On October 20 and 21, Juvenile Law Center hosted our third national Debt Free Justice convening in Berkeley, California with partners from the National Center for Youth Law and Berkeley Law School’s Policy Advocacy Clinic. The convening gathered over fifty advocates from around the country working to eliminate fees and fines in the juvenile legal system. Participants celebrated the numerous campaign wins, strategized for future policy advocacy, and strengthened relationships with their colleagues around the country. We were particularly thrilled about the many young people directly impacted by the juvenile and criminal legal systems who joined the convening and provided key insights on campaign goals and strategy, including Juvenile Law Center Stoneleigh Youth Advocacy Fellow, Aqilah David.
Since its launch in 2021, the Debt Free Justice campaign has achieved significant legislative success. Fifteen states have passed legislation repealing all or almost all fees and fines in the juvenile justice system, while another dozen states have abolished some fees or fines or enacted similar local reforms. The campaign has also established national, state, and local coalitions and working groups to tackle other economic justice concerns—our committees have developed research and resources and organized events around restitution, costs of the child welfare system, and municipal court costs. Most importantly, we have developed partnerships to support the youth advocates who are engaged in this work through a Youth and Family Engagement committee and by creating and hosting a fellowship for five Debt Free Justice Campaign Transformative Justice Fellows in 2023.
While we appreciated the opportunity to celebrate these wins at the 2024 convening, we focused primarily on developing new strategies for reform. Advocates detailed the legislative roadblocks to state reform and brainstormed solutions to common challenges. Successful campaigns shared strategies on engaging with legislators across the political spectrum, educating the public on youth fees and fines issues, and appealing to a diverse array of funders to more comprehensively sustain our work. We discussed how to change current political narratives around crime and highlighted the importance of restorative programs rather than punitive monetary sanctions. We each left the convening feeling refreshed, connected, and with new tactics to move the work forward.
As we reflect on our time in Berkeley, Juvenile Law Center staff are excited to put the strategies we learned at the convening into practice in our advocacy work. As a national leader of the Debt Free Justice campaign, Juvenile Law Center staff will be setting priorities, developing resources, giving presentations, and organizing committees and coalitions to build on the lessons of the convening and to continue supporting the work of campaigns across the country. In the 2024-2025 legislative session, Juvenile Law Center staff will also be directly supporting campaigns to pass laws eliminating fees and fines in several states including Pennsylvania, Kansas, Virginia, and Ohio. Each time Debt Free Justice advocates gather, we hear new stories about shocking fees and fines in the justice system and the devastating impact that they have on young people, families, and their communities. Fortunately, we also hear new stories about young people’s resilience and leadership as they advocate for a more just world for themselves and their communities. We are proud to work alongside them to ensure that all young people can experience Debt Free Justice.
