2. March 2010 by Rev Young.

It seems that in the United States we have a “Polly Anna” attitude or maybe we walk around with our hands over our eyes so that we do not have to face the evil around us. 

Most American people believe that if a person is arrested and charged, they must have been involved in a crime and deserve what’s coming to them.  Most of America believes that we have a criminal justice system in place that is fairly fool proof and we always get the bad guy.  We have to believe that.  Otherwise we will be faced with the fact that yet another piece of our world is antiquated, corrupt and unaccountable. 

There has been a consistent theme in reporting around the country this week.  A theme that should cause us to be angry.  This concerns the injustice that has been set against our fellow citizens and children.  Those that have been charged wrongfully, those being bantered with in a game of power and those who have served time in our prisons wrongfully…….even those who died in prison and were later pardoned. 

Organizations like the The Innocence Project work on cases around the country to get those who have been wrongfully convicted free.  There are also organizations who are working on the issues surrounding juvenile justice and the ability of District Attorney’s to transfer juveniles to adult court for prosecution.  Still others are working to examine and hold accountable our criminal justice system.  There are too many stories of criminal justice infractions on the rights of citizens, too many wrongful convictions and too many innocent people behind bars.  Then you can add too that the number of individuals who are serving long prison sentences or indeterminate sentences because of conspiracy laws and felony murder.  These laws cause the defendant to be just as culpable as the person who committed the crime just because they were present or knew of the crime before or after the fact.  It’s called guilt by association. 

The first story that I want to relate to you, is about an 11 year old boy (Jordan Brown) who has been charged with murder.  Much debate went on concerning the status of this young defendant and now he is notably one of the youngest person to be tried in adult court.  What in the world could an 11 year old boy have done to deserve this?  He is charged with killing his father’s fiance and her unborn child.  The evidence proves otherwise. 

From Mary Ellen Johnson of The Pendulum Foundation - “The reasons this case may be so important are two: first, Jordan is the youngest person in America to have been charged as an adult for murder; and two, Jordan is innocent. All of the issues which arise in youth violence cases are present except having to explain why this young person may have gone wrong. He didn’t. He is, in fact, a model kid and potentially a poster-boy for everything that is structurally wrong with the American approach to youth justice, Jordan’s case dramatizes that everyone’s children are at risk as long as these unfair and irrational laws remain on the books.”  Mary Ellen is speaking of the Direct Statute and the ability of a District Attorney to transfer a juvenile into adult court for prosecution.  For more information concerning this case please click on these links - www.jordanbrowntrust.org  or http://wandervogeldiary.wordpress.com/

The next story that I want to bring to your attention concerns the infamous case of the “West Memphis Three”.  These three boys were charged with the murder of homeless men.  The evidence proves otherwise.  One young man is on death row.  Actor Jonny Depp made a public appearance and statement on the program “48 Hours Mystery” this past weekend, on behalf of justice for these three boys.  All they are asking for is a re-trial and a chance to present the truth.  So far they have been denied.  You can see more on this by following the link below.

Posted in Legal News, Prison Reform Advocates, Juvenile Reform Advocates, Juvenile Offenders, From Families of Juvenile Offenders | Print | No Comments »

25. February 2010 by Rev Young.

                     MOTHERS OF THE DISAPPEARED                                                       

“Midnight, our sons and daughters…..Were cut down and taken from us.                  

Hear their heartbeat…..We hear their heartbeat.

In the wind, we hear their laughter.  In the rain we see their tears. 

Hear their heartbeat…….We hear their heartbeat.

Night hangs like a prisoner…..Stretched over, black and blue.

Hear their heartbeat……We hear their heartbeat.

In the trees, our sons stand naked.  Through the walls our daughters cry.  

See their tears…. in the rainfall.”    (Lyrics and Music by U2)    

Throughout the world organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International work tirelessly to insure that governments and corporations set policies and practices in place for the betterment of communities and we applaud them.  Those policies are to relieve poverty and oppression and insure that ALL people are treated with human dignity and compassion…..we commend that and we demand that other nations hold to our moral standards.  Special attention is given to women and children….the most vulnerable of human kind.  These powerful influence’s of government ask a simple question.  Are the policies and practices that you have, or are putting in place, for the betterment of ALL the people in your community?

March 17, 2010 Colorado will hold a debate on the direct file statute.  The debate is sponsored by many leaders for change and reform concerning juvenile justice and criminal justice practices in Colorado (see announcement below).  The debate will be moderated by The League Of Women Voters.  The debaters are Don Quick (District Attorney for Seventh Judicial District) and Kim Dvorchack (Attorney Colorado Juvenile Defender Coalition). 

The League of Women Voters has determined that the debate will be over policy, authority and will include the usual political bantering concerning the legitimacy of this statute.  I believe many reports and statistics will be referenced and the arguments for and against will be presented by very articulate attorneys. 

Contrary to popular belief, and contrary to the platform for this debate, this is not a political issue.  This is a moral issue that is based on an individuals right to freedom from oppression, injustice and the poverty that this issue creates in our community.   This policy is not for the strength or the betterment of individuals or our community. 

The direct file statute takes away the protection of children and exposes them to cruel and harsh punishments that are immoral.  The statute victimizes children by exposing them and causing them to DEFEND THEMSELVES in an adult arena that they are unprepared for and unfamiliar with.  A child is thrown into a system where words like LIFE and Prison become the fear motivating their decisions, their thoughts and their demeanor.  It leaves children vulnerable to over zealous  DA’s who intimidate and vilify these young people. 

The very fact that we, as a state would not make sure measures are in place to guarantee the protection of children , displays our poverty of spirit.  We have been fed a false doctrine of fear concerning our children.  We have been told by our policy makers that we needed to give authority to District Attorney’s to prosecute these children, at their discretion,  to ensure the safety of our communities.  That rhetoric has only served to destroy the strength and health of our communities. 

The direct file statue is a violation of their (children’s) Constitutional Right to a fair and speedy trial by a jury of their peers.  We have put in place a statute that oppresses our children.  We have a tendency to think of the well publicized cases that have been prosecuted under this statute, but the truth is……every child in this state is oppressed by this statue and is at risk because of it…..even yours. 

The reputation and success of a District Attorney is measured by his/her ability to successfully prosecute those charged, to the fullest extent of the law.  Why would we give the authority to decide the status of a child to the one office that stands to benefit the most from the transfer of a juvenile into adult court?  This is a conflict of interest.  These decisions should be made carefully, with a full spectrum of evidence and discussion, by an impartial third party, in the best interest of the individual and the state. 

This statute leaves our children exposed to the intimidating practices of interrogators, harsh confinement in solitary cells separated from human contact and laws that even violate adult human principle.  Laws like Felony Murder and COCA, with indeterminate consequences.  These laws can take away the life of a child and confine him/her forever inside prison.  These unjust practices should cause us to cry out on behalf of those who have no voice in any other legal arena…..because they are children. 

The practices of juvenile/criminal justice have created a prison machine that starves the community of its ability to care for, rehabilitate, habilitate or empower it’s individuals for future success.  Statutes such as Direct File, sentencing practices and policies that condemn people, are leaving our communities in poverty.  We leave individuals and families to suffer in their circumstance, addiction and health issues.  We remove preventative and rehabilitative measures in order to feed punishment and condemnation.  We are left to fund cement block monoliths of failure and isolation…….for the remainder of their and our lives.  We have chosen to believe, through our policies and practices, that these people are beyond redemption and forgiveness.  This leaves us to fund these inhumane practices and hold ourselves in poverty of spirit and possessions. 

The last point I would like to address is highly controversial, and up to now, unspoken.  Many reports and many experts have presented evidence concerning juvenile brain development.  Many advocates have jumped on the band wagon and used this as a tool for reform since it provides factual evidence that those they advocate for are, indeed, children and should be treated as such. 

The moral issue that is always raised but never addressed is,  “They know the difference between right and wrong.”  If they were raised in a home that teaches these moral values, then they know them in theory.  They have yet to apply them in practice.  They have not been alive long enough to be faced with the situations that give them the opportunity to test these theories.  If they have grown in an environment where the moral issues of right and wrong are only words but not actions, the words have little impact.  What the world calls “right and wrong” has not been modeled or experienced in their lives. 

These are training and discipline issues.  We can prove cause and effect with respect to moral choices when an individual is confronted with a circumstance that requires choice.  That is why we give responsibility and freedom in small doses, at age appropriate times, and with adult guidance and supervision.  We know that they will make mistakes and wrong choices.  We are supposed to guide and redirect them, helping them to understand cause and effect.  Many have been raised with addiction, violence, abuse, poverty and hunger, and gangs.  It is part of their normal life.  They have not been taught anything different and they have not experienced anything except fear, oppression and loss.  They have suffered injustice their whole lives and their whole life has been filled with lies and deception.

Inside of every person is a longing for truth, justice, freedom and hope.  Every person has a drive to survive but a longing to thrive and flourish.  Isn’t it time that we stopped feeding a broken system that, through historical evidence, reproduces itself and causes more suffering for all?  Shouldn’t we begin to act on mercy, compassion and restoration so that we are all stronger?  Why would we condemn our children to grow up in prison, exposed to violence, abuse and fear instead of taking the time to habilitate them?  Why are we satisfied to fund prisons to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars instead of demanding these funds be spent on creating strong children, healthier communities and a future for all of us? 

These are moral questions we must ask ourselves and choices we must make.  Are we doing the right thing?  Are we making choices that strengthen us and our future?

As for me?  I don’t spend money on things that don’t work and I don’t usually make the same mistake twice.  If it isn’t working change it! 

Posted in Legal News, Prison Reform Advocates, Juvenile Reform Advocates, Juvenile Offenders, From Families of Juvenile Offenders | Print | No Comments »

18. February 2010 by Rev Young.

In the last 25 years we have allowed, encouraged and given our approval to our policy makers in regards to criminal justice.  We nodded our heads in approval when they announced that we needed to declare war on drugs.  We nodded our heads in approval when they announced that we had a generation of super predators coming and we needed to prepare for that.  We nodded our heads in approval when we declared war on crime in our nation.  Even if we did not believe or agree with their political platforms and policy decisions, our SILENCE gave them tacit approval.

We now have 25 years of history to review.  We can look at the policy decisions, the mandatory sentencing policies, the results of our war on drugs and crime, and ask ourselves if we made the right decisions.  We can look at the war that has been declared on the youth of this nation with zero tolerance policies, direct file statutes and the elimination of juvenile reform policies and see that our PRISONS are full of kids.  Kids, who are left to survive or be destroyed by an abusive and destructive system of incarceration.

At the receiving end for our war on drugs are addicts and kids who are experimenting with drugs.  Did we stop the drug traffic into America?  No we did not.  Have we impacted the availability of drugs to our kids?  No we have not.  Have we changed the landscape in our communities so that we have fewer people with addiction problems?  No we have not.  We have simply moved them out of intervention, treatment and rehabilitation and put them in prison.  We have sold our effective, and less costly, practices of dealing with drug problems for huge prison budgets.  We have turned the ill and afflicted members of our communities over to prison guards and dehumanizing practices, somehow believing that this will solve the problem. 

We know the impact of zero tolerance policies.  Kids can be sent to juvenile detention for smoking at school.  A first grader, who just received his first boy scout knife,  can be expelled for bringing it to school.  A kid who is caught fighting can be charged with assault.  A kid who get’s mouthy with his teacher can be suspended.  A kid who drinks, drives and gets in an accident, is sentenced to 15 years in prison.  An adult who commits the same crime against the community will be released in 5 years.  A kid who robs a store where someone gets hurt, will get life without parole, while his adult counter part may get 10 years.  We are making it very easy for our kids to fail and NEVER live down their mistakes. 

We have the results.  We have the history.  We know the cost and we know the impact.  Our communities are not safer, our communities are not healthier and every morning we have to look ourselves in the mirror and know that the same torturous practices that appall us concerning Guantanamo, happen in our prisons everyday……to kids…….the ones we are supposed to protect. 

We have created a prison nation.  7.3 million people are under the jurisdiction of the department of corrections in the United States.  Prisons have the jurisdiction over the lives of these people and are not accountable to anyone except the criminal justice branch of government.  That means that whatever happens inside of prison….stays in prison.  They are not places of reform….they are warehouses of darkness. 

Please read these articles which are from the Solitary Watch web site.  If you have not signed up to receive their blog posts, I recommend that you do.  They are a force and a voice for those who cannot speak out for themselves. 

http://solitarywatch.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/what-the-war-on-terror-owes-to-the-war-on-crime/

http://solitarywatch.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/children-sentenced-to-die-in-prison/

http://solitarywatch.wordpress.com/2010/02/13/kids-languish-in-solitary-while-awaiting-trial-in-colorado/

Posted in Legal News, Prison Reform Advocates, Juvenile Reform Advocates, Juvenile Offenders, From Families of Juvenile Offenders | Print | 1 Comment »

8. February 2010 by Rev Young.

I am proud to present the work of Marc Homer from Wyoming Kids Count.  He and his very creative team have released a video trailer and are soon to release a documentary (spring 2010) on juvenile justice policy and juvenile reform. 

Although this video describes the condition of juvenile delinquency policy in Wyoming, it mirrors the same hurdles for juvenile reform that we all face across this nation.  We have inconsistencies in policy across our states, antiquated policies and systems and virtually no available statistics to track our successes or failures.

If we are to address the enormous prison population in this country, we must first address the opportunities we have for diversion.  This starts with our youth and those who are forced into a system that causes them hardship throughout the rest of their lives.  If we are going to have a future with future leaders we need to be more cognisant of our young people and come along side them when they fail, give them better tools for success and stand by them as they try their wings. 

I like the way Sen. Alan Simpson put it, “We need to get down in the muck”.  I also like the sentiment that another man expressed.  We need to look at all of these kids as if they were our own. 

Please go to www.wykidscount.org and take their brief survey after you have watched the video.  Enjoy!

Juvenile Justice in Wyoming from Marc Homer on Vimeo.

Posted in Legal News, Prison Reform Advocates, Juvenile Reform Advocates, Juvenile Offenders, From Families of Juvenile Offenders | Print | No Comments »

25. January 2010 by Rev Young.

There have been many articles released recently on the laws that condemn youth to prison, the conditions and abuse in prison and the practice of solitary confinement in the United States.  If we take all of these articles (links below) and fit the pieces together to create a picture of prison in America…..we violate all standards of a civilized nation.  In addition, if we look at the impact that these institutions have on our communities, states and nation we are creating a cesspool of decay. 

I, along with many other concerned citizens, will be attending a conference on prison cost and the impact on our state.  I do not think we have stopped to realize the far-reaching impact that prisons will have on our nation for the next twenty years IF WE INCACERATE NO ONE ELSE IN THAT TIME.  The tough on crime laws, the mandatory sentencing movement and the long prison sentences that have been handed out over the last 10 to 20 years will impact our state budgets for many years to come.

We have been filled with propaganda from our legislators and district attorney’s concerning the severity of punishment that was needed to stop crime in America.  There policies, laws and incarceration practices have not stopped crime and have created a new community of citizenship in this country.  The “forever” criminal.  Those who have served time in prison will never have that information erased from their life history.  This is not implying that it would be erased from memory.  That will never happen.  What I am talking about is the large number of citizens that will carry the label of felon or inmate for the rest of their lives.  This means that they are not eligible for work in most companies.  This mean that they cannot provide for themselves and their families.  This means that we are creating a large sector of our society that will always be at risk of failure. 

The prison system itself does not teach the person they are holding how to become a better citizen.  The system does not create more stable people.  The system does not give people better coping skills, education, job skills or relationship skills.  Instead the system further breaks down the person they are holding.  Now I must be fair and state that some facilities in this country have begun looking for better prison practices and have incorporated successful programs in their facilities that assist people in becoming successful in the future. 

As a citizen of this country, I no longer want to pay for a system that does not produce positive results.  As a citizen of this country, I do not want to continue supporting laws, practices or institutions that threaten the ability of my community to be healthy and vibrant.  As a citizen of this country, I do not want to continue building prisons that destroy humanity while being unable to fund education, rehabilitation or elder care.  I want a better solution. 

I do not see the benefit of long prison sentences in prison that do not rehabilitate their charges.  I do not see the benefit of tough on crime laws that have not impacted crime rates and have only created a portion of society that has little or no chance of leading a successful life.  As a citizen of this country, I do not want to be responsible for the torture, abuse or death of people who are in the care of the state and therefore in my care. 

Sometime ago, I announced that Senator Webb had introduced a bill that called for the investigation and reporting on the condition of the criminal justice system in America.  We are poised and ready for change.  We need change. 

Senate Committee Passes
National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009

The bi-partisan National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009 (S. 714) was passed out of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary today by voice vote. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) would create a commission to conduct a thorough evaluation of the nation’s justice system and offer recommendations for reform at every stage of the criminal justice system.

The establishment of such a commission could not come at a more critical time. With 2.3 million people in prisons and jails, the United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Federal and state governments spend more than $50 billion each year on corrections, and the population behind bars continues to grow.

ADULT TIME FOR STEALING A PACK OF GUM FROM ANOTHER TEEN
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/01/15/connecticut.juvenile.ages/

WHEN LIFE IS CRUEL http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-lwop14-2010jan14,0,4639361.story

JUVENILE SEXUAL ASSAULT IN PRISON  http://www.justicefellowship.org/what-is-restorative-justice/justice-fellowship-resources/14157-twelve-percent-of-juveniles-in-custody-are-assaulted-sexually

BATTLING SOLITARY CONFINEMENT  http://solitarywatch.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/americas-most-isolated-man-sues-the-bureau-of-prisoners/

Posted in Legal News, Prison Reform Advocates, Juvenile Reform Advocates, From Families of Juvenile Offenders | Print | 1 Comment »

14. December 2009 by Rev Young.

Contact: Reverend Bonnie S. Young                               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Telephone: 719-492-8886

E-mail: revbyoungmin@aol.com Publish America: www.publishamerica.net/product87483.html  (Release Jan. 6, 2010)

http://avoiceforjuvenileprisonreform.kingscrossingfoundation.com/

http://youngministries.kingscrossingfoundation.com/

www.kingscrossingfoundation.com

Posted in Legal News, Prison Reform Advocates, Juvenile Reform Advocates, Juvenile Offenders, From Families of Juvenile Offenders | Print | No Comments »

13. November 2009 by Rev Young.

This has been a very interesting week of events both nationally, and for me personally.  First of all the Supreme Court held hearings concerning Juvenile Life Without Parole in two very important cases.  The question is whether or not JLWOP can be imposed when held against the constitutional standard of “Cruel and Unusual Punishment”.  These are very important cases and the Justices are faced with a very important decision.

Secondly, there has been much publicity surrounding these hearings and most organizations and media have taken advantage of this time to publicize their views.  This week I got the privilege to hear a young man speak, Dwayne Betts (A Question of Freedom from Penguin Publishing).  It is not the first time I have heard his story but this speech was even more compelling.  He told the story of how he landed in prison, what he did to further himself in prison through the influence of other inmates, and what he has become outside of prison.  Most looked at him as some kind of hero and he doesn’t like that.  He wanted everyone to know that he was not special, he was not the exception, he was just lucky enough to receive a sentence that afforded him a life after prison.  Inside the prison walls are men just like him.  They made mistakes, they caused harm and they are sorry.  They are sorry.  They don’t have the chance that Dwayne had, they will most likely die in prison.

I got to hear the Speaker of The House state that what we need to start providing is a way of redemption.  “When one of our children is beyond reach, we have failed as adults”.  And another quote that was equally as provoking “It is easier to raise good children than to repair broken men”. 

I had the opportunity to listen to my very good friend, Mary Ellen Johnson (The Pendulum Foundation), speak to a high school class at an Alternative High School.  She made room for me so that I could speak to them as well.  Our final statements to these young people were about how much we needed them and that they had the power to change this nation through their voice and their actions.

Third was the release of my new book (The Nehemiah Principle from Publish America) and the speaking opportunities that came to me this week.  I am not sure if many of you have paid much attention to who writes the articles in this blog, but I am a Reverend.  When most of the advocates for juvenile justice first met me, that came as quite a surprise to them.  They spend much of their time trying to speak to the conservative parties and get them to see from their perspective.  They have found much opposition in the Republican and Conservative camps and I was seen as the opposition…..until they heard me speak.

I have two other great reasons for the advocacy work that I do…..my son and my daughter.  I have a son serving 68 years in prison on a conspiracy plea agreement.  He went to jail when he was 17.  He had never been in trouble with the law, was the savior for many animals, loved to cook, loved me and took wonderful care of his disabled sister, Heidi.  None of the investigators for the prosecution or the prosecutors themselves ever looked at who my son was…..only the crime that was supposedly committed by his friend.  Guilt by association…..cost him his life.

The final event was an interview that I gave to a Wyoming organization that is working on a documentary film for their local PBS station.  The documentary was about juvenile justice and juvenile reform.  My sons story is very compelling, my thoughts and solutions to reform are not ordinary but my faith in the midst of this argument was the most compelling piece. 

Irregardless of your beliefs or religious practices, I believe that we all have common ground.  We all believe in the importance and sanctity of human life.  We are talking about our children.  Yes they have made horrible mistakes that have been very costly.  Yes they have broken the law and violated our trust.  Yes they have caused harm that cannot be undone and they come to us armed with the only thing they have……I’m Sorry.  We don’t give them the chance to say it publicly, to make amends for their behavior, we just throw them away. 

Dwayne Betts told the audience that if we would take a look at the lives of these children, we would see brokenness, addiction, abuse, neglect.  If we took a look, we could see that they are just human beings in need of intervention, education, direction, support and guidance.  We begrudge giving anything to someone who has violated our space or our trust.  Yet it is not only about giving to that person individually.  The success of each individual in our community causes our community to be successful.  If the poor among us has food, he doesn’t have to steal to feed his family.  If the poor among us can find work, they don’t have to invent ways to care for themselves.  If we have families, whether biological or care groups, then there is no need to find security and comfort in gangs. 

The book that I have written, “The Nehemiah Principle”, is based on the biblical model for rebuilding communities.  It is about social reform, about creating new models for organizations so that they can successfully support themselves and continue in their work.  It is about our individual responsibility to participate in government and community.  It is about restoring broken lives and broken communities. 

Before we can accomplish any of these things we must first learn to accept I’m Sorry and let that be enough so that we can move past our anger, our fear and our vindictive actions.  We can’t afford to continue building these monuments to our failure and we can’t afford to continue filling them with discarded lives.  Who knows what they could go on to accomplish?  Maybe we are holding, in our prisons, the persons who could solve many of our issues…..if they had the chance.

      available at www.publishamerica.net/product87483.html  and soon available in book stores everywhere.

Posted in Prison Reform Advocates, Juvenile Reform Advocates, From Families of Juvenile Offenders | Print | No Comments »

16. September 2009 by Rev Young.

In my last post, I hinted at a subject that I wanted to expand on.  Actually I have written on this before.  Our vindictive, angry nature. 

Many of my partners in this campaign to end injustice in the juvenile INJUSTICE system will not touch the true problem behind the laws that condemn children to incredible sentences in adult prison systems.  The bottom line and underlying problem is spiritual and human.  We have lost our compassion, our ability to forgive, our ability to believe that something good can come out of any situation.  We have become angry, bitter, condemning people who want vengeance on anyone who gets in our way or causes any turbulence in our mediocre lives. 

It is not only evident in our juvenile justice laws but in every avenue of life in these United States.  A mother gets into a car accident, her child is seriously injured and the police officer finds that her daughter was not fastened by a safety belt.  She receives criminal charges for the injury of her child while she protests that she had fastened the safety belt on her child……really she did.  Children learn how to unhook those things.  Yet a mother, who is already distraught over her child is now marked as a criminal and receives further condemnation instead of support.  That is who we are.  That is what we have become.  It is a rare case when charges are not brought against someone for things that, a few years ago, we would have considered an accident. 

Then when a young human being cannot battle the situation around him and succumbs to his anger (which we have taught him) and does something unthinkable……we are ready to give up.  We are responsible for the actions of the kids around us.  Not just the parents, not just the teachers, not just the pastors but every single adult person.  We have created a society of violence, anger, hatred, immoral character, intolerance, judgement and abandonment.  We did this.  Children are formed by the environment they are exposed to.  Look at your television, listen to the radio, listen to music, watch the information on your homepage on the Internet.  This is what feeds young minds everyday.

It is time that we turned and began to embrace values.  It is time for us to care about the people around us.  It is time to turn and find a way to rebuild lives, families and communities.  We cannot, nor should we, depend on the government to be the answer.  We are the answer.

Our juvenile justice laws and the practice of incarcerating young people in adult prison facilities is only a symptom of the problems we have, yet if we do not have compassion for the broken lives of children, how can we care for anyone else?

I urge you to watch this video and ask yourself, honestly, who have I become and what can I do to effect change?

Posted in Legal News, Prison Reform Advocates, Juvenile Reform Advocates, Juvenile Offenders, From Families of Juvenile Offenders | Print | No Comments »

3. September 2009 by Rev Young.

It has taken me a little time to write after the presentation of Jonny’s story on Prime Time Crime.  It wasn’t that I was so impacted by what I saw because I have already seen the pictures, the video’s and I know the story…….all to well. 

But I know the Lost Soul, that Lost Boy that you were given a glimpse of on this television program.  I was the one who held and comforted that boy when he was crying in the interrogation room.  I was the one who promised that I would do everything in my power to get him a good attorney so that he didn’t have to take the fall for something he didn’t do………And I failed him.  Here we are almost 9 years later, fighting the good fight so that he can finally come home. 

You all heard him say that, “He couldn’t say…..He wasn’t there” when they asked him who killed all of those people.  You saw letters presented, written in the hand of another young man, admitting to killing all of those people.  You saw him declare that it never occurred to him that his friends would lie concerning his involvement and cost him his life.  Yet it has cost him. 

I have decided that my first blog after his story is going to be a warning to parents.  Please pay attention.  Your children’s future is at stake. 

In this case, 2 of the three boys were not read their MIRANDA rights when they were taken for questioning.  One boy was questioned at an earlier date without the knowledge or presence of another adult or parent.  THIS IS ILLEGAL.

As parents, our job is to teach and train our children to tell the truth and to be forthright concerning all things.  THIS IS NOT APPROPRIATE WHEN DEALING WITH ISSUES OF THE LAW.  Any time your child is to be questioned by anyone in law enforcement, DEMAND AN ATTORNEY.  In my sons case, his charges were based solely on the confession of a troubled child.  In this country, that is all you need and you can loose your freedom.  Please hear me!  It is the truth!

We have laws on the books in this country that can take your freedom even if you committed no crime.  If you take your friend to the Cheesecake Factory and drop them off, they rob the restaurant and, in the process someone dies, you can be charged with conspiracy to commit or felony murder.  All your friend has to do is agree to plea to lessor charges in exchange for stating that you knew they were going to rob the store.  Your life is gone, solely on the statement of one person.  There does not have to be any evidence.  Please hear me in this!

False Confessions Happen Everyday because District Attorney’s offer plea agreements to lessor charges and those statements do not have to be confirmed by evidence.

My son was charged in a very violent case yet they never searched my house or my sons room to see what was there.  They never investigated who my son was, who his family was or what his future could be.  They simply decided, within 24 hours, to take this kid and charge him as an adult.  This decision about the future of your child is put in the hands of one person……the District Attorney!  Your children are not protected, they do not receive a transfer hearing, parents are not allowed to be present when the decision is made and speak on their child’s behalf.  They are sent to county jail, to be held in solitary confinement, while the investigation BEGINS and the court process goes forth.  They are held in adult jail facilities with adult inmates while their innocence or guilt is decided. 

Our juvenile justice laws are weak, ineffective and they do not protect our children.  The District Attorney’s have been given too much power and the result is horrendous.  There is a movement that is trying to change this.  Please join us.  Tomorrow it could be your child who is fighting for his life……..and loosing.

Posted in Prison Reform Advocates, Juvenile Reform Advocates, From Families of Juvenile Offenders | Print | No Comments »

14. August 2009 by Rev Young.

I spend much of my time, on this blog, telling tales of injustice, abuse and broken systems.  Today I have a different purpose.  On Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at 10 PM EDT, a story will air on Prime Time Crime,that gives face to all that we advocate for.  It will cover the need for attorney representation for juveniles at all times and from the beginning of questioning.  It will cover the issue of false confessions and how investigators sometimes build a case around a confession instead of using physical evidence.  Even how they take the confession and cause the evidence to confirm the their statements.  You will see the face of mental illness and tragedy.  You will see the face of the falsely accused.  You will see a producer try to pull pieces together to raise questions…enough questions to cause us to take a look at our system and ask whether or not justice was served.  Maybe, just maybe, it will be enough to change the course of their lives.  You will also see the face of my son……Jonathan Matheny.  He and a 100,000 other sons and daughters are why I do this. 

However, this e-mail also contains hope.  Many of the young men and women who find themselves locked away in adult prison facilities find ways to better themselves……in spite of the system.  They work hard at finding ways to educate themselves, learn crafts and trades, get rehabilitation treatments that will show that they are redeemable and anything else they can to keep the system from breaking them.  I am pleased to have met some of them and I am also proud to say that my son is in that category.  Believe me, I have worried, encouraged and hoped that he would continue to grow in spite of his circumstance. 

We have posted art work on e-bay from Jonathan Matheny and Josh Mckenzie.  Jon’s work is entitled “Going Home to Papa” and Josh’s work is entitled “Garden Flowers”.  Both young men have been named the commissioned artist for their facilities.  These paintings are in oil’s and are posted for sale.  Both young men hope to be able to purchase art supplies to continue their work and maybe do something nice for their families……like not ask for money.  Please go to www.ebay.com  and look in the art category to see these pieces. 

Josh has also written a book about himself and his journey to and through prison.  The book is called “Treading With Demons, Walking With Angels” and is available at www.drjudd.net.  R. Dwayne Betts has written a book called “A Question Of Freedom  A Memoir of Learning, Survival, And Coming Of Age In Prison and has received much press and accolades for his work.  These young men are examples of those who refuse to waste away in prison but choose to make something of their time.  I am starting a products page on this blog site so that you have the opportunity to support inmates who are trying to support themselves.  If you have an inmate that needs help in promoting his/her work, please e-mail me at:  revbyoungmin@aol.com and we will try to help.

Please take the time to watch the program, it won’t be pretty but it will be……

Please take the time to look at the work of inmates and THANK YOU for reading, supporting and caring.

Posted in Prison Reform Advocates, Juvenile Reform Advocates, From Families of Juvenile Offenders | Print | No Comments »