Youth, families, and all of New York's taxpayers will be the winners if state officials view their agreement on reforming four notorious juvenile facilities as one piece in a total overhaul of the juvenile justice system.

Governor Paterson has taken an important first step toward transforming how New York responds to kids who have been convicted of a crime.

Investing in community-based responses for kids when they first get in trouble could save lives as well as money.

New York City is signaling a real commitment to detaining fewer kids and making sure they get the care they need.

The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) prohibits states that receive federal funds from placing status offenders—youth who exhibit troubling, but non-criminal, behaviors such as chronic truancy, incorrigibility, or running away—in locked juvenile detention or correctional facilities. A September 8 report by the National Coalition of Juvenile Justice draws attention to some of the challenges that jurisdictions face in complying with this particular requirement.

A recently published letter to Governor David Paterson from the U.S. Department of Justice presents a heartbreaking picture of events in four New York State juvenile correctional facilities. That’s why it is important to remember that there are also jurisdictions in this country that offer a better way of caring for youth in state custody.