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Local Resources

Reports and Documents

Toolkits and Resources

Juvenile Justice Reform Resources

  • Center for Children & Youth Justice (CCYJ) – “The Center for Children & Youth Justice is shaping better lives for youth involved in Washington’s foster care and juvenile justice systems. In partnership with parents, advocates and policymakers, the Center develops and advances innovative approaches to systemic changes that will support kids, stabilize families and strengthen communities.”
  • Iowa State Juvenile Home Special Investigation Reports by the Des Moines Register
  • Juvenile Indigent Defense – “Young people in trouble with the law have a right to legal counsel, but they frequently don’t get the timely or adequate representation they need. Many youth waive their constitutional right to counsel and accept plea offers without fully understanding their actions. Too often, even those who do have lawyers are inadequately represented, because of defenders’ high caseloads, inexperience, and lack of training and resources. In each of the four core states, Models for Change is working to improve access to and quality of counsel for every young person who enters the juvenile justice system.”
  • Juvenile Justice Resource Hub – “The Juvenile Justice Resource Hub is a comprehensive source of information on cutting-edge juvenile justice issues and reform trends put together by JJIE and NJJN, with support from Models for Change and The MacArthur Foundation.”
  • National Juvenile Justice Network – “The National Juvenile Justice Network exists to support and enhance the work of state-based groups to promote the reform of America’s critically flawed juvenile justice system at every level. Through education, community-building and leadership development, NJJN enhances the capacity of juvenile justice coalitions and organizations in 33 states to press for state and federal laws, policies and practices that are fair, equitable and developmentally appropriate for all children, youth and families involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in, the justice system.”

Other Justice Centers

Below are examples of how other justice centers have evolved and defined their purpose and goals.

  • Council of State Governments Justice Center – “The Council of State Governments Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that serves policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels from all branches of government. Staff provides practical, nonpartisan advice and evidence-based, consensus-driven strategies to increase public safety and strengthen communities. The Justice Center serves all states to promote effective data-driven practices — particularly in areas in which the criminal justice system intersects with other disciplines, such as public health — to provide practical solutions to public safety and cross-systems problems. The Justice Center builds on the solid foundation of work related to reentry, responses to justice-people with mental illnesses who are involved with the criminal justice system, and justice reinvestment—a data-driven approach to reduce corrections spending and reinvest savings in strategies that can decrease crime and strengthen neighborhoods. The Justice Center’s Board of Directors includes state legislative leaders, judges, corrections administrators, juvenile justice agency directors, and law enforcement professionals, who together represent a cross-section of the senior-level state officials who shape criminal justice policy across the country.”
  • Global Justice Center – “The Global Justice Center was founded in 2005 to fill a critical need in the international human rights field. The success of the human rights revolution over the last 30 years has resulted in treaties and international human rights laws that need to move from paper to practice. Now is the time for enforcement and implementation; and to do this, aggressive lawyers are needed who combine international law expertise with strategic and creative lawyering skills. That is where the Global Justice Center comes in.”
  • National Indian Justice Center – “The National Indian Justice Center, Inc. (NIJC) is an Indian owned and operated non-profit corporation with principal offices in Santa Rosa, California. The National Indian Justice Center was established in 1983 through the collective efforts of the National American Indian Court Judges Association, the American Indian Lawyer Training Program, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs in order to establish an  independent national resource for Native communities and tribal governments. The goals of NIJC are to design and deliver legal education, research, and technical assistance programs which seek to improve the quality of life for Native communities and the administration of justice in Indian country.”
  • NYS Justice Center – “Our Vision: People with special needs shall be protected from abuse, neglect and mistreatment. This will be accomplished by assuring that the state maintains the nation’s highest standards of health, safety and dignity; and by supporting the dedicated men and women who provide services.”
  • Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center – “The Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center is a public interest law firm founded in 1985 by J. Roderick MacArthur to advocate for human rights and social justice through litigation. The MacArthur Justice Center became part of Northwestern University School of Law’s Bluhm Legal Clinic in 2006. As one of the premier civil rights organizations in the United States, the MacArthur Justice Center has led battles against myriad civil rights injustices, including police misconduct (leading the charge to appoint a special prosecutor in the Jon Burge torture cases in Chicago), executions (helping to abolish the Illinois death penalty), fighting for the rights of the indigent in the criminal justice system, and winning multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for the wrongfully convicted.”
  • Tahirih Justice Center – “The Tahirih Justice Center is an innovative, efficient, and strategic nonprofit organization that works to protect immigrant women and girls from gender-based violence through legal services, advocacy, and public education programs.”

Other Agencies Organizations

The following sources of justice information and news are followed on a regular basis to discover relevant stories that impact our local community.

  • Bureau of Justice Assistance – “To provide leadership and services in grant administration and criminal justice policy development to support local, state, and tribal justice strategies to achieve safer communities through programs and initiatives.”
  • Bureau of Justice Assistance National Training and Technical Assistance Center (BJATraining.org) – “The mission of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is to provide leadership and services in grant administration and criminal justice policy development to support state, local, and tribal justice strategies to achieve safer communities. Established in 2008, the BJA National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) promotes that mission by facilitating the delivery of high-quality, strategically focused training and technical assistance (TTA) to achieve safe communities nationwide. To achieve this mission, BJA NTTAC works to improve the criminal justice system by providing rapid, expert, coordinated, and data-driven TTA to support practitioners in the effort to reduce crime, recidivism, and unnecessary confinement in state, local, and tribal communities.”
  • Bureau of Justice Statistics – “To collect, analyze, publish, and disseminate information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government. These data are critical to federal, state, and local policymakers in combating crime and ensuring that justice is both efficient and evenhanded.”
  • Center for Effective Public Policy – “The Center is a nonprofit organization first incorporated in Pennsylvania in 1981 with its main office in Silver Spring, Maryland. The Center’s staff and network of expert consultants are configured into project teams that have diverse qualifications and backgrounds in corrections, organizational development, nonprofit management, training, criminal justice, human services research, agency administration, and policy development.”
  • Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) – “Community policing encourages interactive partnerships between law enforcement agencies, their officers, and the people they serve. By leveraging connections within the community, police are better positioned to solve public safety problems.”
  • Community Resources for Justice – “At Community Resources for Justice, we believe that society gains when all people are given the support and tools they need to lead responsible, productive and dignified lives. Guided by excellence, creativity, and compassion, we support individual transitions, strengthen families and improve community safety. For more than 130 years, some of society’s most challenged citizens have benefitted from the programs and services we provide. Our work is organized along three areas of practice: (1) Social Justice Services transitions ex offenders back into mainstream society and diverts at-risk youth away from crime and toward a productive and fulfilling life; (2) Community Strategies provides adults with intellectual disabilities a chance to grow and flourish in the community by offering residence in small group home settings; (3) The Crime and Justice Institute provides research and consulting services which advance evidence-based practices that inform systems-level change. Around the nation, we are making neighborhoods safer and improving the quality of life for all through strong public policy development and legislation.”
  • Corrections.com – News about the justice system and corrections services.
  • CriminalSolutions.gov – “The Office of Justice Programs’ CrimeSolutions.gov uses rigorous research to inform practitioners and policy makers about what works in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services.”
  • Department of Health and Human Services (Federal) – “The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the United States government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.”
  • Department of Justice – “To enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.”
  • Drug Courts, two-page reference guide (PDF)
  • Evidence-Based Practices for Improving Behavior – “Research is helping to establish approaches and programs that effectively change delinquent behavior, lower recidivism and help young people succeed. Rigorously studied evidence-based programs like Multisystemic Therapy and Family Functional Therapy have been found to produce consistently better results than traditional juvenile justice interventions. Research supports other programs and services that show promise in improving behavior and emotional functioning. But many juvenile justice systems struggle to put these proven and scientifically supported approaches into practice.”
  • Federal Bureau of Prisons – “The Federal Bureau of Prisons protects society by confining offenders in the controlled environments of prisons and community-based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming law-abiding citizens.”
  • Federal Interagency Reentry Council – “The Federal Interagency Reentry Council represents 20 federal agencies, working towards a mission to: make communities safer by reducing recidivism and victimization, assist those who return from prison and jail in becoming productive citizens, and save taxpayer dollars by lowering the direct and collateral costs of incarceration.”
  • HOPE Probation – “In 2004, First Circuit Judge Steven Alm launched a pilot program to reduce probation violations by drug offenders and others at high risk of recidivism. This high-intensity supervision program, called HOPE Probation (Hawaii’s Opportunity Probation with Enforcement), is the first and only of its kind in the nation. Probationers in HOPE Probation receive swift, predictable, and immediate sanctions – typically resulting in several days in jail – for each detected violation, such as detected drug use or missed appointments with a probation officer.”
  • International Association of Chiefs of Police – “The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is a dynamic organization that serves as the professional voice of law enforcement. Building on our past success, the IACP addresses cutting edge issues confronting law enforcement though advocacy, programs and research, as well as training and other professional services. IACP is a comprehensive professional organization that supports the law enforcement leaders of today and develops the leaders of tomorrow.”
  • Justice Resource Institute (JRI) – “Justice Resource Institute (JRI) is dedicated to addressing the most confounding challenges of both the human services and educational systems and the persons and families these systems were created to serve. JRI pursues the social justice inherent in opening doors to opportunity and independence. Although our range of services is as varied as those we serve, our approach is uniformly characterized by compassionate support, innovation, and community leadership. We work in partnership with individuals, families, communities and government to address their shared challenges in a comprehensive, coordinated, systematic, and effective manner. JRI seeks new knowledge and improved evidence-based practice, in research and in the field, in order to inform our continuous search for excellence in service.”
  • Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) – “Founded on March 16, 2002, LEAP is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization made up of current and former members of the law enforcement and criminal justice communities who are speaking out about the failures of our existing drug policies. Those policies have failed, and continue to fail, to effectively address the problems of drug abuse, especially the problems of juvenile drug use, the problems of addiction, and the problems of crime caused by the existence of a criminal black market in drugs… By continuing to fight the so-called “War on Drugs,” the US government has worsened these problems of society instead of alleviating them. A system of regulation and control of these substances (by the government, replacing the current system of control by the black market) would be a less harmful, less costly, more ethical, and more effective public policy.”
  • National Conference of State Legislatures – “The National Conference of State Legislatures is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation’s 50 states, its commonwealths and territories.  NCSL provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues.  NCSL is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of state governments before Congress and federal agencies. NCSL is your organization.  The leadership of NCSL is composed of legislators and staff from across the country.  The NCSL Executive Committee provides overall direction on operations of the Conference.”
  • National Criminal Justice Reference Service – “Established in 1972, the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) is a federally funded resource offering justice and drug-related information to support research, policy, and program development worldwide.”
  • National Institute of Corrections – “The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons. The Institute is headed by a Director appointed by the U.S. Attorney General. A 16-member Advisory Board, also appointed by the Attorney General, was established by the enabling legislation (Public Law 93-415) to provide policy direction to the Institute. We provide training, technical assistance, information services, and policy/program development assistance to federal, state, and local corrections agencies. Through cooperative agreements, we award funds to support our program initiatives. We also provide leadership to influence correctional policies, practices, and operations nationwide in areas of emerging interest and concern to correctional executives and practitioners as well as public policymakers.”
  • National Institute of Justice – “The National Institute of Justice — the research, development and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice — is dedicated to improving knowledge and understanding of crime and justice issues through science. NIJ provides objective and independent knowledge and tools to reduce crime and promote justice, particularly at the state and local levels.” [More]
  • National Sheriffs’ Association – Mission: “To cooperate with criminal justice agencies and other public and private organizations dedicated to the  reduction of crime and improvement of law enforcement. To develop and encourage the practice of high standards of personal and professional conduct among  sheriffs and other law enforcement officers. To encourage, plan, and implement programs designed to foster respect for the law by juveniles and to  combat delinquency and unlawful behavior by youths.” [More]
  • Pew Charitable Trusts – State and Consumer Initiatives – Public Safety – “The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today’s most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life.”
  • Police to Population Ratio National Map
  • Prison Policy Initiative – “The Prison Policy Initiative was founded in 2001 to document and publicize how mass incarceration undermines our national welfare. Through groundbreaking research, innovative media work, and cross-sector organizing, the Prison Policy Initiative is changing the debate about the U.S. criminal justice system.”
  • Seattle Police Department Youth Guide to Seattle Laws and Police Procedures (PDF)
  • Seattle Police Department Youth Outreach – “Seattle Police participates in numerous opportunities to continually build their connection with young people with programs and services. Senior commanders also serve on the Mayor’s Youth Commission to meet with young leaders and discuss police programs and policies.”
  • Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities TASC (Illinois) – “We help people overcome drug problems, other health conditions, and arrest histories. Through our advocacy and case management services, we show our clients that their past isn’t necessarily the path of their future, and that they can succeed in changing their lives. Throughout Illinois, we work with men, women, and youth who are involved in courts, prisons, public health, and child welfare systems. We connect these government systems to services in the community.” Facebook
  • Right on Crime – “Conservatives are known for being tough on crime, but we must also be tough on criminal justice spending. That means demanding more cost-effective approaches that enhance public safety. A clear example is our reliance on prisons, which serve a critical role by incapacitating dangerous offenders and career criminals but are not the solution for every type of offender. And in some instances, they have the unintended consequence of hardening nonviolent, low-risk offenders—making them a greater risk to the public than when they entered.”
  • Urban Institute Justice Resources and Justice Policy Center – “The Justice Policy Center (JPC) conducts nonpartisan research and evaluation designed to improve justice and public safety policies and practices at the national, state, and local level. The Center’s research is founded on both the rigorous application of analytic methods and a pragmatic understanding of on-the-ground operations. Our researchers generate evidence on the effectiveness of existing programs and provide guidance on improvements in justice systems operations and efficiencies. We collaborate extensively with practitioners, public officials, and community groups to inform criminal justice decision-making in the interests of improving the safety and well-being of communities across the country.”
  • VERA Institute of Justice – “The Vera Institute of Justice combines expertise in research, demonstration projects, and technical assistance to help leaders in government and civil society improve the systems people rely on for justice and safety. Vera is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit center for justice policy and practice. In 1961, philanthropist Louis Schweitzer and magazine editor Herb Sturz recognized the injustice of a bail system in New York City that granted liberty based on income. Working with criminal justice leaders, they explored the problem, developed a solution, and rigorously tested it. Within a few years, they had demonstrated that New Yorkers too poor to afford bail but with strong ties to their communities could be released and still show up for trial. Every Vera project begins with an examination of how a targeted part of the justice system really works. Often, this inspires the design of a practical experiment or the development of a rational course for reform. Whatever path a project takes, Vera’s goal is to help government partners achieve measurable improvements in the quality of justice they deliver and to share what they’ve learned with people around the world. The result: Justice systems that are fairer, more humane, and more effective for everyone.”

Reentry and Prison Programs

Below are a few of the many prison programs available nationally.

  • Alternatives to Violence Project
  • Homeboy Industries – “Homeboy Industries provides hope, training, and support to formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated men and women allowing them to redirect their lives and become contributing members of our community. Each year over 10,000 former gang members from across Los Angeles come through Homeboy Industries’ doors in an effort to make a positive change. They are welcomed into a community of mutual kinship, love, and a wide variety of services ranging from tattoo removal to anger management and parenting classes. “
  • Huffington Post Article about Prison Programs
  • Inside Out Prison Exchange Program
  • New Leash On Life USA – “New Leash on Life USA is a Pennsylvania 501(c) (3) non-profit, prison-dog training program, dedicated to improving the life of inmates and saving the lives of dogs.”
  • North Carolina – Prison Programs
  • Prison Studies Project
  • The Last Mile – “The Last Mile (TLM) was created to provide programs that result in successful reentry and reduce recidivism. We believe that  jobs are the key to breaking the cycle of incarceration. Our mission is to provide marketable skills that lead to employment. Our in an out program provides career training in prison with mentorship and job placement upon release.”

Archive of 2013 Resources

Below are documents and resources relating to the 7 May 2013 proposal that received a majority of community support, but not sufficient to be approved.

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