Moving in the Right Direction

Sloane Baxter was on the wrong path—one that led him to enter the juvenile justice system at the age of 14. A year ago this month, Sloane appeared before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce to share his journey through the juvenile justice system. He was initially sent to a detention center, a compound with barbed wire, and described this as a place where “no one felt safe.” After two months at the center, Sloane was accepted and transferred to Boys Town.  

At Boys Town, Sloane thrived in its family atmosphere and was able to obtain the individual care and attention he needed. “Having people who believed in me unlocked a whole new way of life,” he said. After realizing his full potential, Sloane went on to enroll in high school and use the skills he learned at Boys Town to become a peer mediator before graduating in 2012.

Today, Sloane operates his own home improvement small business while also working as a coffee barista. He credits Boys Town for providing him with the skills he uses today—helping him change his life for the better.

Boys Town was the program that helped me, and so many others just like me, turn our lives around. But I’m not any different from other kids who find themselves in trouble with the law. The difference is that someone didn’t just lock me away and give up on me. Instead, I got help and support in my community, and I was able to
make changes for the long-term.

To help more vulnerable Americans like Sloane find a better way, the House passed the Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act (H.R. 5963) last month. This bipartisan legislation, introduced by Reps. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) and Bobby Scott (D-VA), includes positive reforms to:

• Set kids up for long-term success by helping them acquire skills necessary to grow into productive members of society and promoting opportunities to turn their lives around;
    
• Provide state and local leaders flexibility to meet the needs of delinquent youth in their communities and improve public safety;
     
• Help at-risk youth avoid the juvenile justice system by supporting prevention services;
     
• Prioritize what works by focusing on evidence-based strategies with proven track records; and
      
  
• Improve accountability and oversight to deliver positive outcomes for kids and protect taxpayers.

Sloane’s life story demonstrates the positive impact programs like Boys Town can have on the future of America’s youth. With reforms like H.R. 5963, Congress can better assist state and local leaders serve their communities and help other at-risk youth, like Sloane, reach their full potential.