The Truth Initiative

The term "court-involved youth" often evokes certain stereotypes when brought up in the mainstream media.

As Ray Surrette in his paper, The Media, The Public and Criminal Justice Policy, observes "[when describing] the person most likely to be your killer ... a substantial number of readers will have constructed an image of a minority inner-city teenager, perhaps a gang member (Surrette, 1)." But where do these stereotypes stem from? Certainly, the term "court-involved youth" involves much more than negative Hollywood connotations.

And more specifically, how can we not only combat these labels, but spread awareness about the reality behind the issues facing court-involved youth and their families (biological, foster, or adoptive) on a daily basis? Where is their truth?