"I have read your article, it is very good.  I find no fault.  One of my arguments against trying children as adults, is it is contrary to our judicial system itself. Pointing out that we do not allow children to sit as jurors but yet we allow them to be tried as adults, if you are not matured enough to sit as a juror, then you are not matured enough to be tried as an adult. You cannot be an adult on one side of the bench then be a child on the other side of the bench of justice. I will call you within the next couple of days..."

- Bishop Masters, Founder and Director of Under Our Wings

(regarding our summary on youth justice/juvenile death penalty)

Youth Advocate Program International supports eliminating the incarceration of youth as adults, and the execution of youthful offenders through various campiagns and advocacy efforts with our many contacts and partners working directly and indirectly on this issue.

YAP International has published:

• Children Behind Bars: Youth Who Are Detained, Incarcerated & Executed

• Juvenile Justice Issues: Arguments Surrounding the Execution of Youthful Offenders
  Introduction and overview to the U.S. debate surrounding the execution of youth who commit crimes before reaching 18. Further exploration into the death penalty for children in conflict with the law to accompany: Children Behind Bars: Youth Who Are Detained, Incarcerated & Executed.
  Click here to download the full report as a PDF file.

• Youth Gangs: Members, Activities and Measures to Decrease the Violence Associated with Gangs  - August 2001
  Three articles about youth gangs to educate readers about the domestic and international aspects of youth gang violence, community efforts to prevent and decrease gang violence, and how gang organizing was exported from the United States to El Salvador.
  Click here to download the full report as a PDF file.

• Special Report on 100 Years of the Juvenile Justice System in the United States
  Click here to download the full report as a PDF file.

• Unofficial Summary of the Main Provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
  Click here to download the full report as a PDF file.

YAP International Recent Youthful Offender/Children Behind Bars Advocacy Efforts:

• Provide introductory workshops on Youth Justice issues for interested organizations.

• Participated in the National Under Our Wings Conference on preventing and eliminating the incarceration and execution of youthful offenders as adults.

• Advocate to end the death penalty for youthful offenders in all remaining states allowing this practice.

• Sign on to Writs of Certiorari and Amici Curiae to ensure youthful offender execution cases are overturned, eventually leading to a favorable Supreme Court decision that would end this practice.

• Advocate to end the execution of youthful offenders in the United States, and to develop prevention programs that will assist in deterring youth from criminal activity.

• Shared information with numerous well-respected organizations regarding the current status of the execution of youthful offenders in the United States and abroad.

• Creating a new curriculum and support materials on Youth Justice issues for use in high schools.

• Developed a new user-friendly website with information on Youth Justice issues.

• Continue to increase attention and financial support to Youth Justice issues.

© copyright - Youth Advocate Program International 2003-04
Last updated 7/8/2004