Category Archives: Juveniles

Telling the Whole Truth about Juvenile Incarceration Rates

Posted on March 26, 2013 by tbirckhe

While a new report finds that juvenile incarceration rates are declining in the United States, there is more to the story than just the numbers.  In this guest post, Jason Langberg, staff attorney with Legal Aid of North Carolina, examines … Continue reading →

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Posted in Conditions of Confinement, Delinquency, Juveniles, North Carolina, Race, Class, Ethnicity, Reports, School to Prison Pipeline, State Laws | Leave a comment

Steubenville: The Names Change, but the Story Stays the Same

Posted on March 23, 2013 by tbirckhe

“My life is over. No one is going to want me now.” These were the words of 16-year-old Ma’lik Richmond after a judge adjudicated him delinquent of rape earlier this week in juvenile court in Steubenville, Ohio. Hyperbole? Perhaps. But … Continue reading →

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Posted in Delinquency, Education, Gender, Juvenile Court, Juveniles, Media, Sentencing | 1 Comment

From Prison to Juvenile Justice Lawyer

Posted on March 11, 2013 by tbirckhe

I am a sucker for a feel-good story, and this is the best one I’ve come across in a long time.  It’s from the San Francisco Chronicle, written by Meredith May, and here’s how it opens: A group of incarcerated teenage … Continue reading →

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Posted in Juveniles, Law Schools, Law Students, Legal Profession, Rehabilitation, Sentencing, Training | 1 Comment

New Article on the Role of Counsel in the Sentencing Phase of a Juvenile Delinquency Case

Posted on March 8, 2013 by tbirckhe

It’s always struck me as ironic that the criminal defense of adults is considered to be more “advanced” and “complicated” than the defense of young people in juvenile court.  Having practiced in both realms, I have personally found representing children … Continue reading →

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Posted in Criminal /Juvenile Defense, Delinquency, Juvenile Court, Juveniles, Legal Scholarship, Sentencing | 2 Comments

Kids, Cops, and Confessions: Inside the Interrogation Room

Posted on February 10, 2013 by tbirckhe

During my ten years practicing in juvenile delinquency court, I’ve been struck by the overwhelming number of cases in which youth readily confess to police — often school resource officers.  Sophisticated interrogation techniques are usually not required.  The officer need … Continue reading →

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Posted in Books, Interrogation, Juvenile Court, Juveniles, Legal Scholarship | 1 Comment

Ending the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Senate Subcommittee Hearing

Posted on December 13, 2012 by tbirckhe

      As many of you know, yesterday the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights held a hearing on ending the school-to-prison pipeline. A full webcast of the hearing, which was chaired by Senator Dick Durbin, in addition … Continue reading →

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Posted in Delinquency, Juvenile Court, Juveniles, Legislative Hearings, Organizations, Race, Class, Ethnicity, School to Prison Pipeline, State Laws | Leave a comment

MacArthur Foundation Program Honors Juvenile Justice Reform Achievements of Rutgers-Newark Law Professor

Posted on December 10, 2012 by tbirckhe

I was thrilled to see this press release from Rutgers Law School announcing that the wonderful clinical law professor, Laura Cohen, was being honored for her work on behalf of juveniles: Laura Cohen, Clinical Professor of Law at Rutgers School … Continue reading →

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Posted in Advocacy, Awards, Clinical Legal Education, Delinquency, Juveniles, Law Schools, Organizations | Leave a comment

Celebrating the Holidays Behind Bars: Ideas for Connecting with Justice-Involved Youth

Posted on December 10, 2012 by tbirckhe

The title of this post is the title of a post by our friends at Reclaiming Futures that features the Holiday Event Toolkit from the Campaign for Youth Justice.  The Toolkit provides a comprehensive 25 page step-by-step guide for how to … Continue reading →

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Posted in Community Outreach, Conditions of Confinement, Juveniles, Organizations | 1 Comment

A Holiday Gift from Me to You. Really!

Posted on November 19, 2012 by tbirckhe

As we celebrate Thanksgiving and enter the holiday season, I am reminded of our annual family tradition, one that I imagine is shared by many across the United States. After gathering around the table with our plates piled high with … Continue reading →

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Posted in Children, Conditions of Confinement, Delinquency, Homelessness, Juveniles, Organizations, Poverty, Race, Class, Ethnicity, Rehabilitation | 2 Comments

Overhaul the Juvenile Justice System: Accountability without Criminalization

Posted on November 16, 2012 by tbirckhe

A new federally commissioned report led by University of Virginia law professor Richard Bonnie lays out a blueprint to reform the nation’s juvenile justice system to better hold youth offenders accountable, prevent recidivism and ensure adolescent offenders are treated fairly. The report, … Continue reading →

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Posted in Delinquency, Juvenile Court, Juveniles, Organizations, Psychology, Reports, Sentencing, Social science, Training | 1 Comment