Across the country, states are closing youth prisons, recognizing that they harm youth and weaken communities. Yet in some areas, new youth prisons are being proposed. Guidance for delaying—and ultimately stopping—new youth prisons is shared below, and more resources are available at www.youthfirstinitiative.org. Remember, even if money has been allocated and the government has approved the facility, it can still be stopped, until the building is actually built and youth have been placed there.
This is a checklist and toolkit for campaigns and organizers interested in stopping the construction of new youth prisons.
