Is recent legislation making DC safer, and for whom? A new report by the Council for Court Excellence digs in.

Earlier this year, the District of Columbia passed the Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024 (“SECURE DC”) in response to an increase in violent crimes, like homicide and carjackings. This permanent legislation included changes to D.C. law that had been part of emergency legislation first passed last summer, as well as several new provisions. While the public continues to express community safety concerns, response to SECURE DC remains controversial in a city where the costs of incarceration and policing have reached over $1 billion for the first time, and where a disproportionate number of Black people are justice-involved, including as victims of crime.

The Council for Court Excellence (CCE), a local nonprofit that works to enhance the justice system in DC to serve the public equitably, just released its fourth report offering a snapshot of our criminal legal systems. Among the questions this report addresses, the two biggest are arguably: Is SECURE DC effective? And who is most impacted by DC’s justice systems?

Since this legislation passed in the Spring of this year, the impacts of these significant policy changes are not yet clear. However, CCE’s new data analyses will be critical in providing a baseline to any changes in crime and incarceration that may be related to the law’s provisions. Both before and after its passage, CCE finds several encouraging changes in preliminary public safety data, namely carjacking and fare evasion rates on the decline.

Read CCE’s full report to learn more, and visit their website to support them in creating a safer, healthier, thriving DC.

The Council for Court Excellence was founded in 1982 by a group of leaders in the civic, legal, and business sectors to support the modernization of D.C. courts. Over the next few decades, the need for an independent voice on D.C.’s criminal, youth, and civil justice systems — beyond just the courts — became clear. CCE stepped in to fill that gap, keeping their model of interdisciplinary alliance but expanding their mission to include all aspects of our justice system. Today, CCE identifies and proposes solutions by collaborating with diverse stakeholders to conduct research, advance policy, educate the public, and increase civic engagement.

New Futures Believes in Young People

The first time Katie Bodie, a New Futures Scholars Program Advisor, met her Scholar Ahnaf, she could tell immediately that it was the start of a fruitful advising relationship. “He was very open to collaborating with me,” she said. Despite being one of the youngest Scholars in the cohort that year, Ahnaf was “eager to take note of any little piece of advice I had to offer… and act upon it.”

Katie’s determination to learn about Ahnaf made him feel comfortable opening up to her and move past the initial nervousness he felt as a first-time Scholar. “One thing I enjoy about her is her dedication to helping the Scholar. She really listens to every single minor detail a Scholar mentions in every meeting, and she becomes like a detective putting all the clues together and helping me achieve my goals,” Ahnaf said. “That inspires me and makes me feel like someone always has my back, and I feel very supported.”

In addition to personalized advising, Ahnaf received a financial scholarship, skill-building workshops, and networking opportunities. After a year and a half under his belt, he’s about to graduate early from Northern Virginia Community College as an Information Technology major and plans to attend George Mason University.

Ahnaf receiving his New Futures scholarship at Scholar Award Celebration in February 2023.

“A lot of students in college have the burden of getting extra class materials paid for, different services that different professors ask for,” Ahnaf shared. “The financial support New Futures provides me allows me to solely focus on my academic work and worry less about the school supplies.”

Twice a year, New Futures invests in systemically excluded young people in the Greater Washington region who plan to pursue an associate degree or professional certification. As the economy and workforce change, half of all positions filled in the next five years will require some postsecondary credentials but less than a bachelor’s degree. New Futures is the only organization in this region with an intentional focus on postsecondary credentials outside the traditional four-year college model, building a pipeline to high-growth industries and financial well-being.

After a rigorous recruitment cycle, selected applicants join a cohort of Scholars comprised of young people from the entire DMV region. Advisors like Katie welcome and celebrate them at the Scholar Award Ceremony, help them understand how to take advantage of New Futures programming at Orientation, and continually support them throughout their journeys. Upon completing their initial postsecondary credential, Scholars graduate into an alumni community with access to further career advising and professional development.

Ahnaf and fellow Scholar, Ahmad, at Scholars Weekend in 2023.

“One of the most memorable experiences I’ve had with New Futures is Scholars Weekend,” Ahnaf said. “Once a year, our new Scholars get truly special experience where they come with us for a weekend and focus on team-building and other opportunities to grow different skills,” Katie added. Out at the Claggett Center in Adamstown, MD, a group of 75 Scholars and advisors meet each other, learn together, and have fun. The activity that pushed Ahnaf out of his comfort zone most? His first time ever doing a zipline.

“Something I love about being an advisor is that I have the chance to work with Scholars in different capacities,” Katie said. “We meet them where they are… When I know a Scholar has an important thing coming up, like the start of an internship, I’m noting that, and I’m celebrating them on the first day of their internship.”

That kind of advocacy and relationship-building is invaluable. To sum up his whole experience with New Futures in a few words, Ahnaf chose — Friendly. Growth.

You can get a Taste of New Futures on October 4, 2024, by attending their rooftop cocktail reception, featuring global cuisines and cultural exhibits from countries in the New Futures community. Visit their website to learn more and support.

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How BroadFutures Creates Neuroinclusive Workplaces and Why It Matters

As workplaces continue evolving to become more diverse, inclusive and accessible, workers–and society–benefit from increased flexibility, creativity, and a breadth of new and unique skill sets and perspectives. Look at BroadFutures, a DC-based organization that has been supporting and training neurodiverse young people and employers through innovative internship programs for over a decade.

“We desperately need different kinds of minds, people with different strengths, different abilities,” Dr. David O. Black, neuropsychologist, told BroadFutures in a previous interview about mental health. “I think one of the things BroadFutures does is it recognizes the importance of a diverse workforce, not just from the standpoint of diversity… range of cognitive abilities as our society gets more and more complex, as the work needs get more and more complex.”

Every young person participating in BroadFutures Internship Programs enters a paid internship aligning their interests, skills, and passions with their employers’ needs. Before the internship begins, they join a cohort of peers for a week-long professional training that includes arts-based and peer learning, individualized coaching and mentoring, and stress reduction techniques to prepare for a workplace environment. Training continues throughout the internship semester once a week. Employers, in turn, receive dedicated education, coaching, and training to create and sustain neuroinclusive workplaces.

100% of interns, parents, and employers rate the program a success, with over 70% of employers returning to partner with BroadFutures and over 90% of interns continuing to a different workplace or higher education.

“My favorite part of my internship has been meeting all my new coworkers and trying new ways of taking photos and videos at Easterseals,” said Jeremy Hasson, a BroadFutures DC intern and recent graduate from McDaniel College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Writing and Publishing and a minor in Food Studies. This past summer, he worked as a marketing intern at Easterseals, a nonprofit providing disability services, with additional support areas serving veterans and military families, seniors, and caregivers. “I also look forward to contributing to the digital media efforts of Easterseals to promote their organization online.”

BroadFutures is currently the only nonprofit organization across the country with this innovative model that provides two-pronged support to both neurodiverse interns and employers. Young people need and deserve supportive environments in which they can grow their self-confidence, independence, resilience, and practice communication skills. Too often, young people with learning and related disabilities find these doors closed to them. But as BroadFutures founder Carolyn Jeppsen advocated back in 2016, “Opportunities for people of all abilities–of DIVERSE abilities–need to be the priority.”

“I think there is a lot of room for growth and it is an opportunity for me to take interest in other areas of experience,” said Nadia Dennis, another BroadFutures DC intern. During her internship this past summer, she supported various types of project management projects and initiatives at CBRE, a global leader in commercial real estate services and investments, and also a long-time BroadFutures supporter and employer partner. “One thing I have learned so far at my internship is the logistical details of leasing and property management tasks, and I like that because it is not my area of interest or studies… I look forward to taking skills into future workplaces.”

Since 2013, BroadFutures has directly served over 500 young people and partnered with over 70 employers. You can help them create life-changing early career opportunities and cultivate more inclusive, accessible workplaces. Learn more about their fall gala, Voices for Change, on October 19, where they will share more about their ambitious strategic growth vision for the next three years.