State funding should be redirected into providing better support for teens and their families and keeping them out of the juvenile justice system.
juvenile justice
Posted inEditorials, Opinion
Our View: Bill puts the end of Long Creek in sight
Developing community-based programs is the surest way to shut down Maine’s youth prison.
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Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Maine Crime, News
Judge orders Auburn girl held and evaluated in stabbing case
Police say the 11-year-old girl stabbed her father after blindfolding him.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: Black youth of Maine disproportionately targeted for mass incarceration
Black History Month serves as a reminder to not only reflect on the harm done but also to take action – starting with closing Long Creek.
Posted inLocal & State, Maine Crime, News, Politics
Bill would phase out use of Long Creek youth detention center
The measure would also prohibit courts from detaining juveniles solely because they can’t be sent home, but critics say it doesn’t go far enough.
Posted inEditorials, Opinion
Our View: Maine should stop using youth prison for ‘care’
It’s time for lawmakers to respond to wasteful and ineffective spending on youth incarceration.
Posted inLocal & State, Maine Crime, News, Politics
National group advises Maine to invest in community services to reduce juvenile incarcerations
Preliminary findings by the Center for Children’s Law and Policy show that 53% of detained youths were held because the state lacked alternative places to house them safely.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Maine Compass: Spend juvenile-justice money on Maine’s youth, not prisons
Young people who have been in Long Creek urge the state to invest in things like housing, education and after-school programs.
Posted inKennebec Journal, Local & State, Maine Crime
Augusta forum spotlights concerns with imprisoning youth, discusses juvenile justice reform
A 32-member task force is soliciting feedback in its effort to recommend changes, which could include shutting down state’s only youth prison, to how Maine treats youthful offenders.
Posted inLocal & State, Maine Crime, News
D.C.-based policy group hired to help reform Maine’s juvenile justice system
The Maine Juvenile Justice Advisory Group has hired the Center for Children’s Law and Policy to evaluate Maine’s system and recommend changes.