<p><a href="http://remixthenarrative.org/?utm_source=wkkf&amp;utm_medium=socialshare&amp;utm_content=RemixTheNarrative&amp;utm_campaign=wkkfdigital#intro"><img alt="" src="https://jsri.loyno.edu/sites/loyno.edu.jsri/files/remix the narrative.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 291px;" /></a></p>

<p>Roughly 6,000 17-year-olds were arrested in 2014 in Louisiana, the vast majority for nonviolent crimes. Every one of them was treated as an adult offender and funneled through adult jails. That is a bad approach to justice.</p>
<p>&quot;These kids are not threats to public safety,&quot; said Stephen Phillippi, an LSU professor who authored a study requested by the Legislature on raising the juvenile age.</p>
<p>Being labeled as an adult offender for a youthful mistake can stick with people for life, affecting their ability to get an education, join the military or get a decent job. Spending even a short time in an adult prison could put 17-year-olds at risk of violence from older inmates and turn them into hardened offenders.</p>
<p>Research shows that &quot;the brains of 17-year-olds are still developing, causing 17-year-olds to engage in more risky and impulsive behavior, and this behavior is exacerbated when in the presence of peers,&quot; according to the study from the Institute for Public Health and Justice at LSU in New Orleans. In other words, they aren&#39;t fully grown emotionally. That affects their ability to understand the long-term consequences of their actions.</p>
<p>Those factors don&#39;t excuse bad behavior but should make the state deal with these offenders differently.</p>
<p>Louisiana is out of step nationally. Forty-one other states classify 17-year-olds as juveniles and handle most of those cases in youth or family courts. At least four more states are working to raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to 18, according to the LSU study.</p>
<p>Mr. Phillippi said the states that have most recently changed their juvenile offender age to 18 &mdash; including Mississippi in 2010 &mdash; have had smooth transitions and have in some cases saved money.</p>
<p>It is more expensive to house a juvenile offender on a daily basis, but they typically are released sooner than adult offenders, advocates say. In addition, there are some 17-year-olds who shouldn&#39;t be locked up at all. They should be in community-based education or treatment programs.</p>
<p>Research shows that the vast majority of juveniles grow out of antisocial activity as they become adults and learn to control impulsive behavior, according to the LSU study. Felons who are 17 years old are equally good candidates for rehabilitation as younger offenders committing the same crimes, researchers have found.</p>
<p>Of course, there are young people who are 17 &mdash; and even younger &mdash; who commit violent acts. The juvenile system may not be appropriate in those cases.</p>
<p>The LSU study recommends raising the juvenile offender age only for routine offenses. State law provides for the transfer of offenders as young as 14 to adult court for some other violent crimes. Juvenile advocates who hope the Legislature will raise the juvenile age to 18 this year say they aren&#39;t pushing to change that law.</p>
<p>No legislation has been filed yet, and the details will be important to understand.</p>
<p>But Louisiana has taken a misguided approach to sentencing for years, and not only for 17-year-olds.</p>
<p>The state&#39;s prison population doubled over the past 20 years to 40,000, mainly because of mandatory minimum sentences. &quot;Only 37 percent of offenders in Louisiana have been convicted of violent crimes ... and the average sentence for a drug-related crime is almost 10 years,&quot; according to a 2014 report from Blueprint Louisiana, a statewide citizen group focused on reforms in criminal justice, education and other issues.</p>
<p>Using that many resources for prisons takes money away from education and health care and other vital services. When you consider the lost human potential, the costs are even greater.</p>
<p>And it is even worse to give up on children who have made a mistake and most likely will change their ways if given a chance.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2016/02/juvenile_offender_age.html#incart_river_mobileshort_home">MORE&gt;&gt;</a></p>

<p>January 28, 2016 &mdash; On January 25 the Supreme Court of the United States and President Obama both announced important decisions that will improve our nation&rsquo;s justice system for the better. During his address to the U.S. Congress last September, Pope Francis offered &ldquo;encouragement to all those who are convinced that a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.&rdquo; It is in the spirit of Pope Francis&#39; words that the Jesuits of the United States applaud the Obama Administration and the Supreme Court for these life-changing actions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Supreme Court&rsquo;s 6-3 decision in Montgomery v. Louisiana will now give individuals, who as children were sentenced to mandatory life in prison without the possibility of parole, an opportunity to appeal for judicial review and new sentences. Prior to the court&rsquo;s decision, individuals sentenced in this manner as juveniles did not have the opportunity to challenge their sentences despite the Supreme Court&rsquo;s finding in Miller v. Alabama (2012) that mandatory life without parole sentences for juveniles are cruel and unusual.</p>
<p>In addition to the Supreme Court decision, President Obama announced a ban on the use of solitary confinement of juveniles in the federal prison system, as well as stricter guidelines for the use of solitary confinement on adult inmates. On any given day in the United States there are between 80,000 and 100,000 inmates in solitary confinement. World opinion, as expressed by the United Nations, has called for an absolute prohibition on the use of any form of solitary confinement beyond 15 days, stating that such a practice constitutes psychological torture. In the United States, 46 states use some form of solitary confinement that lasts between 30 days and indefinite confinement.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>In response to these decisions, Fr. Timothy Kesicki, SJ, President of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, released the following statement: &ldquo;These decisions reflect important truths about children and our justice system. First, all people, but especially children, have an inherent capacity to grow and change over time despite their worst mistakes. Any sentence that rules out the possibility of change is fundamentally flawed. Second, we have seen time and again the traumatic damage that solitary confinement causes young minds. The reliance on this practice has particularly impacted youth of color. Going forward, we hope lawmakers will further limit the use of solitary confinement to internationally accepted standards for all inmates.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Despite these important victories, much more can and must be done to create a justice system that recognizes, in the pope&rsquo;s words, that &ldquo;God is in everyone&rsquo;s life. Even if the life of a person has been a disaster.&rdquo; As a first step, Congress should pass the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act, which would provide some relief for nonviolent drug offenders during sentencing and offer additional anti-recidivism programming for inmates in federal prison.</p>
<p>We must embrace a path toward more fundamental change in our criminal justice system. In order to confront mass incarceration, lawmakers must abolish excessively harsh sentences, including the death penalty, and address the racial and economic disparities in policing and prosecutions that continue to undermine our shared values of fairness and equality before the law. Policymakers must ensure access to adequate legal representation for impoverished individuals, and prison conditions must be reformed to offer constructive punishment that facilitates rehabilitation and reduces recidivism.</p>
<p>In order to give individuals the chance to reintegrate successfully in society, lawmakers must reevaluate policies that bar former offenders from accessing educational, housing and other opportunities. More resources should go to proven and innovative crime prevention methods rather than costly punishments with poor outcomes. In short, we must stop relying on the justice system as the answer to poverty, addiction, and unmet mental health needs in our country.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://jesuits.org/news-detail?TN=NEWS-20160128015905">MORE&gt;&gt;</a></p>

<h2>
American Citizens Denied Birth Certificates in Texas</h2>
<p>BY JEANIE DONOVAN, M.P.A., M.P.H.</p>
<p>Birthright citizenship, referred to in legal doctrine as jus soli, is a well-established constitutional right in the United States. It has, however, come under scrutiny in reaction to the recent influx of immigrants from Mexico and Central America. Conservative presidential candidates, elected officials, and pundits have commented on the need to restrict birthright citizenship to stem the flow of immigrants.[1]</p>
<p>&nbsp;Although it is a constitutional right that would require federal action to change, states have taken calculated steps to restrict the clearly defined right to citizenship established by the Fourteenth Amendment. In Texas, officials have implemented a policy that denies access to birth certificates to children born in Texas to undocumented parents. The policy prompted a federal lawsuit, and a judge will soon determine the constitutionality and legality of Texas&rsquo; actions. In the meantime, perhaps Texas officials should give consideration to Pope Francis&rsquo; teachings on injustice.</p>
<p>In his recent address to Congress, Pope Francis addressed the divisiveness of such discriminatory behavior toward immigrants and urged leaders to redirect their efforts. He said: &ldquo;Even in the developed world, the effects of unjust structures and actions are all too apparent. Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples.&rdquo;[2]</p>
<p>The pontiff went on to remark about the immigrants who are journeying to the U.S. seeking safety and economic opportunity for themselves and their families. He then asked listeners a poignant question: &ldquo;On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own children?&rdquo;[3]</p>
<p><a href="https://jsri.loyno.edu/sites/loyno.edu.jsri/files/Winter%20JustSouth%20Quarterly%20Caught%20in%20the%20Middle.pdf">MORE&gt;&gt;</a></p>

<p><a href="https://loyno.adobeconnect.com/_a1003397705/p6oe35zgu2e/?launcher=false&amp;fcsContent=true&amp;pbMode=normal"><img alt="" src="https://jsri.loyno.edu/sites/loyno.edu.jsri/files/Weishar Webinar.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 400px;" /></a></p>

<p>By Fred Kammer, SJ&nbsp;</p>
<p>On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the bill that led to the Medicare and Medicaid programs that we know today. Medicare is widely popular, especially among seniors, as the health insurance program that covers 52.3 million Americans: 43.5 million elders and 8.8 million people who are disabled.[1] Medicaid insures one in five Americans and one in three American children. Medicaid, as a &ldquo;health welfare&rdquo; program covering poor children, parents, elders, persons with disabilities, and others, continues to be controversial despite its many successes for the American people. This article traces its reach, impact, and costs.</p>
<p><strong>Beneficiaries of Medicaid</strong></p>
<p>As reported by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP),[2] the Medicaid program reached 80 million low-income Americans in 2014 with essential health care services. This included 31 million children, 19 million adults (most of whom were low-income working parents), 5 million seniors (many of whom receive nursing home care), and 9 million persons with disabilities. In terms of participation, 87.2 percent of the children who are eligible for Medicaid or the Children&rsquo;s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) participate in the program, as do 65.6 percent of low-income adults with children who are eligible under the program guidelines. In the Gulf South, Medicaid helps 11,677,200 persons, a majority of whom are children, elderly, or persons with disabilities.[3]</p>
<p><a href="https://jsri.loyno.edu/sites/loyno.edu.jsri/files/JustSouth Quarterly Winter Medicaid Medicare.pdf">MORE&gt;&gt;</a></p>

<p>2016 Harry A. Fagan Roundtable Award Winner</p>
<p>Fr. Fred Kammer, SJ, J. D., is a priest, an attorney, and a member of the Central and Southern Province of the Jesuits. He has been director of the Jesuit Social Research Institute (JSRI) since March, 2009. JSRI works to transform the Gulf South through action research, analysis, education, and advocacy on the core issues of poverty, race, and migration. The Institute is a collaboration of Loyola University New Orleans and the Society of Jesus rooted in the faith that does justice. Fred is the editor and regular contributor to JSRI&rsquo;s publication &ldquo;Just South&rdquo; and writes regular columns on Catholic Social Teaching and current issues.</p>
<p>From 2002 to 2008, Fred was the Provincial Superior of the Jesuits of the New Orleans Province, guiding their post-Katrina recovery and service to the devastated region&rsquo;s poor and needy. From 1992 to 2001, he was the President/CEO of Catholic Charities USA, the nation&rsquo;s largest voluntary human service network. Fred has worked in a number of programs for the underprivileged, both as a lay volunteer, an attorney, an advocate, and an administrator. From 1990 to 1992, he was the Policy Advisor for Health and Welfare Issues, Department of Social Development and World Peace, U.S. Catholic Conference. Prior to that, from 1984 to 1989, he was Executive Director of Catholic Community Services of Baton Rouge, Inc. Earlier, from 1977 to 1983, he was Director of the Senior Citizens Law Project of the Atlanta Legal Aid Society.</p>
<p>Fred&rsquo;s first book, Doing Faithjustice: An Introduction to Catholic Social Thought, was published by Paulist Press in May, 1991 (second printing, 1992; third printing, 2005). This book is considered by many in the U.S. to be &ldquo;essential reading&rdquo; for those committed to the &ldquo;faith that does justice.&rdquo; It is used as a text book for social justice and morality classes in a number of high schools and colleges. His second book, Salted with Fire: Spirituality for the Faithjustice Journey, was published in January, 1995, again by Paulist Press, and republished in 2008 . His latest book, Faith. Works. Wonders.&ndash;An Insider&rsquo;s Guide to Catholic Charities, was published in September, 2009, by Wipf and Stock Publishers.</p>
<p>Fred native received his J.D. from Yale University and M. Div. from Loyola University in Chicago. He holds honorary doctorates from Fairfield University, Gonzaga University, Creighton University, Spring Hill College, and the University of San Francisco (1999).</p>
<p>Fred currently serves as chair of the board of the Ignatian Solidarity Network. He has also had a long association with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps as a founder of JVC:South, a leader for over 30 &ldquo;Re-Orientation&rdquo; retreats and now as a JVC board member. He has a strong commitment to nurturing in young people a passion for social justice. In fact, most people who meet and work with Fred would describe him as a passionate, dedicated, smart, tireless advocate for the poor and marginalized, one who has been able to stay in this work for the long haul because he is so firmly rooted in his faith and his Jesuit vocation. He has been a leader and role model for many people in the Catholic Church and in the Catholic church and health care arena for many years. He would never seek this kind of honor, but I&rsquo;m sure it would mean a great deal to him to receive it at this time from peers at the Roundtable who I&rsquo;m sure he admires &ndash; and who cherish the contributions he has made to their work through his writing and his witness.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Roundtable Association of Catholic Diocesan Social Action Directors presents the Harry A. Fagan Award annually to a person or persons whose work, in the tradition of Catholic social teaching, has led to significant progress towards greater social justice and dignity for all members of society at the national or international level.</p>
<p>The Roundtable Association of Diocesan Social Action Directors honors an individual or individuals who have made unique contributions to the achievement of the Catholic vision of social justice in the national and/or international community.</p>
<p>Their work will:</p>
<p>&bull; have made an impact on significant numbers of persons, or set a precedent or example which affected many</p>
<p>&bull; have affected progress in the national or international communities toward eliminating social, economic, or political injustice or discrimination</p>
<p>&bull; have affected progress towards guaranteeing basic human dignity and rights as defined in Catholic social teaching</p>
<p>They will have shown evidence of linking faith and justice, in light of Catholic social teaching, through education which leads to action (advocacy, empowerment, and organizing) on issues, policies, and social structures that contribute to the building of God&rsquo;s kingdom on earth.</p>
<p><a href="http://catholicroundtable.org/harry-a-fagan-roundtable-award">MORE&gt;&gt;&nbsp;</a></p>

<p>In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, Pope Francis has asked that we open our hearts to those marginalized by fear and indifference, so they can &ldquo;feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity.&rdquo; One way that the Jesuit Social Research Institute at Loyola has been trying to live out &nbsp;this call for mercy is by organizing Catholic Teach-Ins on Migration, where members of a Catholic parish or school meet, listen to, and pray with undocumented immigrant members of the community. At the January 21 LIM webinar JSRI Migration Specialist Sue Weishar will discuss how to organize a Catholic Teach-In on Migration in your faith community and the powerful experiences of compassion and conversion she has witnessed at these encounters.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.lim.loyno.edu/webinars">More Information&gt;&gt;</a></p>

<p>by Sue Weishar, Ph.D.</p>
<p>On a brilliantly sunny, crisp winter afternoon last month, a diverse group of more than 100 New Orleanians gathered at the Monument to the Immigrant in Woldenberg Park to show our support for Syrian refugees and celebrate what makes New Orleans and our country worth fleeing halfway across the globe to reach. The <a href="http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/12/syrian_refugee_welcome_rally_r.html">Rally and March</a> to Welcome Syrian Refugees began with remarks by Farah Alkhafaf, who reminded those gathered that, having suffered through Hurricane Katrina, we know what it&rsquo;s like to seek shelter elsewhere. Then Farah, the lead organizer of the rally and a student at UNO, asked everyone to &ldquo;pass the peace&rdquo; by shaking hands and greeting the people around them. Thus began an event that dared to counter the relentless narrative of fear and xenophobia that opportunistic political &ldquo;leaders&rdquo; have promulgated since the Paris terrorist attacks.</p>
<p>Having directed the refugee resettlement program at Catholic Charities New Orleans for many years, I was then asked to speak about our city&rsquo;s long history of welcoming persecuted people. Since the arrival of Acadian refugees in the mid-18th Century, to refugees from the Haitian revolution at the turn of the 19th Century-- which doubled New Orleans&rsquo; population, to those fleeing war and persecution in Latin America, Vietnam, Bosnia, and Iraq in recent years, I reminded listeners that our city and state have always been enriched and strengthened by refugees and their ancestors.</p>
<p><a href="https://t.e2ma.net/webview/nlq2j/baf2da6f4ce973ba2b625ddbce45d591">MORE&gt;&gt;&nbsp;</a></p>

<p><img alt="" src="https://jsri.loyno.edu/sites/loyno.edu.jsri/files/The WHole Gritty City jpg 0112.jpg" style="width: 690px; height: 906px;" /></p>
<p>Watch trailer <a href="http://thewholegrittycity.com/">HERE</a></p>