Junior Defenders

The Junior Defender Program coordinates with school administrators to reach out to students in neighborhoods that have been disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system. The program provides these students with a foundational understanding of the youth justice system in Philadelphia.

We work alongside middle and high school students to develop age-appropriate and culturally responsive teaching materials that will improve our young clients’ understanding of youth justice system and court-ordered obligations. 

The goal of the program is to reduce the impact of the school-to-prison pipeline, and instead build a pipeline of young people interested in pursuing careers dedicated to the legal defense of adjudicated youth.

The videos below are one vehicle we use to introduce students to the issues and topics discussed in our Junior Defender sessions: 

Watch this video to learn more about the Junior Defender mission and Summer Internship Program.

Junior Defender Summer 2023 from Defender Association on Vimeo.

Hear directly from this year’s Junior Defender program on the value and impact of learning about our justice system and how to advocate for change!

Reflections from our Junior Defender Summer Interns (2023) from Defender Association on Vimeo.

To learn more about the Junior Defender Program, contact Guy Lang: glang@philadefender.org

Follow us: @PhillyDefenders