Burns Institute

Troubled Waters In California: Unbalanced Scales of Justice

Thu, 02 Sep 2010

As we acknowledge the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King from the March on Washington, it is hard to resist the metaphorical use of water in reference to the administration of justice in our nation.

Punished for Poverty

Tue, 27 Jul 2010

Where I am from, boys do not become men they become inmates, lifers whose development is stifled by institutionalization. Girls do not mature to womanhood, they become baby-mommas forced to hustle and prostitute their adult lives away, their growth strangled by the byproducts of institutionalization.

Keep Pushing for Change: Reflections on Chad and O.H. Close Youth Facilities

Tue, 20 Jul 2010

When first presented with the opportunity to tour the N.A. Chaderjian (Chad) and O.H. Close Youth Correctional Facilities in Stockton, California I had my reservations. I’d heard the reports about the terrible conditions at facilities as well as seen the headlines of suicides and dog attacks that had taken place there over the past several years. But it was these same reservations that motivated me to seize the opportunity and see firsthand what is really happening at these facilities.

New Report Builds the Case for Action to Better Serve LGBT Youth in Louisiana

Thu, 15 Jul 2010

Louisiana is notorious for housing some of the most brutal youth prisons in the country. In recent years, it’s made great strides toward reform, as leaders introduced more therapeutic, rehabilitative models.

Give Youth a Second Chance at Life

Mon, 07 Jun 2010

When Tedi Snyder was 15-years-old, he was arrested in Los Angeles and charged with attempted murder in an incident where no one was killed. Now Tedi faces 80 years to life in prison. His first parole date would be at age 95.

The Experience Economy of Criminalization

Tue, 20 Apr 2010

Our society has been sold the idea that the "experience" of criminalization is a viable product. We do not examine what is actually happening to jailed youth, or the long-term result of detaining them for adolescent behavior. Rather, we react.

Idle Hands Should Not Be Punished as a Devil’s Workshop

Thu, 08 Apr 2010

Of the thousands of teens in any town there are bound to be a few a violent ones that exploit large gatherings – but in Philadelphia, one judge has been using his power to punish adolescents far beyond the extent of their actions. In an exchange with one 15-year-old boy, Judge Kevin Dougherty reportedly threatened a year in the juvenile justice system for every “lie” – what he characterized explanations by youth who said they had gone downtown to go shopping or meet girlfriends.

Arrested Development in Richmond

Thu, 25 Mar 2010

Richmond City Council has postponed its vote on whether to impose a daytime curfew for minors, a proposal put forth by the Police Department. The curfew, which will be decided at a later date, would allow police officers to arrest school-aged minors who are not in school between the hours of 8 a.m. and 2:30 pm. The curfew only targets youth in the City of Richmond, where 80 percent of the population is people of color.

Little Trouble, Big Punishment: Detention for Runaways

Fri, 19 Mar 2010

Two runaway teens from Rockville, Indiana were found safe on Tuesday, March 17 in Vigo County. The 15 and 16-year-old, who the reporter named but we will not here because of their ages, were last seen March 8. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to find the girls, police finally found them at a traffic stop on Highway 40, in a semi-trailer truck en route to Terre Haute.

Juvenile desensitization

Wed, 10 Mar 2010

I've seen family court judges talk to children or their parents like they are scum of the earth. I've seen defense lawyers who are representing children in the juvenile court argue for detention when everyone else in the courtroom is asking the judge to release them. I've seen prosecutors verbally attack children with no hint of forgiveness or compassion as they ask a judge to tear them from their family and lock them away.

Recidivism, Public Safety & Juvenile Justice: Let the Facts Guide

Mon, 08 Mar 2010

A recent story broadcast on Omaha television highlighting the heartbreaking death of a juvenile justice system-involved 15-year-old illustrates the complexities of the reform needed within system.

The Distracter Factor

Fri, 05 Mar 2010

Public education protests should send the message that students, parents, teachers and other education staff are fed up with tuition fee increases while services decrease. Instead, news coverage focused heavily on the havoc created by those who broke from the larger protests yesterday across California.

Charges Against SF Boy Signal Break in System

Tue, 02 Mar 2010

A recent incident in San Francisco demonstrates a serious lapse in our juvenile justice system and the way that officials within it overreact to youth misbehavior.

Louisiana’s first moderate-security juvenile jail: A Welcome First Step

Wed, 24 Feb 2010

It is not often that we are heartened by the moves of our statewide justice system. But, last week the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ) announced that a center for the developmentally disabled would be converted in 2011 to a moderate-security juvenile facility. It is the first time that the state of Louisiana is looking to design small therapeutic facilities that are home-like and lack razor wire and cells, a rarity in Missouri.

Captured by the Clueless

Wed, 13 Jan 2010

Last week, the Bureau of Justice Statistics released a report that revealed about 12 percent of youths nationwide held in state-run, privately run or local facilities reported some type of sexual victimization including forced sexual activity with other youth and staff. Staff sexual misconduct was higher in state-run facilities.