Citizens for Juvenile Justice

09/03/2026

"As Massachusetts schools prepare to welcome students back for a new academic year, a new poll released by The Education Trust in Massachusetts finds that while most parents report positive school experiences, those experiences are not shared equally.

The statewide tracking poll, conducted by The MassINC Polling Group among parents of K-12 students, points to a consistent pattern of inequity. Families of Latino students, multilingual learners, and students with disabilities, as well as families concerned about their child’s academic progress, are significantly more likely to report challenges related to school safety, bullying, mental health, discrimination, and regular attendance."

Parents report persistent disparities in safety, mental health, and attendance — including heightened concerns about school safety and immigration enforcement among multilingual families

09/02/2026

We’re proud to have created this voter guide together!

A huge thank you to our partner organizations for helping us make election information more accessible, relevant, and youth-centered. We couldn’t have done it without you!

And a special thank you to the Hyams Foundation and the ALKU Foundation for their generous support of this 2026 voter guide.

08/31/2026

Tomorrow is Primary Election Day!

If you haven’t voted yet, tomorrow is your last chance to vote.

Polls will be open 7 a.m.–8 p.m. Make sure to make a plan to vote and check your polling location before you go.

Check your polling location here: http://wheredoivotema.com/
Check out our 2026 Youth Justice Voter Guide: https://www.cfjj.org/2026-voter-guides

08/28/2026

Today is the last day to vote early!

If you don’t vote early today, make sure to vote in person on Primary Election Day, September 1.

Make your voting plan:https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/elections-and-voting.htm

08/26/2026

Find your county’s Youth Justice Voter Guide!

Our 2026 Youth Justice Voter Guide includes a guide for each of Massachusetts’ 14 counties, with candidate responses to our youth justice questionnaire and legislative scorecards.

Select your county to find your districts and learn more about the candidates running for Governor’s Council, State Senate, State Representative, and District Attorney.

Explore the county guides: https://www.cfjj.org/2026-voter-guides

08/25/2026

Election day is BEFORE Labor Day this year! Make sure to make voting a part of your end of summer plans.

Make your voting plan:

Early Voting: Aug. 22–28

Election Day: Sept. 1, 7 a.m.–8 p.m.

In Massachusetts, the Primary Elections are among the most competitive, with many of the upcoming electoral races having candidates that are only from one party. This means that skipping the Primary Election limits your choices of the elected officials that will go on to represent you and your interests.

Check out CfJJ's 2026 Voter Guides for more information: https://www.cfjj.org/2026-voter-guides

Find your early voting location:
https://www.sec.state.ma.us/EarlyVotingWeb/EarlyVotingSearch.aspx
Find your polling location: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/WhereDoIVoteMA/WhereDoIVote

08/24/2026

“District attorneys are amongst the most powerful figures in the criminal legal system. Their decisions have a direct outcome on everything, from case outcomes to recidivism to addressing mass incarceration...If elected, they have the opportunity to be a force for change in the legal system. They can simply uphold the status quo, or in some cases they can shift their approach in such a way that some would consider regressive,” - Leon Smith

08/20/2026

The Youth Justice Primary Voter Guide is now Live!

Our 2026 Voter Guides are now available to help Massachusetts voters prepare for the upcoming primary and general elections.

Resources include:

Voter rights and Know Your Rights information
Key primary and general election dates
Information about the roles of state legislators, the Governor’s Council, and District Attorneys
Candidate guides by county, including candidate questionnaires and legislative scorecards
An interactive look at the cradle-to-prison pipeline and the role elected officials play in these systems

View the 2026 Voter Guides:

Understand where candidates stand on issues impacting youth justice in any of the 8 Governor’s Council districts; 40 State Senate districts and 160 State Representative districts

08/19/2026

New research from the Annie E. Casey Foundation exam­ined edu­ca­tion and juve­nile jus­tice data for high school stu­dents in Massachusetts and found that a sin­gle out-of-school sus­pen­sion raised the like­li­hood of court involve­ment 18 per­cent­age points to 49%, with repeat­ed sus­pen­sions fur­ther increas­ing that risk. "School Dis­ci­pline, Juve­nile Jus­tice Sys­tem Involve­ment, and Aca­d­e­m­ic Attain­ment" also found that students sus­pend­ed dur­ing their first year of high school had a 59% like­li­hood of jus­tice sys­tem involve­ment. That fig­ure rose to 64% for those sus­pend­ed for five days or more. This high­lights the impor­tance of ear­ly high school expe­ri­ences and the poten­tial long-term con­se­quences of remov­ing stu­dents from the class­room dur­ing this piv­otal tran­si­tion year.

New research shows out-of-school suspension can have lasting consequences for students, especially in ninth grade. See the data.

08/18/2026

Understanding the cradle-to-prison pipeline starts with understanding the systems that shape young people's opportunities and outcomes. Elected officials’ policies and practices may expand or reduce this pipeline. Swipe to learn more and find additional info on our Prezi: https://prezi.com/view/JPcc0hcs2NCCw9ehQwEI/