Research grounded in science, justice, and participation.
The Youth Justice Research Collaborative (YJRC) uses participatory action research, joining experts with direct experience of youth prosecution and incarceration with academics and advocates. Our research is grounded in science and justice, and centers the lived experiences of those most impacted by Youth Justice systems and policies. We are studying the implementation of the Raise the Age (RTA) policy in New York City using multiple participatory methods, including court observations, focus groups with impacted youth, and surveys of public defenders and social workers who are working under RTA.
In April of 2017, Raise the Age legislation was signed into law, ending New York’s practice of automatically charging all 16- and 17-year-olds as adults for any offense. This was a significant piece of legislation that reinvested in the lives of young people across the state. This victory was won by a grassroots movement of youth, families, advocates, and lawyers, built across the state over more than a decade. The implementation of Raise the Age was a victory too important to leave unchecked and unaccountable.
The Youth Justice Research Collaborative (YJRC) grew out of that movement. We came together to monitor the implementation of Raise the Age, documenting its successes and identifying areas for further reform. The YJRC was designed as a collective to center the lives and conditions of those most impacted, using participatory action research to join experts with direct experience of youth prosecution and incarceration with academics and advocates.
OUR GOALS
1. To ensure that the Raise the Age legislation has the intended effects and to hold city and state agencies accountable for implementing the law as intended;
2. To expose problems with the legislation as it is currently written and identify possibilities for advocacy and legislative reform;
3. To contribute documentation of successes and lessons learned to the national conversation about raising the age of criminal responsibility;
4. To improve the lives of young people and families affected by the criminal justice system in NYC.
ABOUT YOUTH REPRESENT
Youth Represent is dedicated to improving the lives and futures of young people affected by the criminal justice system. A conviction, an arrest, or even a simple interaction with police can have lasting consequences for young people, threatening the stability they need to thrive. When our justice system creates barriers to success for youth, we use the law to help them leave the stigma of a criminal record behind.
ABOUT THE CHILDREN’S DEFENSE FUND NEW YORK
The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit child advocacy organization that has worked relentlessly for more than 40 years to ensure a level playing field for all children. Established in 1992, the Children’s Defense Fund-New York (CDF-NY) office has a unique approach to improving conditions for children, combining research, public education, policy development, community organizing, and advocacy. A recognized authority in the endeavor to protect children and strengthen families, CDF-NY serves as a resource and partner for children, families and organizations throughout New York City and State.
ABOUT THE PUBLIC SCIENCE PROJECT
The Public Science Project at the Center for Human Environments at The Graduate Center (CUNY) is dedicated to the advancement of participatory action research as a strategy for a more just world. With a deep commitment to democratizing the systematic production of knowledge, we collaborate with communities to design research that examines the impact of policy and structural injustice.
ABOUT THE GRADUATE CENTER
The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, a leader in public graduate education, is committed to doctoral and master’s education for the public good.
Innovative research, rigorous scholarship, and collaborative and interdisciplinary learning define graduate education here and prepare students with creative, problem-solving expertise to thrive in and beyond the academy.
ABOUT THE CITIZEN’S COMMITTEE FOR CHILDREN NEW YORK
Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York (CCC) is a nonprofit and nonpartisan child advocacy organization. We educate and mobilize New Yorkers to make the city a better place for children. Our advocacy combines public policy research and data analysis with citizen action. We cast light on the issues, educate the public, engage allies, and identify and promote practical solutions to ensure that every New York City child is healthy, housed, educated and safe.
Findings from our research will be posted and updated on our Reports & Data page.
