Publications

Models for Change grantees and partners produced a wide range of reports, research summaries, issue briefs, working documents and other materials related to juvenile justice system change efforts. These resources continue to provide valuable insights into the process of system reform and successful juvenile justice practices.

Featured

Policy Brief: Assuring the Future of Developmental Reform in Juvenile Justice: Apr 24, 2017, Thomas Grisso; The mid-1990s saw the beginning of resistance to the punitive reform in juvenile justice that had gripped the nation for about ten years. A new perspective on juvenile justice arose, acknowledging…
Developing Service Delivery Systems for Evaluations of Juveniles’ Competence to Stand Trial: A Guide for States and Counties: Apr 24, 2017, Thomas Grisso; In partnership with NCMHJJ and with funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the National Youth Screening and Assessment Partners (NYSAP) has released Developing Service…
Trends in Juvenile Justice State Legislation 2011-2015: Oct 12, 2015, Sarah Alice Brown; In the past five years, juvenile justice reform legislation in the United States has grown at a remarkable pace. The recent shift in juvenile justice policy marks a clear departure from laws enacted…
Probation Review Guidebook: Dec 9, 2011, Janet K. Wiig and John A. Tuell; The genesis for this guidebook was the probation review work undertaken in Jefferson Parish, LA as part of the work in the four core states associated with Models for Change: System Reform in…
NLC Municipal Action Guide: Increasing Public Safety and Improving Outcomes for Youth through Juvenile Justice Reform: Dec 8, 2014, National League of Cities; City leaders can increase public safety and improve outcomes for young residents by changing how their cities respond to young people implicated in delinquent acts or accused of crimes. When city…
Law Enforcement's Leadership Role in Juvenile Justice Reform: Actionable Recommendations for Practice & Policy: Dec 8, 2014, International Association of Chiefs of Police; IACP's National Summit on Law Enforcement Leadership in Juvenile Justice drew attention to law enforcement executives' potential to lead juvenile justice reforms in their agencies, communities and…
The Comeback States: Reducing youth incarceration in the United States: Jun 18, 2013, National Juvenile Justice Network & Texas Public Policy Foundation; In 2000, a record-setting 108,802 youth were held in detention centers awaiting trial or confined by the courts in juvenile facilities in the United States. In a dramatic turnaround, by late-2010,…
Evidence-Based Policies, Programs, and Practices in Juvenile Justice: Three States Achieving High Standards Through State Support Centers: Mar 16, 2016, Douglas Thomas; Evidence-Based Policies, Programs and Practices in Juvenile Justice (13 pages) provides case studies of three jurisdictions achieving high standards through state support centers. The jurisdictions…
Research to Practice Memo: How City Leaders Can Draw Upon Adolescent Development Research Findings To Provide a Framework for Juvenile Justice Reform: Apr 4, 2016, National League of Cities; The new Research to Practice Memo: How City Leaders Can Draw Upon Adolescent Development Research Findings to Provide a Framework for Juvenile Justice Reform provides a ready resource for city…
A Legislated Study of Raising the Age of Juvenile Jurisdiction in Louisiana: Feb 15, 2016, Institute for Public Health and Justice; Louisiana should strongly consider raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to include 17-year-old offenders. Findings suggest that this change would benefit public safety, promote youth…
The Supreme Court and the Transformation of Juvenile Sentencing: Sep 30, 2015, Elizabeth Scott; In the past decade, the Supreme Court has transformed the constitutional landscape of juvenile crime regulation. In three strongly worded opinions, the Court held that imposing harsh criminal…
Juvenile Justice in a Developmental Framework: A 2015 Status Report: Dec 11, 2015, Models for Change; Advances in the understanding of adolescent development have provided a foundation for progress in juvenile justice reform, including changes in state legislation. In accord with the Supreme…
Lessons from Five Years of Accelerating Change: Dec 14, 2015, National Campaign to Reform State Juvenile Justice Systems; After two decades of funding cutting-edge research on adolescent behavioral and brain development and pioneering new juvenile justice practice models, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur…