drug addicted parents and their children, such as increasing reunification statistics. STARS employs case workers who have previously been drug addicted, and can provide immediate support and services such as meeting with the participant, accessing treatment options, and drug screening.

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  • Battling Meth: A Rural Montana County is on the Frontline of National Foster Care Surge

    The drug crisis has reached new extremes in many parts of the country, as meth and opioids continue to tear families apart and funnel even more children into an already-strapped foster care system. In rural Montana, law enforcement and communities are trying a new approach to battling drug addiction, focusing on supportive family counseling and "drug courts" to help treat - rather than imprison - those struggling with addiction. In Lake County, Family Drug Treatment Courts are working to divert addicts from the vicious cycle and keep more families together.

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  • Nueces County judge aims for reform with domestic violence court

    Judge Inna Klein and probation officers from The Community Supervision and Corrections Department are bringing domestic violence reform to Nueces County. By taking more aggressive approaches toward supervision and accountability, and by focusing on rehabilitative services for offenders, they hope to break the cycles of violence.

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