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Past Conferences

Kids Behind Bars: John Jay/Tow Foundation National Symposium for Journalists

May 18, 2012 03:51:44 pm


Bryan Stevenson speaks to journalists at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Photo by Juvenile Justice Information Exchange (JJIE), Clay Duda - JJIE/Youth Today

Why does the U.S. lead the world in youth imprisonment?  What should a truly effective juvenile justice system look like?  How can the media stay ahead of the story?

On April 23-24, 2012, 30 journalists from around the nation joined some of the country's most prominent juvenile justice experts, practitioners and advocates to explore those questions at a special symposium at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, organized by John Jay's Center on Media, Crime and Justice with the support of the Tow Foundation and in cooperation with John Jay's Center for Research and Evaluation.

The 30 journalists, selected as Reporting Fellows, examined current sentencing and detention practices, the impact of race, treatment of mental health and substance abuse, and the role of police, courts, schools (and parents) in the so-called "school to prison pipeline."  The year-long fellowship also includes the establishment of a "juvenile justice news network" for reporters to assist them in following trends in this area, and new research--with the aim of providing the tools that can help foster informed public debate at local and national levels in 2012 and beyond.

The symposium entitled  Kids Behind Bars: Where's the Justice in  America's Juvenile Justice System, Covering the Juvenile Justice Reform Debate in 2012 featured keynote speeches from Gail Garinger, The Child Advocate of the State of Massachusetts;  attorney Bryan Stevenson who argued the Supreme Court case related to juvenile Life Without Parole;  and Mike Bocian, Pollster & Founding Partner, GBA Strategies.

Panelists included: Vincent N. Schiraldi, Commissioner, New York City Department of Probation, James Bell, Founder and Executive Director, W. Haywood Burns Institute, C. Jama Adams, Professor and Chair of John Jay College's Africana Studies Department and Joseph Gaudett, Chief of Police, Bridgeport, Connecticut.

For live blogging of the conference click here for Day 1 and here for Day 2.

Proceedings of the conference, including podcasts,  research materials provided by speakers, are covered below. For a full list of speakers, panelists and the agenda click here.

For a list of attending journalism fellows click here.

NOTE: this page will be updated regularly with articles by Fellows and other information as it becomes available.

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Fellows Stories

John Jay Fellowship on Youth in the Justice System Takes The Skanner News to New York
Helen Silvis, The Skanner News
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461 pepper spray incidents documented in juvenile detention last year
Dave Maass, San Diego City Beat
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Supreme Court Ruling On Juveniles May Have Limited Effect In Connecticut
Jeff Cohen, WNPR
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Supreme Court: No More Mandatory Life Without Parole For Juveniles
Deborah Becker Mclennan, Boston Public Radio--WBUR
Read the full story »

60 Mass. Juvenile Offenders Could Be Up For Parole After Court Ruling
Deborah Becker Mclennan, Boston Public Radio--WBUR
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When 60 years isn't a life sentence ..
Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, The Connecticut Mirror
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Does race matter in the juvenile justice system?
Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, The Connecticut Mirror
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A Q&A With Child Advocate Judge Gail Garinger About Bullying
Leonard Witt, Juvenile Justice Information Exchange
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In the Bronx, parents confront Education Dept. and NYPD about school safety and discipline measures
Corrine Lestch, New York Daily News
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School discipline debate reignited by new Los Angeles data
Susan Ferriss, Center for Public Integrity
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LA school police chief voices reasons for ticketing young kids, radio station reports
Susan Ferriss, Center for Public Integrity
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Los Angeles students protest school police citations that hit blacks, Latinos
Susan Ferriss, Center for Public Integrity
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Los Angeles school police citations draw federal scrutiny
Susan Ferriss, Center for Public Integrity
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Public radio, Center report on L.A. school court citations' controversy
Susan Ferriss, Center for Public Integrity
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L.A. school police, district agree to rethink court citations of students
Susan Ferriss, Center for Public Integrity
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For Probationers, Moving Offices Closer to Improve Results
Hannah Miet, The New York Times/City Room
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State Agency Looks at Larger Juvenile Facilities
Justin Fenton, The Baltimore Sun
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Youths incarcerated at Cuyahoga offered education, parent training
Ashley Luthern, The Vindicator
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Resources from the Conference

Reporting “Inside and Out” on Juvenile Justice Reform: WBEZ-Chicago series
Download file

Advancing Juvenile Justice Reform: A Research- Based Message Strategy
Download file

Pioneers of Youth Justice Reform: Achieving System Change Using Resolution, Reinvestment, and Realignment Strategies.
Download file

Conference Audio

Keynote Speech: Gail Garringer, Office of the Child Advocate, State of Massachusetts

Download file

Panel 1: From Super Predators to Plunging Juvenile Crime Rates: What Have We Learned?

Download file

Panel 2: Are Today's Juvenile Justice Reforms Just Convenient Politics?

Download file

Panel 4: Mental Health, Substance Abuse & Brain Development in Juvenile Offenders

Download file

Keynote Speech: Mike Bocian, GBA Strategies/ Fellows Workshop 3

Download file

 

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