The JUSTGeorgia Coalition is a coalition of community organizations and individuals committed to making Georgia’s justice and social service systems more fair to children and youth. Our primary objective is:
To improve the health, education, child protection and other services available to children in order to keep children safe, out of trouble and out of the court room.
Our work is grounded in the following shared beliefs:
Science and experience tell us that children are different from adults and that our commitment to develop, educate and nurture them into adults must accommodate the social, emotional, behavior and cognitive stages of development through early adulthood.
Our laws should provide balanced and restorative justice, which holds children and parents accountable under the law, enhances community safety, increases the competency of a child or parent subject to the court’s jurisdiction, and ensures that the rights of all involved, including victims and the accused, are protected.
Public and private systems and institutions serving children must work together to improve the outcomes for at-risk youth for the benefit of the youth, the youth’s family and the youth’s community
Children involved in antisocial behaviors should receive early services and attention that promote their healthy development and that stop the child’s penetration into the juvenile justice system.
Community and public services for youth leaving the juvenile justice system should maximize their potential for successful transition and minimize the potential for recidivism.
