Police Misconduct & Excessive Force

In 2010, Youth Advocates chose to focus on the inappropriate use of police force in Philadelphia. Juveniles for Justice members conducted research and interviews and discovered that youth rarely report police mistreatment. Juveniles for Justice launched a poster campaign called "Speak Up" to raise awareness about what types of interactions exceed a police officer's legal authority and the right of youth to lodge complaints with the Police Advisory Commission. Youth Advocates also met with the Deputy Police Commissioner and representatives from the Police Advisory Commission to raise more awareness on the issue.