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Juvenile Justice

Juvenile Justice Program Overview

PACER Center's Juvenile Justice Project serves parents and professionals in Minnesota through individual advocacy, training, and the ongoing development of new resources. PACER assists parents and professionals by:

• Helping parents work with the courts
• Informing parents and professionals on the educational rights of children and youth in short and long term correctional placements
• Training police officers about mental health issues and youth's rights under federal law

PACER is committed to providing information about:

• The overrepresentation of youth with disabilities in the justice system
• The disproportionate number of persons of color in the justice system
• The increasing number of youth referred to court for behaviors that should be addressed through an IEP
• Matching disability needs with appropriate consequences, including educational and mental health services
• Ensuring that youth receive special education and transition services while incarcerated
• The development of outcome-based standards that promote accountability for both the child and the service providers

For information about this project, please contact Lili Garfinkel at PACER Center (952-838-9000).

Juvenile Justice News

Justice Policy Institute - Education Under Arrest: The Case Against Police in Schools

Posted: January 25, 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Having school resource officers (SROs) and other police in schools causes more harm than good. According to Education Under Arrest: The Case Against Police in Schools, a report released today by the Justice Policy Institute (JPI), when schools have law enforcement on site, students are more likely to get arrested by police instead of having discipline handled by school officials. This leads to more kids being funneled into the juvenile justice system, which is both expensive and associated with a host of negative impacts on youth. With federal funds being cut for policing and local budgets tight, author and JPI Associate Director Amanda Petteruti stated that “schools would be better served by using scarce resources for programs and personnel that will have a long-term positive impact on both school safety and student outcomes.”

Read the Full Article

Council of State Governments Establishes Justice Center