Life can throw up roadblocks that seem insurmountable. Abuse, neglect, or serious trauma may lead young people to make poor choices and to involvement with the juvenile justice system. Many of the youth we support come from families and communities that face challenges with poverty, violence and lack of educational resources. But the cycle doesn’t have to continue. Youth in our juvenile justice programs discover their inner strengths and demonstrate tremendous resilience.

With support and new opportunities, youth learn to make positive decisions. Both our residential and our community-based juvenile justice programs give them a chance to rise above the obstacles they face so they can change the trajectory of their lives.

Brain research tells us that cognitive development continues until age 25 and beyond. The young people we support are still developing. While being held accountable, they can also learn new skills and how to make positive decisions in the supervised and nurturing environment of our programs.

When the Court refers youth to our programs or when at-risk youth and their families choose to participate, we give them a chance to discover the root causes of their delinquency and behavior, examine the choices they have made and acquire the tools they need to make better choices. They can start down a new path, one that leads to a productive, healthy life.

Ask Troy, 16, who said, “I am more than one bad decision that I made one day.” We gave him another day, other options — like learning to control his anger, finishing his high school diploma, and pursuing his dream of becoming an airline pilot.

Our Justice for Youth & Families programs work with youth, families, schools, and the community to find positive paths forward from wherever they are. We work with youth who have been court involved and been placed in detention, those facing parole and at risk of greater involvement, and those leaving placement and looking to find a new path forward.

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