Cohen Statement on DOJ Report on the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today issued the following statement on a comprehensive investigation the U.S. Department of Justice conducted on the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County, and the Shelby County Juvenile Detention Center.

“Due process is a fundamental right,” said Congressman Cohen. “Throughout my career, I’ve worked to ensure fairness in the criminal justice system by authoring legislation like the Justice Integrity Act and the Restorative Justice in Schools Act, bills that would help reduce racial disparities in the criminal justice system and prevent kids from turning to a life of crime. As disturbing as the Justice Department report is, I’m pleased to hear that the Juvenile Court and the Juvenile Detention Center are already working with the Justice Department to address these concerns. I’m confident that Judge Curtis Person and the many other dedicated employees of the juvenile court system can turn things around by working with the Justice Department, and that their work will help provide our children in the juvenile justice system with the tools they need to abandon a life of crime for more promising, productive futures.”

The Justice Department found that the juvenile court fails to provide constitutionally required due process to all children appearing for delinquency proceedings, that the court’s administration of juvenile justice discriminates against African-American children, and that its detention center violates the substantive due process rights of detained youth by not providing them with reasonably safe conditions of confinement. The investigation, opened in August 2009, was conducted under provisions of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Congressman Cohen’s Justice Integrity Act (H.R. 1771) would create a pilot program to examine racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system and develop solutions to this injustice. The Congressman’s Restorative Justice in Schools Act (H.R. 415) would allow school systems to use certain federal funds for innovative conflict resolution programs.

To learn more about the Department of Justice report please click here.