Developmental Framework Project
#DevelopingJustice
The Emerging Adult Justice Project (EAJP), with the support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, has embarked on a project to envision a research-based, transformative developmental framework for working with emerging adults (age 18-25 years) in contact with the criminal legal system. This ambitious project involves a multi-year, research- and site-based project to develop and test the Framework with the goal of profoundly reorienting the justice system’s response to emerging adults.
This Project is being rolled out in different phases:
Phase #1 (2021 – 22) Assembling a Steering Committee of experts – researchers, practitioners, advocates, and young people with direct experience – to create a developmental framework grounded in research, on-the-ground practice and community knowledge that adopts a holistic approach: What do young people need to thrive?
Steering Committee members and their affiliations at the time of this phase of the project:
Quincy Booth, DC Department of Corrections
David Brown, Annie E. Casey Foundation
Naoka Carey, EAJP, Justice Lab
BJ Casey, Yale University
Lael Chester, Columbia EAJP, Justice Lab
Mark Courtney, University of Chicago
Andrew DeSilva, Strive
Felipe Franco, Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiatives, Annie E. Casey Foundation
Derrell Frazier, Mental Health Association of Maryland
Frankie Guzman, National Center for Youth Law
Chet Hewitt, Sierra Health Foundation
Marcy Mistrett, The Sentencing Project
Kelly Murphy, Child Trends
Erika Preuitt, Department of Community Justice, Multnomah County
Iliana Pujols, Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance
Deborah Rivas-Drake, University of Michigan
Vincent Schiraldi, Columbia EAJP, Justice Lab
Jaleel Terrell, Prevention Links
Phase #2 (2022-23): Selecting three “Innovation Sites” to implement the Framework.
The EAJP, in partnership with the Casey Foundation, designed a competitive, transparent process to select three jurisdictions interested in “test-driving” the new Developmental Framework at different points in the criminal legal system. The process included an informational webinar, a Request for Interest and an Optional Early Opportunity for Feedback and Frequently Asked Questions.
Members of the Selection Advisory Committee included:
Ken Schatz, Vermont Department for Children and Families (Ret.)
Derrell M. Frazier, REFORM Alliance
Joshua Dohan, International Legal Foundation
Frankie Guzman, Frankie Guzman, National Center for Youth Law
Mark Courtney, University of Chicago
Erika Preuitt, Department of Community Justice, Multnomah County, Oregon
Felipe Franco, Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiatives, Annie E. Casey Foundation
At the end of this process, we were honored to announce the following Innovation Sites and their focus areas:
Washington DC – Community Led by the Justice Policy Institute (JPI) in partnership with DC Emerging Adult Justice Action Collaborative and the Thrive Under 25 Coalition (School Justice Project, Free Minds Book Club, etc.). The focus will be on creating resources, services, and opportunities in the community for emerging adults in or exiting the justice system.
Nebraska – Probation/Community Supervision Led by Probation Dept (AOCP) in partnership with RISE Prison Re-Entry Program, Project Restore MN and Multi-Health Systems. Will use the Framework to reshape probation practices to better meet the developmental needs of 18- to 25-year-olds.
Massachusetts (Lowell and Lawrence) – Indigent Defense Led by public defenders at the Committee for Public Counsel Services (Youth Advocacy Division and the Public Defender Division) in partnership with Youth Advocacy Foundation/education advocates and UTEC. Will develop a pilot defense office to seek better legal and life outcomes for emerging adult clients.
Phase #3 (March 2023 on): Launching the Innovation Sites EAJP is supporting the planning, design, and implementation of the new Developmental Framework in each of the Innovation Sites and will capture lessons learned to further develop the Framework and inform and guide the burgeoning field.
In-Person Convening in Washington, D.C.: On November 14 and 15, 2023, the first in-person Emerging Adult Justice Developmental Framework Innovation Site convening took place in Washington D.C. Beginning with a full-day, open session at the Public Welfare Foundation’s True Reformer Building, poet ambassadors Gene Downing and Lydell Clanton from Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop shared poems from Free Mind members, including the poem below (“Painter” by Yester). Participants were then led by Tara Libert in an activity that entailed reading other poems and writing their thoughts and reactions to be shared with the poets. The next session, led by Eric Maly and Noor Toraif, focused on the results of a survey instrument developed and used by Nebraska’s Probation Department to assess Probation officers’ views of the level of support and opportunities that emerging adults have in their ongoing development. Attendees also heard from credible messengers about the lived experience of system-impacted emerging adults, presented by Anthony Petty, Raymond Rodriguez, Desmond Barr, Kaevon Sutton, and artist Ovid Gabriel, and facilitated by James Carpenter. The Justice Policy Institute’s creation of personas for use as an advocacy tool was presented by Paul Ashton and Julie Johnson. Raymond Rodriguez also interviewed Ovid Gabriel about his artistic contribution to the personas, and his background as an artist. The day also featured a talk from Sarah Comeau of the School Justice Project about using litigation to ensure access to special education services in carceral facilities, and a team from Maya Angelou Schools/See Forever Foundation—Clarisse Mendoza Davis, Dr. Felecia Hayward, Dr. Cyril Pickering, Azalia Hunt Speight, Kiana Sweatt, and Russell Waller—presented a model for administration of education to students who are incarcerated. Finally, Jacob Agus-Kleinmann reported on some of the funding opportunities that OJJDP provides that can be used to support emerging adults. On the second day of the convening, Innovation Site members met in a closed session to discuss the evolving nature of emerging adult relationships, and brainstormed about how to break down obstacles caused by the criminal legal system and support ongoing healthy relationships.
Painter
By Yester
Painter, change the color of my painting
Give it a little bit of color ‘cause it’s dark
Put some sky blue so I can have a taste of liberty
Erase these wall that hold me down
And add some wings to me
To fly far away from my captivity
‘Cause my daily living is sad and full of darkness
And many rain clouds gather around me
Leaving me wet with pain and cold in my soul
Pain a brilliant sun in my life so I can get dry
Because I’ve been trying to get dry with this cold breeze
But instead of getting dry, I get more cold
Add the word home in my road
And the word family in my future
And I’ll be grateful the rest of my entire life