As part of my Churchill Fellowship, I visited colleagues at the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice based just outside Louisville. My first day was spent talking to staff at one of the Day Treatment Programs in order to understand more about how the DJJ in Kentucky supports young people who have been excluded from mainstream schools, …
Mentors and role models for gang-involved youth
Crime "mentors" Criminal “mentors” have been found to influence many young people during their early involvement in crime. These “mentors” can be peers, but they are typically older people who are now recognised as exploiting young people, often for financial gain through crime (Morselli, Tremblay & McCarthy, 2006). It is crucial, therefore, when attempting to …
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A safe space to reflect
Some parts of Chicago’s South Side have become inextricably linked to gang and gun violence. Since this is the focus of my research and the Churchill Fellowship, it seemed fitting that my visit to Chicago’s Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation (PBMR) should be located in one such area. In their own words the PBMR “sits in …