Innovation Center for Youth Justice

📣 Registration is OPEN - Join Us in San Diego for the Transformation of Youth Justice Symposium! 📅 When: June 18-20, 2025 📍 Where: San Diego Marriott La Jolla Hotel The Transformation of Youth Justice Symposium will present a range of evidence-informed and research-backed reforms that participants can adapt and implement within their own communities. With an emphasis on collaboration and peer learning, attendees will have opportunities to engage with experts and on-the-ground leaders about challenges and strategies that lead to measurable, sustainable, and replicable policy and practice change. The event will also feature perspectives from emerging leaders and advocates with lived experience. Learn more about the event at: https://lnkd.in/d3xCjXWE. 📢 Registration Is Now Open! Take advantage of early bird pricing and secure your spot today. 💲 Early Registration Rate: $550 (available until January 31, 2025) 💲 Regular Rate: $575 (on/after February 1, 2025) 📢 Registration Includes: ✅ Access to all event activities, including selections from over 30 workshops and special sessions ✅ Breakfast and refreshments on June 18, 19, and 20 ✅ Lunch on June 18 and 19 📢 Register now at: https://lnkd.in/dkWH3bmi

The ICYJ and our students will be featured in a special session at this summer's Transformation of Youth Justice Symposium, hosted by our partner, the RFK National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice. We are excited to share what the ICYJ is doing for young people entering the youth justice (and adjacent) fields for their careers. We encourage you to visit the site and register to attend this important symposium!

You've made it through another semester! Have a wonderful winter break, stay safe, and we'll see you back on campus in January! 🩵 The Innovation Center for Youth Justice

Last week I had the privilege of attending the National Conference on Youth Justice. It was powerful hearing from youth justice professionals across the United States. I was honored to inform youth justice leaders about The Congressional Award , hoping to connect more system-involved youth with this amazing program. Meeting young people who were involved in the juvenile justice system was motivating. Witnessing their perseverance firsthand left a lasting impression on me. Persistent traumatic experiences shouldn’t bar aspiring youth from achieving their dreams. This experience has deepened my commitment to providing system-impacted youth with rewarding leadership opportunities. Investing in their futures has become my lifelong mission, and I'm grateful to continue this work at The Congressional Award. Thank you to the Innovation Center for Youth Justice for sponsoring my attendance at this convention, and thank you to OJJDP for providing such a valuable experience that has strengthened my passion for youth justice.

Students: check out this local internship opportunity

🥳 Celebration Time!! 🥳 This week, the Innovation Center for Youth Justice (ICYJ), in partnership with the RFK National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice, took EIGHT emerging Youth Justice leaders to the OJJDP National Conference. These brilliant young minds took full advantage of their first professional conference to attend breakout sessions that were geared toward their future goals and current passions, as well as network with other young emerging leaders and youth justice professionals. We all benefitted from hearing from Bryan Stevenson, Liz Ryan, Shawn Ginwright, and AG Merrick Garland, and many others. The panels were filled with young emerging leaders and people with lived experience. Thank you to OJJDP for welcoming nearly 3000 youth justice professionals and young people from across the country. We are incredibly proud of our Youth Justice minor degree students and can't wait to see them bring the transformative practices they're learning about both on the ground and in these types of environments to the field. Mariam Elassal Makaela Parker Emma Sutherland Lexi Ukrop Caroline Stoaks Jeneba Sesay Adrienne Horvath Kayleigh Bird #youthjustice #nyjc2025 #emergingleaders

Earlier this week I had the privilege of attending the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s 2024 National Conference on Youth Justice! I was able to attend due to my work with the Innovation Center for Youth Justice. I firstly just want to thank John A. Tuell, JJ Messier, and Rita Poteyeva for constantly believing in me and giving me these amazing opportunities to grow my knowledge on youth justice and those practices within it. This conference has made me more eager and passionate to start working in youth justice. Prioritizing community efforts and programs to keep youth out of the system. During the conference I was able to gather information through many panels and gain knowledge on just how important community efforts are. I can’t wait to start my future career in youth justice, wherever that might be, upon my graduation in the spring and continue having an impact in my community.

This past week I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's National Conference on Youth Justice, thanks to my involvement with the Institute for Innovation in Youth Justice (ICYJ) and the Robert F. Kennedy National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice (RFK Center). Being invited by my professors to join this national gathering was both humbling and inspiring, and I am so grateful for the chance to engage with so many dedicated professionals working to create a better future for youth. Over the course of the conference, I attended impactful meetings and breakout sessions that broadened my perspective on youth justice. Sessions like Innovation for Girls: System and Community Perspectives and Breaking Barriers: Successful Community Programs for Youth at Risk of Violence showcased new and innovative strategies with powerful success stories from across the country. Each session strengthened my understanding of the systemic challenges youth face and the collaborative efforts needed to address them. A true highlight of the experience was hearing from Bryan Stevenson, the plenary keynote speaker, on the first day. His passion for justice and his unwavering commitment to equity reminded everyone why this work matters so deeply. His words were nothing short of a powerful call to action to continue pushing for change that centers humanity and dignity for every individual. This conference not only strengthened my passion for restorative and community-focused approaches to youth justice but also affirmed my commitment to addressing the root causes of why youth come into contact with the system in the first place. I’m incredibly thankful to ICYJ, the RFK Center, and my professors for this unforgettable opportunity to grow, learn, and contribute to this critical field.

ICYJ will be represented at our partner's National Transformation of Youth Justice Symposium! We will be featuring the work we've done over the past two years, including the creation of our Youth Justice Minor Degree at JMU, a nation-wide paid undergraduate internship, and the ICYJ Research Network. And like they always do, our STUDENTS will be the shining stars of our presentation! #emergingleaders #youthjustice