Before They Could Dream: An Exploration of Youth Justice and Incarceration in the United States

Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions
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Before They Could Dream is a seven-episode podcast series that explores the history, lived experiences, and lasting impact of youth incarceration in the United States.  The Aspen Institute’s Forum for Community Solutions (AIFCS) in partnership with the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY) and Green Buzz Agency, set out to tell the story of youth incarceration in the United States from the perspective of five people who were given extreme sentences as children. The series explores each person’s early childhood, the dreams they once imagined, the choices they made under often dire circumstances, and the consequences that have followed them into adulthood. We’ve also invited a group of experts to join the conversation, grounding each story in vital factual, legal, and historical context. Together, they illuminate a system most Americans rarely see and the realities young people face when the law decides their futures before they can dream.   Experts include:   · Dr. Robert Kinscerff, Executive Director of the Center for Law, Brain and Behavior  · Marsha Levick, co-founder and former chief legal officer of the Juvenile Law Center · Eduardo Bocanegra, Interim Executive Director of the Noah’s Arc Foundation and former Senior Advisor at the Office of the Attorney General for the Department of Justice of the United States · Joshua Rovner, Senior Research Analyst at The Sentencing Project, a research and advocacy organization working to advance effective and humane responses to crime that minimize imprisonment and criminalization of youth and adults by promoting racial, ethnic, economic, and gender justice. · ayoola mitchell, founder of the National Healing Collective, mom, and survivor · Yasmin Vafa, co-founder and Executive Director of Rights4Girls, an advocacy organization working for the dignity and rights of young women and girls so that every girl can be safe and live a life free of violence and exploitation    Together, these experts helped spell out the data on youth incarceration, brain development research, policy and legal history, along with the nuances of harm and healing to help understand not only how we got here, but where we must go next.   Themes may include physical, mental, and sexual abuse and suicide along with adult language.

Episodes

  1. SEASON 1 TRAILER

    (Trailer) Before They Could Dream: An Exploration of Youth Justice and Incarceration in the United States

    Before They Could Dream is a seven-episode podcast series that explores the history, lived experiences, and lasting impact of youth incarceration in the United States.  The Aspen Institute’s Forum for Community Solutions (AIFCS) in partnership with the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY) and Green Buzz Agency, set out to tell the story of youth incarceration in the United States from the perspective of five people who were given extreme sentences as children. The series explores each person’s early childhood, the dreams they once imagined, the choices they made under often dire circumstances, and the consequences that have followed them into adulthood. We’ve also invited a group of experts to join the conversation, grounding each story in vital factual, legal, and historical context. Together, they illuminate a system most Americans rarely see and the realities young people face when the law decides their futures before they can dream. Experts include: Dr. Robert Kinscerff, Executive Director of the Center for Law, Brain and Behavior Marsha Levick, co-founder and former chief legal officer of the Juvenile Law CenterEduardo Bocanegra, Interim Executive Director of the Noah’s Arc Foundation and former Senior Advisor at the Office of the Attorney General for the Department of Justice of the United StatesJoshua Rovner, Senior Research Analyst at The Sentencing Project, a research and advocacy organization working to advance effective and humane responses to crime that minimize imprisonment and criminalization of youth and adults by promoting racial, ethnic, economic, and gender justice.ayoola mitchell, founder of the National Healing Collective, mom, and survivorYasmin Vafa, co-founder and Executive Director of Rights4Girls, an advocacy organization working for the dignity and rights of young women and girls so that every girl can be safe and live a life free of violence and exploitation  Together, these experts helped spell out the data on youth incarceration, brain development research, policy and legal history, along with the nuances of harm and healing to help understand not only how we got here, but where we must go next. Themes may include physical, mental, and sexual abuse and suicide along with adult language. A partnered production of The Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions (AIFCS), The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY), Green Buzz Agency and our expert panelists.

    3 min

Trailer

About

Before They Could Dream is a seven-episode podcast series that explores the history, lived experiences, and lasting impact of youth incarceration in the United States.  The Aspen Institute’s Forum for Community Solutions (AIFCS) in partnership with the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY) and Green Buzz Agency, set out to tell the story of youth incarceration in the United States from the perspective of five people who were given extreme sentences as children. The series explores each person’s early childhood, the dreams they once imagined, the choices they made under often dire circumstances, and the consequences that have followed them into adulthood. We’ve also invited a group of experts to join the conversation, grounding each story in vital factual, legal, and historical context. Together, they illuminate a system most Americans rarely see and the realities young people face when the law decides their futures before they can dream.   Experts include:   · Dr. Robert Kinscerff, Executive Director of the Center for Law, Brain and Behavior  · Marsha Levick, co-founder and former chief legal officer of the Juvenile Law Center · Eduardo Bocanegra, Interim Executive Director of the Noah’s Arc Foundation and former Senior Advisor at the Office of the Attorney General for the Department of Justice of the United States · Joshua Rovner, Senior Research Analyst at The Sentencing Project, a research and advocacy organization working to advance effective and humane responses to crime that minimize imprisonment and criminalization of youth and adults by promoting racial, ethnic, economic, and gender justice. · ayoola mitchell, founder of the National Healing Collective, mom, and survivor · Yasmin Vafa, co-founder and Executive Director of Rights4Girls, an advocacy organization working for the dignity and rights of young women and girls so that every girl can be safe and live a life free of violence and exploitation    Together, these experts helped spell out the data on youth incarceration, brain development research, policy and legal history, along with the nuances of harm and healing to help understand not only how we got here, but where we must go next.   Themes may include physical, mental, and sexual abuse and suicide along with adult language.

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