Mentoring & Court Advocacy

Why is Mentoring & Court Advocacy significant parts of our organization;
Documentation of our Courts and Correctional Institutions have shown that youth of color are significantly represented in many aspects of the juvenile justice system when compared to their total population. This occurs from arrest to court referral and confinement, as reported by the Juvenile Justice Geography Policy, Practice, and Statistics on Racial /Ethnic Fairness.

Providing a proactive solution through mentoring is one of the best alternative solutions. I understand that not every child can play sports, and thus marching music has proven to provide kids with both mentoring and structure. As a native Washingtonian who participated in marching music as a kid, I can speak first hand how the mentoring of its staff, a positive program, and environment, kept me and many whom I marched with off the streets. It enabled us to beat the odds and overcome the negative influences that were so pervasive around us. Although this is a proactive approach and solution to a dilemma that continues to plague our community, we must also be prepared and willing to provide support and assistance to both families and kids who make poor choices and bad decisions that cause them to end up in our Juvenile Court and Justice System.

Leaders and organizations that seek to make a difference must be willing to take a risk if we wish to make any significant impact on those communities, kids, and families that are most vulnerable. Court Advocacy provides us the opportunity to assist families that are navigating through the Juvenile Court System. I have found that judges and courts are more likely to show leniency, impose minimum sentencing requirements, and impose probation as an alternative solution when kids are shown to have other support programs in place like Fusion. Fusion has seen that standing with the Parents/Guardians and Juvenile Offenders in courts produces positive outcomes for all involved in the Juvenile Justice System.