Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • A College Education in Prison Opens Unexpected Path to Freedom

    September 21, 2019 |

    CapRadio |

    Radio |

    3-5 Minutes

    Response Location: United States, Long Beach, California

    California is leading the nation in prison education. “There are now in-person community college classes in all but one prison in the state, enrolling some 4,000 students." Nationally, 4 percent of higher ed institutions teach for-credit classes in prisons. “It's been the most amazing experience of my entire life, as either a free man or as an incarcerated human being." Evidence shows that providing people in prison with education reduces recidivism rates. “A major study by the RAND Corporation found taking classes in prison cuts the chances of getting locked up again by 43%.”

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  • 'FACT' teams aim to keep people with mental illness out of jail

    September 18, 2019 |

    MPR News |

    Radio |

    3-5 Minutes

    Response Location: United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota

    A Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) team tackles one of the toughest challenges at the intersection of mental health and criminal justice: how to help people whose mental illness has landed them in criminal trouble, without resorting to jail or brief hospitalizations. A Rochester, New York, program that showed promise in improving those odds by connecting people with needed services is now being replicated in Hennepin County, Minnesota. So far, about half of the 60 people in the program returned to jail. So it's only working for some people.

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  • New York providers credit ‘aftercare' for helping youths transition home

    September 16, 2019 |

    Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, New York, New York

    New York has taken great strides in reforming their juvenile justice system, and key to that has been ensuring that those in the system receive ongoing support once they return to their communities. Organizations like Arches work with probation officers to provide young people with therapy and mentors – whose lives have been similar to their mentees – in order to provide the needed support and guidance. Such programs have shown lowered recidivism rates and have garnered the attention of officials in Milwaukee who are seeking to makeover their system.

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  • Two Rural Counties Take Diverting Paths to Jail Reform

    September 16, 2019 |

    70 Million |

    Podcast |

    Over 15 Minutes

    Response Location: United States, Alamosa, Colorado

    Two southern Colorado counties responded differently when drug abuse, poverty, and mental illness contributed to overcrowding in their old, decrepit jails. Pueblo County's sheriff has gone to voters three times seeking approval of a near-doubling of his jail's capacity. Alamosa County's sheriff did the same, and succeeded in a renovation that nearly doubled capacity. But those extra cells turned out to be unnecessary because that county's criminal justice and community agencies collaborated on jail alternatives, significantly reducing how many people get jailed.

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  • New York juvenile justice program stresses ‘safety by relationships'

    September 11, 2019 |

    Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, New York, New York

    In New York City, the Close to Home initiative is taking a different approach to juvenile justice by centering it around a localized, residential, and rehabilitative model. These facilities operate out of traditional-looking homes and are run by nonprofits like Rising Ground. Its model focuses on building relationships as a key to rehabilitation, and emphasizes the importance of staff / youth relationships and familial connections. As Wisconsin seeks to change their model of juvenile justice, it takes inspiration from Close to Home in its implementation of smaller, more regional facilities.

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  • How New York and Milwaukee approach juvenile justice

    September 09, 2019 |

    Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, New York, New York

    New York’s Close to Home legislation approaches the juvenile justice system through the lens of rehabilitation, moving those in up-state juvenile facilities to local, sometimes residential housing that emphasizes family and community. The approach has led to a 71% decrease in the number of youth placed in these facilities and a drastic increase in academic performance. Halfway across the country, as Wisconsin closes two of its upstate juvenile facilities, Milwaukee legislators are seeking to implement similar, community-centered programming.

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  • Where Texting Brings People to Court

    September 09, 2019 |

    70 Million |

    Podcast |

    Over 15 Minutes

    Response Location: United States, West Palm Beach, Florida

    In Palm Beach County, an automated system sends text-message reminders, instead of just postal mail notices, to people with upcoming court dates. About 14% of those jailed in the county were there on warrants for failure to appear in court, placing a burden both on the system and on people's disrupted lives. Since the system was started, warrants for failure to appear are down by more than half, although other factors are also at play. At the very least, every court appearance someone makes is one less public cost and private hassle.

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  • Teens Learn Life Skills Training Therapy Dogs Audio icon

    August 30, 2019 |

    Juvenile Justice Information Exchange |

    Text |

    Under 800 Words

    Response Location: United States, New York, New York

    Working to train therapy dogs helps kids with issues learn how to cope. Rising Ground, an organization in New York City, provides animal therapy as part of a residential placement program for juveniles facing problems with the law. The youth receive training in life skills, counseling, and peer support through their court-ordered program. In addition, Rising Ground engages them in an eight-week program to train therapy dogs, which helps the youth learn how to deal with their emotions, as well.

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  • Reimagining New York Jails Without Solitary Confinement

    August 19, 2019 |

    The City |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, New York, New York

    Solitary confinement was once thought of as one of the only effective punishments for violent prison inmates. As more research surfaces showing the severe damage it does to mental health, the racial bias of those placed in solitary, and its relative ineffectiveness, more cities, like New York City, are exploring alternatives to the practice. In places such as Denver, Chicago, and San Francisco, rather than invoking a punitive approach, city officials are offering positive reinforcement – and seeing positive results.

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  • Incarcerated Women Help Recover Rare Northwest Butterfly Species

    August 18, 2019 |

    Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) |

    Multi-Media |

    5-15 Minutes

    Response Location: United States, Wilsonville, Oregon

    In a collaboration with the Oregon Zoo, the Institute of Applied Ecology, the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Oregon’s Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, women experiencing incarceration are helping save the endangered Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly. Participants learn data gathering, environmental skills, and record keeping – all skills that can translate to life after release – so that they may help the species flourish from larvae to butterfly.

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