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Juvenile Justice

Offenses committed by YRTC youth

  While institutionalizing juvenile delinquents is no longer fashionable, questioning the use of Nebraska’s Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Centers (YRTCs) is more than just concern over keeping up with current trends. A Voices for Children issue brief, published in January 2012, explored some of the problems with Nebraska’s method of…...

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The Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Takes Off in Nebraska

  With so many Nebraskans working hard to ensure our children and youth can be successful, we occasionally invite other advocates doing great work to add their perspective as a guest blogger.  If you have a story to add that will help tell the whole story of Nebraska’s kids, contact…...

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25 for 25: Treating Kids like Kids in the Justice System

We are commemorating our 25th Anniversary with 25 posts about our history and accomplishments between now and the Spotlight Gala on September 15.  Join us for a celebration of Voices for Children and all of the organizations, lawmakers, and individuals who have supported our work on behalf of children.  For details, visit voicesforchildren.com/spotlight-gala.…...

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25 for 25: Spare Some Change

We are commemorating our 25th Anniversary with 25 posts about our history and accomplishments between now and the Spotlight Gala on September 15.  Join us for a celebration of Voices for Children and all of the organizations, lawmakers, and individuals who have supported our work on behalf of children.  For details, visit voicesforchildren.com/spotlight-gala.…...

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The Other Supreme Court Victory for Kids

By the end of last week, the Supreme Court and the Affordable Care Act seemed to be all anyone was talking about. That wasn’t the only important victory for Nebraska’s children handed down from the bench, though. Building on its other decisions in recent years, the Supreme Court narrowly ruled…...

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25 for 25: Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act

We are commemorating our 25th Anniversary with 25 posts about our history and accomplishments between now and the Spotlight Gala on September 15.  Join us for a celebration of Voices for Children and all of the organizations, lawmakers, and individuals who have supported our work on behalf of children.  For details, visit voicesforchildren.com/spotlight-gala. This…...

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Are All Nebraska’s Children Equal?

Earlier this year, the University of Nebraska – Omaha released a comprehensive report on youth of color in our juvenile justice system. For those who know the juvenile justice system well, perhaps it’s no surprise that what the study found was that youth of color are disproportionately represented at every level of the juvenile justice system…...

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Legislature sets the stage for juvenile justice reform

A great deal of public attention has been focused on Nebraska’s child welfare system’s flaws over the past few years. Our juvenile justice system, which actually serves just as many vulnerable children and families, has received comparatively little. Yet data show that youth in our juvenile justice system are often…...

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advoKID Alert – Take action on LB 985 – Juvenile Services Pilot Project

Dear Advocate, Please take a moment to contact your Senator and urge them to advance and fund LB 985! Too often in Nebraska our juvenile justice system turns to out-of-home care, confinement, and state wardship for youth because of a lack of accessible, quality community- based services. We can do better for our children. Luckily,…...

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Bills, Hearings, and Fiscal Notes – Oh My!

The month of January has flown by here at Voices for Children. With so many of the services that serve our mostvulnerable children and families in crisis, we’ve been burning the midnight oil to make sure kids’ voices are heard in Lincoln on any number of issues. During the session…...

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