Laura Abrams presented her ideas on juvenile justice and reentry from incarceration at a Congressional briefing in DC on November 16, 2009.

Hosted by Senator Benjamin Cardin (Maryland), Professor Abrams joined representatives from national training and advocacy organizations devoted to improving the juvenile justice system to present promising approaches. The briefing presented a review current perspectives and scientific study of reentry services associated with juvenile offending and problematic behaviors. Community-based organizations offering comprehensive reentry services reviewed best practices and principles from the field; policy analysts offered a review of federal law and appropriations in support of reentry services and recommend ways to bolster national policy to offer meaningful reentry services to juveniles who exit secure facilities.

A research brief prepared by the Youth Reentry Task Force and outlining current findings and issues was also released.

The briefing was organized by the Youth Reentry Task Force, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Coalition, National Alliance to End Homelessness, and The Sentencing Project. Abrams is the principal investigator of the UCLA Juvenile Justice and Reentry Project.