by Shara Taylor
CRIMINAL JUSTICE NEEDS CHANGING
Even though millions of dollars are pumped into helping teens stay out of trouble, youth recidivism still isn’t monitored the way it could be, experts said.
The U.S. Department of Justice awarded nearly $100 million to local governments and community organizations to help fight recidivism last year. Still, “many jurisdictions don’t track recidivism and those that do have high rates of reoffending — sometimes as high as 75% after three years,” according to the Council of State Governments Justice Center.
Students who enter the juvenile justice system but go on to complete high school are less likely to become repeat offenders, a 2015 Brown University study found.
None of Café Momentum’s participants end up back in prison, cafe momentum
said Stand Together Foundation Executive Director Evan Feinberg. Stand Together Foundation works with nonprofit organizations to help them by providing access to networking and funding.
SERVING FOOD IN PHOENIX
The main attraction during Super LVII was the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, but social justice efforts were underway on the sidelines. Café Momentum provided a food truck during the Super Bowl Experience in Phoenix. The event gave teens a chance to talk about how being with Café Momentum helped their lives.
“I never felt like I had a first chance, so to be able to have that second one was amazing,” said 19-year-old Cameron Carver. “That’s all I felt like I really needed.”
Carver has been with the program for four years. He served a brief sentence and a probation officer connected him with Café Momentum. He now has his sights set on a high school diploma.
“I’ve learned so much, like (placing) the work ethic in the restaurant first,” Carver said. “You have to be organized. Teamwork that’s the main thing (and) sense of urgency.”
Feinberg said serving food in a sports setting gives teens like Carver a huge boost of confidence.
“They are serving fans, players, influencers, retired legends, media (and) everyone that’s here at the Super Bowl,” Feinberg said. “It’s a platform to not only get the word out about the transformative impact of Café Momentum but really to inspire broader change.”
Café Momentum is serving a purpose that at-risk teenagers really need, said Dhani Jones, a former NFL linebacker now with Stand Together.
“What’s so amazing about the organization is that it really provides that change for these young people and provides that second chance,” Jones said. “I think the biggest story is what happens when they leave Café Momentum. The biggest story is that they don’t go back into the system.”
