New Program Brings Street Law to Youths in New York’s Juvenile Justice System

Street Law has a long, successful history of creating programs that provide young people in the juvenile justice system with practical legal knowledge, help them expand their cognitive skills, foster self-reliance, and inspire them to be positive resources within their communities. For the past 20 years, law enforcement officers and others who work with juvenile offenders have been vital Street Law partners within these programs.

This year we expanded our juvenile justice programming to work with probation officers in all five boroughs of New York City, thanks to funding provided by the NYC Department of Probation. The program targets youths who have committed felony crimes.

Street Law staff led a training in which the 30 participating probation officers learned interactive teaching strategies, practiced teaching skills through lesson demonstrations, and drafted program goals.

Over the course of 10 weeks, the officers taught lessons to youth offenders in all stages of the probation process. The lesson topics ranged from juvenile rights, to how to respond to the police, to employment law.

The program just ended its first 10-week cycle with much enthusiasm from all involved! A second cycle will begin in October.

If you have questions about this program, please contact Yolanda Johnson.