Improving Outcomes for Youth and Juvenile Justice Systems
At the CSG Justice Center, we believe jurisdictions can make communities safer, reduce harm, create second chances, and improve outcomes for youth in the justice system by using research and proven practices.
Youth nationwide face serious mental health, education, family, and community challenges—and public systems struggle to address these issues. Too often, the juvenile justice system is the default response for youth who pose minimal public safety risk, while youth who are high risk don’t consistently receive the services they need to reduce their risk of reoffending.
Our Solution: Ensure law enforcement, school officials, youth and family service systems, behavioral health providers, courts, probation and corrections agencies, and policymakers have the knowledge and support they need to keep youth out of the justice system and more effectively serve them.
We work with states and communities to develop and implement data-driven, cross-systems strategies and solutions that prevent juvenile justice system involvement and reduce recidivism.
Here’s how:

We bring together youth and family service systems to strengthen and scale research-based early intervention, recidivism–reduction, and violence–prevention services and supports.

We convene state leaders to conduct data-driven assessments of juvenile justice policy, practice, and funding and to adopt research-based strategies and best practices.

We offer courts dedicated training, bench cards, and other resources so judges and court administrators can adopt best practices on adolescent development and juvenile justice.

We provide juvenile justice systems, schools, and workforce development systems with recommendations and resources for reducing the use of school discipline that drives justice system involvement while improving education and employment outcomes for justice–involved youth.

We compile national data on youth mental health and victimization, arrests, court cases, detention, and disparities.
Interested in working with us?