What's on our radar this week
Each week, Juvenile Law Center gathers the latest studies, reports, and headlines from around the country. Here's what we've been reading:
- In a new video, #WhenIWas18, celebrities support a campaign aimed at raising awareness for foster youth who are at risk of "aging out" of the system.
- South Carolina Rep. Jerry Govan has proposed a new committee to examine the state's juvenile delinquency laws. The committee would report back to the General Assembly by December 2016 with recommendations.
- A recent report has found populations of homeless students in every county in Pennsylvania and in at least 96% of the state's school districts.
- In Utah, the number of juveniles sentenced in adult court has dropped dramatically since 2007. As the state continues to examine its juvenile sentencing process, legislators are examining the use of "blended" sentencing. This approach incorporates both measures from the juvenile and adult systems when sentencing youth.
- Since 2010 New York City has experienced a 25% increase in the number of students who live in temporary housing. Of these students, over 23,000 live in homeless shelters. New York City officials are implementing reforms to try and combat this rising problem.
- Sen. Whitney Westerfield of Kentucky has announced reforms to address the disproportionate number of minorities in the state's juvenile justice system.
- A recent report, The School-to-Prison Pipeline Preliminary Report, has found that students of color, with disabilities, or LGBTQ youth are disproportionately disciplined in California schools.
- A new pilot program in Twin Cities has been launched to help combat the city's homeless youth population. connQT, a Point Source Youth Pilot, is a collaboration of three Twin Cities organizations and is specifically targeting LGBTQ homeless youth.
Did we miss a big story? Email us at [email protected] with your headline