Youth Criminal Justice Act

10th Annual Youth for Justice Summer Academy Wraps

Retrieved on: 
Friday, August 4, 2023

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Aug. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcohol Justice & Youth for Justice are pleased to announce the conclusion of the 10th annual Youth for Justice Summer Academy based at the Canal neighborhood headquarters of Alcohol Justice. 

Key Points: 
  • SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Aug. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcohol Justice & Youth for Justice are pleased to announce the conclusion of the 10th annual Youth for Justice Summer Academy based at the Canal neighborhood headquarters of Alcohol Justice.
  • This year's Summer Academy took place from July 24 to August 3 and was very special as it was the 10th anniversary of the event.
  • "We are so grateful to have been able to celebrate our tenth year of providing such a unique summer camp for our Latino youth from the Canal neighborhood," stated Maite Duran, Youth for Justice Program Director.
  • Youth for Justice and Alcohol Justice appreciate ongoing generous funding from the Marin County Juvenile Probation Department that helps make the Youth for Justice Summer Academy possible.

If you're sending intimate photos, taking a selfie is legally safer – here's how to protect yourself

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, July 11, 2023

There’s no shame in sending intimate photos to a partner, but it’s not without risk.

Key Points: 
  • There’s no shame in sending intimate photos to a partner, but it’s not without risk.
  • They will also make it a crime to “cyberflash” someone – sending an unsolicited nude.
  • If your photos are already out there, you may be wondering what legal rights and protections you have.
  • This article is part of Quarter Life, a series about issues affecting those of us in our twenties and thirties.
  • Sending takedown notices is free, and most websites have a copyright request form somewhere on their site.

Protecting children

    • And possessing such images is a criminal offence under the Criminal Justice Act 1988.
    • If pictures end up online, you can use Report Remove, an online tool from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, to report them, even if they aren’t of you.

Sharing safely


    Taking intimate photos and sharing them with consent can be fun, sexy and safe. But sharing photos of others without their consent can be incredibly harmful, and it is (or will soon be) illegal. We’ll never be able to stop all forms of abuse, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself, and lessen the number of people impacted by image-based sexual abuse.

1. Selfies are safer


    If you’re taking photos, take them yourself. Taking a selfie, and owning the copyright, means you can ask websites to take copies down by sending a takedown notice or using a website’s dedicated reporting form.

2. Choose your app wisely

    • If you’re sending sexy photos, set them to “view once” or put a time limit on them, or use an app that deletes images, like Snapchat.
    • This won’t protect you from screenshots, but it does lessen the risk of someone keeping your images.

3. Stay anonymous


    Keep your face, or any identifying features, out of the photos. If they are shared or posted, deniability might help to lessen any negative impacts on you. The increasing ease of creating “deepfake” nudes or pornography is complicating this. There are currently no existing criminal provisions around creating or sharing deepfakes, or nudifying apps. This may change slightly with the online safety bill.

4. Keep your photos to yourself – and delete the rest

    • If you’ve had a romantic or sexual liaison which involved photos, and the relationship has ended, delete the images and ask them to do the same.
    • You wouldn’t expect to keep having sex with your ex, why should you keep their photos?

BBC presenter scandal: an expert explains the law around exchanging sexually explicit images

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, July 11, 2023

What is known, however, is UK law when it comes to the exchange of sexually explicit material involving young people.

Key Points: 
  • What is known, however, is UK law when it comes to the exchange of sexually explicit material involving young people.
  • According to allegations by the young person’s mother published in The Sun, the presenter paid tens of thousands of pounds in exchange for explicit images.
  • The young person has claimed through their lawyer that “nothing inappropriate or unlawful has taken place”.
  • If the images were exchanged after the young person turned 18, it could be that no law was broken.
  • This law makes it an offence to take, show, make, distribute or advertise indecent photographs or “pseudo-photographs” of a child.

An abuse of power?

    • Any abuse of power or trust could be an aggravating factor which, for sentencing purposes, could increase the maximum sentence to four years’ imprisonment for the making offence.
    • A judge may also take into account the vulnerability of the child depicted, the number of images made or possessed and whether the child appeared to be intoxicated or drunk.
    • Since 2017, it extends to situations where images are streamed (such as via the internet) or otherwise transmitted by some other technological means.

Casepoint Wins 5-Year US Courts eDiscovery Contract

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 5, 2023

TYSONS, Va., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States Courts Defender Services Office (DSO) has awarded Casepoint a five-year contract to continue providing data ingestion, processing, hosting, review, analytics, continuous active learning, and productions for federal defenders offering legal defense as part of the Criminal Justice Act (CJA). The DSO renewed its partnership with Casepoint — the industry leader in legal discovery technology for litigation, investigations, and compliance — following an extensive rebid proposal, which included a project management plan, security plan, training plan, and live demo.

Key Points: 
  • Casepoint secures recompete to continue critical eDiscovery support for US Courts Defender Services' mission to provide fair representation to defendants unable to retain counsel.
  • TYSONS, Va., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States Courts Defender Services Office (DSO) has awarded Casepoint a five-year contract to continue providing data ingestion, processing, hosting, review, analytics, continuous active learning, and productions for federal defenders offering legal defense as part of the Criminal Justice Act ( CJA ).
  • The DSO chose Casepoint based on the strength of its secure, user-friendly Legal Hold and eDiscovery platform and powerful built-in AI and advanced analytics capabilities.
  • "We are thrilled DSO has chosen to continue to put their trust in Casepoint," said Amy Hilbert, Executive Vice President, Government Solutions .

Alcohol Justice's Youth For Justice™ Program Awarded Million Dollar Elevate Youth California Grant for Community Organizing in the San Rafael Canal Neighborhood

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 9, 2023

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Jan. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcohol Justice & Youth For Justice are pleased to announce receiving a million dollar grant to support after-school programs and substance use prevention education for Latinx youth and families in the Canal District of San Rafael, California.

Key Points: 
  • SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Jan. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcohol Justice & Youth For Justice are pleased to announce receiving a million dollar grant to support after-school programs and substance use prevention education for Latinx youth and families in the Canal District of San Rafael, California.
  • "The Canal" is a historically under-resourced and segregated community – the poorest neighborhood – in the richest county of California.
  • The Youth For Justice program is also proudly supported by the San Rafael Alcohol and Drug Coalition, the Juvenile Probation Department of Marin County, the Marin Prevention Program, and Alcohol Justice.
  • We are honored and blessed to be supported by Elevate Youth California."

Susan G. Kellman, Esquire, to Receive the 2021 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Second Circuit

Retrieved on: 
Monday, September 27, 2021

Susan G. Kellman has been selected to receive the prestigious 2021 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Second Circuit.

Key Points: 
  • Susan G. Kellman has been selected to receive the prestigious 2021 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Second Circuit.
  • She has also been designated as lead counsel on several cases eligible for the death penalty.
  • I dare say that I have met few attorneys more dedicated to their clients, and more hard-working on their behalf, than Susan.
  • The American Inns of Court, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, inspires the legal community to advance the rule of law by achieving the highest level of professionalism through example, education, and mentoring.

New Report - OUR STORES, OUR FUTURE - Ending Unsafe Alcohol Retail Practices Can Stop Underage Drinking Before It Starts

Retrieved on: 
Friday, September 24, 2021

"When we look at the San Rafael stores that have the most risk-conducive environments, the majority of them are within a mile of the major high school," stated report co-author Carson Benowitz-Fredericks, Research Director, Alcohol Justice. "It's where they walk every day, it's where they go get chips or a soda---and see all these alcopops that look just like sodas. That's just a hurricane of messaging surrounding these kids, trying to get them to pick up a bottle."

Key Points: 
  • The event marked the release of a new report titled: OUR STORES, OUR FUTURE Ending Unsafe Alcohol Retail Practices Can Stop Underage Drinking Before It Starts.
  • Thereport, based upon a recent survey and assessment of all San Rafael alcohol retail outlets, targeted an "Awful Eleven" for non-compliance with "Best Practices for Stores that Sell Alcohol" standards.
  • From the report: Among high school students in California's Marin County, underage alcohol use remains high.
  • "OUR STORES, OUR FUTURE Ending Unsafe Alcohol Retail Practices Can Stop Underage Drinking Before It Starts is another example of the excellent evidence-based reports that Alcohol Justice has been producing for the past 15 years," stated Cruz Avila, newly appointed Alcohol Justice Executive Director.

Alcohol Justice Executive Director / CEO Bruce Lee Livingston Retires

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 16, 2021

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Sept. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcohol Justice, the 34-year-old, San Rafael, California-based alcohol industry watchdog is losing its longtime Executive Director Bruce Lee Livingston.

Key Points: 
  • SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Sept. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcohol Justice, the 34-year-old, San Rafael, California-based alcohol industry watchdog is losing its longtime Executive Director Bruce Lee Livingston.
  • Bruce Livingston can be extremely proud of his remarkable accomplishments as Executive Director at Alcohol Justice.
  • Under Livingston, Alcohol Justice developed campaigns, built coalitions, and utilized strategic media advocacy nationwide to call out Big Alcohol.
  • "Throughout my 25 years in the non-profit sector, and my 14+ years at Alcohol Justice, Bruce has been the most talented E.D I've ever worked with,"stated Michael Scippa, Public Affairs Director at Alcohol Justice.

Federal Charges Dismissed in Meth Importation Case Defended by Attorney David Silldorf

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, August 31, 2021

"This was the only result we could accept for obvious reasons absent going to trial--which we were, of course, prepared to do. My client adamantly denied the charges from the time of her arrest to the day the government ultimately agreed to dismiss. We believed firmly in the strength of our defense case and workup. If we're being honest, it's always disappointing for a trial attorney to see a great trial case go away. In the end, however, it is always about our clients, and putting their interests first, above all else, including our own (selfish interests, e.g., going to trial). Credit goes to the federal prosecutor assigned to this case for reaching the right result as well. We are incredibly happy for our client who can now move on with her life after this significant period of fear, stress, and uncertainty."

Key Points: 
  • The Case (19-cr-04243-JLS), was filed in federal district court, for the Southern District of California in September 2019.
  • The case had been set for trial later this year when the government agreed to dismiss the charges filed against the defendant.
  • The criminal defense attorney who handled the case, David Silldorf , stated:
    "This was the only result we could accept for obvious reasons absent going to trial--which we were, of course, prepared to do.
  • If we're being honest, it's always disappointing for a trial attorney to see a great trial case go away.

Youth Courts and Sentencing Bill

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, February 27, 2021

Originated in the House of Commons, session 2019-21

Key Points: 

Originated in the House of Commons, session 2019-21
A Bill to provide that persons charged with a criminal offence having been aged under 18 at the time of the alleged offence are subject to the jurisdiction of the youth court and to youth sentencing provisions; and for connected purposes.