State Juvenile Justice Work

Since the late 1990s, the rate at which juveniles are arrested for violent crimes has been cut in half, and so has the rate at which they are committed to state juvenile corrections facilities. Policy leaders are now acting to accelerate and lock in these positive trends toward less crime at lower cost.  Pew and its partners have worked with leaders in several of the states to advance juvenile justice policies that protect public safety, hold youth accountable, and contain taxpayer costs.

Where We Work

Georgia Hawaii Kansas
Kentucky South Dakota West Virginia
We want to see more of Georgia’s nonviolent young offenders who have made mistakes get their lives back together and re-enter society as productive citizens." Governor Nathan Deal

Additional Resources

Collection: Juvenile Justice Research 
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Juvenile Justice Research
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Video

Three States Lead the Way for Juvenile Justice Reforms

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Video

State leaders from Georgia, Hawaii, and Kentucky discuss the shifting landscape in juvenile justice and how they enacted data-driven and fiscally sound policies that protect public safety, improve outcomes for youths, and contain correctional costs.  

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