Youth Justice Headlines, and Liz Ryan’s New Media Project

On this week’s episode, we review some recent headlines on youth justice, including Minnesota raising their floor and some questionable comments on the system by officials in Mississippi and New Mexico. 

Liz Ryan joined to talk about her new project aimed at helping journalists and newsrooms with reporting on a complicated system. 

Liz Ryan served as administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention for President Joe Biden. Before that she founded the Campaign for Youth Justice and the Youth First Initiative.

Reading Room

The Youth Justice Style Guide
https://youthjusticestyleguide.substack.com/p/welcome-to-the-youth-justice-style

Summer 2026 Teen Takeover Coverage & What Media Can Learn
https://reportforyouthjustice.org/#blog

Ending Punishing Surveillance: Youth Justice Reformers Lay Out Plan for Probation Reforms
https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/ending-punishing-surveillance-youth-justice-reformers-lay-out-plan-for-probation-reforms/276321

New Minnesota Law Bars Prosecution of Children 12 and Younger
https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/new-minnesota-law-bars-prosecution-of-children-12-and-younger/276312

Raising the Floor on Prosecuting Youth
https://imprintnews.org/podcast/raising-the-floor-prosecuting-youth-ricky-watson

Mississippi Lawmakers Pass Youth Court Overhaul, Approve $29.5M in New Spending
https://www.wlbt.com/2026/07/17/mississippi-lawmakers-pass-youth-court-overhaul-approve-295m-new-spending/

Hearing Held on Juvenile Justice, but Prosecutors not Invited
https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/hearing-held-on-juvenile-justice-but-prosecutors-not-invited/

Scott Administration Proposes Indefinite Pause on Juvenile Justice Reform
https://www.wcax.com/2026/08/04/scott-administration-proposes-indefinite-pause-juvenile-justice-reform/

Snohomish County says State Legally Liable for Juvenile Detention Center Claims
https://myedmondsnews.com/2026/07/snohomish-county-claims-state-legally-liable-for-juvenile-detention-center-abuse/

Michigan Justices Find 50-Year Sentence for Juvenile Murderer ‘Unconstitutionally Excessive’
https://www.mlive.com/news/2026/08/michigan-justices-find-50-year-sentence-for-juvenile-murderer-unconstitutionally-excessive.html