On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, CFCC hosted its annual symposium, with the theme, Keeping Youth in Community: Policies, Practices, and Programs to ​Promote Youth Justice, at the University of Baltimore School of Law. 

The first panel discussion, “The Community is the Key to Preventing Youth Legal System Involvement,” focused on strategies to keep youth out of the legal system through community-based initiatives, legislative advocacy, and programs that enhance public safety. Moderated by Kimberly Martin, policy specialist with the Crime and Justice Institute, the panel featured Robert Bizzell, Youth Opportunity Coordinator, Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement ​(MONSE); Robin Campbell, principal, Catalyze LLC; Elyzah Johnson, vice chair of the Youth as Resource board of directors; and Nate Balis, director of the Juvenile Justice Strategy Group at the Annie E. Casey ​Foundation.

There has been a significant call for increased community engagement and collaboration. Panelists emphasized the importance of community connections for youth, stating that a lack of support can lead to negative outcomes like mental illness, depression, and legal trouble. Bizzell paraphrased an old proverb that warns, “A child who does not feel the warmth of their community will light a fire to feel the warmth.”  Programs that involve youth in sports, arts, and other positive activities were highlighted as preventive measures.

Despite a general decline in youth arrests and system involvement, Black, Hispanic, Native American and disabled youth are still disproportionately affected. Panelists gave the example of school safety officers engaging with youth and having a built-in bias, that adults have wisdom and young people need to just listen to what adults have to say. Johnson, who is a Black teenager, shared her experience with a school safety officer who reprimanded her for not being in class but had no interaction with a peer walking with her, who was white. Addressing systemic bias, improving communication, and ensuring that youth have advocates who support them through challenges were seen as crucial.

Nate Balis, Elyzah Johnson, Kimberly Martin

Campbell discussed how the media often focus on punitive stories, contributing to public fear and misunderstanding about youth justice. The stories focus on violence and the victim and, if we are lucky, sometimes how the youth has been successful in life after their involvement with the justice system. He proposed a shift in narrative, telling stories that focus on prevention, redemption, and community support, as a way to counteract these biases. Campbell discussed how community connections actually factor into improving safety generally. He said that conditions – including adequate public schools, housing security, food security, and all the other things that make for a safe community –  “need to be part of our conversation.” He recommended that we try to reframe this discussion away from the “system,” and instead ask, “what do communities need in order to deal and be safe.”

Annie E. Casey’s Balis expressed his surprise at learning, while living in Baltimore County, that the idea of diversion is being used almost like a rite of passage. Youth in his community who may get in trouble for underage drinking would have this “opportunity” to be kept away from any kind of formal system involvement, and it was just something that people may have taken for granted. These programs are not consistently available across regions, disproportionately affecting youth of color. This is another example of why there is concern about the unequal availability of diversion programs, which are supposed to allow youth to avoid formal system involvement. So now how do we deal with it?

According to Balis, Camden County, N.J., which is outside of Philadelphia, created something called “station house adjustments.” This gave police the ability to divert kids right from the point of arrest. Again, these “adjustments” weren’t happening at all the stations within the county; they were happening in the suburban parts of the county and not in the city. Demonstrating that even if you have the right policy, if it’s not implemented equitably and if you are not really looking at the demographic data in this town, the bias may be overlooked. 

Panelists discussed the need to fill gaps in policy and practice that allow systemic racism and institutional bias to persist. Perhaps requiring better training, including bias and disability awareness training, and more diverse after-school programs to keep youth engaged. Johnson highlighted the need for youth and police to have cohesive training to help with bias issues and promote more positive engagement between youth and law enforcement. Johnson agreed with the suggestion of providing more programs for youth but wants to address the struggles that youth face, including transportation, and food and housing insecurity, all of which affect the youths’ success in the program. 

Overall, panelists advocated for a restorative, inclusive, and community-focused approach to youth justice. They emphasized the need for ongoing education for all who can influence the success of the youth justice system, including equitable opportunities for all youth.