Youth Snapshot

When discussing youth, their needs, and what we know about them, we often take a siloed approach.

Each of our systems, disciplines, or vantage points captures some fact about our young people but fails to bring the whole picture into focus.

That was the impetus for this tool; to curate a holistic, multidisciplinary collection of data and resources that aims at offering users a high-level, yet comprehensive, snapshot of youth in New York and beyond.

Our Snapshot contains information on key areas of youth well-being: demographics, education, health (physical, mental, and behavioral), community, family, and economic indicators.

NYS Youth Justice Peer Advisory Council Now Accepting Applications!

The YJI is currently seeking applications for the NYS Youth Justice Peer Advisory Council (PAC). The PAC's mission is to empower young adults with lived justice system experience to become key advisors on youth justice policy and practice development in New York State. Review a PAC flyer with additional information. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.

Submit your NYS Youth Justice Peer Advisory Council (PAC) application here.

Upcoming Lunch & Learn Webinar

Lunch & Learn: Presented by Richard Weissbourd, PhD
"Why are so many young people suffering from meaninglessness, loneliness and anxiety and what can we do about it?"
Noon EST, Wednesday, November 20, 2024 

Through our Lunch & Learn series, the YJI brings to you the work of prominent researchers and practitioners in the field of youth justice. The L&L series brings you interactive, informative, and thought-provoking research in an accessible format.

This month, we welcome Richard Weissbourd, PhD, Senior Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education to present his research about teen and young adult mental health and the development of purpose. The conversation will be moderated by Shalain Garcia, M.A., the Statewide Race Equity Coordinator, NYS DCJS.

Register for the November 20 Lunch & Learn!

See our past Lunch & Learn Webinars. 

Beyond 2020 - The Next Normal: COVID-19 and Youth Forum

From June 1-3, 2021, the YJI held a series of panel discussions among youth justice stakeholders from around the country that explored the pandemic's continued impacts on youth, their families, and their communities; and ways to leverage challenges and lessons of the pandemic to move the field closer to eliminating of racial and ethnic disparities, ensuring equity and justice, and prioritizing individual and communal health and well-being.

Learn more about how the YJI is contributing to national and international discussions on COVID-19 and youth.

Racial Equity & Youth Justice Microsite

The Racial Equity & Youth Justice Microsite offers youth and community justice partners a curated and living array of relevant national and YJI-developed racial justice resources and research. The selected tools (guides, toolkits, webinars, scholarly articles, etc.) are meant to provide concrete supports that empower, instruct, motivate, and inspire our work to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in youth justice systems. We invite you to contribute to this site by nominating resources for future inclusion. Email nominations to [email protected].

Gender & Youth Justice

The Gender & Youth Justice Microsite provides practitioners and policymakers information and resources on meeting the unique gender-based needs of youth involved in the justice system, including youth who have diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. The selected tools (e.g., guides, toolkits, webinars, scholarly articles, etc.) range from introductory to more advanced and seek to deepen relevant awareness, understanding, and practical expertise. We invite you to contribute to this site by nominating resources for future inclusion. Please submit new resources and suggestions using this Microsite Resources Form.