(The Center Square) – Building on progress begun with the state’s Juvenile Justice Task Force, which published its findings in 2021, have relaunched the bipartisan Youth and Public Safety Caucus.
The caucus, which will examine safety and resources for youth statewide, will be headed by Rep. Carol Kazeem, D-Chester, and co-chairs Rep. Heather Boyd, D-Clifton Heights, and Rep. Andre Carroll, D-Philadelphia.
“To do so, this caucus will follow data-driven, research-based policies that lead with both compassion and fairness,” said Boyd.
The announcement comes after the passage of a resolution Monday to conduct a study and issue a report on best practices for the operation of juvenile detention centers. The state’s existing institutions have been under significant public scrutiny following overcrowding and allegations of neglect.
“We cannot talk about public safety for young people without confronting the harm caused by our juvenile justice system,” said state Rep. Emily Kinkead, D-Bellevue. “It’s been nearly five years since a bipartisan state task force made 35 recommendations for improving outcomes in Pennsylvania’s juvenile justice system – and we have failed to enact any of those recommendations.”
During the last legislative session, two bills were enacted into law addressing issues raised by the task force. They included quarterly disposition review hearings for children in detention centers and standardized records expungement post-discharge, respectively. Lawmakers say it isn’t nearly enough, especially for the state’s most vulnerable.
“Our communities in Philadelphia, and across the commonwealth are paying the price for a juvenile justice system that too often relies on incarceration rather than prevention and support,” Caroll said. “Every young Pennsylvanian deserves the opportunity to get help at the right moment, stay out of the revolving door of juvenile delinquency, and work toward a future where young people can thrive – no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, or background.”
In Philadelphia in particular, youth incarceration rates far exceed the national average.
“We know too many youth are brought into the juvenile legal system for minor offenses, and that youth in the system face a variety of harms that will follow them well into adulthood,” said Malik Pickett, senior attorney, Juvenile Law Center.
Another area of focus is ensuring that those young people who are in detention centers or otherwise pulled out of their school environments still receive the education they are guaranteed in the state’s constitution.
“By denying our youth in the juvenile justice system a quality education, we not only deprive them of a high school diploma – we limit their lifelong opportunities and their ability to achieve economic prosperity and success, thereby pushing them closer toward the criminal justice system,” Maura McInerney, legal director of the Education Law Center-PA.
Legislation to uphold students’ 504 plans while they are engaged with the justice system has been proposed along with a series of other measures in what was dubbed the House CARE Package.
“The relaunch of the caucus is a renewal of our promise as legislators to listen to the concerns of our young people, to advocate for their future, and create policies that will protect and empower them,” Kazeem said. “Youth and public safety are not separate issues; they are deeply intertwined.
