Youth Advocacy Project Defenders in the Courtroom | Partners in the Community 10 Malcolm X Boulevard Roxbury, MA 02119 (617) 989-8100 www.youthadvocacyproject.org 9/22/2018

Youth in Massachusetts In 2006, over 14,000 young people in MA were indicted or charged with delinquency complaints In 2006, over 4,800 youth were detained by the Department of Youth Services (DYS) In 2006, over 2,300 children were committed to DYS “Every year hundreds of thousands of young people with serious mental health and substance abuse problems wind up in the juvenile justice system.” - National Mental Health Association 9/22/2018

YAP Mission Statement The mission of the Youth Advocacy Project is to protect and advance the legal and human rights of children, and to promote their healthy development through active partnerships with the community. We strive to ensure that every child has access to zealous legal representation, essential community-based services, and a quality education 9/22/2018

YAP’s Clients Boston area children from indigent families Ages 7 to 17 Over 95% children of color Over 70% from Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan 400-500 cases annually 9/22/2018

Youth Development Approach A practical application of research-based concepts outlining the vital role that adults play in the development of youth Five domains Resources for physical and mental health Nurturing adult and positive peer relationships Safe places to live and learn Educational and economic opportunity Structured activities and civic participation Advances in five domains lead to positive youth development and life outcomes 9/22/2018

Best Possible Best Possible Paradigm Shift Achievement Outcomes Problem-Free Developmental Best Possible Life Outcomes Nurturing Adults Adults Problem-Free Outcomes Current Model: Adults attempt to have a direct influence on court outcomes without understanding of underlying factors; “carrot & stick” YDA Model: Positive court outcomes happen in conjunction with positive achievement and developmental outcomes; nurturing adults support entire process Best Possible Best Possible Life Outcomes Legal Outcomes = 9/22/2018

A Multidisciplinary Team Client Community Outreach Family Education Lawyers Delinquency Forensic Psychologists Social Workers 9/22/2018

YAP Structure YAP 9/22/2018

Youth Advocacy Foundation 501(c)(3) non-profit created to help support YAP’s mission and initiatives Supports one third of YAP’s staff members Huge impact of private funding: overhead costs mostly fulfilled by state funding; almost all of funding support goes directly to initiatives 9/22/2018

YAP’s Initiatives The EdLaw Project The Juvenile Defense Network The Equal Justice Partnership Community Outreach Community Notebooks 9/22/2018

- Brown vs. Board of Education The EdLaw Project Created in 2000 in partnership with the Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts to address the unmet need for education advocacy among Boston’s indigent students and families Staff of two attorneys and an AmeriCorps Fellows, all of whom are privately funded Represents over 200 students a year in school discipline, academic failure, and undetected special needs “It is doubtful that any child may be reasonably expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education.” - Brown vs. Board of Education 9/22/2018

Juvenile Defense Network Vast majority of juvenile cases handled by Bar Advocates, who are underpaid, under-supported, and under-trained The juvenile courts act as a gateway to adult prisons, with as many as 50% of adult offenders having been adjudicated delinquent Competent counsel can help stop the flow of juveniles into the adult system “Lawyers Helping Lawyers Helping Kids” 9/22/2018

Equal Justice Partnership Forum for organizations and agencies involved in MA juvenile justice to meet and discuss top-level policy Inclusive of all institutional stakeholders Common interest of improved outcomes for system-involved children and families Non-adversarial, non-blaming Expanding use of the Youth Development Approach Commissioner of Probation Committee for Public Counsel Services Executive Office of Health & Human Services Massachusetts Department of Mental Health Massachusetts Department of Public Health Massachusetts Department of Social Services Massachusetts Department of Youth Services Massachusetts Juvenile Court Massachusetts Juvenile Court Clinic Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office Youth Advocacy Project 9/22/2018

Community Outreach Grassroots public education and empowerment Access to justice in court and community Deep, sustainable relationships Fabric of the community Connecting to the outside world Emphasis on 5 domains of the Youth Development Approach Nurturing Adults and Youth Participation 9/22/2018

Community Notebooks Resource guides to help professionals who deal with at-risk and court-involved youth Articles, guides, lists of organizations and resources Four separate editions Out-of-School Time Girls Heath & Counseling Education 9/22/2018

YAP in the Future Growth and continuation of current programs Sharing the YAP model statewide Consistent voice in the juvenile justice system and policy decisions Advocating for a Youth Development Zone Continuing innovative programs and developing new initiatives to improve youth health and development in Greater Boston 9/22/2018