JUVENILE JUSTICE
Children First is a leading member of a growing coalition of advocates pushing for strategies to reduce the number of Pennsylvania children involved with the juvenile legal system, with a focus on reducing the use of secure detention and placement and the adult prosecution of children.
With our partners in the Youth Safety Coalition, a diverse statewide coalition made up of youth, system-impacted young adults, parents, service providers, and policy organizations, Children First is advancing legislation and administrative changes to:
- Raise the minimum age from 10 to 13 that a child can be charged in court.
- Reduce the number of children in the juvenile justice system through the expansion of diversion programs, which allow kids to take accountability for low-level offenses outside of the formal court process.
- Reduce the number of kids incarcerated in detention centers and secure facilities.
- Reduce the adult prosecution of children.
- Ensure a robust system of oversight of detention and residential facilities, including an independent statewide Office of Child Advocate.
CHILD WELFARE
Children First is working with partners to advance state and local policy changes that:
- Ensure children are not separated from their families just because of poverty.
- Enhance the continuum of services available to children and their families to prevent child welfare system involvement, expedite reunification, and reduce the use of congregate care placements like residential treatment.
- Ensure the Social Security benefits of children in foster care are saved for them instead of being used by the government to reimburse itself for their care.
- Ensure a robust system of oversight and reporting of residential facilities.
Related Tools
Fact Sheet: Establishing a Permanent Statewide Office of the Child Advocate (HB813) – Nov 2023
Removal of a child from their home, even for a brief period, is a traumatic event for the child and their family, and research shows that out-of-home placements in the juvenile justice system can lead to worse outcomes for most youth. To provide any benefit, placements must include safe, stable, and evidence-based care, but many young people in Pennsylvania’s child-serving systems – particularly those in out-of-home placement – feel unsafe and mistreated. HB 813 (Rep. Sappey) expands oversight of Pennsylvania’s child-serving systems by creating a permanent, statewide Office of the Child Advocate.
Reach out to your PA state representative and urge them to support this bill.
Fact Sheet: Ensure Safety for Youth in Juvenile Justice Placements (HB1600) – Nov 2023
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 address delinquent behavior, they need safe, stable environments to foster positive development and transformation. HB 1600 (Rep. Shusterman) improves outcomes by limiting harmful practices in out-of-home placements and increasing oversight of Pennsylvania’s juvenile justice system.
Reach out to your PA state representative and urge them to support this important bill.
Fact Sheet: Give Districts the Tools to Keep Kids Safe and in School (HB1708) – Nov 2023
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 shows that handling such behavior with school- and community-based resources instead of the court system reduces recidivism and leads to better long-term outcomes for kids. HB 1708 (Reps. Hill-Evans and Mihalek) decreases school-based arrests and referrals, expands school diversion, and increases academic supports for justice-involved students in Pennsylvania.
Contact your PA state legislators and urge them to support this important legislation.
Fact Sheet: Right-Size Interventions for Youth to Prevent Recidivism (HB1381) – Nov 2023
Related Publications
