Solidarity in action: Collaborating with system-impacted youth to transform the juvenile (in)justice system through YPAR

Abstract

The juvenile “justice” system in the United States and the expansion of the carceral state into communities of color are deeply rooted in white supremacy. To challenge these oppressive systems, it is essential for system-impacted youth to have access to these subjugated histories. We argue that critical youth participatory action research (YPAR) is a powerful tool for providing these youth with the necessary exposure, space, and support to access these histories, develop critical consciousness, and transform their personal pain and experiences into reflection, collaboration, and actions aimed at challenging oppressive systems such as the juvenile legal system. To illustrate this potential, we present an overview of recent YPAR projects in partnership with system-impacted youth. We underscore the importance of system-impacted youth in meaningful, non-tokenistic ways. Concrete recommendations for supporting YPAR projects with system-impacted youth are provided.