Our annual state ratings process tracks the presence or absence of 12 categories of state statutes that are critical to protecting the human rights of children in the criminal justice system.
It is important to note that these 12 categories are not exhaustive of all the important legislation needed to safeguard children’s human rights. Furthermore, the ratings do not assess the effectiveness or implementation of these laws in the state. The purpose of the annual state ratings process is to document policies enacted by state legislatures, motivate legislators and policy advocates, and bring attention to the need to prioritize children in criminal justice reform and human rights advocacy. For each category, we track whether a state has a statute consistent with the described policy.
