Advocates push to end the automatic charging of juveniles as adults in certain crimes | PBS News Hour

VIDEO: ‘You have to invest in communities, not prisons’: Former juvenile offenders call for reform

Youth leaders, advocates gather to demand action on youth justice in PA

Protesting unsafe conditions in city jails, car caravan circles Northeast Philly facility

Juvenile justice reform rally in Harrisburg

Youth advocates call for ending of Delaware County juvenile detention

Ending direct file: A step toward providing unwavering care to all our young people | Opinion

In historic shift, far fewer teens face adult US courts

Pa.’s legal system sent me to adult jail as a child. Lawmakers should protect other children from that trauma.

Peoples Hearing On Bail And Pretrial Punishment

Philly is the most incarcerated big city in the United States. While we have made big strides in reducing Philly's jail population, thousands of our neighbors are held in our jails on State Road, on bails as small as hundreds of dollars or as big as millions, every single day.Pretrial incarceration causes brutal harm to incarcerated people and their families, and it’s a driver of violence. Independent studies have shown that we can bring accused people home pretrial without a rise in new arrests or failures to come to court.On MLK Day, YASP, the Philadelphia Bail Fund, the Philadelphia Community Bail Fund, the #No215Jail Coalition, POWER Interfaith, Live Free, and many others joined together to hear directly from people who have suffered harm when locked up pretrial, but who have built stories of resilience and success once released from incarceration. The event space was full as the result of a fantastic turnout, with legislators and council members in attendance. Several people, such as YASP organizer William Bentley, shared their powerful personal stories about the criminal justice system and its impact.

Philly Inquirer Op Ed By YASP Organizer William Bentley

In the Philly Inquirer, YASP organizer William Bentley shared his story and highlighted the importance of YASP's work with the Philly Community Bail Fund to get young people out of adult jails to fight for their freedom from home. Read the full oped here: https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/community-bail-fund-youth-sentencing-20200103.html

Youth Bail Out

The Philadelphia Community Bail Fund and YASP are advocating for Philadelphia to end cash bail and pretrial detention for both adults and children. During the holidays, we worked to raise at least $50,000 to bring Philadelphia children imprisoned pre-trial home for the holidays during the 2nd annual “Presents not Prisons” holiday campaign. Presently, there are around 20 children being held in an adult jail on State Road in Philadelphia. Most of the young people are held on exorbitant and unaffordable bail amounts, ranging from $100,000 to $2 million dollars. As such, most parents and guardians for the children are unable to pay for their children’s release. Being held in adult jails pretrial increases pressure on young people to accept coercive plea deals, which in turn furthers incarceration and other devastating effects on them and their families.From December 3rd, 2019 to January 3rd, 2020 an incredible $81,200 was raised, allowing bail to be posted for three young people.

YASP Team In Harrisburg

On October 23rd, the YASP team joined others at the capitol in Harrisburg with the Coalition to Abolish Death By Incarceration to call for healing, redemption and an end to death by incarceration, and lift up the voices of people impacted by violence and the harms of mass incarceration.

When They See Us Screening Panel

On October 17th, in honor of Youth Action Justice Month, YASP held a screening of When They See Us, the Netflix series telling the story of the exonerated Central Park Five. The screening was followed by a powerful panel about the legacy of the Central Park Five case and its impacts on youth in Pennsylvania, which featured YASP leaders William Bentley and David Harrington, Youth Sentencing and Reentry Project co-director Joanna Visser-Adjoian, Abolitionist Law Center organizer Saleem Holbrook, and Philadelphia public defender Michelle Mason.

Penn Live Op Ed By YASP Organizer My Le

YASP organizer My Le wrote a powerful and insightful oped that is featured on the PennLive website. The whole YASP team stands behind My in calling Governor Tom Wold to remove all young people from adult courts, jails and prisons. "No one benefits from sending children to adult jails and prisons. The only way that Governor Wold and his Council on Reform can truly protect young people in the justice system is by not only improving conditions in juvenile facilities, but by taking action to ensure that no young person is held in adult jails and prisons." Read more at https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2019/10/children-should-not-be-sent-to-adult-prisons-opinion.html?fbclid=IwAR1HorfZOHjI8PSb8tWKdlPtCmQESVKdKX47qrakWpt7JByVg8oNotgNBK8

YASP Cookout

Eastern State Penitentiary Workshop

The YASP team facilitated a workshop at Eastern State Penitentiary as a part of the Hidden Lives Illuminated exhibit, inviting participants to imagine how we can create a world without police and prisons, where we respond to violence and harm with healing and growth.

Asian Arts Initiative Workshop

The YASP team facilitated two workshops at the Asian Arts Initiative as a part of their ABOLITION NOW! workshop, with campers and other folks from Philly, creating beautiful visions of how we can build safe and thriving communities without prisons and police.

Trip To Dc And NJJN Forum

The YASP had a great trip to Washington, DC. We had a powerful and inspiring visit to the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, and attended the annual National Juvenile Justice Network forum, where YASP organizer William Bentley performed his song, and the YASP team shared about YASP's unique youth organizing model, and why youth justice movements must ground all their work in the leadership of young people impacted and targeted by the system.

YASP Partners On Youth Bail Out

In December 2018, the Philadelphia Community Bail Fund, the Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project and the Defender Association of Philadelphia came together to organize a youth bail out. We do not believe youth should be held in adult jail pretrial - and we wanted young people to be home with their families for holidays and events that happen in their life. Over several weeks, we raised $47,267 to post bail for four young people held in adult facilities in Philadelphia. The Youth Bailout is important because we brought youth home to their families instead of being locked up in a adult jail, getting treated poorly. Adult jail is no place for a kid. Also no one should be denied their freedom because they can’t afford bail. We believe the DA’s office and the judges should be considerate of families living situations because you can’t expect families with responsibilities to pay a high bail if they have to pay bills and handle things at home. Being a kid in adult jail takes a serious toll on you to be locked up in cell that’s the size of a box. You miss a lot of things like birthdays, prom, and graduation - and most importantly, time with the people you love. That’s why the youth bail was so important so young people could come to their families and enjoy every holiday and special events with their loved ones.

YASP Visits Paul Robeson High School

YASP staff Josh, Sarah, Ramon, & David went to Paul Robeson High School Nov 13 to do a Youth Organizing Workshop. The workshop was about how our youth can build they own campaign like YASP. YASP taught 3 different classes on how to build a campaign.In this training we teach youth steps on how to build a campaign, for example identifying the problem and Identifying the target is apart of the workshop. We do this workshop because we want young people to know they have power and can stand up for anything they want.

YASP Visits West Chester University

On October 30th, 2018 the YASP team visited West Chester University to speak on the process of youth being charged as an adult and share how YASP is fighting to repeal ACT 33 and how the students can help.

YASP Speaks To Students At Discovery Charter School

YASP staff Josh, Sarah, & David went to Discovery Charter High School Oct 24, 2018 to do a workshop for anti-bullying. The crowd was beautiful there was about 250 to 300 kids and the energy of the kids was nice. During the workshop we ask a lot of kids about bullying and ask have they ever been bullied. A lot of kids raised they hand to being bullied and a lot of kids raised they hand to bullying other kids. Some kids spoke on they personal experience of being bullied and bullying other kids. But as we got deeper into the workshop the YASP team was talking about how Bullying can cause a bad effect on people lifes. Because bullying can cause somebody to go through depression or harm themselves. At the end of the workshop a lot of kids got the message about anti-bullying and how bad it is so hopefully a lot of kids don’t try to bully or when they see someone getting bullied try to tell adult.

YASP Holds Memorial Cookout For TA

As you may all know, YASP has a yearly annual cookout date that's planned each summer by YASP staff members. In the past, one particular staff member named T.A Williams organized the cookout’s. Although Tthis year was kind of different due to us losing our great friend T.A last December. So, this year we did the cookoutit in honor of him to support his loved ones & children.

Workshops At Freire School

YASP led all-day workshops with 9th-12th graders at Freire Charter School. Centered around the topic of organizing, the students came up with their own strategies to campaign for movements they care about.

YASP New Sanctuary Movement

​YASP was excited to meet with New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia. We're looking forward to working together to dismantle the school-to-prison-to-deportation pipeline.

YASP At The Create Justice Conference

In New York, YASP Leadership Team members, Josh and TA participated at the Create Justice conference.

YASP At The Girls Rock Philly Conference

YASP was excited to join Girls Rock Philly and the Girls Rock Camp Alliance for their annual conference April 3rd. A powerful, productive workshop at a beautiful location!

Shoemaker School Workshops

YASP Team members, David, TA, and Josh facilitated 5 powerful workshops at Shoemaker Mastery Charter School. The workshops centered on the power of organizing to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline at its heart: the youth.

YASP Leaders Testify On Impacts Of Cash Bail

"At the age of 16, I got arrested for an aggravated assault charge that I didn’t commit. My bail for the aggravated assault was 2,000 dollars, but because my family was poor they couldn’t afford to pay it. So I sat in jail for 18 months because my family couldn’t afford to pay my bail. The case was eventually dismissed due to lack of evidence...We need to end cash bail and come up with a program that helps formerly incarcerated people get education and employment. Ending cash bail would reduce the prison population and stop ripping families apart."On Monday, August 1,2016 YASP Leadership Team member Joshua Glenn testified before City Council’s Special Committee on Criminal Justice. He informed the committee about his experience with the criminal justice system, and what it was like being locked up and charged as an adult. He also gave a detailed description about what it was like being held for 18 months on a case that was later dismissed.Josh's testimony focused on the many flaws of the criminal justice system, and how prosecutors and judges use bail as a tool to make defendants so desperate that they take plea deals. Leadership Team member Romeeka Williams submitted written testimony, which was read aloud.

Youth Action Assembly On Mass Freedom

On July 27th YASP took part in a Youth Action Assembly in collaboration with Philly Urban Creators. Three of our four leadership team members participated, with Terrance (TA) Williams and Romeeka Williams on the panel and Josh Glenn serving as the moderator. The panel addressed the impacts of mass incarceration on young people, especially the impact of locking up and charging juveniles as adults.​The event was covered by HuffPost Politics. Check out their video interview with TA, Reuben, Joanna and Jeaninne from Philly Urban Creators here (skip to 13:30 for their interview).

YASP In Washington DC

YASP leadership team members Romeeka Williams, Sarah Morris and Josh Glenn went to Washington, D.C. with City Councilman Curtis Jones and several other organizations to see how D.C. successfully ended cash bail. We were met by Cliff Keenan of the Pretrial Services Agency of D.C., who explained how the system is step up. We talked about how there were people who resisted ending cash bail but who are now accustomed to it after seeing that the judicial system works better this way.If someone is accused of a nonviolent offense, they see a judge within 24 hours and are released. People accused of a crime of violence are usually held but after 3 to 5 days are released. As a result, there is a jail population of 1700, compared to Philadelphia’s jail population of 7500. Their county jail is only half full right now. The reason for the difference in jail populations is Philadelphia’s use of cash bail. Most people can’t afford to post bail and so are stuck in jail until their trial. The number of D.C. residents with outstanding warrants is also much lower than in Philadelphia, for similar reasons. D.C. has also developed non-mandatory programs that can help defendants with drug issues and rehabilitation, and offer jobs and drug testing. There are people that review your cases thoroughly and get to know your personally-- our next step towards a fairer judicial system.

YASP Speaks At Haverford College

On Monday, Nov. 24th, Haverford College invited YASP to do a panel with a class of freshmen students about the criminal justice system and telling them a little more what YASP do. These students were very engaged and interested in what it was actually like being a youth inside an adult facility, how they can get involved with our organization, how we change and become positive and what was it like. They had so many intelligent questions and wanted us to come back to their college again to do some door-knocking up there and to inform more people about Act 33. ​

YASP At The Tag Conference

On April 25th, YASP went to TAG conference and it turned out wonderful. Our new member David spoke on a panel speaking on their experiences with racism. YASP staff also ran a workshop this year too with our newest member Terrance, telling the people how we connected to YASP, who YASP is and what we do. We also explained why we do this work. They loved us because we are young and educated about these type of situations that we are up against. There was also happiness to see young people talking about our experiences inside of prison as a juvenile in an adult jail. YASP got a lot of support from our audience and we love to have support from everyone.

January 09th 2014

Hello Friends, Family, & YASP supporters. The documentary Stolen Dreams II Breaking the Cycle of youth Violence Trauma & Imprisonment was recently screened on January 7th,2014. Stolen Dreams II is an inspiring film that reaches out to the community to help get the word out about stopping violence and finding ways to address violence other than throwing our young people in jail. In the film, you’ll hear from young people who’ve been locked up, people who’ve lost family members to violence and young men and women who are currently in adult jails. We hope these different voices can give audiences a deeper understanding of how young people in Philly are impacted on a daily basis by violence and incarceration. The screening was such a huge success. It was a great audience, & lots of interesting questions. If you missed out on the screening you should buy the documentary which the funding would go to help support the work we do or contact us. Bring YASP to your communities, schools & colleges. IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE ONE CHILD ! - Tot & YASP TEAM

December 17th 2013

Hello Friends, Family, & YASP supporters. The documentary Stolen Dreams II Breaking the Cycle of youth Violence Trauma & Imprisonment was recently screened on January 7th,2014. Stolen Dreams II is an inspiring film that reaches out to the community to help get the word out about stopping violence and finding ways to address violence other than throwing our young people in jail. In the film, you’ll hear from young people who’ve been locked up, people who’ve lost family members to violence and young men and women who are currently in adult jails. We hope these different voices can give audiences a deeper understanding of how young people in Philly are impacted on a daily basis by violence and incarceration. The screening was such a huge success. It was a great audience, & lots of interesting questions. If you missed out on the screening you should buy the documentary which the funding would go to help support the work we do or contact us. Bring YASP to your communities, schools & colleges. IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE ONE CHILD ! - Tot & YASP TEAM

October 24th 2013

YASP's Fundraiser Frenzy Fotos

October 18th Fundraiser

Join YASP and our allies in Decarcerate PA for a Fall Fundraiser! Join us for art, poetry, food, music, and a big raffle! Come out to this extravagant event to have fun and raise money for two amazing organizations. Great raffle prizes from The Satellite Cafe, Honest Tom's Taco Shop, Manakeesh Cafe Bakery, Little Baby's Ice Cream and more!Recommended donation of $10-$30 at the door. RSVP on Facebook, or by emailing us at yasproject@gmail.com or calling our office at 267-571-YASP.We hope to see you there! Can't make it but still want to donate to support our work? Great news! You're just one-click away from making a donation online. You can also mail checks (Payable to "Reconstruction Inc." with "YASP" in the memo line) to us:YASP C/O Reconstruction Inc.PO Box 7691Philadelphia, PA 19101

September 10th 2013

Recently , YASP went inside of Jubilee Elementary school. We did a workshop with the 5th & 6th graders that attend there. Our workshop was about the school-to-prison pipeline. We asked the youth "when you think of a pipeline what do you think of ," most responses were that water runs through it. We made it clear to them that this particular pipeline is about someone who gets pushed out of school & then ends up in the prison system. This class was so amazing, they knew more than what we put out as far as the school closings & more prisons being built. To top it all off, this school started in 1977 with a small classroom in the back of a thrift store. It's amazing when you set out to make a powerful positive change how it can grow from nothing to something. We also filmed this workshop with the help of our scribe facilitators who are working with us on our documentary called "Stolen Dreams 2". We came to a conclusion that the more we educate our future, meaning our youth, the better the result we will see within our communities.

YASP In Review

​WORKSHOP AT OVERBROOK HIGH ​SCHOOL On April 30th at 9:00am YASP did a workshop with at Overbrook High school with a class of 9th grade students.​The workshop was geared towards teaching the class about the school to prison pipeline and structural violence and youth being charged as adults.

YASP In Review

​YASP HOLDS​ ART & POETRY FUND RAISER FRIDAY May 3rd YASP held an art and poetry fund raiser displaying the art and poetry that was created in the Saturday workshops that they hold in the Philadelphia county jails every weekend.

YASP In Review

YASP DOES WORKSHOP AT​TAG ​CURRICULUM FAIR Saturday May 4th at 10:00am YASP lead a workshop with a group of teachers and students about the school to prison pipeline and youth being charged as adults. The event was a great success it helped teachers understand what young people need to be successful in school.

Special Event

"SPEAKING FROM THE INSIDE"ART AND POETRY FROM YOUNG PEOPLE LOCKED UP IN​ JAILS. May 3rd, 7:00-9:30pm, The A-Space (4722 Baltimore Ave., West Philadelphia)Come support the Youth Art & Self-Empowerment Project at their event, "Speaking From the Inside:" Art and Poetry from Young People Locked Up in Jails. YASP has been doing workshops with young people under 18 in the Philadelphia Prison System for the past five years. During these workshops, teens are given a means of creative self-expression to help them cope with life inside. We invite you to come see some of these pieces, and to learn more about YASP

Volunteer Opportunity

CANVASSING TO KEEP YOUTH OUT OF ADULT PRISONS Don't forget! Come join YASP today for canvassing at Temple University at 5pm! We will be meeting at the corner of Broad & Cecil B. Moore! Let us know you're going!

Volunteer Opportunity

WELCOME SPRING BY DOOR-KNOCKING WITH YASP! YASP is looking for volunteers to help out with our door-knocking campaign on Monday, March 18th, from 5:00-7:00pm. We will be meeting under the L station at 52nd and Market Station in Philadelphia.We are asking people to contribute their time and spend a spring day with YASP collecting signatures for our fight to repeal Act 33. We are hoping to collect at least 7,500 signatures by the end of 2013.

Rally Opportunity

HELP US SAVE PHILADELPHIA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS Today, the SRC is voting on school closings in Philadelphia, and at 4:00pm, YASP members will be joining students, parents, teachers, & community members in a rally at the Philadelphia School District Building (440 N. Broad Street) to fight against the shuttering of Philadelphia's public schools.Be there to support neighborhood schools in all communities.

YASP In Review

"BROKEN ON ALL SIDES" SCREENING AND ​DISCUSSION YASP’s Tot Metz and Shawna Hershberger assisted Matt Pillischer, director of Broken On All Sides, at his screening and panel at Ursinus College. Also in attendance were John Dhi, Anthony, and Margeret of Decarcerate PA. They discussed mass incarceration, The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, racism, slavery, and exposing injustices of the American justice system as it currently functions. There was a Q&A for students that attended. The dialogue between the audience and panel members was engaged and attentive, rife pertinent and in-depth questions and answers.

YASP In Review

SHOWING OUR SUPPORT​AT THE 440 RALLY YASP members were in attendance to show their support at the 440 Rally.

YASP In Review

HARRISBURG RALLY WITH DECARCERATE PA YASP members joined Decarcerate PA at a rally in Harrisburg to protest Gov. Corbett’s financial plan to use $455 million to build two new prisons in Montgomery County and close over 20 public schools in predominately marginalized neighborhoods.

YASP In Review

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.DAY MARCH WITH ONE​LOVE YASP leadership team member Josh spoke during the MLK Day March with the One Love Movement.

YASP News

WE HAVE A NEW HOME! We here at the Youth Art & Self-Empowerment Project are proud to say that we have a new office at 2231 North Broad Street. We celebrated with an office warming party and had an amazing time.

YASP In Review

COOKOUT WITH DECARCERATE PA Josh of the Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project performed at a cook-out hosted by Decarcerate PA.

Special Event

YASP SUMMER 2011 RETREAT

Special Event

YASP SUMMER RETREAT 2012

YASP In Review

"STOLEN DREAMS" SCREENING @ HAVERFORD COLLEGE

YASP In Review

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF "STOLEN DREAMS" This month, YASP celebrated the one year anniversary of the release of their documentary, Stolen Dreams.

YASP In Review

WORKSHOP AT KENSINGTON HIGH SCHOOL YASP at Kensington High School speaking about the school to prison pipeline and Act 33 and letting youth know that they can accomplish there goals with dedication.

YASP In Review

PA PRISON SUMMIT YASP Leadership Team member Josh got to speak as part of a panel at the PA Prison Summit along with 4 other panelists.

YASP In Review

"STOLEN DREAMS" SCREENING @ TEMPLE LAW SCHOOL YASP showed the Stolen Dreams documentary at Temple Law School and speaking about the Act 33 and why youth shouldn't be tried as adults.

YASP In Review

"STOLEN DREAMS" SCREENING  IN PITTSBURGH In Pittsburgh, the YASP Leadership Team and other members screened the documentary, "Stolen Dreams," and spoke about why youth shouldn't be charged as adults.

YASP In Review

HOLIDAY SCREENING, FUNDRAISER, AND OPEN MIC For the Christmas season, YASP held a holiday fund raiser, open mic, and a screening of their documentary, "Stolen Dreams."

YASP In Review

CJNY CONFERENCE Members of the Youth Art & Self-Empowerment Project were in Washington D.C. at the Community Justice Network for Youth (CJNY) conference on youth being charged as adults.

YASP In Review

"STOLEN DREAMS" SCREENING​AT BOOKS THROUGH BARS YASP showed their documentary, Stolen Dreams, at Books Through Bars and spoke about Act 33 and the work YASP does in the Philadelphia jails.

YASP In Review

​PHILLY YOUTH SUMMIT Members of YASP attended the Philadelphia Student Union's Philly Youth Summit to screen their recently-completed documentary, Stolen Dreams, and to speak about Act 33 and the school to prison pipeline.

YASP In Review

CELEBRATING THE RELEASE OF "STOLEN DREAMS" This month, the Youth Art & Self-Empowerment Project was proud to announce and celebrate the release of their first documentary, Stolen Dreams. This film is a depiction of the impact that Act 33 has on Philadelphia youth and adults in contact with the criminal justice system.

YASP In Review

"STOLEN DREAMS" SCREENING @ PHILLY CAM YASP screened their documentary, Stolen Dreams, at Philly Cam and spoke about why youth shouldn't be charged as adults.

YASP Helps Keep Teens In Philly Out of Adult Prisons and On The Right Track

Care, Not Control: Philadelphia-area advocates call for an end to youth incarceration

'Care Not Control' aimed at reforming juvenile justice system

I Was Locked Up At 17. It's Imperative We Start Imagining A World That Doesn't Incarcerate Kids.