Here is recorded audio from the Juvenile Justice People's Movement Assembly, along with the text of the resolution that came out of this assembly.
JUVENILE JUSTICE USSF 2010 PMA RESOLUTION
Current Conditions
The Juvenile Justice system de-humanizes and isolates youth and their families.
The juvenile justice system is not interested in rehabilitating youth; there is intentionality in denying youth and their families’ rights and dignity. Juvenile Justice law is growing more punitive, criminalizing more behavior and growing in its race, class, gender and sexuality bias. Extreme personal, spiritual and financial hardship resulting from engagement with the Juvenile Justice System and its collaboration with schools and ICE is destructive to all of our communities’ future.
Current Opportunities
This is a moment to train and empower youth and families to lead advocacy and engage in the political process. The state of crises within Juvenile Justice creates the opportunity to work with unusual allies to change the system, including schools, police, and people of other races. Huge opportunities are present to organize around current legislation on local and national level especially the Youth PROMISE Act, the Juvenile Justice Detention and Prevention Act (JJDPA) re-authorization and SB 399 the Fair Sentencing Act. Key fights also include the right to education and against zero tolerance policies. Simultaneously opportunities exist to re-direct funds from jails, detention and law enforcement and into alternative programs, schools, jobs for youth (even youth who have a record) and to implement restorative justice policies in our schools. It is central to get our stories out to truthfully document the impacts of the system and show what alternatives are working.
Commitments to Action
We are all committed to supporting a National Week of Action for Juvenile Justice Dec 3rd – 6th 2010. During the National Week of Action Community Justice Network for Youth members commit to doing a collective action in Washington D.C. on Dec 6th. Community Voices Heard will do an action (WADC) in NYC, Tunica Teens in Action will do an action in Tunica, MS, FAVY will do a Don’t Throw Away the Key action on Dec. 8th and Gateways will host a local action. The Community Justice Network for Youth will integrate directly effected youth and families into the planning of the National Week of Action. The Center for Media Justice commits to helping to create messaging and media tools support the National Week of Action. We will all utilize social media to share, coordinate and inspire us in these actions.
