About
Mission Statement
The Institute for Juvenile Justice and Behavioral Policy is a non-partisan policy research, advocacy, and field-response organization dedicated to dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline, safeguarding neurodivergent (ND) youth from institutional abuse, and preventing fatal elopement incidents. By bridging the critical divide between statutory due process, clinical behavioral science, and frontline emergency response, the Institute drafts high-impact policy, develops compliance frameworks, and deploys specialized ground operations to protect the physical, civil, and mental health rights of vulnerable youth.
The Problem
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The Criminalization of Disability: Neurodivergent children are five times more likely to be arrested in public school systems than their neurotypical peers. School districts routinely utilize School Resource Officers to manage behavioral crises that stem directly from clinical manifestations of a child’s disability, bypassing federal protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
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Institutional Abuse Vulnerability: Autistic and neurodivergent children are exceptionally susceptible to physical, sexual, and psychological abuse by institutional caretakers. Systemic boundary violations and excessive restraints are frequently cloaked behind the guise of "behavior management."
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Lethal Elopement & Wandering Risks: Unfortified physical environments and standard emergency response protocols fail to protect autistic youth during crisis events. Over 70% of fatal wandering incidents stem from accidental drowning, compounded by high-stimulus search tactics (sirens, loud hailing) that induce panic rather than safe recovery.
The Solution
The Institute deploys a unique, multi-disciplinary leadership structure uniting criminal justice legal scholars, clinical researchers, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), and tactical safety specialists. We drive systemic change through two distinct branches of action:
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Legislative & Behavioral Policy: We transform raw clinical data and field evidence into high-impact white papers, model legislation, and institutional compliance standards to protect neurodivergent youth before legislative bodies, school systems, and corporate boards.
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Project SENTRY (Operational Arm): Our specialized frontline initiative focused on acute wandering prevention and recovery. Project SENTRY deploys credentialed BCBA-led search teams utilizing low-stimulus recovery tactics, certifies vacation rentals through the Certified Autism-Adapted Rental™ program, and provides free SENTRY SafeHaven home and travel defense kits directly to at-risk families.
The Institute operates under a lean, highly specialized executive structure designed to command immediate academic, legal, clinical, and operational authority.
LEGAL NOTICE & CAREGIVER ACKNOWLEDGMENT:
"The wandering-deterrent features, chimes, and locks provided in this property are supplemental physical barriers designed solely to delay egress and assist caregivers. They are not a substitute for continuous, active adult supervision. The Institute of Juvenile Justice and Behavioral Policy, Project SENTRY, and property owners make no express or implied warranty that these devices will prevent all unsupervised exits. Caregivers maintain sole legal responsibility for the supervision and physical safety of minors under their care."
"Notice: The SENTRY SafeHaven package contains supplemental wandering-deterrent devices designed to delay egress and alert caregivers. These devices do not replace active, continuous adult supervision."