Addressing the Housing Needs of Youth and Young Adults in Contact with the Justice System

Hosted by the National Reentry Resource Center and the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, with funding support from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Estimates suggest that up to two-thirds of youth and young adults who are involved in the juvenile justice system are also involved in the child welfare system. In most states, young adults age out of foster care between the ages of 18 and 21, meaning that they potentially exit the child welfare and juvenile justice systems at the same time. This concurrence often leaves youth and young adults to face the transition to independence on their own, making it that much more difficult to find stable housing. Further, youth and young adults experiencing homelessness may be at greater risk of continued contact with the justice system.

In this webinar, participants learn about:

• Current data and trends on youth and young adult homelessness;
• How homelessness intersects with the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems; and
• Lessons learned and promising strategies to connect youth and young adults in contact with the justice system to safe, stable, and affordable housing.

Panelists:

• Jasmine Hayes, Deputy Director, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness
• Beth Holger-Ambrose, Executive Director, The Link
• Naomi Smoot, Senior Policy Associate, Coalition for Juvenile Justice

Moderator:

• Emily Morgan, Senior Policy Analyst, The Council of State Governments Justice Center

Webinar Resources:

• Determining Homeless Status of Youth
• Homelessness and Juvenile Justice