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Louisiana Models for Change Grantee Replicates Model: 5/1/2013; by Louisiana Models for Change; In March 2011, Louisiana Models for Change awarded a $150,000 grant to the Northshore Technical Community College-Florida Parishes Campus to implement a pilot career development model targeting…
Jefferson Parish Completes Probation Review and Converts Recommendations into Practice: 4/2/2013; by Kim Cusimano, Louisiana Models for Change; Louisiana Models for Change awarded a grant to the Jefferson Parish Department of Juvenile Services to conduct a comprehensive probation review and provide a list of recommendations to improve the…
Options for the future exist; but little money is available: 3/13/2013 by Tri-Parish Times; by John DeSantis; On a chilly morning just a few weeks ago local court officials, educators and others saddled with the task of keeping kids in trouble out of more trouble traveled in vans and cars to view first-hand…
Jindal seeks reforms for juvenile justice, prisons: 2/15/2013 by The Advertiser; by Mike Hasten; BATON ROUGE — The Legislature could improve young people's lives, lower the crime rate, reduce the number of nonviolent inmates held in state prisons and save money by passing a package of…
Juvenile offenders studied: Report links mental health issues, jail in Louisiana: 2/1/2013 by The Advocate; by Mark Ballard; Louisiana jails a higher percentage of youthful inmates with mental health needs than most other states, according to a study released Thursday. “We don’t do a very good job of keeping…
Report calls for increased funding for juvenile justice efforts: 2/1/2013 by The Times-Picayune; by Laura Maggi; To sustain and ramp up changes to Louisiana's juvenile justice system there needs to be adequate funding at both the state and local levels, experts recommended in a report released Thursday. At a…
LSUHSC School of Public Health Institute for Public Health and Justice Hosts Conference in Baton Rouge to Discuss Progress Thus Far and Next Steps in Reform: 1/30/2013; by Louisiana Models for Change and Institute for Public Health and Justice; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, January 31, 2013 Contact Information Jim Harris 225-344-0381 LSUHSC School of Public Health Institute for Public Health and Justice Hosts…
LSU Institute for Public Health and Justice Director to Speak at Regional Conference About Louisiana’s Success in Implementing Evidence-based Practices on a Statewide Level: 1/14/2013; by Louisiana Models for Change and Institute for Public Health and Justice; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 14, 2012 Contact Information Jim Harris 225-344-0381 LSU Institute for Public Health and Justice Director to Speak at Regional Conference About…
Juvenile Justice Sees Progress: 12/27/2012 by The Advocate; by Justice Catherine Kimball; Juvenile justice sees progress Some good news about Louisiana’s success on the juvenile justice reform front was announced last week in the results of a nationwide study. While the news did…
Our View: In Louisiana, A Friend for Youth and a Model for Change: 12/23/2012 by The Town Talk, Alexandria; by Opinion; Louisiana knows only too well about the “school to prison” pipeline and the lifelong deleterious effects it has on young people who get run through it. Louisiana needs to know that…
Northshore dean wins national award: 11/30/2012 by The Hammond Star; by Bridgette Bonner; HAMMOND--Sharon Hornsby, dean of the Northshore Technical Community College Florida Parishes campus, has been announced the recipient of a national award.  Recipients of the John D. and Catherine T.…
Louisiana Models for Change Project Director Dr. Debra DePrato Receives Award from the State's Office of Juvenile Justice: 11/6/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; The Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice presented its 2012 Champion of Louisiana Juvenile Justice Award to Louisiana Models for Change Project Director Dr. Debra DePrato at the agency’s annual…
Letter: Much done, much to do on juvenile justice: 10/23/2012 by The Advocate-Baton Rouge, La.; by Louisiana Models for Change; It has been a long road for juvenile justice reform in Louisiana. There has been some improvement, but much more needs to be done. In 2001, the Louisiana Legislature took steps to revitalize the…
MacArthur Foundation's Models for Change Initiative Announces its Knowledge Brief Series: 10/18/2012; by Models for Change; The Knowledge Brief Series describes new knowledge emerging from the Models for Change initiative, a multi-state juvenile justice initiative. Models for Change is accelerating movement toward a more…
National Youth Justice Awareness Month and Children's Health Month: 10/11/2012; October is National Youth Justice Awareness Month and Children’s Health Month. In recognition of both, we would like to remind you of two recent knowledge briefs that speak to children’s…
Campaign for Youth Justice Recognizes National Youth Justice Awareness Month: 10/1/2012; by Campaign for Youth Justice; During the month of October, thousands of people are participating in National Youth Justice Awareness Month (Y-JAM) activities throughout the country. The Campaign for Youth Justice (CFYJ) and…
Thousands to Participate in National Youth Justice Awareness Month Activities throughout the Country: 10/1/2012; by Campaign for Youth Justice; Thousands to Participate in National Youth Justice Awareness Month Activities throughout the Country Twenty-eight Events in 20 States are designed to Raise Awareness around the Issue of Youth…
LA Models for Change Grantees Participate in 2012 Louisiana Governor's Conference: 8/27/2012 by LaNewsLink.com; BATON ROUGE—The 32nd annual Louisiana Governor’s Conference on Juvenile Justice took place in Baton Rouge August 15-17. The conference served as a showcase platform for leading advocates…
Louisiana Models for Change Grantee Receives Award from Louisiana Bar Association: 8/20/2012 by LaNewsLink.com; BATON ROUGE—A John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Louisiana Models for Change initiative grantee, the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center’s Juvenile…
Louisiana Models for Change Grantees Participate in 32nd Annual Governor's Conference: 8/20/2012; by LaNewslink.com; BATON ROUGE—The 32nd annual Louisiana Governor’s Conference on Juvenile Justice took place in Baton Rouge August 15-17. The conference served as a showcase platform for leading advocates…
Program Provides Direction, Diplomas and Employment: 8/17/2012; by Hammond News Star; Northshore Technical Community College is the recipient of a $150,000 grant to support a pilot program aimed to prepare students for the workforce. The program, Louisiana Models for Change,…
Program provides direction, diplomas, employment: 8/17/2012 by Hammond News Star; Northshore Technical Community College is the recipient of a $150,000 grant to support a pilot program aimed to prepare students for the workforce. The program, Louisiana Models for Change,…
Report: Louisiana Juvenile Detention Population Down: 8/14/2012 by Associated Press; BATON ROUGE — A report by Louisiana State University on the current status of the juvenile justice system has concluded multiple parishes have seen a decline in the number of youths detained…
Louisiana Models for Change Grantee Receives Award from Louisiana Bar Association: 7/20/2012; by LaNewslink.com; Attorney Hector Linares presented with the 2012 Children’s Law Award BATON ROUGE—A John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Louisiana Models for Change initiative grantee,…
Louisiana Legislature Passes Two Positive Reform Measures: 6/1/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; Background: Families in Need of Services or FINS is the approach designed to bring together various resources for the purpose of helping families (troubled youth and their parents) to remedy…
Nationally Recognized Expert in Juvenile Justice, Delinquency Prevention and Sentencing Touts Louisiana for Implementation of Family-based Interventions: 6/1/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Institute for Public Health and Justice and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation via funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur…
La. Among Leaders in Helping Juveniles: 5/23/2012 by The Baton Rouge Advocate; by Mark Ballard; Louisiana, which a short time ago was accused of running gladiator camps for young offenders, now is among the best states in the nation for setting up programs aimed at helping juveniles who find…
4th District Court a Model for Change: 4/30/2012 by The Monroe News Star; by Louisiana Models for Change; 4th District court a model for change Written by Sarah Eddington The 4th Judicial District Court has become the state's model for change in the juvenile justice system thanks to the efforts of…
Institute for Public Health and Justice Participates in 2012 Louisiana Families in Need of Services Association Conference: 4/30/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Institute for Public Health and Justice participated in the 2012 Louisiana Families in Need of Services Association Conference on April 26-27,…
Louisiana Models for Change Lead Entity Holds Juvenile Drug Court Conference and Training to Celebrate 4th JDC Juvenile Drug Court Model: 4/30/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Louisiana Models for Change lead entity—the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Institute for Public Health and…
Using Social Media to Advance Reform: 4/20/2012; by Zerline Hughes, Justice Policy Institute; The traditional ways to communicate about our work– word of mouth, newsletter mailings, and ask letters— still do, in fact, get the job done. But with advancements in social media –…
Commission Releases Recommendations to Improve Systems that Support Youth: 4/2/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; The Louisiana Legislature in the 2011 Regular Legislative Session passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 44 requesting the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court create a Families in Need of…
Career Development Program Influences Positive Change in Juvenile Justice Involved Youth: 3/21/2012 by St. Helena Echo; Northshore Technical Community College in Greensburg, La., started a career development program in the fall of 2011 for youth at risk of penetration into the Juvenile Justice System. This program has…
Career Development Program Influences Positive Change in Adjudicated Youth: 2/6/2012; by Louisiana Models for Change; Northshore Technical Community College in Greensburg, La., started a career development program in the fall of 2011 for adjudicated youth, youth found by a judge to have committed a violation of…
Dane R. Bolin: Committed to Reform and Innovation: 12/6/2011; Passionate, committed, humble, progressive, visionary: That’s how his colleagues describe Dane Bolin. Dane R. Bolin, Louisiana Champion for Change Director, Calcasieu Parish…
2011 Champions for Change: 12/6/2011; by Models for Change; Champions for Change are individuals working with Models for Change in their states who have positively affected the lives of justice-involved youth, their families, and communities in ways that…
Sixth Annual National Working Conference: 12/5/2011; The 6th Annual Models for Change National Working Conference is in full swing! Visit www.modelsforchange.net/2011Conference for resources, articles, and useful information. If you are active on…
Making Major Strides in Juvenile Justice Reform: 12/5/2011; by Models for Change; For Immediate Release December 5, 2011 Contact: Zerline Hughes, zhughes@justicepolicy.org / 202-558-7974 ext. 308 Jason Fenster, jfenster@justicepolicy.org / 202-558-7974 ext 306 WASHINGTON,…
Collaboration for Reform: 12/1/2011; by Tracy Velázquez, Justice Policy Institute; As the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative began to get underway in four core states, participants in the Initiative and Foundation leadership recognized a significant need: to…
We Lost the Fight, Not the Battle, to Address Truancy: 8/23/2011 by Shreveport Times; by Angie White, Member of the Volunteers for Youth Justice Board of Directors; The Volunteers for Youth Justice (VYJ) Board of Directors recently made the difficult decision to end the ACT-Now Truancy Program. The program provided direct services to Caddo public schools in…
Calcasieu Children and Youth Planning Board and Louisiana Models for Change launch innovative MARC center: 7/7/2011; by Louisiana Models for Change; Representatives from various juvenile justice agencies and statewide organizations were on hand in Lake Charles today as the ribbon was cut on the brand new Calcasieu Parish Multi-Agency Resource…
MacArthur Foundation director helps to unveil LSUHSC Institute for Public Health and Justice: 7/7/2011; by Louisiana Models for Change; Juvenile justice reform stakeholders from across the nation gathered at a recent John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation-sponsored meeting to hear the first public announcement regarding the…
Funding, Implementing Evidence-Based Practices: 6/2/2011; by Zerline Hughes, Justice Policy Institute; Now more than ever, cash-strapped states are looking into ways to shave expenses. Nationally, there are 81,000 youth in juvenile facilities; 70 percent of these youth are held in state-funded,…
Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Catherine "Kitty" Kimball Addresses Joint Session of the Louisiana Legislature: 5/16/2011; by Louisiana Models for Change; Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Catherine “Kitty” Kimball addressed the legislative joint session of the House and Senate on Tuesday, May 3, 2011. During her remarks, Kimball…
Louisiana Moves Full Steam Ahead in Coordinating Aid to At-Risk Youth: 3/30/2011; by Louisiana Models for Change; Four state agencies in Louisiana are collaborating to improve aid for children with emotional and mental needs, with the goal of keeping more youth with behavior problems in their homes, as well as…
Louisiana's High Incarceration and Dropout Rates Concern Youth Advocates: 3/18/2011 by The News Star; by Karina Vailes; Louisiana has the No. 1 spot in the number of adults incarcerated, 20 percent more young people incarcerated than the national average and a higher dropout rate than the national average. With …
Racing to Keep Children Out of Prison: 2/14/2011; by Louisiana Models for Change; Sibil Fox Richardson ran her first marathon in New Orleans on Sunday, February 13. However, Richardson had a far more important message to deliver during her run: As the world leader in…
Louisiana's Top Juvenile Justice Official Sees Improvement at Youth Center: 1/5/2011; by Louisiana Models for Change; Mary Livers, Deputy Secretary of the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ), along with the director of Monroe's Swanson Center for Youth say conditions at the center continue to improve, despite…
Jeff Juvenile Services Director Named Champion of Change: 12/10/2010 by Times-Picayune; by Andrea Shaw; Jefferson Parish Juvenile Services director Roy Juncker has been named a "Champion for Change'' by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for his work in seeking to reform the juvenile…
Roy Juncker Honored as Champion for Change in Juvenile Justice Reform: 12/7/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; For Immediate Release Contact: Elliot Hutchinson (225) 344-0381 ehutchinson@hdaissues.com December 7, 2010 Roy Juncker Honored as Champion for Change in Juvenile Justice Reform Will Be…
Roy L. Juncker, Jr.-Louisiana Champion for Change: 12/1/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Roy L. Juncker, Jr. Director, Jefferson Parish. Louisiana Department of Juvenile Services Roy Juncker, once the Chief of Police in the small Jefferson Parish city of Westwego, is now one of…
2010 Champions for Change: 12/1/2010; The Champions for Change recognizes one Models for Change leader or partner from each of the four core Models for Change states (Illinois, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Washington) and each of the Models…
Jetson Center for Youth Shows Off Its Reformed Ways: 11/10/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Several years ago, a common sight at Jetson Center for Youth was shackled and handcuffed teenagers clad in orange jumpsuits shuffling across the prison campus under the watchful eyes of uniformed…
Damon Baldone: Models for Change Profile of the Month: 11/3/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Louisiana District 53 State Representative Damon Baldone from Houma, Louisiana As a Louisiana state representative, Baldone has garnered a reputation for handling tough issues related to crime…
Summit Addresses Juvenile Justice: 9/30/2010 by The News-Star; by Staci Parks; The goal to create a model juvenile drug court in the 4th District was a main topic of discussion Wednesday at the Joint Juvenile Justice Summit. District attorneys, judges, attorneys and probation…
Calcasieu Sets Standards for Juvenile Justice: 8/29/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Calcasieu Parish has been asked to help develop standards for juvenile justice detention centers around the state. House Bill 1477, enacted this summer, outlines the development of “best…
Opinion: Young Offenders are Different: 8/27/2010 by The News-Star (Monroe, Louisiana); by Dana Kaplan; Currently in Louisiana there are 897 individuals behind bars for crimes committed as juveniles. Of these 897, almost half, 394, were prosecuted as adults, bypassing the juvenile justice system…
Juvenile Detention Reform Helping to Ease Overcrowding: 8/6/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; In Shreveport, Louisiana, Caddo Juvenile Detention Center's small cell blocks are reserved mostly for teens charged with armed robbery, sex crimes and other violent felony offenses. Despite a…
Your Mail: Uniform Standards Coming: 7/14/2010 by The Alexandria Town Talk; by Louisiana State Representative Damon Baldone; During the recent session, the Legislature took a long-awaited -- and very necessary -- step toward juvenile justice reform. In collaboration with the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana and the…
Reform Helps Ease Overcrowding: 7/9/2010 by The Shreveport Times; by Loresha Wilson; SHREVEPORT, La. — Caddo Juvenile Detention Center's small cell blocks are reserved mostly for teens charged with armed robbery, sex crimes and other violent felony offenses. Despite a reported…
Juvenile Detention Standards Bill Hits Governor's Desk: 6/18/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; A major, long-awaited step in reform of Louisiana's juvenile justice system is now an imminent reality. The Senate voted unanimously in late June to pass Rep. Damon Baldone's House Bill 1477, which…
Legislation Would Set Standard for Juvenile Detention: 6/17/2010 by The News Star; by Matthew Hamilton; The Louisiana Legislature has passed a bill that would set standards for juvenile detention facilities, one of the long-deferred promises from the state's landmark juvenile justice reform…
National Juvenile Justice Network to present Jefferson Parish's Children and Youth Planning Board with Award for Leadership in Juvenile Justice Reform: 5/20/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; The National Juvenile Justice Network will present the Jefferson Parish Children and Youth Planning Board with its Award for Leadership in Juvenile Justice Reform. This is the inaugural year for the…
Supreme Court Decision Could Affect La. Inmates: 5/18/2010 by The Shreveport Times; by Gannett News Service; The U.S. Supreme Court's decision on juvenile life sentences will affect incarcerated youth in Louisiana, though the exact number remains uncertain. The court issued its decision Monday in Graham…
Juvenile Justice Reform Works, at Lower Cost: 4/30/2010 by Tri-Parish Times; by Donald Cravins Jr.; Far too often, the newspaper arrives bearing news of yet another state budget hole. During the current legislative session, lawmakers will have to make decisions about — and deep cuts to…
The Hard Labor of Reform: Despite Progress, Juvenile Justice Overhaul Still Lags Original Vision: 4/26/2010 by The News Star; by Matthew Hamilton; Louisiana's juvenile justice reformers put the fate of children above all else in their founding document. "The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the children and families of Louisiana are…
Jefferson Parish Department of Juvenile Services Director Roy Juncker Jr. Shines Light on a Dark Subject: 4/19/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Jefferson Parish Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) Director Roy L. Juncker Jr. received the Light of Hope Award for Outstanding Community Professional by the Court Appointed Special Advocates…
ULM Hosts Fourth Meeting of Juvenile Justice Summit: 4/1/2010 by The News-Star; by Stephen Largen; Louisiana juvenile justice stakeholders gathered at the University of Louisiana at Monroe on Wednesday for the fourth in a series of six meetings discussing alternative methods for handling troubled…
The 30th Annual Louisiana Governor’s Conference on Juvenile Justice Showcases the Best and Brightest of the Juvenile Justice Reform Movement: 3/29/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; The 30th Annual Louisiana Governor’s Conference on Juvenile Justice, held earlier this month in New Orleans, Louisiana, proved to be a defining moment in the state’s juvenile justice…
The Children of Transfer: 3/26/2010; by Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana; In Louisiana there are currently 897 people incarcerated for crimes committed before their 17th birthday. Of these 897, 394 are currently incarcerated in adult prisons. "The Children of Transfer"…
Helping Prisoners Can Cut Recidivism: 3/19/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change (Courtesy of Dane Bolin, Director of Calcasieu Parish Office of Juvenile Justice Services); Letter to the Editor For the Lake Charles American Press March 18, 2010 RE: Editorial – Helping prisoners can cut recidivism In a recent editorial, some statistics were presented…
Acadia Youth Council Hears Advice: 3/19/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change (Howell Dennis); Acadia Youth Council hears advice By Howell Dennis NEWS EDITOR, The Crowley Post Signal Members of the Acadia Youth Council gathered at the Sheriff’s Department Thursday afternoon…
Behavior Strategists Help Students in Tough Times: 3/15/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change (courtesy of Karina Donica); From Alexandria, Louisiana newspaper The Town Talk: Diahn Fleury still remembers her days teaching a group of emotionally disturbed children 12 years ago at North Bayou Elementary School and…
Mental Health Court Keeps Children out of Jail: 2/2/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change (courtesy of Loresha Wilson); Taken from a report in the Shreveport Louisiana newspaper, The Shreveport Times: Wearing shorts and a T-shirt, the teenager sat on the sofa in his home in Shreveport's Caddo Heights neighborhood…
Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court Leads Way With Children and Youth Planning Board: 1/22/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; In October 2006, after being selected as one of the first MacArthur Foundation Louisiana grant sites, the Jefferson Parish Children and Youth Planning Board formed working committees designed to meet…
Rapides Parish - Structured Decision Making Tools for Better Alternatives: 1/22/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Judge Patricia Koch and other judges of the 9th Judicial District Court are active partners in communitywide reform made possible with the financial support of the MacArthur Foundation's Models for…
Juvenile Justice Reform Initiatives Taking Place Across Louisiana: 1/15/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change (courtesy of Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Catherine D. Kimball); I applaud the member judges of the Louisiana Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges for their active support and ongoing efforts to improve and reform Louisiana’s juvenile justice…
Beyond the Classroom: Patricia Evans Koch, 9th District Court Judge: 1/4/2010; by Louisiana Models for Change; Taken from Alexandria, Louisiana newspaper The Town Talk: Beyond the Classroom: Patricia Evans Koch, 9th District Court judge Patricia Evans Koch Age: 49 Native of: Desoto…
Rapides Parish Judge Nationally Honored: 12/13/2009; by Louisiana Models for Change (courtesy of Elliot A. Hutchinson)); Ninth Judicial District Judge Patricia Evans Koch will be honored as a 2009 Champion for Change in juvenile justice reform for her work locally and across the state. Koch will be recognized by…
Lt. Gov. Tours High-Security Juvenile Detention Center: 10/15/2009; by Louisiana Models for Change; Two of the six members of Louisiana's juvenile justice oversight panel took a tour Monday of a youth prison that has been hit with recent criticism that it's understaffed and overcrowded with…
Teen: Jetson changed his life: 10/15/2009; by Louisiana Models for Change (courtesy of SANDY DAVIS); A 16-year-old, Brodrick E., said Wednesday he would never have pictured himself singing in a choir. “I used to be thugging it out on the street,” he said. But his street life ended…
Council OKs New Therapeutic Facility: 10/2/2009; by Louisiana Models for Change; The St. Landry Parish Council voted 12-1 Thursday, October 1, to allow the parish to become home to a new therapeutic juvenile center. The $20 million facility will be constructed near Opelousas,…
MH/JJ Action Network State of Texas Awarded One Million Dollar Grant: 9/17/2009; by The Texas Juvenile Justice TBI Partnership Project; The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently awarded the state of Texas with a 4-year, $1 million dollar multi-agency grant to help identify youth in the juvenile justice system who may…
Reform Efforts Improving Mental Health Services and Coordination for Youth: 8/18/2009; by Joe Cocozza; Solomon Moore’s article New York Times article illustrates the problems with using juvenile justice systems to meet the mental health needs of youth. Fortunately, there are growing efforts to…
Locking Up Fewer Children: 8/14/2009 by New York Times; by Editorial; In the 1990s, states and localities began sending more and more children to juvenile lockups, often for months, while they awaited trial for nonviolent offenses or even noncriminal behavior like…
Mentally Ill Offenders Strain Juvenile Justice Systems: 8/9/2009 by New York Times; by Solomon Moore; FRANKLIN FURNACE, Ohio — The teenager in the padded smock sat in his solitary confinement cell here in this state’s most secure juvenile prison and screamed obscenities. The youth,…
National Initiative Keeping Youths Out of Jail, Report Says: 8/6/2009 by Washington Post; by Henri E. Cauvin; A national juvenile justice initiative is helping reduce the number of young offenders being jailed after arrest, according to a new report by the foundation that has backed the effort. But in the…
New Report Documents Dramatic Reductions in Youth Detention: 8/5/2009 by Salem-News; Reformers Gather in DC to Review Progress. (BALTIMORE, Md.) - A new report released by the Annie C. Casey Foundation shows that two decades of juvenile justice reform have reduced youth detention,…
12 and in Prison: 7/27/2009 by New York Times; by Editorial; The Supreme Court sent an important message when it ruled in Roper v. Simmons in 2005 that children under the age of 18 when their crimes were committed were not eligible for the death penalty.…
ULM awarded $385K grant: 7/20/2009 by The News-Star; by By Stephen Largen; ULM awarded $385K grant   Funds to help address teen substance abuse   By Stephen Largen  slargen@monroe.gannett.com The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has awarded a $385,000…
Focus on juvenile-justice reform: 6/19/2009 by Houman Today; by Catherine Kimball; The Louisiana Legislature is currently considering a number of measures that would change the way our juvenile justice system works. Some would change the way parole is addressed for juvenile…
Making a difference: New board to help tackle juvenile-offender problem: 6/10/2009 by Town Talk; by Karina Donica; They come from various walks of life, but a group of local residents is taking a step together in the hopes of making a difference in the lives of at-risk youths in Rapides Parish. The group of 10…
Judge Patricia Koch Sworn into Neighborhood Accountability Board (NAB): 6/9/2009 by NBC KALB; Local NBC news clip on the swearing in of Louisiana Ninth Judicial Court Judge Patricia Koch in the Neighborhood Accountability Board (NAB). The NAB receives funding from the MacArthur Foundation,…
Federal commitment offers welcomed support to local initiatives to promote racial and ethnic fairness: 5/28/2009; by LaWanda Johnson; Acting Administrator of the OJJDP, Jeff Slowikowski, addresses DMC Action Network As local Models for Change demonstration sites show how juvenile justice systems can be more just for all youth,…
An early intervention success story: 5/26/2009; by 16th Judicial District; Ms. Jennifer Smith* is a case manager for the school-based Prosecutor's Early Intervention Program (PEIP) in Louisiana's 16th Judicial District. The 16th JD has been working with the Models for…
Director of Juvenile Justice for Calcasieu Parish Receives State Award: 5/26/2009 by Southwest Daily News; Baton Rouge, La. - Dane Bolin, Director of the Calcasieu Parish Office of Juvenile Justice Services in Lake Charles, has been named the 11th recipient of the prestigious Don E. Wydra Memorial Award…
Models for Change Launches New Online Resource Featuring Louisiana Juvenile Justice Reforms: 5/6/2009; by Beth Touchet-Morgan; For Immediate Release: May 6, 2009 Contact: Beth Touchet-Morgan (225) 342-4253 Beth.Touchet-Morgan@la.gov Baton Rouge, LA – The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s…
Break in 'school-to-prison pipeline' urged: 3/10/2009 by Alexandria Town Talk; by Karina Donica; Rapides Parish has a long way to go to reduce its rate of blacks and other minorities in the criminal justice system and to improve those groups' performance at school, officials said Monday. The…
Letter to the Editor: Juvenile justice changes needed: 3/2/2009 by Baton Rouge Advocate; by D.A. Schexnayder, child and adolescent psychiatrist; The juvenile justice system is getting well-deserved attention. In my 28 years as a child and adolescent psychiatrist, I have served as an expert witness, a member/chairman of the Jefferson Parish…
Neighborhood board diverts minors from court system: 2/24/2009 by Alexandria Town Talk; by David Dinsmore; Area residents on Monday got an early look at a plan to renovate juvenile justice in Rapides Parish. Rapides Parish Assistant District Attorney Daphne Robinson and Deputy Juvenile Officer Tamara…
Meetings to focus on new concept in fighting crime: 2/21/2009 by Alexandria Town Talk; by Town Talk Staff; Rapides Parish District Attorney's Office will host two meetings Monday on a new concept to battle crime. The Neighborhood Accountability Board concept meetings will be held at 10 a.m. and at 1 p.m.…
Analysis: Some innovation in La. juvenile justice: 2/19/2009 by USA Today, New Orleans Times-Picayne; by Doug Simpson, Associated Press; BATON ROUGE, La. — Some innovation is happening in Louisiana's derided system of handling delinquent children. Rapides and Jefferson parishes are trying to fix what's considered the key…
Column: Old before their time; Why it is counterproductive to try juveniles as adults: 2/3/2009 by New Orleans Times-Picayne; by Dana Kaplan, Director of the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana; It is a mistake of thinking that treating children as though they are adults will help, not hinder, efforts to improve public safety. Evidence demonstrates that monitoring and support services that…
Catherine Kimball named Chief Justice of Louisiana Supreme Court: 2/2/2009; by Louisiana Models for Change; Justice Catherine “Kitty” Kimball recently became the chief justice of the high court in Louisiana. Kimball became the first female justice of the state Supreme Court in 1992. Justice…
Juncker honored for juvenile justice reform work in Louisiana: 1/29/2009; by Models for Change Louisiana; Increasing use of evidence-based treatment in Jefferson Parish Roy Juncker, Director of the Jefferson Parish Department of Juvenile Services, was recognized Wednesday, January 28, 2009 by the…
Untreated Mental Health Needs Fuels School to Jail Pipeline: 1/5/2009 by New York Times; by Joseph J. Cocozza, Ph.D.; Letter to the Editor NY Times RE: The Principal's Office First To The Editor: Thank you for drawing attention to the issue of increasing school arrests. Frequently, arrested youth have untreated…
Third Models for Change working conference gathers forces and champions juvenile justice reform: 1/1/2009; The Third Annual Models for Change Working Conference, in December 2008, provided a unique opportunity for representatives from all areas of the initiative to come together and share knowledge, tools…
Bouquets & Brickbats: Paul J. Frick named a Champion for Change: 12/22/2008 by Best of New Orleans.com; by Written by Publisher; Paul J. Frick, a psychology professor at UNO, has been named a Champion for Change in juvenile justice reform by the Louisiana Models for Change initiative. He received the honor for collecting data…
Foundation Selects Four States for Action Network to Improve Legal Representation for Indigent Youth: 12/9/2008 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; (Washington, DC) — Four states have been selected in a competitive process by the MacArthur Foundation to participate in the new Models for Change Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network…
Champions for Change: 12/8/2008; by Models for Change; James Anderson, PA Elizabeth Clarke, IL Paul Frick, LA Jacqueline van Wormer, WA Four inaugural award recipients honored at Models for Change annual meeting Models for…
2008 Update: Gathering Force: 12/8/2008; by National Center for Juvenile Justice; Models for Change states and action networks are contributing to the gathering forces of significant juvenile justice reforms based in shared values, growing knowledge of what works, and a deep well…
New detention screening method in Rapides Parish, LA: 12/1/2008; by DMC Action Network eNews; In early 2008, representatives from Rapides Parish (Alexandria, LA) Juvenile Court, the Assistant District Attorney, Indigent Defense Counsel, all law enforcement agencies, and juvenile probation…
Meetings to focus on new concept in fighting crime: 2/21/2008 by Alexandria Town Talk; Rapides Parish District Attorney's Office will host two meetings Monday on a new concept to battle crime. The Neighborhood Accountability Board concept meetings will be held at 10 a.m. and at 1 p.m.…
Op-Ed: Better Models for Juvenile Justice: 8/22/2007 by The Christian Science Monitor; by Rod R. Blagojevich, Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Edward G. Rendell and Chris Gregoire; Springfield, Ill.; Baton Rouge, La.; Harrisburg, Pa.; and Olympia, Wash. Amid news stories that raise the specter of increasing juvenile crime, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that crime rates…
MacArthur Action Networks to Address Racial and Ethnic Disparities and Mental Health in Juvenile Justice: 6/19/2007 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Chicago, IL (June 19, 2007) – The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which is investing $100 million to support and accelerate promising models of juvenile justice reform, is…
MacArthur Awards $4.2 Million to Accelerate Juvenile Justice Reform in Illinois, 3 Other States: 6/15/2006 by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; CHICAGO, IL—The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation today announced six grants totaling nearly $4.2 million to help accelerate promising models for juvenile justice reform as part of…

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