Found 35 matches.
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The Comeback and Coming-from-Behind States: An Update on Youth Incarceration in the United States
Tags: California | Connecticut | Illinois | Missouri | Mississippi | Nebraska | New York | Ohio | South Dakota | Texas | Washington | Wisconsin | Wyoming | National | Deinstitutionalization | NJJN Publications
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The Comeback States: Reducing Juvenile Incarceration in the United States - NJJN, TPPF
Tags: California | Connecticut | Illinois | Mississippi | New York | Ohio | Texas | Washington | Wisconsin | National | Deinstitutionalization | NJJN Publications
Nine "comeback states" are featured for their dramatic reversal of youth incarceration rates in the past decade and for adopting policies that will promote further reductions.
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Mississippi Allows Expungement of Certain Felony Convictions, H.B. 1043
Tags: Mississippi | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Legislation
Mississippi enacted legislation to allow individuals who were under the age of 18 at the time of conviction to petition the court for expungement of their records five years after the successful completion of all terms and conditions of their sentences. Certain offenses, such as rape, sexual battery, manslaughter, carjacking, burglary, cyber stalking, exploitation of children, armed robbery, or other felonies deemed a violent crime or distribution of a controlled substance, are ineligible for expungement. H.B. 1043/Act No. 557, signed into law April 25, 2013; effective July 1, 2013.
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Department of Justice Reaches Consent Decree with Mississippi School District that Violated Constitutional Rights of Youth, John Barnhardt, et al. and United States of America v. Meridian Municipal Separate School District, et al.
Tags: Mississippi | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Court Decisions and Related Documents
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Meridian School District reached a consent decree regarding the district’s denial of substantive and procedural due process to youth through its over- and misuse of arrests and law enforcement intervention. According to the DOJ’s investigation, youth were arrested in school for minor infractions; police arrested youth in schools without investigating the offense at issue; judges rubber stamped cases, issuing detention orders without due process; youth did not receive adequate representation in court; and youth of color and students with disabilities were overwhelmingly affected by the constitutional violations. The consent decree requires the school district to establish safe and inclusive learning environments, provide supports and interventions before removing students from school, limit the removal of students from classrooms as a disciplinary measure, ensure that disciplinary consequences are fair and consistent, establish clear guidelines for law enforcement interventions, create a monitoring and accountability system using data, and train teachers and administrators with the tools to manage schools and classrooms safely and effectively. John Barnhardt, et al. and United States of America v. Meridian Municipal Separate School District, et al., Civil Action No. 4:65-cv-01300-HTW-LRA (S.D. Miss. March 22, 2013).
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Dept. of Justice Consent Decree re: Meridian, Mississippi School District
Tags: Mississippi | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Court Decisions and Related Documents
A 2013 consent decree obtained by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) against the Meridian Municipal Separate School District to redress an unfair school disciplinary policy disproportionately affecting youth of color.
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Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
Tags: Mississippi | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Reports
This report focuses on the negative effects of exclusionary discipline in Mississippi's public schools and provides recommendations for legislators.
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Mississippi Passes Juvenile Detention Reform Act, S.B. 2598
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | General System Reform | Legislation
The Mississippi Legislature passed a comprehensive juvenile detention reform law, a collaborative initiative with the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). The legislation addresses both placement of youth in detention (e.g., youth court judges are now required to issue a written order before a child may be taken into custody) and conditions (e.g., facilities must develop policies that limit the circumstances when a youth can be confined to a cell). Additionally, the legislation established the Juvenile Detention and Alternatives Task Force to support the expansion of detention alternatives and recommend licensing standards for detention facilities throughout Mississippi. S.B. 2598/Act No. 564, signed into law May 23, 2012; effective July 1, 2012.
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Mississippi Removes Youth from Walnut Grove Correctional Facility and Creates Youthful Offender Unit for Youth Convicted as Adults, H.B. 523
Tags: Mississippi | Brain and Adolescent Development | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Youth in the Adult System | Court Decisions and Related Documents | Legislation
After Mississippi advocates filed a class-action lawsuit against the Walnut Grove Correctional Facility over conditions of confinement, provisions of a subsequent settlement agreement were incorporated into state legislation. In addition to the lawsuit, the facility was simultaneously subject to a U.S. Department of Justice investigation, which found that the conditions at Walnut Grove violated the constitutional rights of youth. The investigation revealed that staff engaged in sexual misconduct with youth, used excessive force, and were deliberately indifferent to the risk of harm youth posed to one another, youth’s mental health needs, and youth’s serious medical needs. The legislation required youth under 22 years old to be removed from Walnut Grove and directed the Department of Corrections (DOC) to establish a youthful offender unit to house youth 17-years-old and younger who have been convicted as adults; youth ages 18 or 19 may also be housed in the Youthful Offender Unit at the discretion of the DOC Commissioner. The Youthful Offender Unit opened in December of 2012; youth housed there must have interactive, structured rehabilitative and/or educational programming and recreational and leisure activities outside of their cells. All programming must be tailored to the developmental needs of adolescents. H.B. 523/Act No. 489, signed into law and effective April 26, 2012.
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U.S. Department of Justice Findings: Investigation of the Shelby County Juvenile Court
Tags: Mississippi | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | Reports
U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division finds discriminatory treatment towards African-American children in Shelby County Juvenile Court, along with systematic due process violations.
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Mississippi Steps Up Dropout Prevention Efforts, Targets Youth Leaving Juvenile Detention, S.B. 2454
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Legislation
Mississippi amended its laws relating to the state Office of Dropout Prevention to require local school districts to develop dropout plans based on local needs that create measurable student-centered goals and objectives, target specific subgroups that need assistance meeting graduation requirements, and include dropout recovery initiatives for students ages 17 through 21 who have dropped out of school. Plans must specifically address students who are transitioning from juvenile detention centers back into their home districts. S.B. 2454/Act No. 461, signed into law April 23, 2012; effective July 1, 2012.
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Department of Justice Investigation of the Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility (Walnut Grove, Mississippi)
Tags: Mississippi | Reports
The Department of Justice findings in the investigation of the Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility report that the Mississippi facility violated the constitutional and federal statutory rights of youth held at the facility.
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U.S. Department of Justice Findings Letter Instructing Mississippi to Improve Mental Health Services for Youth, December 22, 2011
Tags: Mississippi | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Administrative/Regulatory Policies
On December 22, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a findings letter compelling Mississippi to reorganize its mental health facilities and departments, while deinstitutionalizing youth and providing community-based services that are more appropriate and cost-effective. The letter was the result of a full investigation that found Mississippi to be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the United States Supreme Court decision, Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999).
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U.S. Department of Justice Findings Summary, Community Choice Alliance
Tags: Mississippi | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Administrative/Regulatory Policies
On December 22, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a findings letter compelling Mississippi to reorganize its mental health facilities and departments, while deinstitutionalizing youth and providing community-based services that are more appropriate and cost-effective. The letter was the result of a full investigation that found Mississippi to be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the United States Supreme Court decision, Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999).
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Forrest County, Mississippi Settles Lawsuit on Conditions and Access, M.T., et al. v. Forrest County, Mississippi, 2011
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Court Decisions and Related Documents
A class-action lawsuit against Forrest County, Mississippi challenged excessive shackling, physical abuse, filthy conditions, and overcrowding at the Forrest County Juvenile Detention Center. The lawsuit also challenged the facility's denial of access to the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) organization for Mississippi; under federal law, P&A organizations have a right to enter facilities, interview youth, and assess conditions.
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Mississippi Extends Jurisdiction of Juvenile Court to 17-Year-Olds, S.B. 2969
Tags: Mississippi | Youth in the Adult System | Legislation
Mississippi legislation returns 17-year-olds charged with felonies (with the exception of murder, armed robbery and rape) to the original jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Prior to this legislation, all 17-year-olds were automatically prosecuted in adult court for any offense.
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Mississippi Creates Intensive Supervision Program as Alternative to Incarceration, H.B. 420
Tags: Mississippi | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Legislation
Mississippi's new intensive supervision program creates community-based alternatives to imprisonment for youth throughout the state. The legislation creates slots for 75 youth in each county to participate in the program.
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Incarcerated Mississippi Youth No Longer Forced into Alternative Schools After Release, H.B. 1178
Tags: Mississippi | Aftercare/Reentry | Legislation
School districts in Mississippi are no longer required to place youth returning from an out-of-home placement into an alternative school. School districts must individually assess transitioning youth using a strengths and needs assessment that includes a determination of the youth's academic strengths and deficiencies. The individual assessment must also include a plan for transitioning the youth to a regular education setting at the earliest possible date.
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Mississippi Juvenile Justice Reform Briefing Book, Mississippi Coalition for the Prevention of Schoolhouse to Jailhouse
Tags: Mississippi | General System Reform | Reports
Briefing book summarizing the need for reform in Mississippi's juvenile justice system. Brief makes four policy recommendations: (1) ending reliance on paramilitary training schools, (2) investing in community-based sanctions, (3) creating the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission and (4) protecting the rights of court-involved youth.
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Lauderdale County, Mississippi Settles Lawsuit over Abusive Conditions at Detention Center, E.W. v. Lauderdale County, April 30, 2010
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Court Decisions and Related Documents
Lauderdale County, Mississippi settled a class-action lawsuit that alleged abusive conditions at the Lauderdale Juvenile Detention Center. The agreement ensures that youth at the detention center can no longer be locked in cells all day; ends the indiscriminate use of pepper spray and mace; requires clean and sanitary conditions; mandates health and mental health screening and treatment; requires adequate educational, rehabilitative, and recreational programs; and ends the use of a chair with mechanical restraints.
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Mississippi Extends Jurisdiction of Juvenile Court to 17-Year-Olds, Mississippi, S.B. 2969
Tags: Mississippi | Youth in the Adult System | Legislation
Extends juvenile court jurisdiction to 17-year-olds. The court may still transfer youth to the adult court if deemed appropriate.
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Mississippi Expands Authority of Juvenile Detention Monitoring Unit, S.B. 2950
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
The Mississippi State Legislature expanded the authority of the state's juvenile detention monitoring unit, which is now responsible for investigating, evaluating, and securing the rights of youth held in juvenile justice facilities, including detention centers, training schools, and group homes, in order to ensure that the facilities operate in compliance with national best practices and state and federal law.
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Mississippi Limits Use of Secure Confinement for Nonviolent Offenses, S.B. 2984
Tags: Mississippi | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Deinstitutionalization | Legislation
Building on H.B. 1494 from 2009, Mississippi law now provides that no child who has been adjudicated delinquent for a nonviolent felony or fewer than three misdemeanors may be committed to the state training school. The legislation encourages placement in the least restrictive environment for those youth committed to the state Division of Youth Services. The law will downsize the Oakley Training School and help ensure that youth who commit low-level offenses are not imprisoned.
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Harrison County, Mississippi Commits to Improving Detention Center Conditions, D.W. v. Harrison County, Case No. 1:09-cv-267 LG-RHN (S.D. Miss.), Jun 24, 2009
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Court Decisions and Related Documents
Harrison County, Mississippi settled a federal class-action lawsuit that sought to end the physical abuse of youth, denial of mental health care for suicidal youth, and other unconstitutional conditions in the Harrison County Juvenile Detention Center. The settlement addresses overcrowding, cell confinement, use of restraints, use of force, suicide prevention, hygiene and sanitation, and staff training.
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Mississippi Prohibits Sending Nonviolent, First-Time Juvenile Offenders to Training School Without Specific Finding from the Court, H.B. 1494
Tags: Mississippi | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Deinstitutionalization | Legislation
Mississippi prohibits courts from sending first-time nonviolent juvenile offenders or youth under the age of 10 to the state training school without first making a specific finding of fact by a preponderance of the evidence. The court must assess "what is in the best rehabilitative interest of the child and the public safety of communities and that there is no reasonable alternative to a non-secure setting and therefore secure commitment is appropriate." The law also requires the court to make a similar finding of fact by a preponderance of the evidence before it sends a first-time nonviolent youth offender to detention for more than 90 days.
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Mississippi Strengthens Representation of Youth at Critical Stages, S.B. 2939
Tags: Mississippi | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Legislation
The Mississippi State Legislature specified the critical stages at which juveniles must be represented by counsel, including, but not limited to, detention, adjudicatory and disposition hearings, parole or probation revocation proceedings, and post-disposition matters. The law also specifies that the youth's attorney "shall owe the same duties of undivided loyalty, confidentiality and competent representation ... as is due an adult client."
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D.W. v. Harrison County, Complaint, Mississippi
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Court Decisions and Related Documents
Court complaint filed against Harrison County, Mississippi to stop abuses at the juvenile detention center.
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Mississippi Authorizes Community-Based Services, H.B. 471
Tags: Mississippi | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Legislation
A Mississippi law now specifically authorizes the Department of Human Services to develop regional and community-based juvenile residential facilities and specialized therapeutic programs and facilities.
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Mississippi Closes Abusive Training School for Girls, Mississippi, H.B. 244/Chapter 555
Tags: Mississippi | Girls | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
After a lawsuit filed in 2007, the Mississippi legislature passed a bill to close the Columbia Training School for girls.
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Mississippi Sets Educational Standards and Appropriations for Detained Youth, Mississippi, H.B. 348
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
Sets new standards for education and requires the annual appropriation of sufficient funds for the provision of educational services to detained youth.
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Lawsuit Filed Over Treatment of Girls at State Reform Schools in Mississippi, New York Times
Tags: Mississippi | Girls | Institutional Conditions | Court Decisions and Related Documents | Media
New York Times article about a lawsuit filed on behalf of female youth offenders who were subjected to abusive conditions at their Mississippi reform school.
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Mississippi Sets Educational Standards for Detained Youth, S.B. 2818/Chapter 568
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
Sets new educational standards for youth in detention and requires annual appropriation of sufficient funds for the provision of these educational services.
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Mississippi Improves Access to Appellate Review, Mississippi, H.B. 298
Tags: Mississippi | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Legislation
Expands the mission of the state Office of Indigent Appeals to include appeals in juvenile cases. As originally created, the Office of Indigent Appeals was limited to adult, non-capital felonies.
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Mississippi Passes Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Act, Mississippi, H.B. 199
Tags: Mississippi | General System Reform | Prevention | Legislation
Provides for a number of system reforms. Some reforms include training requirements for juvenile defenders, the prohibition of detention for status offenses, and transitional planning for youth leaving training schools and detention centers.
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Mississippi Improves Monitoring and Conditions in Training Schools, Mississippi, S.B. 2366
Tags: Mississippi | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
Improves monitoring of conditions at training schools and requires individualized care for youth with serious emotional disorders.
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Mississippi Engages in Widespread Reforms of Juvenile Justice System, Mississippi, Juvenile Justice Reform Act, S.B. 2894
Tags: Mississippi | General System Reform | Legislation
Creates a broad range of improvements in the system including improved institutional conditions, improved treatment of status offenders, and support for community-based alternatives.