A recent survey by the Annie E. Casey Foundation revealed that in response to the coronavirus pandemic, black youth detained in juvenile facilities were released at a far slower rate than their white peers. Black children are disproportionately represented in the juvenile justice system, and this report highlights another disparity for children of color. Black youth are
On Monday, July 27, 2020, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released his party’s counter to the House of Representatives HEROES Act. The rest of last week left the impression that Senate Republicans are not sure about the next steps. The HEALS Act, as it has been labeled, is actually eight different bills from different members
The Foster Care Research Group at the University of San Francisco released preliminary results of the “Perspectives of Current and Former Foster Youth During COVID-19” that was conducted in May and June 2020. Responses included 127 young adults across the country between the ages of 18-26 assessing the needs, concerns, and strengths before, during, and
The 2017 Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement (CJRP), a biennial survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census on behalf of the Office of Justice Programs’ Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), shows that the number of youth in placement continues to decline. Between 1997 and 2017, the number of juvenile
The National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC) held a webinar to discuss congregate care and group care for youth and advocating for connected placements during the COVID-19 pandemic. This public health pandemic places youth in congregate care facilities at an increased risk of contracting the virus than youth in family-like settings or foster homes. In
On Wednesday, June 16, Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Cornyn (R-TX), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), James Lankford (R-OK), and Ben Sasse (R-NE) introduced the Just and Unifying Solutions to Invigorate Communities Everywhere (JUSTICE) Act. The Senate Republican proposed legislation is in response to the national protest movement
On Tuesday, June 9, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) introduced the “Emergency Family Stabilization Fund" (S.3923) to provide emergency relief to families experiencing homelessness and to unaccompanied youth, in light of the health and economic consequences of COVID–19. Families and youth experiencing homelessness are at great risk of coronavirus
On Monday, June 8, 2020, the Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass (D-CA), Senators Corey Booker (D-NJ) and Kamala Harris (D-CA), and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) introduced the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, the first-ever bold, comprehensive approach to hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement and build trust
In response to a bipartisan group of Senators, national youth justice advocates, and other stakeholders urging the Justice Department to outline ways to prevent infections, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) issued disappointing guidance to state juvenile detention and correctional facilities. The guidance is counter to the CDC’s recommended public health measures
On Wednesday, May 27, 2020, the House Ways and Means Committee conducted a virtual hearing on the Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Communities of Color. Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA), said: “While the factors driving these inequities are complex and multifaceted, their impact on health outcomes have been clearly documented.” His opening comments highlighted: Indigenous and
