What's on our radar this week
Every Wednesday, Juvenile Law Center gathers the latest studies, reports, and headlines from around the country. Here's what we've been reading:
- From its early beginnings in the 19th century to the current movement to ban the practice, NPR's series unpacks America's addiction to solitary confinement, which can be devastating to a young brain.
- An organization in Nebraska received a $1 million grant to expand the services it provides to unconnected youth in rural areas, including foster youth who are aging out of care, youth with juvenile justice contact, and homeless youth.
- Casey Family Programs reports that American Indian children are more likely to be victims of abuse and/or to be in foster care.
- A federal judge has ordered the U.S. government to release immigrant children and families being held in detention centers in Texas and Pennsylvania.
- A diversion program in Louisiana aims to keep nonviolent youth offenders out of the juvenile justice system, and a new law in Kentucky helps keep youth who commit status offenses - like skipping school or running away - out of the juvenile justice system.
- President and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation gave opening remarks for a recent White House convening on foster care.
- A new law in Texas, which goes into effect on September 1, decriminalizes truancy in an effort to divert youth from the juvenile justice system.
- National Runaway Safeline's latest report on runaway and homeless youth found that 16% of "youth in crisis" cited physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse and neglect; runaway or homeless youth citing "GLBTQ issues" increased by 20%; and 70% of "youth in crisis" are girls and young women.
- What if everything we (and schools) know about discipline is wrong?
- One seemingly small fix to the Affordable Care Act would close an important coverage gap for former foster youth.
Did we miss a big story? Email us at [email protected] with your headline.