Youth Represent
Laurie Parise, Founder & Executive Director
Youth Represent (YR) seeks “to ensure that young people affected by the criminal justice system are afforded every opportunity to reclaim lives of dignity, self-fulfillment and engagement in their communities.” YR provides comprehensive, quality criminal and civil legal representation and a range of social services to youth under 24 years old, advocates for laws that improve young peoples’ opportunities, and offers access to successful reentry programs including housing, education and employment services critical for future stability.
YR’s client-centered advocacy model provides representation to young people in criminal court and in housing and family court, employment discrimination actions and school suspension hearings. YR teaches youth about the collateral consequences of criminal justice involvement and eligibility for youth offender status. YR is actively engaged in public policy efforts to provide early release from probation for eligible youth offenders and to increase the upper age of juvenile court in New York State.