Recent news

In the final installment of our 3-part series celebrating the 10th anniversary of Roper, our contributors reflect on their feelings immediately after the Supreme Court's decision in 2005 and Roper's legacy.

The history of Roper v. Simmons continues in Part 2, revealing the rigorous strategizing of the "magnificent orchestra that pulled all the pieces together" to end the juvenil death penalty on March 1, 2005.

Ten years ago, the United States Supreme Court, in Roper v. Simmons, finally abolished the juvenile death penalty. As we reflect on the breadth of Roper's impact 10 years later, we invited the bold, smart and dedicated individuals who were instrumental in Roper to share their recollections and reflections on their work. This 3-part blog series features their memoirs of the fight to end the juvenile death penalty.

By translating common youth behaviors and communication styles, The Willy Show reminds caseworkers and caregivers that these young people are more than ”foster youth” – they are just like any other young adult who is still growing up.

The recent closure of the Atlantic City High School East Campus, the district's alternative high school, presents an overdue opportunity to eliminate racial inequalities and ensure that all students have access to the same educational opportunities.

Juvenile Law Center has just released an updated Information Sharing Tool Kit, a product created in partnership with the Robert F. Kennedy National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice as part of Models for Change juvenile justice reform initiatives. Originally developed in 2008, the updated Tool Kit has been transformed into an interactive website designed to assist jurisdictions in creating and implementing information and data sharing initiatives in order to achieve better outcomes for youth involved in the juvenile justice system.

It is with mixed emotions that I write to let you know that after 40 years as Juvenile Law Center’s Executive Director, Bob Schwartz will be retiring later this year. Bob was a founder of Juvenile Law Center in 1975, along with Marsha Levick and Temple Law School classmates Judy Chomsky and Phil Margolis. Juvenile Law Center was the first public interest law firm for children in the Untied States, starting out as a small Philadelphia office that represented individual children in situations where legal advice was needed.

Pennsylvania’s highest court recently ruled that lifetime registration of juveniles under the Pennsylvania Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) is unconstitutional.

Mark Wahlberg has a major problem stemming from his days as a minor. Now 43, he is asking Massachusetts' Governor Deval Patrick for a pardon for assaults committed as a troubled 16 year-old in Boston. "It would be formal recognition that someone like me can receive official public redemption if he devotes himself to personal improvement and a life of good works," said Wahlberg in an interview.

The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly held that youth are categorically less mature in their decision-making, less culpable, and more capable of change than adults. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals recently affirmed a ruling vacating Cameron’s transfer to adult court, finding the record factually insufficient to justify the decision. The opinion criticized the juvenile court’s order for simply reciting the transfer statute and held that juvenile courts must do the “the heavy lifting” of demonstrating their reasons for transfer if they expect their decisions to be upheld on appeal.