Philadelphia has one of the highest youth probation rates in the country, with significant racial disparities and poor long-term outcomes. Prior reform efforts have largely been led by the same systems responsible for these harms, resulting in limited change. YEAH Philly proposes to launch the Juvenile Probation Transformation Coalition (JPTC), a youth-led initiative designed to replace Philadelphia’s juvenile probation system with community-driven models of accountability and care. The experiment tests whether community-based systems—such as restorative justice circles, therapy, employment, and behavioral health supports—can effectively replace probation supervision and yield stronger outcomes for youth. By blending participatory research, youth-led advocacy, and direct service pilots, JPTC aims to demonstrate that public safety can be achieved through healing-centered community accountability rather than punitive systems.
