The Juvenile Justice Foundation /About Us

ABOUT THE JUVENILE JUSTICE FOUNDATION

3,000,000 cases of child abuse and neglect were reported in this country in 2006, and 2,000 children died as a result of that abuse. The others suffered in different ways.

They endured emotional trauma. They were less likely to be ready for school. They were more likely to have behavior problems, become teen parents, juvenile delinquents, drug and alcohol abusers, and child abusers themselves.

Statistics taken from Child Maltreatment 2006 and refer to the Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2006 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008).

How Many Children Die Each Year From Child Abuse or Neglect?

The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) reported an estimated 1,530 child fatalities in 2006. This translates to a rate of 2.04 children per 100,000 children in the general population. NCANDS defines "child fatality" as the death of a child caused by an injury resulting from abuse or neglect, or where abuse or neglect was a contributing factor.

Many researchers and practitioners believe child fatalities due to abuse and neglect are still under reported. Studies in Colorado and North Carolina have estimated that as many as 50 to 60 percent of child deaths resulting from abuse or neglect are not recorded

A Message from the Founder

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In the United States we have many freedoms and privileges, one of our most privileged as a free nation is to make change; in order to make change we must become more involved with what is happening in this country, with all issues that affect everyone of us today.Be it the issues on the Iraq war; let your voice be heard. Be it child predators and child abuse let your voice be heard.

Juvenile justice reform in this nation is now becoming a hot topic as well. There has to be a better way for this society to handle children being tried as adults in this country. Over and over again we see children being sentenced anywhere from 30 years to life in prison, who might receive lower sentences if they were truly adults. Many of these same children are victims of child abuse and neglect. Many of these children are first time offenders.

This country seriously needs to look at new legislation for different age groups of children. Children 14 and younger under many state laws are deemed inculpable of their crimes yet still can be tried as an adult if the prosecutor of the state chooses to do so. Protections need to be put in place and laws changed.

Currently many states also have no age limits on trying children for certain offenses up to 18 as adults. In order to offer these children every opportunity to redeem themselves as well as pay for their crimes, should we not look into alternative sentences as the child they indeed are? For if we as a nation are going to try a child as an adult and sentence a child as young as 12 and even younger, in some states to 30 years to life, the laws should also offer them a second chance for redemption as well.

To simply say a child of 10, a child of 14, a child of 16 is an adult does nothing to benefit this society or the children. Circumstances of these children's cases must be taken in consideration. If you were to look at youth violence as a disease would it not benefit more to treat the disease as early as possible to reverse the condition, if simply to do nothing and put it in a dark place , out of sight and mind , to ignore the disease it will progress and at a point nothing can be done.

We must correctly treat the youth in order to change the outcome , throwing children away simply makes a more dangerous criminal for our future to deal with and benefits no one except the already hardened criminal that will be waiting on our offending children. You must ask yourself if this is what you want for your child if he/she were to ever find themselves in this position.

We must demand changes in these laws, ask our leaders in our states where do you stand on these vital issues concerning our children, and if they don't support change in your state, then you as a voter know how to replace this representative with someone that will support new legislation for our children's rehabilitation in the juvenile justice system.

Contact your Senators in Washington, DC. Contact your state legislators and ask them how do they feel about children being tried as adults? How do they feel about a child being sentenced to 30 years to life in prison without the possibility whatsoever at this young age for redemption or rehabilitation? Children that offend should be punished, but along with that punishment all circumstances surrounding each child's case should also be considered in the totality of the circumstances, and a proper punishment be handed out along with counseling, education and most importantly rehabilitation.

In order to make change; we have to get more involved with what is happening in this country, not just on juvenile justice issues but all issues that affect everyone of us today. For if we don't speak out and let our voices be heard, we can't complain when our concerns for this nation are ignored. It only takes one phone call, one e-mail or postal letter to get involved with the politics of your state.

Many of these children under circumstances of abuse or under the influence of prescribed SSRI medications become first offending children in the judicial system.

Instead of receiving the help needed, they are faced with being tried as an adult in the criminal justice system, with little or no regards to the circumstances or the age of the child at the time of the offense committed.