Youth Justice Project

The Youth Justice Project can connect young people ages 16-24 to free legal help at Community Legal Services and Philadelphia Legal Assistance.

We can help with:

• Criminal & Juvenile Records, including expungement, bench warrants, impact on employment, and court debt
• Family & Kids, including Childline Records (child abuse registry), DHS involvement, protection from abuse, and child custody
• Public Benefits, including SSI disability, health insurance, SNAP (food stamps), cash assistance, and utility/energy assistance
• Housing, including evictions from private housing, issues with public housing including Section 8, PHA, HUD, and landlord tenant issues
• Loans and Debt, including from student loans, credit cards, etc.

If you are between the ages of 16 and 24, you can fill out the Youth Justice Project Virtual Intake form and someone will contact you within one to two business days. 

Philadelphia’s youth experience high rates of poverty, unemployment, and negative physical and mental health outcomes, including high rates of depression and domestic violence. The Youth Justice Project, a collaboration between Philadelphia Legal Assistance and Community Legal Services, has come together to offer resources and legal services to improve outcomes for our most vulnerable youth.

Download the Young Adult Resource Guide to get help with the following issues: Child care and early learning, domestic violence, drop-in centers, drug and alcohol treatment, education/career, family planning/reproductive health, food resources, general health services, housing/shelter, legal services, mental health services, parenting education, teen parent resources, other resources.

Research on adolescent brain development has shown that although youth transitioning to adulthood share many competencies and attributes of fully formed adults, they remain fundamentally different. Yet, this recognition is not reflected in policies that treat youth and adults the same. Read our issue primer to learn more about the unique problems that youth face.

Based on these findings, Community Legal Services prepared a policy report, Youth Justice: Ensuring Vulnerable Youth Successfully Transition Into Adulthood and Out of Poverty.

Download our fact sheets below for information on important issues that impact youth.