Juveniles for Justice's Road Map to Reform

Road Map to Reform: Achieving Individualized Supports for Youth in the Justice System

For their 2019-2020 annual project, youth advocates in Juveniles for Justice (J4J) bravely tackled the issue of incarceration of youth. Youth advocates used their own personal experiences in this system to highlight their harmful and non-restorative experiences in the justice system. Youth advocates from J4J developed recommendations that build on Juvenile Law Center’s Transforming Justice Report. Their recommendations call for more robust community-based supports to prevent young people from being involved in the justice system and increased diversion and re-entry programs and services in Philadelphia.

Youth advocates from J4J worked with staff to design a tool for professionals who work directly with youth called a “Road Map.” The Road Map’s design is to utilize story mapping with youth to help them further engage in their case planning by identifying places or points in their life stories where they should or could have received an intervention, or wanted to be connected to services or other supports that promote their well-being and help them heal.

Youth advocates from J4J met with members of the Philadelphia District Attorney's office to share their project ideas and gain support for their roadmap. Several members of the DA's office were excited about the opportunity to use the Road Map with the youth they serve.