By The Annie E. Casey Foundation, July 26, 2021

A short video produced by the Annie E. Casey Foundation identifies eight principles that every juvenile justice system should embrace right now to transform care for youth in custody. These principles are designed to help all young people realize their potential — regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, neighborhood or personal history.

The video introduces ways that jurisdictions can immediately and meaningfully elevate the standard of care for youth in custody as they work toward bigger changes. Both the video and the document on which it is based, "Eight Principles to Transform Care for Young People in the Justice System", affirm that states, counties or cities must dramatically reduce youth confinement, build stronger community-centered responses and put an end to the prison model for youth and young adults.

Yet such a transformation takes time, and youth in custody can’t wait. According to the most recent federal data, 36,000 young people — disproportionately and overwhelmingly youth of color — were in custody in 2019.

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