Sarah Devita

Youth Justice Network

Youth Justice Network (formerly Friends of Island Academy) was founded in 1990 to bring opportunity to adolescents leaving jail in New York City. The concept for Friends developed in the late 1980's at the alternative high school located on Rikers Island, known then as Island Academy. The organization was rooted in collaboration between educators, social service staff and community advocates who wanted to address recidivism rates, untapped potential and disproportionate minority representation among thousands of adolescents who attended high school on Rikers Island each year. Friends incorporates and embodies key principles of evidence-based practice, which have been derived from research on risk reduction, and we have incorporated these elements across all agency projects and services. Our model of engagement with adolescents uses youths' time in custody as a primary point of intervention. After forging relationships in jail and secure juvenile facilities, we engage youth through an array of post-release services and opportunities. Through neighborhood-based supports, advocacy and mentorship, we offer our youth members a sense of belonging and opportunities for achievement. The longer young people remain engaged by and connected to our program, the greater the influence we have on their trajectory toward becoming economically independent adults, connected to their communities in positive ways.