Sarah Barr
JJIE News
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Past articles by Sarah:
N.C. Raise the Age Supporters Hope for Change in Law
David Johnson wants the teenagers he works with to know that in North Carolina, 16- and 17-year-olds are charged as adults, not juveniles, a reality he says makes it harder for young people to get access to the programs they need to get on a healthy path. “You’re killing my life before I even get a chance to live it,” he said. He was 16 years old when he faced his first criminal charge in a… → Read More
Report: Communities Must Switch to Local Care, Not Prisons, for Young Offenders
Many policymakers and advocates know they want to close youth prisons, where they say young offenders are often isolated, unsafe and go without the services they need to thrive when they return to their communities. → Read More
Researchers Say Metaphors Can Help Public Better Understand Juvenile Justice
Juvenile justice reform advocates can spread their message further if they carefully guide their audience to an understanding of adolescent development and the justice system, researchers say. → Read More
Future Baltimore Consent Decree Called Chance to Reform Police Interactions With Youth
A scathing Justice Department report on unconstitutional police practices in the city includes a section not often seen in federal findings — a lengthy description of how the department has mistreated youth. → Read More
Child Well-Being a Mixed-Bag in Still-Rocky Economic Climate, Says Casey Report
The 2016 Kids Count Data Book findings point to a need for lawmakers to pay close attention to the needs of children and families — and to make clear their plans for policy improvements, said Patrick McCarthy, president and CEO of The Annie E. Casey Foundation. → Read More
Racial Disparities Persist Even as School Suspensions Decrease, Federal Data Shows
Out-of-school suspensions dropped 20 percent nationally in recent years, but students of color and students with disabilities are still more likely to face harsh discipline than their peers, according to new federal data. → Read More
House, Senate Take Different Paths on Proposed Juvenile Justice Funding
Reformers are dismayed by a proposed House spending bill that would eliminate funding for several major juvenile justice programs next year. → Read More
South Carolina Close to Raising Age for Juvenile Offenders to 17
This week South Carolina lawmakers approved “raise the age” legislation that would increase the upper age of juvenile jurisdiction from 16 to 17 for most young offenders. All but nine states already consider teenagers juveniles until they turn 18. → Read More
GAO Calls for Reducing Barriers to College for Foster and Homeless Youth
Burdensome paperwork requirements, limited academic preparation and a lack of adult guidance and support make it difficult for foster and homeless youth to pursue higher education, says a new report by the Government Accountability Office. → Read More
Better Collaboration Key to Helping Crossover Youth, Panelists Say
A Senate Judiciary hearing, held this week as part of National Foster Care Month, looked at how jurisdictions across the country are finding ways to help “dual status” or “crossover” youth by sharing information, staff and responsibility for outcomes. → Read More
Campaign Says Juveniles Need Better Access to Quality Legal Counsel
The National Juvenile Defender Center on Monday launched a campaign to improve access to quality legal counsel for juveniles in the lead up to the 50th anniversary of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling. → Read More
Early, Individualized Interventions Key to Reentry Success, Report Says
Former offenders need timely, individualized reentry paths that focus on career development, a new report by ICF International says. Too often, the hundreds of thousands of people returning from prison each year are unable to find employment, a situation compounded by trouble securing housing, health care and transportation — all factors that increase the likelihood of recidivism. → Read More
States Could Not Terminate Medicaid for Juveniles in Custody Under Bill
States would be prohibited from terminating Medicaid coverage for incarcerated juveniles under legislation introduced today in the House and Senate. → Read More
Advocates Still Hopeful for Action on Stalled JJDPA Reauthorization
Juvenile justice reformers still hope to see action this year on key legislation that stalled in the Senate several months ago. → Read More
Report: Communities Can Do More to Support Children with an Incarcerated Parent
Children with an incarcerated parent often suffer emotionally, academically and financially, and too few policies consider their needs, says a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. → Read More
OJJDP Plans to Help States Eliminate Use of Solitary Confinement for Juveniles
The federal government wants to help states eliminate the use of solitary confinement for juvenile offenders. “Our goal is to eliminate the practice,” said Robert Listenbee, OJJDP administrator. → Read More
Virginia Makes It Easier for Former Felons to Vote
See our continuing coverage of disenfranchisement here. * * * Voting in Virginia just got easier for more than 200,000 people with felony records. Under an executive order signed today, all former felons who have completed their full sentences as of today can immediately re-register to vote, the latest move by Gov. Terry McAuliffe, […] → Read More
Stop Solitary for Kids Aims to Build on State, Federal Momentum
A campaign to end solitary confinement for juveniles launched today, with supporters pledging to build on the momentum of leading-edge jurisdictions that have banned the practice. → Read More
Kansas Overhauls Juvenile Justice System, Emphasizes Community-Based Reinvestment
On Monday, Kansas became the latest state to overhaul its juvenile justice system, with a set of reforms projected to reduce the number of juveniles in custody by more than half and save tens of millions of dollars. → Read More
Collaboration, Sharing Data Key to Helping Dual Status Youth, Experts Say at Symposium
DeAngelo Cortijo remembers the fear he felt as a young boy on the day his mother was lifted unconscious into an ambulance. He thought he would never see her again. → Read More