Reducing delinquency and youth violence among justice-involved young people is a complicated business. Public safety is best protected when youth justice providers work with young people in their own communities, and when the efforts of courts and children’s services are coordinated with prevention agencies, schools, social services, neighborhood organizations, and faith-based groups. The most effective youth justice systems offer a broad menu of interventions that are managed collaboratively and across sectors. No single agency can do it all. Continue reading Testimony to New York City Council

If placing more young people in criminal court does not advance crime reduction goals, the only argument against raising the age of criminal jurisdiction in New York would likely center on the cost and complexity of implementing a change in policy. This is not a sufficient justification to avoid addressing the potential harm being done to adolescents in the existing criminal court process. Continue reading Statement by Jeffrey A. Butts to the New York State Commission on Youth, Public Safety & Justice