Events Calendar - Month View

As firearms became the leading cause of death for US children and teens, disproportionately impact people of color, the impact of gun violence extends far beyond immediate deaths and injuries. Childhood exposure also contributes to mental health challenge and increases the risk of adult involvement in gun violence. During the presentation, the researchers will discuss new findings that explore handgun carrying behavior among rural youth; the association between bullying and handgun carrying; and the impact of prevention programming on adolescent handgun carrying. Featuring: 1. Dr. Ali Rowhani-Rahbar Bartley Dobb Professor for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Epidemiology University of Washington 2. Dr. Elizabeth Weybright Associate Professor & Adolescent Extension Specialist Washington State University **This webinar is part of a Joyce Foundation series focused on firearms research commissioned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The research and analysis presented during this webinar reflect the views of the presenting researchers and not necessarily of the Joyce Foundation or the CDC.* About the Joyce Foundation: a nonpartisan, private foundation that invests in evidence-based public policies and strategies to advance racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation in the Great Lakes region. It promotes safe and just communities through grant making in the areas of gun violence prevention, criminal justice reform and violence intervention.

Join this conversation sponsored by Northwestern Prison Education Program and the Mellon Foundation. Hosted by Dr. Veronica Gonzalez, Featuring Dr. Marquis Bey, Dr. Gregory Phillips, Bryant Jackson-Green, Susana Alvalos, and Kris Rosentel

This National Mentoring Resource Center (NMRC) webinar will review findings from the Mentoring Enhancement Demonstration Project outlining mentoring activities when mentors are paired with higher-needs youth. Members of the NMRC Research Board, Manolya Tanyu, Carla Herrera, Roger Jarjoura, and Tom Keller, will highlight how often mentors focused on these needs, the role of program staff and caregivers in shaping mentor activities, and how mentors’ focus on these needs is associated with youth outcomes.

Advancing Real Change presents: "Ask a Mitigation Specialist," a resource program that allows defenders to meet directly and privately with a mitigation specialist for specific technical assistance. Register at link for a 25-minute session with experienced mitigation professionals. The information discussed during each session is confidential. Complete the registration form to request an appointment.

This event, sponsored by Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), U.S. Department of Justice, will discuss youth involvement and family engagement topics. This webinar will be hosted by Megan Nieto.

The work of mitigation in criminal defense is fraught with challenges. From quick deadlines, to large caseloads, to restrictions in funding, it can be difficult for defense teams to remain vigilant in the work they do for clients. However, being committed to the American Bar Association Guidelines, the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth Guidelines, and the caselaw that guides capital and non-capital mitigation is essential in creating a more humane and just world. While it can at times be difficult, this webinar will discuss how standards-based work is more important than ever and why teams need to advocate for the time and resources needed. Speaker Bio: Elizabeth Vartkessian, Ph.D Executive Director, Advancing Real Change, Inc. Dr. Vartkessian has been investigating the life histories of those facing the most severe penalties possible in the United States since 2004. She started working as a mitigation specialist in Houston, Texas at a time when it was the epicenter of capital punishment. There she learned and developed skills aimed at helping decision-makers have a full picture of her clients. After starting a successful private practice and obtaining her Ph.D. in Law from the University of Oxford, Dr. Vartkessian and several colleagues created Advancing Real Change, Inc. (ARC) a national non-profit located in Baltimore, MD dedicated to conducting high-quality life history investigations in criminal cases. Dr. Vartkessian is committed to having the history of an accused at the forefront of their criminal cases. She has worked as a mitigation specialist with defense teams in trial and post-conviction cases in state and federal jurisdictions and is an international expert on the collection and effective presentation of mitigating evidence, as well as the standard of care required by the defense in death penalty and juvenile cases. Please direct all questions concerning this webinar to Allison Bishop at alb@advancechange.org.