Jul 21, 2009
MYJP Looking for Volunteers for the juvenile detention center ยป
Last Updated: Monday, April 20, 2009
Mississippi Youth Justice Project »
The Southern Poverty Law Center's Mississippi Youth Justice Project is working to break the cycle of juvenile incarceration by making juvenile justice and education systems more responsive to the needs of children, families and the communities in which they live.
Street Address |
Mailing Address |
|---|---|
|
921 N. President, Suite B
|
921 N. President, Suite B Jackson, MS 39286 |
Giving Opportunities
You can help Mississippi Youth Justice Project; and play a vital role in the recovery of the Mississippi Gulf Coast by generously donating. It's easy, and it doesn't have to be financially painful. Your spare $20 or next weeks movie money, can assist someone who's life was devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
Just Give: n/a
GuideStar: n/a
Network for Good: n/a
Send Check to:
Send check to Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Ave., Montgomery, Alabama 36104.
Profile
We seek reform through public education, community organizing, litigation, legislative advocacy, training and technical assistance.
The struggle for juvenile justice and education reform is one of the most pressing civil rights issues of our time. In Mississippi:
--The incarceration rate for African-American children is double the rate for white children;
--The overwhelming majority of incarcerated juveniles are low-level, non-violent offenders; and,
--almost 40 percent of public school children drop out—frequently because of ineffective discipline practices, the lack of appropriate special-education services and alternative education programs that do little more than warehouse children.
Once children enter the justice system, they are forced to navigate a complex legal process with only the assistance of grossly under-funded defense attorneys.
They frequently find themselves caught up in the justice system because of failing schools and the lack of community-based resources such as mentoring/tutoring programs and mental health services.
Unfortunately, Mississippi’s public school system funnels many students directly into the juvenile justice system.. The state’s schools frequently employ disparate discipline practices and fail to provide appropriate services to disabled students.
When children leave juvenile justice facilities, they often return to failing schools and under-served communities. Too often, these children then cycle back into the juvenile detention facilities—or worse, they graduate to adult prisons. The adult criminal justice system was never designed to meet the needs of children and often fails to protect them from horrific abuses.
Contact Information
Phone: 601-948-8882 x27
Fax:
Email:
Organization Details
Steps Member Status: Member Ally
Executive Director:
Staff Size:
Board Chair: James McElroy
Board Members: 10
Founded:
Region: Mississippi