CTJA Introduces New Advocacy Group, ‘Justice Coalition’
Justice Coalition will connect like-minded individuals to rally for ending the criminalization of youth.
Bridgeport, CT (January 17, 2023) - Today, The Connecticut Justice Alliance (CTJA) introduces a new advocacy group named the Justice Coalition. The Justice Coalition is CTJA’s way of further involving the public in the fight to end the criminalization of youth in Connecticut.
The new group will allow individuals to choose their level of involvement in the fight to raise awareness. Those that sign up to become part of the Justice Coalition will be engaged and empowered to fight for justice; they will be invited to upcoming rallies and Vision Sessions, receive updates on new initiatives, and be called on to join letter-writing campaigns, sign-making for rallies, social media pushes, and public testimony during legislative sessions.
The Justice Coalition will be crucial in supporting, CTJA’s legislative goals for the 2023 Session, with the goal to bring about a more just and equitable state, especially for those that are Black and Brown.
Contributing to this is the recently released Ending the Criminalization of Youth: Address the Root, a revisit of CTJA’s 2020 report Ending the Criminalization of Youth: One Investment at a Time. This report captures key data on the inhumane and ineffective tools used to keep Black and Brown youth surveilled, criminalized, and incarcerated when they should be supported and educated.
“We want to better engage the residents and voters of Connecticut in our fight to keep children out of jails and the legal system,” said Christina Quaranta, Executive Director of the CT Justice Alliance. “We have seen over the years that with people power we can make a huge impact in the lives of Connecticut's youngest and most vulnerable people. Today, we call on all of Connecticut to join us.
The goal is to have hundreds of Connecticut residents ready to engage in letter-writing campaigns or demonstrations to help keep more of the state’s youth, primarily those that are Black and Brown, out of the legal system and give them the support they really need by investing in the community.
The Justice Coalition is the next step in CTJA’s #InvestInMeCT Campaign which seeks to reduce the number of system-involved youth by addressing the root causes of youth criminalization.
“We know that people want to be involved in youth justice but just don’t know how. We want to encourage everyone to join and help put Connecticut’s youth in a better situation to succeed,” said Policy Director, Iliana Pujols.
# # #
ABOUT THE CONNECTICUT JUSTICE ALLIANCE
The Connecticut Justice Alliance (CTJA) is a youth/adult partnership working to end the criminalization of youth. The Alliance works to disrupt and dismantle the pathways that funnel children and youth into the juvenile justice system by using organizing, advocacy, and policy tools to protect the rights, futures, and well-being of potentially, currently, and formerly incarcerated youth, while also ensuring youth who are detained, incarcerated, and involved in the courts and legal systems receive safe, fair, and dignified treatment. CTJA is a program of RYASAP. The organization serves at-risk youth and adults experiencing the impact of poverty, trauma, mental health, and addiction in the greater Bridgeport area.
CTJA was formerly known as the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance.
