Juveniles for Justice alum featured in mini-documentary on zero tolerance policies

Juvenile Law Center,

Jeremy Hudson (above) is an alumnus of our Juveniles for Justice youth engagement program. Jeremy was a youth advocate with Juveniles for Justice for three years. During that time, he worked on multiple projects aimed at improving the system and youth outcomes, including: improving case planning for court-involved youth in Philadelphia, creating a guide to help youth understand and navigate juvenile court processes, and developing materials explaining the juvenile records expungement process. Learn more about these and other Juveniles for Justice projects here. Today, Jeremy works as a youth support partner at the Resources for Human Development Hi Fidelity Wraparound Unit.

Below, Jeremy describes his experience as a youth advocate.

Having the opportunity to be with JLC has opened up so many doors that one such as myself could have never imagined. Being in the system at such a young age, it was unheard of - people actually having an input and people were actually looking to get training from youth who, at one point, were in the system.

I’ve met with professionals who, at one point in time, wouldn’t even think twice of what I had to say or would have written me off before even knowing me. But now, when I walk into such places - placements, courtrooms, or juvenile probation - I’m actually looked at as a professional, and my input is valued. I’m being heard.

Juvenile Law Center has given me that voice. They showed me how to really deliver my story to those professionals who think they've seen and heard it all and think every offense is just because a youth wanted to commit a crime. I think after they see where a youth can come from and where a youth can be, their perceptions of juvenile offenders are a little different.

Jeremy was recently featured in this Retro Report video on zero tolerance policies and the school-to-prison pipeline.