Regional Peacekeepers collective

Zero Youth Detention

King County Executive, Dow Constantine and the King County Board of Health have declared June 4th, 2021 as King County Regional Community Safety and Well-being Day  in recognition of the rising rates of gun violence in this region and the launch of a pilot program called the King County Regional Peacekeepers Collective (RPKC).

To commemorate the declarations and launch, the Regional Peacekeepers Collective is hosting two community events to increase awareness and provide community…Continue reading Regional Peacekeepers collective

Standing together against hate

Zero Youth Detention

A message from the Director of Zero Youth Detention:

Dear Friends,

All human lives matter. That is true. Nevertheless, it is equally true that historically not all lives have been understood to matter or have value. This is precisely why it is of great importance, in this moment, that we do not shy away from this truth or attempt to generalize it. The injustice has been specific and so we must be equally specific in the naming of their lives. Under discouraging and often painful conditions they are struggling to be heard and matter in the way they deserve.
Continue reading Standing together against hate

National conference selects King County as site of annual conference, spotlights Zero Youth Detention

Zero Youth Detention

Each year, the Annie E. Casey Foundation hosts a national conference for the over 300 jurisdictions in 40 states that have signed on to implement its Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). This year, the conference was hosted in King County, from October 16-18, in part to showcase the work of King County’s Zero Youth DetentionContinue reading National conference selects King County as site of annual conference, spotlights Zero Youth Detention

Video: Community Passageways Community Diversion Program

Zero Youth Detention

If you were watching the Seahawks game on August 29, you may have seen an excerpt of the short documentary “Out of the Fire,” which tells the story of Community Passageways, a Seattle-based felony diversion program and community partner in our work toward Zero Youth Detention. Community Passageways uses restorative justice practices and racial healingContinue reading Video: Community Passageways Community Diversion Program

Intersection of Zero Youth Detention and the Children and Family Justice Center

Zero Youth Detention

KUOW’s Amy Radil interviewed Zero Youth Detention Director Derrick Wheeler-Smith last week about our work to eliminate the use of secure detention for young people in King County – check out the story here. With the opening of the new Children and Family Justice Center (CFJC) on the horizon, much of the discussion focused onContinue reading Intersection of Zero Youth Detention and the Children and Family Justice Center

Policy updates from state legislative session

Zero Youth Detention

In February, we wrote about the 2019 Washington State legislative session bills that King County staff and partners were supporting as a part of Zero Youth Detention. One of the Road Map’s primary objectives is to align and optimize connections between systems, and this includes pushing for policy reform that improves the lives of youthContinue reading Policy updates from state legislative session