Bridgeport Juvenile Justice Task Force – The Task Force is an open table where parents, schools, community organizations, juvenile detention and probation, law enforcement and child advocates meet to identify gaps in services, then develop, and advocate for best practices to fill those gaps. More than 30 community leaders meet monthly to learn about state and local policies and practices, identify issues affecting youth and families, and share information about effective interventions. Relationships initiated and strengthened here have resulted in collaborative service for youth, and helped to attract sizeable private, state and federal funding to Bridgeport. By acting as one strong voice, this task force became the model that the state used to create 13 Local Interagency Service Teams throughout Connecticut that it hopes will serve as partners at the community level in implementing system reforms for the benefit of youth.

Contact: Robert Francis – 579-2727 x304 or rfrancis@ryasap.org

Juvenile Review Board – Serving Bridgeport and Stratford – A Juvenile Review Board (JRB) is a diversionary and prevention program offered to youth who have committed minor delinquent acts or are displaying at-risk behaviors at home or school that could result in a referral to the juvenile court. Our mission is to divert young people from the juvenile justice system and make available to them and to their families a wide array of community services to prevent them from committing repeat offenses. JRB serves youth who are 9 to 16 years old, non-violent offenders who admit guilt and have parent(s )or a guardian willing to be involved.

Bridgeport Contact: Sharon Stoyer – 203-579-2727 x321 or sstoyer@ryasap.org

Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance - The Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance is statewide advocacy and public policy organization. The mission of the Alliance is to reduce the number of children and youth entering the juvenile and criminal justice system, and advocate a safe, effective, and fair system for those involved. The Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance accomplishes its mission by serving as a catalyst for systems reform.

Click here for more information http://www.ctjja.org/

Contact: Abby Anderson – 203-579-2727 x323 or abby@ctjja.org

Teen Legal Clinic – Center for Children’s Advocacy – The Center of Children’s Advocacy uses RYASAP’s office as their local site to provide service to teenagers in this region. Their legal staff and law students provide legal advice and representation to teenagers in an effort to help them solve the crises in their lives that cause them to drop out of school.

Click here for more information – http://www.kidscounsel.org/legalresources_teenrights.htm

Contact: Kathryn  Meyer -  kmeyer@kidscounsel.org or Deborah Marcuse -  dmarcuse@kidscounsel.org