Juvenile Justice
Initiative Program
MENTOR Rhode Island’s Juvenile Justice Initiative (JJI) is a community-driven program designed to provide meaningful alternatives to the formal justice system for youth ages 12 to 21, with a focus on youth of color.
Through skills-based mentoring, young people are given opportunities to build positive relationships, gain life and job-readiness skills, and stay connected to their communities—instead of facing incarceration.
Funded previously by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, JJI partners with local schools, police departments, Rhode Island Family Court, DCYF, Juvenile Hearing Boards, and community leaders to deliver mentoring services that include:
and shared experiences
- Community engagement and service opportunities
- Job-related skills training
- Educational support
- Conflict resolution and communication skills
- Social and emotional development
- Group mentoring sessions lead by mentors who have lived
Together, we’re helping youth thrive and build a brighter future.
“No one was listening. I was moved from program to program, and now I feel like I’m part of something that gets me.”
— Juvenile Justice Initiative Youth Participant
WHY?
Youth of color continue to be disproportionately represented at every stage of the juvenile justice system.
The 2025 Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Factbook states that 30% of referred offenses involved Black youth who only make up 6% of the Rhode Island child population. Youth of Color are disproportionately referred to the Family Court compared to their representation in the youth population.
Research shows that incarcerating youth is costly and leads to worse public safety outcomes and higher recidivism rates than community-based alternatives.
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the National Juvenile Justice Network research indicates developmentally, young children are unable to understand court proceedings and participate meaningfully in their defense. They are also more likely to experience trauma through the court process and physical harm if sentenced to custody. Rhode Island is one of 24 states that currently has no minimum age of jurisdiction for Family Court. In New England, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont have laws that set a minimum age for children to be tried in juvenile court. Research suggests that setting a minimum age of jurisdiction at age 14 would be developmentally appropriate and in the best interest of children, especially Children of Color.
HOW?
We receive referrals from police, judges, hearing boards, parole officers, safety advocates, community partners, school personnel, family members, or others who encounter a young person at risk of entering the formal juvenile justice system.
Along with our community partners, Nonviolence Institute, and the Center for Collaboration and Mediation RI, we connect youth to the resources they need. We provide group mentoring and case management. We also help youth access leadership and job training, counseling, education on conflict resolution, the principles and practices of nonviolence, and more.
MENTOR Rhode Island creates individualized plans for each young person referred to the Juvenile Justice Initiative. These plans include a range of diversionary services tailored to their unique needs.
What We Need From You
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Thank you to our partners!
