Every state has implemented developmentally-appropriate juvenile justice reform over the last 15 years, according to a report supported by the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative. The report provides a snapshot of nationwide progress as states have evolved many tough on crime policies that treat young offenders as adults to foster a system that considers youth’s developmental needs and capacity for change. From state efforts to raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to protecting juvenile records, the report illustrates a growing understanding of the intersection of adolescent neurological development and juvenile justice – a field bolstered by the MacArthur Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice – that is driving reform in support of better outcomes for young offenders and their communities.
