Lockup guard slugged a skinny kid. Prosecutors say it’s justified. Here’s the video.

BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER cmarbin@miamiherald.com [ read original article ] Broward County prosecutors have ruled that a former detention center officer was justified when he slugged a 14-year-old boy in the face — breaking the teen's nose in two places — because the juvenile was aggressive with staff and causing a disturbance in the county's long-troubled lockup. … Continue reading Lockup guard slugged a skinny kid. Prosecutors say it’s justified. Here’s the video. →

Testimony to New York City Council

TESTIMONY by Jeffrey A. Butts, Ph.D. Director, Research and Evaluation Center (www.JohnJayREC.nyc) John Jay College of Criminal Justice City University of New York 524 West 59th Street, Suite BMW605 New York, NY 10019 to the NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL Committee on Justice System Jointly with the Committee on Juvenile Justice regarding T2018-1640 and Res 0283-2018 … Continue reading Testimony to New York City Council →

The New ‘Superpredator’ Myth

by Alex S. Vitale March 23, 2018 -- read the original The criminologist John DiIulio sparked a panic in 1995 when he predicted there would be an explosion of juvenile superpredators in the coming years, resulting in widespread violence. His baseless theory was wrong; youth crime has fallen dramatically ever since. ... Instead of doubling … Continue reading The New ‘Superpredator’ Myth →

The Recidivism Trap

Rather than asking “what’s the recidivism rate?” we should ask an entirely different set of questions about justice interventions. Are we really helping people convicted of crimes to form better relationships with their families and their law-abiding friends? Are we helping them to advance their educational goals? Are they more likely to develop the skills and abilities required for stable employment? Are we helping them to respect others and to participate positively in the civic and cultural life of their communities?

Recidivism Reconsidered

Preserving the Community Justice Mission of Community Corrections Jeffrey A. Butts and Vincent Schiraldi Recidivism is not a robust measure of effectiveness for community corrections agencies. When used as the sole measure of effectiveness, recidivism misleads policymakers and the public, encourages inappropriate comparisons of dissimilar populations, and focuses policy on negative rather than positive outcomes. … Continue reading Recidivism Reconsidered →

Program Keeping Convicted Youths Closer to Home Enjoys Success, Faces Cuts

by Wendy Davis March 2, 2018 City Limits Seventeen-year-old “Jim” landed in a Leake & Watts group home for juvenile delinquents last August, after he stole money from his father to purchase a new phone. Jim, who had previously been arrested for trespassing in a neighbor’s apartment, is now among the oldest of the eight … Continue reading Program Keeping Convicted Youths Closer to Home Enjoys Success, Faces Cuts →

Positive Outcomes

Butts, Jeffrey A., Emily Pelletier, and Lila Kazemian (2018). Strategies for Assessing the Progress of Youth Involved in the Justice System. New York, NY: John Jay College Research and Evaluation Center, City University of New York. Measuring positive outcomes in youth justice requires a shift away from recidivism as the sole indicator of program effectiveness. … Continue reading Positive Outcomes →

‘Interrupters’ Peek at Social Media to Stop Street Violence

by Jan Ransom (@Jan_Ransom) January 21, 2018 -- read original story In one Facebook post, two teenage boys posed in a photo with handguns on each of their laps. In another, a group of young men threatened to attack another man whom they believed had cooperated with detectives investigating a string of robberies. In each … Continue reading ‘Interrupters’ Peek at Social Media to Stop Street Violence →

Cuomo Seeks to Defund High-Profile Juvenile Justice Program

by Fred Mogul, WNYC News New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration wants to pull funding for a juvenile justice program started in 2013 with great fanfare. In the newly released 2019 budget proposal, state officials would zero out the $41 million that Albany has committed annually to “Close to Home.” The program places juveniles convicted … Continue reading Cuomo Seeks to Defund High-Profile Juvenile Justice Program →

Why Does Crime Keep Falling in New York City?

The John Jay College of Criminal Justice Research and Evaluation Center found that between 2014 and 2016, there was a 50 percent decrease in gun injuries in East New York, Brooklyn and a 37 percent reduction in the South Bronx, two communities where Cure Violence has been implemented. [ read original article ] by Samar … Continue reading Why Does Crime Keep Falling in New York City? →