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An “Ombudsperson” can be defined as someone who acts on behalf of another as a “protector against oppressive
measures by the government.” Today, “ombudsperson” has taken on a broader ‘public watchdog’ or ‘citizen
defender’ meaning.

A bipartisan bill to end Virginia’s juvenile “pay to stay” practice, which requires families to pay incarceration fees to the state while their children are

PHILADELPHIA, PA (March 8, 2021) — Today, Juvenile Law Center, the nation’s first public interest law firm for children's rights, is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2021 Leadership Prize. The organization’s annual Leadership Prize is awarded to outstanding individuals working in any field – law, government, the arts, media, entertainment, sports, business, or any other sector – who are fighting for the rights and well-being of youth in the child welfare and justice systems.

The coronavirus pandemic has upended education in schools across the country as many students have been forced to learn remotely, sometimes without access to reliable internet or adequate technology. These conditions have made it much harder for all students to effectively learn, but one population has been hit especially hard: young people taking classes inside prisons.

“If the attorney for the 14-year-old Manheim Township girl charged as an adult in the stabbing death of her older sister tries to have her case moved to juvenile court, she will face an almost impossible task,” LNP | LancasterOnline’s Dan Nephin reported in Sunday’s edition.

Across the country, our municipal court system is targeting kids for behaving like kids. Young people are policed, ticketed, and fined for age-appropriate behavior such as violating curfews, loitering, and underage drinking. These violations can push young people into the justice system and send their families spiraling into debt.

Some of Pennsylvania's most vulnerable students are falling behind to no fault of their own, due to inconsistent graduation requirements across school districts.

"You don't want me." The words spilled out of 4-year-old Jimmy as he sat crying in an unfamiliar bedroom, his third foster home in two weeks. Earlier that week, in another house, he’d run from window to window watching his caseworker depart and shouting, “Don’t leave me!”

National children’s rights group sheds light on municipal citation structures in the 50 states and District of Columbia.

MADISON - The ACLU of Wisconsin and Juvenile Law Center today called for the closure of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools, a state-operated youth detention facility, after a new monitor report showed that many conditions are getting worse at the facilities, and compliance with the court settlement has declined in the past several months.