2014 Legislative Session Summary on Juvenile Justice
By Brandy Bynum The NC Legislature was in session from May 14 through August 20. Major issues in the 2014 legislative session included financing the $445 million state budget shortfall, teacher pay,...
View ArticlePolicing the Police
By Jason Langberg The recent horrific police killings of African-American youth in Ferguson, Cleveland, and many other places across the country are a depressing reminder of the urgent need to rethink...
View ArticleProgress on NC school suspensions, violence, but more to do | News & Observer
By Jason Langberg and Barbara Fedders *Originally published in the News & Observer Incidents of school crime and violence, short- and long-term suspensions, alternative learning program placements...
View ArticleThe School-to-Prison Pipeline in Action
By: Jane Wettach At a recent talk I gave on the School-to-Prison Pipeline, a school board member in the audience strongly objected to the metaphor and said he thought it wrongly blamed school boards...
View ArticleSuspension Prevention is Everybody’s Business
By: Jenni Owen Across North Carolina and the nation, what’s often referred to as “the great equalizer” turns students away. Schools suspend students for not attending school. Yes, really. Students who...
View ArticleSchool Resource Officer Census Released
By Jason Langberg Last month, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s Center for Safer Schools (CFSS) released its 2015 North Carolina School Resource Officer Census. The Census defines school...
View ArticleThe Negative Impacts of SB 343
By Jane Wettach & Jason Langberg North Carolina already has a massive school-to-prison pipeline and an alarming number of youth in the adult criminal system, and both crises may soon worsen. Rep....
View ArticleBetter School Discipline Data in NC
By Jason Langberg There’s finally good news coming out of and bi-partisan cooperation in the North Carolina General Assembly. Earlier this month, Representatives Graig Meyer, Rick Glazier, Sam Watford,...
View ArticleHouse Bill 879 – Juvenile Code Reform
By Eric Zogry House Bill 879 (H879) proposes various reforms and technical changes to the Juvenile Code. The changes are designed to improve due process protections, prevent further entry into the...
View ArticleZealous and Holistic Defense Advocacy Starts in Delinquency Court
By Caitlin Fenhagen Since 2008, I have worked as a capital defender in North Carolina. I work in an office that represents clients in potentially capital cases at the trial level. Frequently, guilt is...
View ArticleHouse Bill 2 Makes Students Less Safe
By Peggy Nicholson Last week, North Carolina House Bill 2 became law and now, according to proponents of the bill, we can all breathe a little easier knowing that our children are safe to use the...
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Office for Civil Rights Enforcement Falls Short
“We must make sure our students’ background or identity – including their race, ethnicity, or national origin; their sex; or whether or not they have a disability – neither limits their opportunity nor...
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Opportunity Lost: North Carolina High School Athletics Association Felony Ban
By Ricky Watson The Problem After taking a trip to Walmart, noticing a fashionable piece of clothing and making the bonehead decision to pull the security tag off and walk out of the store, a...
View ArticleAmicus Brief: Silver v The Halifax County Board of Commissioners
By Ricky Watson Halifax County, NC is home to some of the lowest performing schools in the state. One of the main reasons why they perform so poorly is rooted in the three separate school districts...
View ArticleFirst in Flight, Last in Youth Justice
by Austin Braxton North Carolina is the only state that automatically processes every 16 and 17 year-old through its adult criminal justice system without an opportunity for the youth to appeal for a...
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New Youth Justice Resource: Racial Equity Report Cards
By Peggy Nicholson For many of the students heading back to school this week, a new school year is an exciting time, filled with new outfits, new teachers, and new schedules. Unfortunately, for many...
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A New Year; Same Old Story in Wake County
By Jason Langberg “This incident is more about how little this officer, and so many officers around the country, value black bodies, black health, black safety and security.” – Shaun King, NY Daily...
View ArticleBan the Confederate Flag in Orange County Schools
“For many, the flag is a racially inflammatory symbol, which is undeniably rooted in slavery and racism. Given OCS’ commitment to serve all students, the district should not allow the Confederate flag...
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#RaiseTheAgeNC Virtual Advocacy Day
Earlier this week New York changed its laws to stop automatically charging all 16- and 17-year-olds as adults. That’s great news! But it now means that North Carolina is the only state in the country...
View ArticleIncrease in NC School Suspension Rates Negatively Impacts Students
Report Shows over One Million Days of Classroom Instruction Lost in North Carolina Due to Suspensions DURHAM, N.C. – A report released today from the Youth Justice Project finds that North Carolina...
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