Reimagining Reform

Over the summer of 2024, the Lone Star Justice Alliance convened the Reimagining Reform Workgroup, a diverse coalition of stakeholders, including advocates, legal practitioners, justice-impacted youth, and community leaders, to advance transformative reforms in the Texas youth justice system. The workgroup prioritized collaboration, community-driven solutions, and actionable policy development, emphasizing transparency and equity. Key activities included comprehensive data analysis, consensus-building discussions, guided proposal drafting, and robust public and stakeholder engagement.

The Reimagining Reform Workgroup:

1. Focused on Core Areas of Reform:
   • • Diversion & Deflection: Developing community-based alternatives to incarceration that prioritize prevention and early intervention.
     • Conditions of Confinement: Advocating for developmentally appropriate treatment and rehabilitative services that ensure constitutional protections.
     • Procedural Justice: Promoting fairness and equity in legal processes, including youth-centered decision-making and accountability.
2. Reviewed National Best Practices:
   • • Conducted a comparative analysis of states that successfully invested in community infrastructure and early intervention initiatives, demonstrating reduced recidivism and long-term costs associated with mental health and youth justice involvement.
3. Proposed Statutory Amendments:
   • • Improved juvenile court procedures, operational standards, and oversight mechanisms to keep youth shallow in the system while enhancing access to rehabilitative support.
4. Highlighted the Need for Specialized Facilities and Services:
   • • Advocated for a geographically distributed network of integrated treatment services and specialized facilities to address mental health needs while ensuring proximity to families and communities, fostering a holistic approach to youth rehabilitation and support.