Justice system involvement as a youth can impact one’s opportunity for rehabilitation and positive development as well as contribute to increased chances of reoffending. There are many strategies that can be adopted to move toward a more equitable system that minimizes incarceration or detention while still holding youth accountable and ensuring public safety. This webinar, presented by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP) National Gang Center, will explore strategies for creating justice systems that are more productive for the youth involved and the public as a whole and will examine specific considerations for youth involved with gangs, who may be engaged in more serious offenses. Practitioners will share how their agencies have made system improvements to support the diversion of gang-involved youth away from traditional justice structures.
As a result of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Understand the impact of justice system involvement on youth, especially those at risk for involvement or involved with gangs.
- Explain the importance of assessing the public safety risks as well as the needs and strengths of a specific youth before determining an appropriate response.
- Identify key strategies or policies to adopt to move toward a system focused on positive youth development and rehabilitation.
As follow-up to the Moving Toward an Equitable and Accountable Justice System for Gang-Involved Youth webinar, the OJJDP’s National Gang Center will host an Ask-the-Expert session, which will further explore how community-based organizations can step in to support youth diversion efforts and provide practical guidance for implementing similar efforts. Participants will be invited to submit questions in advance to be addressed by practitioners. Details for this event are forthcoming.