Who We Are
The Center for Children’s Law and Policy (CCLP) is a public interest law and policy organization focused on reform of juvenile justice and other systems that affect troubled and at-risk children, and protection of the rights of children in those systems. Our staff members include lawyers and former juvenile justice professionals with extensive expertise in creating a more equitable and effective juvenile justice system.
CCLP’s staff members are on the ground in over a dozen states, in addition to engaging in national advocacy. Our organization has played a central role in major foundation-funded juvenile justice initiatives in the United States, including the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative and the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI).
Our Mission
Our staff members envision a world where the response to youth who get in trouble with the law is developmentally appropriate, free of racial and ethnic bias, and focused on building strengths that help youth avoid further involvement with the justice system.
Our work is currently focused on three main areas:
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- 1) eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system,
- 2) reducing the unnecessary and inappropriate incarceration of children, and
- 3) eliminating dangerous and inhumane practices for youth in custody.
Our staff members pursue a range of different activities to achieve these goals, including training, technical assistance, administrative and legislative advocacy, research, writing, media outreach, and public education.
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Our Staff
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Testimonial
“CCLP has been instrumental in helping Fairfax County tackle issues surrounding racial and ethnic disparities. They have been extremely helpful in identifying specific areas to target, as well as work through individual problems and data issues. They have helped us focus our efforts, and their team has gone above and beyond to help us succeed.”
Courtney Porter Director of Research and Development, Fairfax County, Virginia, Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court