Cass County gets $60,000 grant for juvenile jail alternative
Northern Indiana's Cass County is getting a $60,000 grant to help start an alternative jail program for juveniles who are accused of crimes.
Juvenile justice
Articles
Indiana teen who killed man at age 12 gets chance at freedom
A northern Indiana teenager who was 12 years old when he helped kill his friend's stepfather has a chance at freedom.
Report: Indiana saw sharp increase in homicides under age 20
Indiana saw a sharp increase in homicides among children and teenagers in 2013, and homicide was the leading cause of death for blacks ages 15 to 24, according to a report released Monday by a group that tracks such statistics.
Lake County sees successes with JDAI
Lake County has seen success in the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative that offers kids alternatives to incarceration, including home detention, day and evening reporting programs, residential alternatives and foster care.
13 Indiana counties to join Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative
Thirteen counties will join Indiana’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative this year, which will include 32 counties after the expansion is complete.
Justices extend bar on automatic life terms for teenagers
The Supreme Court of the United States ruled Monday that people serving life terms for murders they committed as teenagers must have a chance to seek their freedom, a decision that could affect more than 1,000 inmates.
‘Dumping Ground’ juvenile justice documentary debuts tonight
A documentary following an Indiana teen with an IQ of 40 and others who were abandoned by their parents and ended up behind bars will debut on public television tonight.
Schools across US find alternatives to suspending students
The recent arrest of a 14-year-old Muslim boy whose teacher mistook his homemade clock for a possible bomb led to widespread ridicule of school officials and accusations that Islamophobia may have played a part. It has also highlighted the need in many states to evaluate the violations that lead to suspension or expulsion of students.
SCOTUS hear arguments over life sentences for teenagers
People serving life terms for murders they committed as teenagers were looking to the Supreme Court of the United States Tuesday for signals about whether they will have a chance to seek their freedom.
Indiana justice recognized for work with children
Indiana Justice Steven David has received the Annie E. Casey Foundation Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Distinguished System Leadership Award. The award recognizes his work with children in court.
Teens sentence their peers in Tippecanoe County program
A special Tippecanoe County Courthouse program has jurors, lawyers and defendants, but they're all younger than 18.
Legislative debate highlights issues surrounding juvenile offenders
A proposed change to Indiana’s juvenile law has state legislators wrestling with the question of when children should be treated like adults.
Judge: Heroin use is driving explosion in CHINS filings
More than 25,000 Marion County youths have been referred to juvenile court this year for adjudication as children in need of services, an increase of more than 35 percent compared to last year.
Re-routing the school-to-prison pipeline
Tippecanoe County is just one of a handful of sites across the nation participating in a special initiative designed to constrict the flow of minors into the juvenile justice system and give them a second chance.
Elkhart teens, amici seek appeal of murder convictions
The felony murder convictions of two Elkhart County teens that splintered the Court of Appeals should be heard by the Indiana Supreme Court, the defendants and amicus filers say.
Expungement fair aimed at helping individuals with a juvenile record
The Children’s Policy & Law Initiative of Indiana is partnering with Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law and Marion County Public Defender Agency to help individuals who have a juvenile record start the expungement process.
School discipline summit highlights problem of suspensions and expulsions
Speaking to a group of Indiana educators, school administrators and legal professionals, retired Judge Irene Sullivan drew applause when she stated school suspensions and expulsions should be illegal under federal law.
Millions more sought for representation of juveniles
The money is needed for guardians ad litem and court appointed special advocates, and to pay for the new rule requiring defenders in delinquency cases.
Closure of Indiana juvenile boot camp put on hold
State officials are delaying the closure of a paramilitary-style boot camp for juvenile offenders in northwestern Indiana.
Indiana gets $1.1 million to help at-risk youths
The U.S. Labor Department is awarding a $1.1 million grant to Indiana for academic and job skills training for at-risk youths.