Teens today have a tough time. In our lightning-fast paced, highly competitive culture, the pressure comes quickly – and doesn’t let up.
Of course, there are many ways for teens and young adults to get off track. But when criminal charges are involved, that takes the problem to a whole new level.
As a parent, you want your child to succeed. But you and your child (no matter how old) also need to make use of government and community resources that are out there.
In this post, we will inform you about a program in the Syracuse area to help young people get back into society after spending time in the criminal justice system.
Juvenile re-entry program
The program is called the Juvenile Re-entry Assistance Program. It is run by two federal agencies: the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Justice Department.
Syracuse is one of 18 cities nationally that are getting grant money to participate in the program.
The goal is to help young people who are between 18 and 24 and have been in the criminal justice system. It aims to provide nuts-and-bolts assistance with practical tasks, such as getting a job or finding a place to live. T
The program also offers help with cleaning up criminal records. This is important because a criminal conviction can often be a barrier to betting a job or an apartment.
If a young person is interested to going back to school, the program offers support for that too. And if a young person doesn’t have a driver’s license, it can help in getting one.
In broad terms, the goal is to offer tools for young people to get their lives in shape so they can live productive, meaningful lives. It is part of President Obama’s larger initiative to help people who have served their time in the justice reenter society.
When you or your child faces charges
It’s encouraging to know that a re-entry program like this exists. But there is also no substitute for taking timely action to address charges or other issues when they first occur.
With an effective defense lawyer on your side, you can assert your rights and come with a plan for moving forward – not only now, but for the long term.