Young people in Chicago continue to organize against their criminalization. From the Lawndale News:

On the eve of Halloween, former detained youth, parents, ministers, and members of Blocks Together, BUILD Inc., and Community Justice Institute for Youth, among others, dressed in prison jumpsuits as part of their ‘Trick or Treat’ campaign to demand reinvestments in alternatives to detention during a budget hearing inside the Cook County Building.

Youth and community advocates pushed for Cook County Commissioners during the County budget hearing to allocate funds away from the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) and invest those funds in ‘high-quality’ community-based education and social services, such as athletics and arts programs, as well as mental health care and safe shelter.

Below is some video from the youth action:

Join the youth at an upcoming community forum with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on 11/19/12.

SAVE THE DATE: November 19th at 6 pm
Lafollette Park Field House
1333 N. Laramie

FORUM: Community Justice – alternatives to juvenile detention
with confirmed guest Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle

Youth directly impacted by juvenile detention will present their vision for community based alternatives to detention to Cook County President Toni Preckwinckle. Their vision calls for reinvestment of money spent on the Juvenile Detention Center into the communities where youth are getting locked up.

for more information contact the audy home campaign at: [email protected] – www.facebook.com/audyhomecampaign

You should read the concept paper that some of these young people helped to write.