Advancing Racial Justice & Equity Certificate Program Applications Closing Soon!

Posted in Announcements

Non-white youth are overrepresented in the youth legal system in the United States. They are more likely to be arrested, charged, and incarcerated than their white counterparts, even for the same behaviors. Involvement in the legal system has numerous negative consequences for young people, including educational disruptions, reduced employment rates, and increased likelihood of legal system involvement as an adult. Inequitable treatment of non-white youth in systems of care can lead to observed disparities in other areas and contribute to an intergenerational cycle of system involvement and other poor outcomes.

The Advancing Racial Justice and Equity in Youth Legal Systems Certificate Program is an intensive week-long professional development opportunity designed to support state and local jurisdictions in their efforts to reduce racial and ethnic inequities in their systems of care, particularly the youth legal system. The curriculum helps jurisdictions identify anti-racism strategies on both an organizational and individual level, giving participants the tools to construct a legal system that is fair and equitable. The program provides foundational knowledge based on research literature, real-world applications of this knowledge, and solutions aimed at advancing racial justice and equity in the youth legal system and other systems of care.