John, Reducing gun violence should be an urgent priority in the United States. However, imposing harsh consequences for all adolescent gun possession cases harms urban youth of color disproportionately without benefits for community safety. Other approaches to reducing gun violence – such as local gun violence interruption efforts – are far more equitable and effective.
In our recently released report, “From Punishment to Prevention: A Better Approach to Addressing Youth Gun Possession,” we found that the share of youth who carry firearms has held steady in recent years; yet, arrests and court cases for weapons possession have risen sharply since 2021, and a disproportionate and growing share of these cases involve Black youth.
Please join us for a webinar highlighting the importance of improving justice system responses to youth gun possession.
Panelists: -
Richard Mendel, Senior Research Fellow at The Sentencing Project and author of "From Punishment to Prevention: A Better Approach to Addressing Youth Gun Possession."
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Freddy Barton, Executive Director at Safe and Sound Hillsborough, which operates an innovative diversion program for youth arrested on gun possession charges.
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Michal Gross, a public defender in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood, who has seen many of her young clients transferred to adult court on simple gun possession charges.
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Gregory Jackson, currently President of The Rocket Foundation and a national policy strategist on gun violence, formerly the Deputy Director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Special Assistant to President Joe Biden.
Moderator: Josh Rovner, Senior Research Analyst at The Sentencing Project |
