Blog #9

My community partner,Indpendence Police Auditor- Teen Leadership council, does not have recourse to judicial processes as a way of resolving problems.  Also, my community partner does not involve the prison system in anyway. However, we do work with people who have been in the prison system. Many times people who have been in the prison system have had a been encounter with a police officer, because they were treated unfairly. Even though they have previously committed a crime it doesn’t mean it is okay to treat them unfairly. We also have had representatives from FLY come work with us. Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY) is an award winning non-profit dedicated to breaking the cycle of violence, crime and incarceration of teens. Through FLY’s unique and powerful combination of programs-legal education, leadership training, and one-on-one mentoring-youth get off probation, engaged in school, and back on track with their lives.Each year, FLY helps 2,000 youth who are either part of the Santa Clara and San Mateo juvenile justice system or are “at-risk” of entering the system, to develop important life skills like empathy, problem solving and anger management in order to gain an understanding and respect for a legal system that previously only seemed punitive. FLY youth are also connected with positive adult role models whose support and guidance help them realize their potential and set goals for their future.Improving the juvenile justice system requires trust and mutual respect. FLY programs are well-respected by juvenile justice system staff, including judges, district attorneys, probation officers and police.As a result, FLY and FLY youth are regularly invited to participate in conversations about how the system can become more effective and humane. One of our greatest accomplishments, in addition to helping youth transform their lives, is to have become an invited guest at the table to discuss issues of juvenile justice reform.