This week the formation of the Jacksonville Juvenile Justice Coalition was announced.
It’s a powerhouse group of elected officials, churches, advocates and policy organizations – they’re joining forces to put a stop to the criminalization of first-time juvenile offenders on the First Coast.
Their goal is to divert more kids into civil citation programs and keep them out of what’s known as the “school to prison pipeline.” Jacksonville incarcerates far more juveniles than other urban areas around the state.
Coalition member and Florida State Rep. Reggie Fullwood of Jacksonville and David Utter, an attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center, joined Melissa Ross to discuss juvenile justice reform and take listener calls.
You can follow Melissa on Twitter @MelissainJax.
