Resourcing Communities: Investing in Youth for Justice Transformation
NYJN’s policy platform, Resourcing Communities: Investing in Youth Justice Transformation details a pathway for moving away from the failed policies of youth incarceration toward giving communities what they need for young people to flourish.
Give Communities What They Need for Youth to Flourish
The way to healthy, safe communities is to end the failed and morally bankrupt policy of mass incarceration of Black and Brown youth and ensure all children have an abundance of resources to flourish. That’s why in Resourcing Communities, we assert:
States and localities must invest in youth by giving communities the resources they need for young people to flourish; partnering with and empowering young people to reimagine holistic models of care that no longer rely on punitive, carceral systems; and creating the infrastructure to support the reimagined models of care.
Resourcing Communities plots a pathway towards this vision, grounded in the voices and wisdom of impacted young people. We offer concrete examples of state and local jurisdictions putting reimagined youth justice models into practice, and a practical guide for advocates to work towards reimagined youth justice models of care in their states.
What Works to Support Young People & Create Safety
Investing and empowering youth helps to prevent young people from coming into contact with the law by giving them the positive support for healthy development and conflict resolution, while also helping young people who have already come into conflict with the law course correct, address the root causes of their conflict, find reconciliation and restoration with their community and prevent repetition of harmful actions.
When our communities are safe, young people have abundant resources for their:
- Leadership, self-expression and empowerment.
- Health, safety and healing.
- Family, communities and healthy connections.
- Quality education and opportunities.
A Call to Action – How to Use Resourcing Communities
We invite you to read and share Resourcing Communities, then:
For Advocates, Youth and Families: Use this policy platform and accompanying examples to educate, organize and build coalitions to demand public dollars shift away from youth incarceration toward community youth investments. Use the “From Incarceration to Investment Checklist” to design a youth investment model that would work for your community.
For Policy Decision Makers: Shift investments away from ineffective youth incarceration toward effective youth investment. Work with youth, families and communities to create a community investment model that would work for your state and community. Include impacted voices in the decision making process.
Get our resources for action below:
- Tip Sheet – How to Use Resourcing Communities
- Check List – “From Incarceration to Investment”
- Webinars – Register for our Resourcing Communities webinars Part 1&2