Photo of John Larivee

BOSTON – Community Resources for Justice President and CEO John Larivee received the Edward J. Loughran Outstanding Leadership Award on Aug. 2 in recognition of his decades-long commitment to improving outcomes for young people involved in the justice system.

The Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators selected Larivee for the award, saying that his career exemplifies the award criteria: leadership, initiative, dedication, and inspiration. He received the honor at the CJCA’s annual awards night in Boston.

“Your career and leadership on behalf of justice-involved youth is awe-inspiring,” CJCA Executive Director Michael Dempsey wrote to Larivee in a letter notifying him of the award selection. “Your dedication is clearly recognized by others around you and has advanced the field and your work has inspired others to get involved and make a difference in the lives of youth and families we serve.”

The award is named for CJCA’s founding executive director, a tireless advocate for young people and families involved in the juvenile justice system, as well as the professionals who serve them.

 

John Larivee being honored at the annual CJCA conference

Juvenile justice has long been a focus of Larivee’s. He is a past president and founder of Citizens for Juvenile Justice in Massachusetts, which advocated against legislation that would have shifted the juvenile system to be less rehabilitative and more punitive. Larivee also advocated for keeping juveniles out of adult prisons.

Under Larivee’s leadership, CRJ has provided direct services for youth and young adults and advanced policies that limit the use of secure confinement for young people by investing in community-based programs that allow them to stay at home and in their communities.

Today, CRJ’s Sargent House serves young adults who exhibit challenging behavior due to trauma-based diagnoses, sexually abusive behavior, cognitive disabilities, and/or intellectual challenges.

And the Crime and Justice Institute, a division of CRJ, has helped eight states pass legislation to improve their juvenile justice systems, resulting in declines in the numbers of young people in secure confinement and closure of some youth detention facilities.

Larivee never shies away from the challenges of improving outcomes for young people involved in the juvenile justice system, said CJI Director of Justice Services Barbara Pierce, who nominated Larivee for the award.

“In fact, he actively seeks to serve youth, young adults, and adults who others would prefer to lock away in institutions,” Pierce wrote.

About CJCA
The Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators (CJCA) was formed in 1994 to improve youth correctional services and practices and provide leadership for the field of juvenile justice systems. CJCA initiates and facilitates the exchange of ideas and philosophies among administrators from all jurisdictions at annual meetings, through regular communications and its website as well as through collaboration with other national partners and organizations. CJCA’s membership is limited to the juvenile justice agency executive leader in each state level system as well as several large county systems.