LRC Awarded COVID-19 Youth Justice Response Fund grant.

Earlier today, the National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) announced that the Legal Rights Center has been awarded a COVID-19 Youth Justice Response Fund grants to decarcerate youth correctional facilities amidst the global coronavirus pandemic. The LRC will coordinate with a coalition of racial justice organizations to review all out of home placements and create an online community resource map to show youth are able to be better served at home.

As Minnesota takes steps to stop the spread of COVID-19, one group of young people is being left behind: the hundreds of children in custody in the state of Minnesota. We must take decisive action to protect Minnesota’s young people in those settings. Behind bars, youth have limited freedom to participate in proactive measures to keep themselves safe, such as social distancing, frequently washing hands, or staying in sanitized spaces. Further, Minnesota’s detention and correctional facilities are not equipped to meet the medical needs of youth if a COVID-19 outbreak should occur. Youth will not have many options to stay away from others if they become ill and there are limited infirmary beds. If staff become ill, it will be difficult to provide care and support to youth, and if lockdowns are utilized, that will only intensify virus infection rates. We believe that youth will be safer at home and in their respective communities. 

We are thankful to the NJJN and its donors for their support, and will continue to explore opportunities to better serve, and advocate for, the youth of Minnesota.