|
A press conference coinciding with the release of
the 2008 KIDS COUNT Data Book was held Thursday, June
12th. This year's data book focuses special attention
on adolescents in the juvenile justice system. Although
the juvenile justice and behavioral health systems
in Nebraska have weathered several studies, reports,
task forces and efforts aimed at reform, the startling
statistics revealed by the national 2008 KIDS COUNT
Data Book remind us that we have a long way to go.
The 2008 KIDS COUNT Data Book release coincides with
a survey on overcrowding at the Douglas County Youth
Center. The reccommendations in both reports mirror
those in a report released by Voices for Children
in Nebraska in December entitled, Spare Some Change:
An Account of Nebraska's Juvenile Justice and Children's
Behavioral Health Systems.
For additional information or to arrange an
interview, please contact Voices for Children in Nebraska
at (402) 597-3100.
Highlighted
comments the KIDS COUNT Press Conference include:
Penny Parker, Executive Director, Camp Fire USA
Midlands Council, (402) 397-5809
"I truly believe we have a crisis in the community
- we need to recognize this crisis and make a commitment
to stand up and say we will not allow it to continue.
I have been working on children's and youth issues
for over 30 years and we have yet to see true, comprehensive
change. One key to change is investing in children
and youth like those that we have represented here
today at Camp Fire. It is crucial that change begin
- this crisis is just unacceptable."
Kathy Bigsby Moore, Executive Director, Voices
for Children in Nebraska, (402) 597-3100
"Our over-reliance on confinement in Nebraska
for non-violent offenders is not fulfilling the mission
of the juvenile justice system, which is to meet 'the
needs of juveniles who are identified as being at
risk of violating the law and those whose behavior
is such that they endanger themselves or others. Detention
is costly - both to tax payers and to the future prospects
of children involved with the system. Community-based
services have proven to be more effective and provide
far better results in rehabilitation and the long-term
success of children and youth. If we could switch
our focus away from high-cost detention toward community-based
and preventive services, we would see the results
via decreased recidivism and greater public safety,
all of which would be a wiser investment of tax-payers
dollars."
Chris Rodgers, Douglas County Commissioner, (402)
444-7520
"A key issue for our juvenile justice system
in Nebraska is that our system is one of the most
complex in the country. The complexity of our system
demonstrates the interdependence of all the stakeholders
involved. It is time to work to create comprehensive
reform in our juvenile justice system - this reform
effort must include government and non-profits. And
by government, I mean government working across the
state and local levels. With KIDS COUNT, Building
Bright Futures, and the Douglas County Secure Juvenile
Detention: A Study of Overcrowding, we are at a good
point in our history to produce some real reform."
Liz Neeley, Director of the Nebraska Minority Justice
Committee, (402) 475-7091
"Despite the fact that youth of color only comprise
20% of the population ages 10-17 years old, and despite
the fact that white youth account for nearly 80% of
all juvenile arrests in Nebraska, the ratio of youth
of color to white youth in-custody is 4:1. Over a
lifetime, youth who are locked in detention centers
will achieve less educationally, work less for lower
wages, fail more frequently to form enduring families,
and experience more chronic health problems. We are
not preparing youth involved in these systems to succeed
and contribute to society. On the contrary, a juvenile
justice system that negatively impacts youth of color
perpetuates racial inequalities in society."
Links to the reports
online
2008
KIDS COUNT Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation
Spare Some
Change: An Account of Nebraska's Juvenile Justice
and Children's Behavioral Health Systems from
Voices for Children in Nebraska
Douglas County Secure Juvenile Detention: A Study
of Crowding is available from the Douglas County
Commissioner's Office. Please call (402) 444-7025
to obtain a copy.
Media
advisory
| 