As we recognize Youth Justice Action Month, I think this is an important question to ask. New analysis of federal civil-rights data shows that during the 2023–24 school year: • 2.5 million students experienced at least one out-of-school suspension. • 2.3 million experienced an in-school suspension. • Nearly 7 in 10 public schools reported increased demand for student mental health services since the pandemic. Some suspensions aren't always connected to serious safety concerns

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐣𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲? I would argue that the answer isn't the day they walk out the door. 𝐑𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧. If we want young people to successfully return to their families, schools, communities, and lives, we have to start preparing for that return much earlier. I think about reentry as: 𝐄𝐍

“What else does this youth have to do to get locked up?” I heard this question more times than I can count during my 28+ years working in juvenile justice. From parents.From school personnel.From therapists and treatment providers.And, yes, even from people working within the juvenile justice system. I also heard: “You guys aren't doing anything.”“Why can't you just put them in detention?” I used to get frustrated by these questions. But over the years, I've come to u