Many neurodivergent youth get caught up in the juvenile justice system as a response to their moments of crisis, or simply because of differences in their behavior. This episode considers the experiences of neurodivergent youth and their families in the juvenile justice system, and how crisis intervention on their behalf should focus on preventing harm, not punishing difference.

Trauma is stored in the body and expressed through the senses, so professional interventions need to look beyond behavior to take care of the whole person through a biopsychosocial approach.

In the juvenile justice system, context is everything. Whether as professionals we show up with a deep understanding of the socio-political context of the youth, or we bring in and support “credible messengers” with shared lived experience as the youth, authenticity is key. "Irrationally caring adults," as Professor Kristin Henning describes them, can make all the difference in youth outcomes.

Making change in the juvenile justice system can be as simple, and as difficult, as making time to describe in plain language why a decision was made, pausing a meeting to ensure everyone at the table agrees with what a word means, and reflecting on the impact our word choice may have on a youth or families conception of themself. This episode provides examples and reflections on how to improve communication and transparency in juvenile justice settings. This episode provides examples and reflections on how to improve communication and transparency in juvenile justice settings.

The long term success of youth involved in the juvenile justice system depends on professionals seeing them as whole people, with families and goals and complicated circumstances, and understanding the broader social context in which these youth ended up in the system. In this episode, mental health experts, social workers, and other juvenile justice professionals describe the tools and interventions needed to make that possible.

Investing in the people who work in the juvenile justice system is a vital component of system-wide improvement. Learn how juvenile justice professionals are using implementation science, reflective leadership, and other tools to make trauma-informed practices the standard for working with youth in the system.

Experts at every level of the juvenile justice system - from caseworkers and trauma psychiatrists to country judges and state-level decision-makers - weigh in on how to facilitate system-wide change through collaboration and trust, and how to communicate to youth at every step that someone is on their side and won't let them fail.

Roadmap for Change dives into the pressing need for transformation within the juvenile justice system—a system that often falls short in meeting the needs of youth. Many of us working in and around the field understand the power of trauma-informed care, but breaking old mindsets and creating true, system-wide change is no easy feat.