We all want children to have access to opportunities to succeed through a quality education. Let’s be honest – an important component of a student’s ability to succeed in school is their attendance. In recent years, Nebraska legislators have enacted a number of bills aimed at increasing school attendance, reducing the number…...
Kids for Cash has lessons for Nebraska
It’s not every day that the juvenile justice system makes national news. But just a few years ago, a scandal rocked Luzerne County Pennsylvania: judges had accepted nearly $2.6 million from private, for-profit juvenile facilities. Now known as the “Kids for Cash” scandal, this incident created shockwaves across the entire…...
Treating Kids Differently
Kids are different than adults. On its surface that’s a fairly simple, obvious statement. If you’ve spent any time around children of any age whether they’re cute, tiny babies, precocious preschoolers, or teenagers giving you attitude, you know it’s true. Not only do kids look different than adults, they act…...
New path for crossover youth
Achieving positive outcomes for youth involved in the child welfare system can be challenging, as is achieving positive outcomes for youth who have been involved in delinquent behaviors. The challenges become even greater for youth who have been maltreated AND were convicted of a juvenile crime. This group is commonly…...
Is Nebraska the next “Comeback State”?
Last week, the National Juvenile Justice Network and the Texas Public Policy Foundation released a new report on the promising juvenile justice trends in a number of states. These nine comeback states have successfully reversed earlier trends and significantly reduced youth incarceration, all while maintaining public safety....
