Children's Policy and Law Initiative September 2013 of Indiana · involved in, or at risk of...

Children's Policy and Law Initiative

of Indiana

September 2013Newsletter

www.thecpli.org

Dear Friend, We are excited to share our inaugural newsletter with you. We hopeyou will take a chance to read about all the work we are doing tohelp the youth of Indiana. There is a lot more work to do and wehope you will join us by getting involved or making a donation.

In This IssueCPLI Fall Summit

2013 General Assembly Wrap UP

CPLI Joins NJJN

CPLI Presents at Indiana Black Legislative CaucusSymposium

Join Us for the CPLI Fall SummitJoin us on October 8, 2013, from 11:30 am to 5pm for a dialogue among legislators, educators,child advocates and juvenile justice stakeholderson how school discipline and our criminal lawscontribute to the school to prison pipeline. Ourkeynote speaker will be Matt Cregor with the

NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The summit will also include a discussionof proposed legislative solutions. A light lunch will be served.Applications for CLE and CEU credits have been approved.

2013 General Assembly Wrap UpCPLI worked on a number of school discipline billsin the 2013 General Assembly Session, and willmeet with legislators over the summer and fall inanticipation of the issues which will arise in the2014 General Assembly Session. The CPLI Boardof Directors and Public Policy Committee closelymonitored children's legislation; and several boardmembers were actively involved in addressingissues, arranging testimony and collaborating with

other child advocates to improve legislation so as to minimize the useof punitive approaches to school discipline and align public policy withbest practices. In addition, CPLI is working with various organizationsto provide information and expert testimony for the Interim StudyCommittee on School Safety. Committee proceedings can beaccessed at the Indiana General Assembly website:http://www.in.gov/legislative/interim/committee/ssic.html.

CPLI is now a member of NJJNCPLI is a now a member of the National JuvenileJustice Netowrk (NJJN). The National JuvenileJustice Network leads a national movement ofstate-based juvenile justice coalitions andorganizations to secure state, local and federallaws, policies and practices that are fair, equitable

and developmentally appropriate for all children, youth and families

NOVEMBERFUNDRAISING EVENT:

BOWLING FORDONATIONS

CPLI is recruiting bowlers of alltalents levels to help us raisemoney for our programs. On

November 10, 2013, from 2to 5 p.m., we will be Bowlingfor Donations! All bowlers willbe able to solicit donations forplaying. The more pins/score,

the more money for ourprograms!

To play, send an email tobroehling@wapleshanger.com.

We will sign you up and sendyou pledge forms for solicitingdonors. We look forward to afun afternoon of bowling with

our supporters!

UPDATE: School Equity &Discipline Work Group

Exclusionary disciplinepractices by schools can lead to

student disengagement,academic failure, dropout andjuvenile justice involvement.Indiana school data indicates

these practices havedisproportionately impacted

youth of color and children withspecial needs. The Equitable

involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in, the justice system.CPLI is very excited about joining in the work of this importantnetwork of juvenile justice advocacy groups across the nation. CPLIboard member Erika Stallworth, a 2012 NJJN fellow, was recentlyrecognized in the NJJN newsletter for her work in co-foundingCPLI. To learn more, visit their website at www.NJJN.org. Find CPLIlisted under the "Our Members" tab.

CPLI Presents at IBLCSymposium

CPLI Board Chair JauNae Hanger and fellow boardmember Carole Craig were invited to present atthe Sixteenth Annual Legislative Symposiumhosted by the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus.The symposium was held September 6th on thecampus of Indiana University Northwest in Gary,Indiana. One of this year's discussion topics wasthe school to prison pipeline. JauNae and Carolewere asked to share information regarding the

efforts of the Equitable School Discipline Work Group.

As 2013 quickly comes to a close, CPLI is gearing up for the 2014legislative session. We hope that you will join in the discussion ofissues that will affect Indiana's children in 2014 at the October 8thFall Summit. We invite you to visit our website to learn moreabout making a donation or getting involved with the CPLI workgroups or other committees. And, be sure to read over the WorkGroup Updates to learn more about what CPLI will be working onfor 2014 legislative session. And, stay tuned for more info on CPLIfundraising events occurring this fall. Feel free to contact me atjhanger@wapleshanger.com.

Sincerely,

JauNae Hanger Chair of the Board of Directors

School Discipline Work grouphas prepared recommendationsfor reforming state disciplinary

policies to be reviewed andconsidered at the October Fall

Summit.

UPDATE: DecriminalizingYouth Work Group

Over the last several decadesIndiana's direct file statute

(I.C. 31-30-1-4) has grown toinclude 12 separate criminaloffenses, in addition to listeddrug offenses. Children whoare 16 years of age or olderwho are charged with a listed

offense are excluded fromjuvenile jurisdiction and

prosecuted as adults. TheDecriminalizing Youth Work

Group has preparedrecommendations for reformingIndiana's direct file statute toremove both criminal gang

activity and drug listedoffenses. Those

recommendations will beconsidered at the October FallSummit. For more information

about Youth in the AdultSystem, see NJJN Public PolicyPlatform Youth in the AdultSystem on their website at

www.NJJN.org.

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