Advocating for Systemic Reform for Kids

CfJJ promotes a fair and effective juvenile justice system through public education and advocacy. Our current focus areas include reducing racial and ethnic disparities, improving data collection, preventing cross-over from the child welfare system, advocating for more developmentally appropriate justice system responses to emerging adults, and promoting community alternatives to court and incarceration.

Take Action Website.png

Take Action!

Contact your Legislators 

Step 1: Choose the youth justice issues you care mostly about. See CfJJ’s legislative priorities HERE.

Step 2: Find Your State Representative and State Senator here.

Step 3: Call or email your State Representative and Senator. You can also request to schedule a meeting by phone call or video conference.

Step 4: Ask your state legislators to co-sponsor your priority bills. Co-sponsorship is a key tool for you to hold your legislators accountable. It is their public commitment that if this bill comes up for a vote, they will vote Yes. It also indicates to the issue-based committee how many legislators are supporting this bill. As them to:

  • Co-sponsor these bills and ask the Judiciary Committee to report them out favorably:

    • Juvenile Justice Data H.1802/S.931 – Fact Sheet

    • Raise the Age H.1710/S.942 – Fact Sheet

    • Juvenile Diversion H.1495/S.940 – Fact Sheet

    • Expungement and automatic sealing H.1451/S.936 and H.1598/S.979 – Fact Sheet

    • Exclude Juvenile Cases from Mandatory Minimum Sentencing H.1688/S.959 – Fact Sheet

    • Protect Youth during Interrogations H.1650/S.69 (Fact Sheet) and H.1756/S.954 (Fact Sheet)

    • End onerous fines and fees for youth H.1461/S.1005 – Fact Sheet

    • Decriminalize teen sexual activity H.1617/S.1110 – Fact Sheet

  • Co-sponsor these bills and ask the Education Committee to report them out favorably:

    • Support non-law enforcement school safety strategies H.517/S.300 and H.565 – Fact Sheet

    • Remedy Disparities in Educational Achievement H.597/S.294 – Fact Sheet

    • Education of Incarcerated Youth H.515 – Fact Sheet

  • Co-sponsor this bill and ask the Public Safety Committee to report them out favorably:

    • Education of Incarcerated Youth S.1542 – Fact Sheet

Invite CfJJ to present to your Staff or group.

CfJJ staff are happy to meet with your staff or members of your group for a presentation or training on the issues, CfJJ's legislative priorities, and how you can get involved and advocate. Please send us a request at our "Contact Us" page.  

Invite your organization to endorse the campaign

The Massachusetts Coalition for Juvenile Justice Reform is a statewide coalition convened by Citizens for Juvenile Justice. Please join us and the 60 organizational members of this coalition to advocate for a fair and effective juvenile justice system.