New Columbia Initiative Brings Together New York Criminal Justice Officials with Local Youth to Address Issues of Mass Incarceration
Jointly authored policy proposals to be presented at Columbia University’s Inaugural Justice Ambassadors Youth Council Summit on June 11th
In an effort to change current juvenile justice policy, the inaugural Justice Ambassadors Youth Council Grand Summit seeks to address some of New York City’s most challenging community issues surrounding mass incarceration.
The Justice Ambassadors Youth Council was developed by Jarrell E. Daniels in collaboration with the Center for Justice at Columbia University, Friends of the Island Academy, Brooklyn Outreach Network, New York Trinity and New Directions High Schools, as well as city officials from numerous city agencies
Mr. Daniels, Columbia University Justice-in-Education Scholar, Open Society Youth Activist Fellow and Annie E. Casey Youth Advisory Council Member, envisioned the Justice Ambassador program as a way to bring policy makers together with community members to improve the social challenges around issues of mass incarceration.
Justice Ambassador participants will be presenting projects they have developed over the course of an eight week program of joint seminars between the local young people and City officials. The co-authored policy proposals show promising signs for future dialogue involving directly affected populations in shaping the policies that govern their communities.
Daniels, who is formerly incarcerated, was inspired to create the Justice Ambassadors program after spending time in a classroom alongside prosecutors during his time in prison. As he discussed in his recently aired TED Talk, it was through this experience that he came to believe that, “through education we will arrive at a truth that is inclusive and unites us in a pursuit of justice”.
The Justice Ambassadors Program components include:
- Personal Change – participants identify an aspect of themselves they wish to change.
- Community Change – students present at NYC youth centers to advocate for community change.
- Social Change – students and city officials co-author policy proposals to improve adverse social conditions.
Tuesday, June 11 marks the final component of the Justice Ambassadors Program, when the inaugural group of 10 youth participants present their co-authored proposals with officials from the Bronx Borough President’s Office, Department of Probation, NYPD, and the Manhattan and Brooklyn District Attorney Offices.
Please join us to witness the beginnings of a historic change in public policy developed in collaboration with the communities that are directly affected by it.
Event Details:
Justice Ambassadors Program Graduation and Policy Presentation | June 11th | 5-7 pm | Columbia Law School – Jerome Greene Hall Room 106 – 456 W 116th St. NY, NY 10027 | Press welcome | Invite Only
To confirm your attendance at this event please email: Geraldine Downey at [email protected].
Click here to download a copy of the Justice Ambassadors Grand Summit press release.