Best of Youth Radio 2014

12.22.14
Best of Youth Radio 2014
NEW GPS hub page Double Charged: Special Investigation

Each year, almost 1.5 million teens, many of them low-income, are arrested in the United States. Compared to ten years ago, fewer of these young people end up incarcerated due to cost-saving measures at the county level, but what impact do those measures have on minors and their families? In a yearlong investigation, Youth Radio tracked three under-reported trends – increase use of GPS monitoring, making parents pay for their kids’ jail time and probation, and high sums of victim restitution owed by juveniles. 

snip snip there02 Special Coverage: Youth And The Marijuana Industry

A closer look at young people working in the booming marijuana industry, and  how they navigate the grey market where growing, selling and possessing weed can be both legal and illegal. 

Shooting Candy The Darker Side Of Black Licorice 

What kid doesn’t love candy? While parents may worry about rotting teeth, there’s another more potent risk. Traces of the powerful neurotoxin, lead, can be found in some candy. This isn’t a new concern. For more than a decade, we’ve known about harmful amounts of the metal showing up in chili-flavored sweets imported from Mexico. That problem was addressed, but the California Department of Public Health has found lead in some candies made and distributed in the US.

Memorial Where Michael Brown Was Shot Ferguson And Michael Brown: Special Coverage

The fatal shooting of Michael Brown, 18, in Ferguson, Missouri resonated deeply with young people all over the country. Youth Radio’s coverage of the case includes on-the-ground reporting, and collaboration with youth around the country to amplify youth voices and perspectives.

"Satan Wriders performing for a crowd at D Thrift" (Jenny Bolario/Youth Radio)

“Satan Wriders performing for a crowd at D Thrift” (Jenny Bolario/Youth Radio)

In Stockton, Calif., Punks Are The New Mall Rats

In Stockton, California — a quiet strip mall has a double life. Come nightfall, it turns into a venue for indie rock concerts. Youth Radio, in collaboration with our partners at Stitcher, developed a single story multimedia site to tell a deeper story about the city, the youth and the unusual cross-generational partnership that sparked a new music scene.  

8971741860_1f7cd75a14_z Seeing Like A Butterfly: Beyond The Gender Binary

This video which won second place in the 2014 Bay Area Youth Media Festival explores the debate over what defines gender and what it means when people don’t fit neatly into traditional male/female gender norms.

430442338_d51e104987_z Youth And Police: The Dialogue Continues 

In the wake of national protests in response to officer related shootings and grand jury decisions not to indict them, Youth Radio examines how young people and community leaders in Oakland are taking stock, and thinking about how to move forward. This reporting includes a response from Sergeant Joseph Turner of the Oakland Police Department who wrote a letter to Youth Radio.

2073251155_8051628a62_o Navigating School Without A Computer

One of the hardest things in high school is not having a computer at home. But many students in the Oakland Unified School District face this dilemma. This is the story of one 16-year-old who has to navigate life without a computer.

photo Underage And Undercover: Meet The Teen Vice Squad 

More than 100 teenagers in California spent a recent Saturday asking adults to buy them alcohol.  An outbreak of underage drinking?  Nope– just the opposite.  These kids gave up their time to serve as Youth Decoys in the middle of a sting.

Get Off Your Cell Phone…Dad!

According to a lot of young people, teens are no longer the most “phone addicted” people in the house. Parents are.

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