‘They’re not getting the protection that they deserve.’ The city’s new Youth Ombudsperson is looking out for Philly’s most vulnerable kids

Our partners at Juvenile Law Center spoke to The Philadelphia Inquirer about their involvement in establishing the City of Philadelphia’s new Office of the Youth Ombudsperson.

Imagine that your boss has been mistreating or even abusing you at work. But if you were to file a complaint to make it stop, the investigation into that abuse will overseen by the very same boss.

Would you feel comfortable making that complaint, or confident that any change would come from it?

In essence, this is the system that Philadelphia youth in residential facilities, like juvenile justice centers and group homes, have been living under for years. Meanwhile, abuse at many of these facilities in and around Philadelphia has been extensive and horrific.

View the Full Article