August 19, 2024
Investigative Report
Public Awareness Campaign
In the state of New Jersey, youth as young as 14 years old can be tried, sentenced, and incarcerated in the adult prison system. Those aged 16 or older are subject to mandatory adult imprisonment if they commit certain crimes. It is the position of the relaunched Echo to provide information for the goal to bring awareness to this modern day crisis and address the state's current policies which promotes the trying, sentencing, and incarceration of children and youth between the ages of 14 and 17 in the adult prison system. With a mandate that placing children into adult prisons are unjust and remnant societal behavior passed down from chattel slavery where children are treated as if they are grown adults. Which is criminal by nature. It is the relaunched Echo's opinion that no child should face an increased likelihood of adult prison placement as a result of race, ethnicity, geography or socio-economic status.
Furthermore, it is crucial to ensure that children who are sentenced to the adult system receive safety measures, access to rehabilitative services, treatment, and suitable educational support, especially if they have a background in connection to mental health needs and/or special education requirements. Per Youth.gov a Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP), which is composed of representatives from 13 federal departments and 12 federal agencies that support programs and services focusing on youth in America. States that "The juvenile justice system is more involved with youth experiencing homelessness than non-homeless children. Nearly 44 percent of youth experiencing homelessness in 11 U.S. cities had stayed in a jail, prison, or juvenile detention center, according to one study. The strong connection between homelessness and juvenile justice involvement is especially pronounced for young people who are homeless and have suffered physical abuse" Youth.gov:
Additionally, many child prisoners placed in adult prisons report feeling their "lives were at risk" due to their home or homeless shelter and community environment before their criminal incident occured that led to their incarceration into adult prisons. Homeless youth with a history of physical abuse are almost twice as likely as non-abused youth to be arrested and detained. This underscores the urgent need for screening and trauma-informed support and services for homeless youth who may be at risk of engaging in delinquent behavior.
Per "The Sentencing Project" a 501C3 that advocates "for effective and humane responses to crime that minimize imprisonment and criminalization of youth and adults by promoting racial, ethnic, economic, and gender justice.” Shares that "forty-two percent of youths in placement are Black, even though Black Americans comprise only 15% of all youth across the
United States." Moreover per The Sentencing Project nonprofit report Black youth, imprisoned in the United States are aged between "10 to 17 years old." The Sentencing Project policies focus on
Prevention, including
Housing assistance,
Trauma-informed services, and
Substance use counseling,
Which could significantly reduce the likelihood of at-risk or homeless young people coming into contact with the juvenile justice system. These measures could also have a substantial positive impact on their lives and prospects.
Breaking the Cycle: Addressing Homelessness and Child Imprisonment
Let's talk about it.
Picture Source: Wix Media Young Protesters Pic
Research shares that the beginning of the recession in 2007 to 2010, family homelessness increased by 20%, and the U.S. Department of Education reported that over a million schoolchildren were homeless in the 2011 to 2012 school year—a 75% increase since 2007.
There have been increasing reports of homeless encampments emerging in communities across New Jersey. Over 100 tent communities are documented in 46 of 50 states including N.J. since 2007. New Jersey's homeless population increased to over 10,000 citizens in 2023. Where currently, more people are sleeping under the bridge outside of Newark Penn Station, per an article written by Nyah Marshall on Nov 3, 2023. titled N.J. Homeless Population Up 17%, Survey Says. See The County-By-County Numbers." https://www.nj.com/news/2023/11/nj-homeless-population-up-17-survey-says-see-the-county-by-county-numbers.html
Protecting Vulnerable Children from Adult Prisons: Echo News TV LLC's Initiatives
Picture Source: Wix Unsplash Media Photographer Nechirwan Kavian
The "Free Them Campaign: Protecting Vulnerable Children from Adult Prisons In New Jersey" aims to oppose the practice of incarcerating children in adult prisons located in New Jersey. These facilities are harsh, costly, and ineffective, often leading to a cycle of increased violence and criminal behavior among the youth due to the state policy of housing vulnerable children in adult prisons. Studies have shown that within these institutions, young inmates are subjected to repeated instances of sexual assault, in addition to other preventable harms and even fatalities. We must seek better alternatives to ensure the safety of America's children and improve public safety for everyone in New Jersey.
Qoute by
Mr. Bryan Stevenson Esq, Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiave 501C3
plus author of "Just Mercy" https://eji.org/about/
“The power of just mercy is that it belongs to the undeserving. It’s when mercy is least expected that it’s most potent—strong enough to break the cycle of victimization and victimhood, retribution and suffering. It has the power to heal the psychic harm and injuries that lead to aggression and violence, abuse of power, and mass incarceration.”―
Per Mr. Bryan Stevenson Esq plus Executive Director of the "Equal Justice Initiative" concerns directly applies to children placed in adult prisons as they are often seen as "undeserving of mercy due to their actions." However, offering them mercy and guidance can potentially break the cycle of crime and suffering, ultimately leading to rehabilitation and a chance for a better future per the Equal Justice Initiative.
Grit, Resilience, and Coping Skills
The relaunched Echo, NJ's oldest Black-owned Newspaper, seeks to provide informative public service announcements on our up-and-coming Echo News TV LLC YouTube channel, which is being developed. As advocates "In Concern of the Negro" since 1904, we can employ the theory of cognitive grit, resilience, and coping skills as a practical approach to address the issue of children being placed into adult prisons due to homelessness and other child endangerment crisis issues that as a result has negatively effected and affected American children by unfair policies conjured up in New Jersey. By focusing on building cognitive grit, resilience, and coping skills the public can better advocate in concern of these vulnerable children. As more caring community members advocate on behalf of these pre-teens and teens we can empower them to navigate the challenges they face and resist the negative influences of the prison environment by removing said child from the endangerment instituted by the state of N.J. This approach can also help in advocating for alternative interventions and support systems that prioritize the well-being of these children and aim to break the cycle of homelessness and incarceration.
Echo News T.V. L.L.C. will utilize "emotional intelligence" methodology by providing culturally sensitive public service announcement for the “Free Them Campaign” on the relaunched Echo's pending Youtube channel. By making people aware of the dangers of locking up kids in adult prisons calls for a thoughtful and sympathetic approach to announcements. One way to use emotional intelligence in these announcements is to highlight the long-term impact of this practice on the mental and emotional well-being of children. The emotional toll and trauma experienced by children in adult prison environments can be conveyed through storytelling and real-life testimonials. Such as the example below.
The George Stinney Story 2 min video please click the link
Public support for reforming this aspect of the criminal justice system can be cultivated by incorporating messages emphasizing empathy, understanding, and the importance of giving children a chance to rehabilitate.
By bridging the gap between public opinion and the need for change by highlighting how public attitudes affect support for reshaping the criminal justice system. The psychological impact of these children in adult prison environments can be emphasized by clinical psychology, which can inspire empathy and advocacy for policy change by leveraging these psychological insights.
Picture Source: Wix Media
By caring for the least of these we as citizens can effectively inform and persuade the public about the necessity of removing policies that make citizens homeless with their children who have experienced gentrification as a result of their long-term historically home towns plus communities overpopulation strategies of Confederate friendly organizations namely the International and National Evangelical Sanctuary Movement, that gave birth to The Christian Coalition with whom controls the Republican Party. As well as New Jersey policy makers plus special interest groups who strongly support the "Southern Strategy" operations to disenfranchise Black citizens on purpose, including Bloomberg's New American Economy Movement of the last 30-year.
Which all referenced above agencies directly correlates plus influenced mass displacement of American citizens families, mass incarceration plus inexcusable high fines enforcement in N.J. for petty issues that adversely effected marginalized Black citizen families primarily since the 80s till today by design. These individuals plus groups must be held accountable for the cause and effect concerning the direct displacement of primarily Black citizens children exposed to homelessness trend as attributed by the above-mentioned operations that adversely and criminally trespassed upon the rights, protection, plus citizenship stability of primarily Black citizens and their children. While stressing the need for immediate change.
What was the Southern Strategy of the 60s per the British Britannica Encyclopedia
Per and article written by L. Sue Baugh, that was fact-checked by the editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica shares that; "The Southern strategy, in the political history of the United States, was a campaign strategy of the Republican Party, actively pursued from the 1960s, that initially sought to increase and preserve support from white voters in the South by subtly endorsing racial segregation, racial discrimination, and the disenfranchisement of Black voters. The strategy has also involved directly promoting conservative views on immigration, taxes, social welfare programs, law enforcement, and states’ rights. The Southern strategy proved successful. By the late 1970s, the regular political leadership of most Southern states had switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party."
Thank you for taking the time to check out this article. It's important to recognize that Black citizens ancestors who survived African Chattel slavery and 1st Nation North American genocide believed in providing a better future for Black children. Therefore, as citizens of the United States, it's crucial to advocate for stable homes, quality counseling, and alternatives to placement in adult prisons for all children. Your support for the relaunched Echo is vital as we strive to shed light on critical issues affecting Black citizens, their children, and communities in New Jersey and nationwide because its our job.
References:
Boch, S., Wildeman, C., Dexheimer, J., Kahn, R., Lambert, J., & Beal, S. (2024). Pediatric
Health and System Impacts of Mass Incarceration, 2009–2020: A Matched Cohort Study.
New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. 600K To Damage Our Kids Forever: A Youth
Incarceration Disaster Report. https://njisj.org/reports/youth-incarceration-disaster/
Kennedy, L. (2024, August 6). Changing Juvenile Justice: How Candid Conversations Helped
Shape Policy. Senator credits taking time to listen to youth advocates for pivotal changes in
legislation.
The Institute and Salvation and Social Justice. (n.d.). Liberating public policy theologically
report: Investing in youth not incarceration
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