In January 2022, the Gault Center reorganized the geographic composition of its Regional Centers. The newly created South Central Region presents an opportunity to increase outreach and diversify the community of youth defenders in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. One of the many goals of the South Central Region will be to offer technical assistance, advocacy, and skills-based training to youth defenders. LSJA is thrilled to host this regional center and expand our training offerings.
2022 Youth Defender Leadership Summit
CEO and FOunder Elizabeth Henneke and Director of Training Nydia Thomas represented LSJA at the 2022 Gault Center Youth Defender Leadership Summit in October.
Project Partners
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Through our Youth Sentencing Project, we provide direct strategic litigation on behalf of youth who were tried in the adult criminal legal system and given extremely long prison sentences, particularly those sentenced to life without parole.
Youth should be held accountable for their wrongdoing in developmentally appropriate ways that consider their age, individual characteristics, and specific circumstances of their cases.
Our staff litigators take the lead on a limited number of cases every year, selecting those that have the potential to influence system-wide change. Last year, LSJA was involved in 13 cases challenging the transfer of youth (either as lead counsel or in a technical support role) and won 12 of these cases.
