The JDAI Conference also marked an important and historic moment in juvenile justice reform in this country as Bart Lubow, the longtime amazing and tenacious leader of JDAI, retired from his current position with the Casey Foundation. Bart’s contributions over the past two-plus decades have been nothing short of remarkable, and he will hold a special place in the history of juvenile justice reform. With the utmost respect and admiration, all we can say to Bart is: Thank you for your work and your inspiration, you have made the world a better place for so many, particularly for the thousands of young people throughout the country who didn’t have to suffer the harms of secure detention due to your hard work.
Though Bart will be missed in so many ways, it is gratifying to see him pass the baton of leadership on to Nate Balis. Nate has worked tirelessly at the Foundation for years, and before that a number of us had the good fortune of working with him at the DC Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. Nate’s passion and commitment to this work will serve him well as he builds on Bart’s legacy, and we look forward to working with him in the years ahead.
For an up-close-and-personal take of this week’s JDAI Conference, we are pleased to share some of our thoughts below. You can read our Juvenile Justice Information Exchange opeds:
You can also read our thoughts on the new works around the historic Closing Massachusetts’ Training Schools, and Nell Bernstein’s new book “Burning Down the House.” You can also view some of our Tweets by following us on Twitter at @justicepolicy.
Join the conversation on juvenile justice. Share what you think next steps are as we soon pay tribute to the 40th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). Advocate for juvenile justice reform in your states. Tell us how JPI can help your community promote de-incarceration of both our juvenile and adult systems.
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