HOPE FOR THE FUTURE There is good news already this year for Philadelphia children and teens – fewer of them will be locked up and more of them are taking advantage of programs that brighten their futures. It hasn’t always been this way. When Mayor Parker...
THERE OUGHT TO BE A LAW, RIGHT? For too long, the “lock ’em up” mentality ruled, and children who crossed the law were locked up in facilities that offered little teaching and lots of trauma. In addition to widespread physical and sexual...
LOCKING UP TEENS WON’T MAKE OUR CITY SAFER While it is incredibly welcome news that gun deaths in Philadelphia decreased in 2023 from the peaks of the COVID-19 years, there is so much work that needs to be done to prevent people — especially our young...
GUN VIOLENCE DEMANDS WE DO MORE FOR CHILDREN We know there are so many great causes to support, but where can you find an organization that produces an astonishing $131 return for kids for every dollar donated? Children First is improving kids’ lives by...
Research shows that for most young people, particularly those who are assessed as low-risk or who commit lower severity offenses, out-of-home placement leads to worse outcomes than diversion or probation. However, when young people are removed from their homes to...
Pennsylvania schools refer youth to the juvenile justice system 2.7 times more often than the national average, with wide variation across counties. Children are entering into the juvenile justice system for normal childhood behavior like fighting with peers. Research...
