Center for Youth Justice, Georgetown University

09/30/2026

Make sure you register for this free virtual event and learn more about the Forgotten Children initiative.

09/28/2026

Don't miss the newest publication from the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)!

We are pleased to announce the publication of our latest issue of Child Welfare journal, which features articles on food insecurity among college students who have experienced foster care, foster parent support of transgender and non-binary youth in care, experiences of home-based child therapists, oral health care for children in kinship care, and more.

Explore more and order your copy here: https://www.cwla.org/journal-archives/

09/28/2026

Next Wednesday, October 7th! Don't miss our own Marc Schindler's presentation hosted by Historic Sotterley as he introduces the Forgotten Children Initiative, a project dedicated to uncovering and honoring the lives of children who died or were killed while incarcerated and were buried in unmarked or forgotten graves on or near the grounds of youth prisons around the country.

Schindler will discuss what the historical record reveals, how families of the children are being engaged, and how the work in Maryland is helping to catalyze a broader national conversation led by the Forgotten Children Initiative about memory, accountability, and racial justice in youth justice.

Registration is free for this virtual event:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HkvBi9JoQ1uELSCHxt7YTg #/registration

09/25/2026

New article on WPLN News - Nashville Public Radio by Alexis Marshall about the Taft Youth Development Center in Nashville where, through our research for our new national Forgotten Children map, we have identified that at least 14 children died and were buried on site while in custody

Georgetown University's Forgotten Children Initiative has released a map documenting more than 1,000 deaths at 40 youth corrections facilities across the country.

09/23/2026

Do not miss this! Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) always offers incredibly informative and engaging webinars!

Join us for Part 3 of the Coalition for Juvenile Justice’s Youth Skill Development Webinar Series, designed exclusively for youth advocates working to advance equity and reform in the juvenile justice system. The upcoming webinar will explore practical Opportunities for Advocacy in Your Community during YJAM and beyond. Youth Justice Action Month (YJAM) provides an opportunity for young people, families, advocates, organizations, and communities to raise awareness and take action around youth justice.

Participants will examine how to center youth voice, engage young people as partners, build community relationships, create meaningful local activities, and turn awareness into sustained action.

When: September 29 at 2pm EST
Who: For youth advocates only (they do not already need to be in CJJ’s network or on a SAG)
Register Here: https://ow.ly/3fmY50ZNhUt

09/23/2026

Preventing legal system involvement for youth where possible and embracing community-driven approaches helps prevent cascading harms to youth, families, and communities. In short, works, but requires thoughtful collaboration between a wide set of system partners. Learn more about our program designed to offer the clarity, structure, and momentum to drive meaningful, community-rooted change. Applications now open!

The Diversion in Youth Justice Certificate Program is an intensive, in-person training designed to support multidisciplinary teams in developing equitable, developmentally appropriate alternatives to court involvement for young people.

09/22/2026

As we roll into Fall, we hope you join us for our “Diversion in Action” spotlight series! We’ll be showcasing how CYJ Fellows across the country are building effective, locally tailored diversion programs through their Capstone Projects. These stories highlight the power of cross-system collaboration, community leadership, and data-informed strategies.

If you’re looking to strengthen or expand diversion efforts in your jurisdiction, don’t miss this opportunity to learn what’s working–check out our Diversion in Youth Justice Certificate Program, now accepting applications through September 30th!

Our Diversion in Action Spotlight Series keeps rolling on! Today, we explore the substantial statewide work being done in New Hampshire!

09/22/2026

New article in The Imprint about our Forgotten Children Initiative's new national research brief identifying 40 burial sites across 29 states containing more than 1000 kids who died and where buried while in state custody.

This is a national issue.

A report released last week by Georgetown University found 40 sites across the country holding the remains of more than 1,000 deceased kids.

09/19/2026

We at the Center for Youth Justice at McCourt School of Public Policy - Georgetown University and Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. were so pleased to see so many of you on September 10th for our America’s Youth Justice Story: Unearthing the Past and Reimagining the Next Chapter. For those who were not able to make it, we hope this short video can give you a sense of the experience.

Thank you to all of the panelists, speakers, artists, and attendees who made the Forum such a special experience. We are moved and inspired by you. We want to especially thank the amazing duo of Maxwell II Maxwell who opened the Forum with a musical invocation, which can be heard in this video.

We at the Center for Youth Justice at Georgetown University and You...

09/15/2026

Thanks to Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop for being such an integral part of our Forum, bringing the stories and poems of youth into the experience! Thank you!!

Yesterday, Free Minds was at Georgetown University for the 2026 Janet Reno Forum, America's Youth Justice Story: Unearthing the Past and Reimagining the Next Chapter.

Hosted by Center for Youth Justice, Georgetown University and Youth Advocate Programs, this powerful one-day conference brought together advocates, artists, journalists, and community members to explore the past, present, and future of youth justice through the lens of truth-telling and creative expression.

It was especially meaningful to hear from family members of the young boys who lost their lives at the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children in Cheltenham, MD, alongside award-winning author Tananarive Due and forensic anthropologist Erin Kimmerle, whose work has helped bring this history into the light. Free Minds brought poetry from our incarcerated members to this event so that participants had an opportunity to connect through writing with young people currently experiencing incarceration, as we reimagine what youth justice could look like.

A special thank you to Maryland State Senator William C. Smith Jr. , whose leadership opened the door to this important conversation, and to everyone at Georgetown's Center for Youth Justice for welcoming us.

It was an honor to be part of this day.