We work to abolish life without parole and other extreme sentences for children.
The CFSY utilizes a multipronged approach to reform including serving as a hub and convener; engaging key stakeholders; educating target audiences; advocating for reforms; bolstering legal strategies to ban life-without-parole sentences for children; and developing a wide range of partnerships to provide access to resources and opportunities for returning individuals and their families to prosper. We know we are stronger when we are in partnership learning from one another.
Learn more about our model here.
At the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, we lead and support campaigns to ban life without parole and other extreme sentences for children. In partnership with those directly impacted by these policies, we build coalitions, educate key decision makers and influencers through the media and in-person meetings, negotiate with key stakeholders, and advance reforms that ensure youth receive second chances.
We bolster legal strategies across the nation by bringing together defense attorneys and mitigators representing children challenging extreme sentences; we develop targeted resources for system stakeholders (including trial guidelines, parole board resources, judicial bench cards, and model briefs); we help implement new laws following state-level abolition of extreme sentences for children; we educate parole boards and other system stakeholders. and; we rally members of the private bar to represent individuals deserving relief due to our reform efforts.
The CFSY has expanded its strategic focus to develop a national strategy aimed at supporting the human dignity and prosperity of people who were initially sentenced as children to life in prison and who are now returning to their communities. This initiative is deeply informed by members of our Incarcerated Children’s Advocacy Network (ICAN) and centers on developing cooperative partnerships with diverse stakeholders to provide the resources and services necessary for people who are returning home, and their families and neighborhoods, to thrive. We create meaningful opportunities for partners to help mitigate critical social issues while enhancing their business value and meeting their social impact goals; increase access to job training, employment, skill development, mentoring and access to resources to advance the success and wellbeing for people returning home; connect private sector partners with formerly incarcerated individuals to support education and co-learning; co-develop and share lessons learned and best practices; and convene advisory groups and other avenues for training and technical assistance for partners new to fair chance hiring and the goals of this initiative.
