Juvenile Justice Advocates International

03/09/2026

What does it take to build more humane and effective youth justice systems?

This month, we’re sharing stories that show what that work looks like in practice — from a new juvenile detention facility assessment in Boone County to initiatives strengthening family connections in Costa Rica and Honduras.

Different places. Different approaches. One shared mission: building youth justice systems grounded in accountability, community participation, opportunity, and connection.

🌎 Read JJAI’s September Update and see how this work is taking shape across the Americas:

🔗 https://www.jjadvocates.org/september-2026-update/

September 2026 Update by JJAI News | Sep 3, 2026 | News | 0 comments Families reconnect. Communities participate. Systems move forward. This month, JJAI’s work across the Americas shows what youth justice reform looks like at different levels, strengthening family connections while working with co...

01/09/2026

At Centro de Formación Juvenil Zurquí in Costa Rica, young mothers in detention or serving alternative sanctions came together with their children, mothers, and grandmothers for a special Mother’s Day celebration.

Organized by DNI Costa Rica y Juveniles Justice Advocates Internacional (JJAI), the gathering created a space for families to reconnect, celebrate, and reflect on what motherhood means to them, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.

During the event, we also delivered Restore the Circle cards written by our sponsors and supporters, filled with messages of encouragement, care, and connection for the mothers. 💌

One young mother shared:
“Being a mother is a blessing that motivates me to be better every day, so I can become an example for my daughters. What my daughters need most is my love and understanding.”

💛 Because strengthening family connections is also part of building a more humane youth justice system.



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En el Centro de Formación Juvenil Zurquí, en Costa Rica, madres jóvenes privadas de libertad o que cumplen sanciones alternativas compartieron una celebración especial por el Día de la Madre junto a sus hijos, madres y abuelas.
El encuentro, organizado por DNI Costa Rica y Justicia Juvenil Internacional (JJI), creó un espacio para reencontrarse, celebrar y compartir lo que significa para ellas ser madres, incluso en medio de circunstancias difíciles.
Durante la actividad, también entregamos las tarjetas de Restore the Circle, escritas por nuestros patrocinadores y colaboradores, con mensajes de ánimo, cariño y conexión para las madres. 💌
Una de las jóvenes compartió:
“Ser madre es una bendición que me motiva a ser mejor cada día, para llegar a ser un ejemplo para mis hijas. Lo que más necesitan mis hijas es mi amor y comprensión.”
💛 Porque fortalecer los vínculos familiares también es parte de construir una justicia juvenil más humana.

31/08/2026

"Being separated from your child is so hard."

No matter how much time passes, a mother never stops thinking about her child, worrying about them, or hoping for the day she can hold them again.
Brenda went seven months without seeing her son.

When she finally stood in front of him, she didn't talk about the past. She talked about the future.

Her hope that he will find a better path. That he will change. That he will never have to return to a place like this.

Because that's what mothers do—they continue believing in their children, even through life's hardest moments.

We are grateful to have been part of this reunion.

💙 Thank you to everyone who helps make these moments possible and reminds young people that there will always be someone who believes in them.
🔗 Learn more: jjadvocates.org/restore

26/08/2026

What actually makes an alternative to detention effective?

✖️ Not simply the absence of detention.
✔️ It requires clear expectations, individualized supervision, timely follow-up, incentives for progress, and proportionate responses when challenges arise.
❗ The system has to be designed to support compliance, not wait for failure.

At JJAI, this is a critical distinction: accountability can happen in the community when the structures needed to make it possible are in place.

The question isn't about detention or accountability. It is whether we are building alternatives strong enough to work.

24/08/2026

What happens when alternatives to detention move from theory to practice?

In Chihuahua, Mexico, our Community Supervision and Post-Sentencing Services initiatives showed how community-based approaches can strengthen outcomes for young people while reducing reliance on detention.

▶️ Watch Sarahi Garcia share more about this experience and what we learned from its implementation.

21/08/2026

Sometimes we forget that behind every young person is a family, memories, and people who mean everything to them.

Seeing his sister again gave him something he had been waiting for months: a chance to feel close to home again.

Thank you to everyone who makes these reunions possible and helps keep the family connections that mean so much to young people alive.

🔗 Learn more: jjadvocates.org/restore

19/08/2026

If detention is not the answer, what needs to exist instead?

That’s where the real work of youth justice reform begins.

Effective alternatives require more than simply keeping a young person out of detention. They need individualized assessment, meaningful supervision, access to services, family and community involvement, and clear responses throughout the judicial process.

This is the shift we advocate for at JJAI: from relying on detention to building systems that can hold young people accountable in their communities.

Because the goal isn’t more detention. It’s better alternatives.

17/08/2026

A family visit may last a few hours. Getting there can take much more.

👉 This month in Honduras, families overcame significant barriers to reconnect with young people in detention.
👉 At the same time, more practitioners across Latin America are accessing tools and training to strengthen juvenile justice systems.

From family connection to systems change, see what our community made possible this month.

🔗 Read our August Update: https://www.jjadvocates.org/august-2026-update/

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14/08/2026

This mother isn't just traveling to see her daughter. She's also bringing her granddaughter.

✅Three generations, connected by one visit.
✅ Three generations, carrying the weight of separation.
✅ Three generations, finding strength in being together.

This mother has received support to make this same journey—to see her daughter—three times. And she keeps showing up.
Because a mother's love doesn't stop at distance. It doesn't stop when life becomes difficult. It finds a way forward.

Tomorrow (August 15), Costa Rica celebrates Mother's Day. Make more moments like this possible.

💛 Today, sponsor a family through Restore the Circle.
🔗 jjadvocates.org/restore

13/08/2026

A detention facility is more than a building.

As Sarahi García, JJAI’s Latin America Director, explains, the real measure of a facility is whether it protects rights, provides meaningful opportunities to learn and grow, and creates an environment where young people can prepare for life beyond detention.

At JJAI, our assessments look beyond infrastructure to examine the everyday conditions that shape outcomes for children and youth.

▶️ Watch the video to hear Sarahi’s perspective on what truly defines a safe and effective juvenile justice system.