Jersey City Youth Justice Conference

Kevin G. Callahan, J.D. ’69, lecturer of criminal justice is participating in an initiative to start the first youth court in Jersey City. Youth courts train teens to serve on real-life cases involving their peers. A goal of the program is to keep minors out of the criminal justice system by having them judged and sentenced by their peers.

The Jersey City Youth Justice Conference was held at Saint Peter’s at the end of August to recruit volunteers for the youth court. A huge turn out of high school students from the area attended the conference to listen to presentations from Vivian Brady-Phillips, deputy mayor of Jersey City; Lucinda McLaughlin, director of Jersey City Youth Court Program and others. LeKendrick Shaw, owner of MetroCapz and Gloire gave the keynote address titled “Your Choices, Your Future.” Pictured above, Professor Callahan introduces himself to students attending the conference.